Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-19
From the ST. Louis Republican.
Arrival Of r. n. Aubrey at Santa Fe-His
Death, I'm Rencontre with Major Weight
man.

A telegraphic dispatch from our correspond
ent in Lexington, Missouri, of yesterdays date,
advises us of the death of F. X. Aubrey, the
most daring and enthusiastic traveller Of the
age. This dispatch states, that letters had been
received there by express, addressed to Russell,
Waddell * CO., from their agent in New Mex
leo, stating that 4. X. Aubrey was stabbed in
row with Major Weightman, in Santa Fe,
about the 10th Of August, and died immediate
ly. Aubrey had just made the trip from San
Francisco TO Santa Fe for wager, in twenty.
one days. Major Weightman was, two wears
ago, the delegate in Congress from New Mex
leo, and was an officer in the army during the
Mexican war. Nothing is said Of the circum-
stances which terminated the earthly career of
the most intrepid traveller that the world ever
produced.
In lS4S, Mr.. Aubrey was introduced to our
readers as having performed the most remark
able travelling feat on record Before that
time he was known TO US as a merchant OF great
enterprise, connected with the Santa Fe trade.
going to and fro with great promptness and
success, but it was not until l848 that be per
formed the journey between Santa Fe and In.
dependence, which gave to him his fame for
perseverance and personal Endurance. On the
10th Of September Of that year, he left Santa
re with the intention of making quick trip
70 the States, and he certainly accomplished it.
lie made the entire journey of eight hundred
miles, in five days and fifteen hours. If the
travelling time only be counted, the exact time
was four days and half During this time
he slept two hours only and ate six meals. He
broke down six horses and walked twenty miles
on foot, and he had to swim creeks and endure
The rain for twenty-four hours, and travel nearly
SIX hundred miles of the distance in the mud.
BY the aid Of a steamboat, which was found
at the Independence landing, he made the
whole distance from Santa Fe TO st. Louis in n
little over ten days. 200 miles. No one ac
companied him over the prairies, and a por.
dreec g, the Land sFiRpeysS fhe fwenivorr -
TB journey earned for Mr.. Aubrey The so,'
bi}1tet Of the Skinner of the Plainsn ga
/, te has worn IL ever since, and passion seerns
TO have been innate, for we find II Announced
by the telegraph, that he had undertaken. for
a wager, to make the distance between san
Francisco and Santa Fe in twenty-five DAYS
oupposlng him 10 have performed il, then.
taking his trip in 1913 from Santa Fe. he NAV
be said to have travelled from San Francisco n
st. Louis in thirty-two DAYS.
For series OF years, Mr.. Aubrey was en-.
gagged IN extensive mercantile transactions he
tween Missouri and New Mediterranean
extending his trade to Chihuahua--and again
returning to Missouri by the southern route.
through Texas and New Orleans. His outfit
of goods were almost always obtained here. and
he was generally successful in disposing Of
them.
10 aman Of so much enterprise, TO conceive
OF an expedition from New Mexico to Califor- |
ma, was to execute it. He accordingly. IN
1897, we think, resolved upon an expedition 70
that State, and took with him several thousand
head OF sheep. BY his good management. he
lost very few, if any, Of them, and his enter. |
prise was said, at the time, 10 have rewarded
him with profit of $70,c90.
Mr.. Aubrey's spirit of adventure, while Il
led him to shape journeys for his personal ben.
eft, always had something Of public interest
connected with it. Thus, on one Of bis expe.
djtions between independence and Santa Fe. |