204 TBADE WITH CHIHUAHUA. Book II. 
extraordinary facility of the transport by railways, canals, 
and steamers on the rivers in the United States from New 
York to the Missouri — the natural facilities of the roads 
through the prairies west of that river — the cheapness of 
journeying in this country, where the feed of the draught- 
cattle costs little or nothing — the bold spirit of enterprize, 
and the skilful management of the transport in the United 
States — lastly, the origin of this intercourse from the 
pedlar-trade on the frontiers and the traffic with the 
Indians — have for some time given to this route, although 
about six times the length of the distance of Chihuahua 
from the nearest Mexican port, a preference to the transport 
on beasts of burden over the difficult passes of the moun- 
tains of Mexico, with the indolence and timidity of the 
Mexicans. Of late years, however, these commercial rela- 
tions have undergone a change. The North Americans 
have begun to prefer the much shorter journey by Texas 
to the Missouri route, as the rapid advance of the colo- 
nization of Western Texas enables the traders to provide 
themselves here with draught-cattle and provisions for the 
journey to Northern Mexico; and the Mexican Govern- 
ment under Santa Ana, by raising the import dues, and 
enforcing them strictly on the United States frontier, while 
facilitating the importations through the sea-ports of the 
country, enabled the merchandize brought to Chihuahua 
from the south by the interior to be sold cheaper than that 
carried to El Paso across the frontiers, either from the 
Missouri or Texas. At the time, however, to which my 
narrative refers, this change had not yet been effected; 
and the caravan with which I travelled still preferred the 
longest of all possible routes. The merchandize sent by 
railway and steamboat to the Missouri, was loaded on 
waggons at Weyne City (near Independence), and was 
