Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-02-10
THE OVERLAND
ROUTE TO CALIFORNIA .
Hints to Emigrants, &c.
Rendezvous at VAN RUEsEN,
ARKANSAS, ON OR ABOUT
THE FIRST OF APRIL NEXT,

leave here then. or that pass through this place
from the Mississippi Valley. You can, as best
suits you, 60 in "A company entirely of single men,
mounted, and with pack mules, instead of wagons
TO carry your baggage and provisions or you can
60 with company provided with wagons, hauled
by horses, mules, and oxen. You can take
small select company of IS or 100 men, or you
can go With a large party of hundreds
Your route will be by the Choctaw Agency, or
by Fort Smith, q military post about five miles
! from this place, where California expeditions will
also be fitted out and from whence it is expected
that an escort of Dragons will either leave with
the first party, or precede it, to clear the route of
Indians, or to overawe them. From the Choctaw
Agency, proceed direct west about fifty miles TO
the Canadian Crossings; - proceed up the north.
ern bank of said river until you reach the point
where it is crossed by the route of the Texas ex-
pedition TO Santa Fe, which left Austin in 1914.
At this point you will leave the Canadian. and
proceed almost due west about so miles, over the
table lands between it and the river Pecos q
branch Of the Rio Grande. 10 point where it is
crossed by the old Spanish military road from
Bexar. You will then proceed down the valley
of the Pecos or upon the table lands between that
river and the Sierra del Sacramento, about 80
miles, until you reach the southern slope of the
Sierra, when you will turn your course immed-
ately west, towards the Rio Grande. "a San Diego,
the point opposite 10 which Col. Cook left the Rio
Grande, on his route to California.
We will here mention that you will reach
point on your journey, 40 miles from where Mai.
Emery turned off from the Rio Grande, that was
travelled distance of IL Is miles from Leaven-
worth, which took 73 days to travel and which
point you will reach. on the Canadian route by
travel of 500 miles, in 55 or 60 days, over level
road, almost the whole route, where water and
wood can always be had ; and the country abound
ing more in grass and game. These facts we ga
ther from gentlemen experienced in prairie and
mountain enterprize, and of the most reliable cha
racter. Settlements Of Creeks, Choctaws, and
Chickasaw extend about $50 miles ives, Of This
place, from whom provisions and provender can
be procured; but these limited resources are not
reliable for such large parties will travel this
route. Their main dependence mus: be upon the
provisions which they will take along and the
luxurant grass which they will find on the entire
route.
Parties leaving this city are enabled to start
ONE MONTH EARLIER,
than from Independence, the GRASS being up
that much sooner on the southern route. The ad-
vantnges of His route over ere' other, are appa-
rent 10 all who will Just cast their eye over the
best maps. 1t viii be seen that it is the DIRECT
route-the distance shorter-ridges and noun
tains are avoided by keeping the Canadian nearly
alb the way-the latitude medium-the climate
miId-lhe Praries fertiIe-the Canadian and its
tributaries always furnishing water-the timber
on this stream ever providing fuel--the rich
PralreS aad the saline tributaries invite game to
this region, where it is moro abundant Than else
where on the western prairies
A this point you can either cross over 10 Mai |
Emetys road, which he took with his pack mules. |
or continue on Col. Cooks route that he pursued
with his infantry and wagons. The former is |
the shortest route. and best for those who 90 with
pack mues--the latter, for those who take wag- |
ons, it is farther, but Col Cook pronounces it an
excellent road. level with abundance of grass,
wood and water. This route is only so or 90 |
miles further. and much the best 1t intersecls
Maj. Emery route at the village Of the Pimo and
Maracopa Indians, travelling 444 miles from the |
Rio Grande. Col. Cook gives favorable accounts
of this roue-it is unbroken almost the entire dis
tance, but one stretch of country, about Is miles,
which he found rough. He says the soil is fer
tile, and the grass abundant, although in Novem-
ber and December; and plentiful supply of wafer
and wood He says, the route from Tucson
passes through country abounding in exceeding
ly rich gold mines!''
From this point, the junction of Cooks and
Emerys route, it is 449 miles 10 the city of San
Diego. IN California making the whole distance
from Van Buren,, 1893 miles. The distance from
Fort Leovenworth to The same CITY, bv Cooks
ana Emery's routes, is 1896 miles.
From San Diego to the gold placer on the Sa.
cramento, Is, by the road over 500 miles.
but by Fremont's route from Cuidad de los Anoe-
los east Of the Tule Lake and the river Jo,onin
about 450 miles, making the entire distance
over 1000 miles.
For description Of the route from Van Ruren
to San Diego, on the Rio Granda, by the Canadian
valley ipdahtod 10 n.