EVENTFUL ERA. 25 



the present Lieutenant-Governor of Mssouri, 

 ha\ing formed one of the party, has heen 

 pleased to place liis diary of that eventful 

 journey at my disposal ; but want of space 

 necessarily compels me to pass over the many 

 interestiiig and exciting incidents which it 

 contains. Suffice it to say that the caraMUi 

 reached Santa Fe with much less difficulty 

 than must have been anticipated from a first 

 experunent witli wheeled vehicles. The 

 route, indeed, appears to have presented fewer 

 obstacles than any ordinary road of equal 

 length in tlie United States. 



It was not until several years after this ex- 

 periment, however, that adventurers with 

 large capital began seriously to embark in 

 tlie Santa Fc trade. The early traders having 

 but seldom experienced any molestations 

 from the Lidians, generally crossed the plains 

 in detached bands, each indi\idual rarely 

 carrying more than two or tliree hundred dol- 

 lars' worth of stock. This peaceful season, 

 however, did not last A'ery long; and it is 

 greatly to be feared that the traders were not 

 always iimoccnt of having instigated the 

 savage hostihties that ensued in after years. 

 Many seemed to forget the wholesome pre- 

 cept, tliat they should not be savages them- 

 selves because they dealt with savages. In- 

 stead of cultivating friendly feeUngs with 

 those few who remained peaceful and honest, 

 there was an occasional one always disposed 

 to kill, even in cold blood, everv Indian that 



fell into their power, r .erely because some of 



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