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Show 36 BASIS OF AMERICAN HISTORY [ 1700 To this point the western trails converged, with the exception of one or two which passed along the more southern tributaries of the Mississippi. As the Spaniards or Mexicans already had settlements in New Mexico and California, endeavors were soon made to establish trade with those points, and the Santa F6 Trail was the first important road of the West. 1 This road, about eight hundred miles long, passed westward from Independence to the Arkansas, up that stream to Bent's Fort, thence southwest up Timpas Creek and across the Raton Pass to Las Vegas and San Miguel. From this point it pushed westward through Apache Canon to the Santa F€ Valley. This trail was not favorable for wagons, and as their use increased, a more southerly route was adopted, which left the Arkansas, passed southwest to the Cimarron, and up that stream, meeting the old trail at Las Vegas. From New Mexico two routes were discovered to the Pacific coast. One ran from the Rio Grande over the divide to the headwaters of the Gila River and down to the Colorado and southern California. As the route along the upper Gila was difficult for wagons, a way was found around the mountains farther south, near the present line of the Southern Pacific Railroad. 2 The other trail led from Santa F6 northwest up the Chama River and 1 Chittenden, American Fur Trade of the Far West; Inman, Old Santa Ft Trail. 1 Emory, in Ex. Docs., 30 Cong., z Sess., No. 41. |