Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-02-24
ARKANSAS ROUTE via
VAN BUREN, AND FORT SMITH.


amount of presumption and unblushng impudence
seasoned with ignorance and baretacedness II so
small space, we never saw the like before. This
man Ware, says that this is the acorst road that
could be possibly travelled, and Lieut.. Buord
who went through TO Santa Fe, last year, says 1t
is the best that can be found in all the couutry.
Doctor Connelley the enerprising Santa Fe and
Chihuahua traveller who began his series of prai
rie royages from Independence. Missouri, pro-
nounces this 9. the best route and certainly de-
signed by nature," as the avenue over oGr West
! ern plains. Gen. kearney, Col. Cook. and Maj
Emory with host Of Dragons and infantry
passed from Santa Fe to The Pacific, and they
meyer saw nor heard Of the dreaded Llano ESta
cGdo, where there neither grass nor water,
but found Of both in sufficient quantity. This
dreaded desert lies the Independence route,
| for on that the emigiants travel on the margin OF
the Great Basin. These arid plains also he over
the region heading the Washitaw. Brasos and the
Colorado OF the Gulf Of Mexico, but the Arkansas
route does not 90 through those.
! As Col. Fremont never explored on the Ar
kansas and Canadian route, it must have been in
:. A vast desert plain spread before us, from
which the boldest traveller turns away in despair"
Ware hourishes this quotation from Fremont, in
terrorum over the travellers on the Arkansas
route, when indeed if the dangers there walled
up, must beset the independence route. Another
one of Mr.. Wares flourishes is that Fremont said
:. We found 1t the roughest and rockes road we
had ever seen, and nearly destroyed our fine band
of mule. and horses" The man who would pill
! fer isolated passages from n work and apply them
10 subjects foreign to The intention of the author,
is pirate, ard should meet the rebuke of all in
telIigent men. Col. Fremon. never travelled this
route, and it is known thai he did travel from In
dependence. therefore if this passage is TO be
scarecrow it is for that route and not for
Upon the whole, Joseph E. Ware is notorious
humbug. and the Republican has suffered it.
self TO be made the vehicle Of miS-inlormation
and misrepresentation.
We will close our comments upon this remark
able card, by giving some extracts from the
commerce of the Pritiries," al interesting work,
by Doctor josiah GaEGG, who has spent nearly
his whole life upon the pruiries and in trading
with the Mexican States. Ills first trip to Santa
Fe and for many years his only route, was from
Independence. He is a Missourlan, identified
with independence in feelings and views, by long
association. He makes comparative notice of
the two routes, and with his remarks, we will
leave the reader.
"On the lst March. 1910. set out from San
Miguel. Our caravan consisted OF twenty-eight
W. tupc nd FORT
including sixteen Mexicans and a Conanche In
dian, who acted in the capacity Of guide
:" "lnstead OF following Inc trail of the year be-
fore, | determined to seek a nearer and better
route down the south side OF the Canadian river
Vol. I'd, pages l39 and 40. I'VE arrived in
Van Buren, on the 22d april [page 1851
''As regards the two different routes to Santa
Fe, although Missouri, for various reasons which
it is needless to explain here. can doubtless retain
the monopoly Of the Santa Fo trade. the route
from Arkansas possesses many advantages. Besides
It's being days haUel shorter, it is less inter.
sected with large streams; there are teIcer sandy
stretches, and a greater variety of wood -sklrted
BROOKS afIordng throughout the journey rery
agreeable camping places. Also. as the grass
springs up nearly month earlier than in upper
Missouri, caravans could start much sooner. aud
the proprietors would have double the iime TO
conduct their mercantile transactions. Again
trade" would at once bring their mules and horses
into more congeniaI climate-one more in
cordance with that of their nativity for the rigo
rous winters of Missouri often prove fatal 10 the
unaccIimated Mexican animals" p l5O.J
*We ilacize certain words in the extracts 10
show the entire faIsily of Ware, in his remarks
respecting wood, water, grass and destruction of
mules and horses.
Lieut.. J. w d. LAsATER-Our Young friend
and fellow townsman, returned on last Wednes-
day, from his campaign in Yucalan, in excellent
health, and highly gratifed with his adventures
in that interesting country. .......
Lieut.. Lasater is becoming quite famous for the
spirit Of adventure which amin ates him. and that
indomitable courage which enables him to 60
through the perils and hardshps of his adventurous
career. Capt. Smith, the founder of Virginia,
whose life was ri fe with romantic adventure, did
not start out at an earlier age, go through a
greater variety Of adventures than did our young
friend. .....
When the Mexican commenced, he threw
I'D his school books and few to the tented field