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Show 96 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY After the return of Lieutenant Pike,®* whose relation of events transpiring and conditions existing in the northern provinces of New Spain caused a great deal of excitement throughout the west, commercial possibilities with the Spaniards attracted a great deal of attention. Previous -to this time New Mexico had no outside market for any of its products and the only source of supply was from Mexico by way of Chihuahua. The New Mexican exports were sheep, furs, buffalo robes, dressed deer-s kins, salt, tobacco, and finely wrought copper vessels. In return for these came cotton, silk and velvet, arms, iron, steel, ammunition, and choice liquors. According to Major Pike, high grade import ed cloth sold in Santa Fé as high as twenty to twenty-five dollars the yard, linen at four dollars the yard, and other dry goods in proportion. Pike gave to the people of the United States the first informa tion of a reliable character concerning the conditions existing in northe aR vauren rn Mexico, and his expedition unquestionab ly was the means of inducing traders to come to New Mexico in quest of profitable Bl ae for trade with Santa Fé. Sages, and Indians then to within Leaving the main at The scheme was to form the proper ‘three party or four with the time to days’ goods push travel under on of a large with an the guard depot among the escort of friendly friendly Indians, Spanish of the settlements.’ = leader was to go to Santa Fé with a few well selected articles and get permission to bring in his entire outfit. If not successful he was try to to inorolag we camp. Nothing more was possible to go back with him and trade at his ever heard of the venture and it is known to us only through a letter of instruction from General Wilkinson to Lieutenant Pike, dated August 6, 1806. Tn this letter Wilkinson takes strong ground against the enterprise and urges Pike to do all in his power to The name of this enterprising frustrate it. trader Manuel ig not Lisa. ’? mentioned but it is thought to be hinoa Trade, p. 494: ‘‘Pike American History ordered to visit H. M., certain tribes of oftheIndians in theFurnewly-acqui red regions to © west and southwest of St. Louis, among them the Comanches, near the Sources of the Arkansas and Red rivers, extent and navigation’ of those two wid dle to determine the ‘dueeume streams. Tt was inevitable shane ee that © Suspect Should take other him into he had Spanish territory and there instructions strong Gum , not reason in writing, thet isrequired Se e his explorations much nearer the Spanish capital of Santa Fé than his shed orders or his skilful disclaimer in hig journal would indicate. No a ind ever know whether the trap into which Pike ran, when he built his the west bank of the Rio Grande and hoisted the American the oustvery onfaces of th flag i ani ; circumstance of the B, paniards, was a trap set . every byw himself scheme or not; dition but indicates that i t 8 to get ; into pe ates that it was all a scheme tc =e 461-468, . learn what he could of the country without having his purpose renee a any rate was the outcome of the affair.’’ See vol. 1, PP. |