Commerce of the Prairies: or, The journal of a Santa Fé trader, 1831-1839, Volumes I & II

This Kindle version is a complete, two-volumes-in-one republication of "Commerce of the Prairies: or, The journal of a Santa Fé trader, 1831–1839" which was written by Josiah Gregg (1806–1850), a merchant, explorer, naturalist, and author who described his travels and adventures throughout the American Southwest and Northern Mexico. He is most famous for this book, a classic description of his early travels along the Santa Fe Trail to Santa Fe, then along El Camino Real to Chihuahua, Mexico and further south. The little book has become a classic in the literature of Western history. Simple, direct, and unpretentious in style, our author's narrative presents all that may reasonably be expected in relation to the status of the New Mexican provinces, and of the Santa Fé trade before the closing of the Mexican custom houses in 1841... The work... judiciously mingles history, description, and narrative in such proportions that the interest is retained throughout. As an historian Gregg is exceptionally accurate... He gave the first connected narrative in English, of the history of New Mexico from its first explorations in the sixteenth century to his own time. All later histories of that region must depend largely upon his researches. ...Gregg is pre-eminently the historian of the Santa Fé trade that...employed many of the most daring spirits of the frontier and paved the way for the possession of these regions by the United States. ...The incidents and excitements of this journey across the plains Gregg narrates with a fidelity and vividness that make the reader a participant. ...As a contribution to the history and development of the far Southwest, Gregg's Commerce of the Prairies stands without a rival and is indispensable to a full knowledge of the American past.

Contents
I. Santa Fe Trade
II. The Departure
III. Catch Up
IV. A Desert Plain
V. Arrival at Santa Fe
VI. Sketches of the History of Santa Fe
VII. Geographical Position of New Mexico
VIII. The Mines of New Mexico
IX. Domestic Animals and Their Conditions
X. Condition of the Arts and Sciences in New Mexico
XI. Style of Dress in New Mexico — Customs
XII. Government of New Mexico
XIII. Military Hierarchy — Religious Superstitions and Ceremonies
XIV. The Pueblos
XV. The Wild Tribes of New Mexico
XVI. Incidents of a Return Trip From Santa Fe
XVII. A Return to Prairie Life
XVIII. Travelling Out of Our Latitude
XIX. Ponds and Buffalo Wallows
XX. Preparations for a Start to Chihuahua — Arrival
XXI. From Chihuahua to Aguascalientes
XXII. Visit to the Mining Town of Jesus Maria — Return to Chihuahua
XIII. Departure for Santa Fe — Arrival at Santa Fe
XXIV. Preparations for Returning Home — Arrival at Van Buren
XXV. Conclusion of the Santa Fe Trade
XXVI. Geography of the Prairies
XXVII. Animals of the Prairies
XXVIII. Aborigines of America
XXIX. The Frontier Indians
XXX. Indians of the Prairies
XXXI. Indians of the Prairies

This book published in 1845 has been reformatted for the Kindle and may contain an occasional defect from the original publication or from the reformatting.