The Making of the Great West, 1512-1883
Part 1
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Transcriber's Note:
Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
Footnote 1 in the section "DEATH AND BURIAL OF DE SOTO" is missing.
There are two [7] anchors for Footnote 7 in the section "SWORD AND GOWN IN CALIFORNIA".
There are two [3] anchors for Footnote 3 in the section "THE LOST COLONY: ST. LOUIS OF TEXAS". The second appears to be a printer's error.
No map was identified in the text showing the Santa Fé and Oregon trails.
No section was found referring to the "Edmunds Bill".
The following alternate spellings were identified and retained: practise and practice Pekitanoüi and Pekitanoui Clarke and Clark Compte and Comte Nicolet and Nicollet Cortes and Cortez Chicasaw and Chickasaw New-England and New England.
THE MAKING OF THE GREAT WEST 1512-1883
BY SAMUEL ADAMS DRAKE
_WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS_
London GIBBINGS & COMPANY, LTD. 18 BURY STREET, W.C.
1894
COPYRIGHT, 1887, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS.
PRESSWORK BY BERWICK & SMITH, BOSTON, U.S.A.
PREFACE.
"_Time's noblest offspring is the last._"
This history is intended to meet, so far as it may, the want for brief, compact, and handy manuals of the beginnings of our country.
Although primarily designed for young people, the fact has not been overlooked that the same want exists among adult readers, to whom an intelligent view of the subject, in a little space, is nowhere accessible.
For the purpose in hand, the simplest language consistent with clearness has been made use of, though I have never hesitated to employ the right word, whenever I could command it, even if it were of more than three syllables.
As in the "Making of New England," "this book aims to occupy a place between the larger and lesser histories,—to so condense the exhaustive narrative as to give it greater vitality, or so extend what the narrow limits of the school-history often leave obscure as to supply the deficiency. Thus, when teachers have a particular topic before them, it is intended that a chapter on the same subject be read to fill out the bare outlines of the common-school text-book.
"To this end the plan has been to treat each topic as a unit, to be worked out to a clear understanding of its objects and results before passing to another topic. And in furtherance of this method, each subject has its own descriptive notes, maps, plans and pictorial illustration, so that all may contribute to a thorough knowledge of the matter in hand. The several topics readily fall into groups that have an apparent or underlying connection, which is clearly brought out."
In this volume, I have followed up to its legitimate ending the work done by the three great rival powers of modern times in civilizing our continent. I have tried to make it the worthy, if modest, exponent of a great theme. The story grows to absorbing interest, as the great achievement of the age,—of the Anglo-Saxon overcoming the Latin race, as one great wave overwhelms another with resistless force.
Under the title of "The Great West," the present volume deals mostly with the section lying beyond the Mississippi. Another is proposed, in which the central portion of the Union will be treated. The completed series, it is hoped, will present something like a national portrait of the American people.
CONTENTS.
GROUP I.—THREE RIVAL CIVILIZATIONS.
I. The Spaniards.
PAGE
AN HISTORIC ERA 1
DE SOTO'S DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI 10
DEATH AND BURIAL OF DE SOTO 18
THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA 20
HOW NEW MEXICO CAME TO BE EXPLORED 28
"THE MARVELLOUS COUNTRY" 39
FOLK LORE OF THE PUEBLOS 45
LAST DAYS OF CHARLES V. AND PHILIP II. 53
SWORD AND GOWN IN CALIFORNIA 55
II. The French.
PRELUDE 67
WESTWARD BY THE GREAT INLAND WATERWAYS 71
THE SITUATION IN A.D. 1672 80
COUNT FRONTENAC 84
JOLIET AND MARQUETTE 85
THE MAN LA SALLE 93
LA SALLE, PRINCE OF EXPLORERS 99
DISCOVERY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI 105
THE LOST COLONY: ST. LOUIS OF TEXAS 109
IBERVILLE FOUNDS LOUISIANA 118
FRANCE WINS THE PRIZE 123
LOUIS XIV. 130
III. The English.
THE BLEAK NORTH-WEST COAST 132
HUDSON'S BAY TO THE SOUTH SEA 136
THE RUSSIANS IN ALASKA 140
ENGLAND ON THE PACIFIC 143
QUEEN ELIZABETH 147
_Interlude._
WHAT JONATHAN CARVER AIMED TO DO IN 1766 149
JOHN LEDYARD'S IDEA 153
A YANKEE SHIP DISCOVERS THE COLUMBIA RIVER 156
THE WEST AT THE OPENING OF THE CENTURY 162
GROUP II.—BIRTH OF THE AMERICAN IDEA.
I. America for Americans.
ACQUISITION OF LOUISIANA 171
A GLANCE AT OUR PURCHASE 175
II. The Pathfinders.
LEWIS AND CLARKE ASCEND THE MISSOURI 184
THEY CROSS THE CONTINENT 191
PIKE EXPLORES THE ARKANSAS VALLEY 198
NEW MEXICO IN 1807 205
GOLD IN COLORADO.—A TRAPPER'S STORY 208
THE FLAG IN OREGON 211
LOUISIANA ADMITTED 1812 214
III. The Oregon Trail.
THE TRAPPER, BACKWOODSMAN, AND EMIGRANT 215
LONG EXPLORES THE PLATTE VALLEY 219
MISSOURI AND THE COMPROMISE OF 1821 223
ARKANSAS ADMITTED 1836 227
THOMAS H. BENTON'S IDEA 227
WITH THE VANGUARD TO OREGON 233
TEXAS ADMITTED 241
_Interlude._
NEW POLITICAL IDEAS 246
IOWA ADMITTED 248
THE WAR WITH MEXICO 248
CONQUEST OF NEW MEXICO 251
TAKING OF CALIFORNIA 256
THE MORMONS IN UTAH 264
GROUP III.—GOLD IN CALIFORNIA, AND WHAT IT LED TO.
I. The Great Emigration.
EL DORADO FOUND AT LAST 271
SWARMING THROUGH THE GOLDEN GATE 276
THE CALIFORNIA PIONEERS 279
CALIFORNIA A FREE STATE 285
ARIZONA 288
II. The Contest for Free Soil.
THE KANSAS-NEBRASKA STRUGGLE 290
KANSAS THE BATTLE-GROUND 295
THE BATTLE FOUGHT AND WON 299
TWO FREE STATES ADMITTED 307
III. The Crown of the Continent.
GOLD IN COLORADO, AND THE RUSH THERE 308
THE PACIFIC RAILROADS 315
KANSAS, NEVADA, NEBRASKA, AND COLORADO ADMITTED 320
THE RECENT STATES 322
THE WORK OF EIGHTY YEARS 326
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
TAKING POSSESSION FOR FRANCE _Frontispiece_
SPANISH ARMS 1
SHIP OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY 2
ISABELLA OF SPAIN 3
MEDAL OF CHARLES V. 5
PONCE DE LEON 6
BALBOA DISCOVERING THE PACIFIC 8
FRENCH MAP OF 1542. FROM JOMARD 10
DE SOTO 11
SOLDIER OF 1585 12
CUBAN BLOODHOUND 14
DEPARTURE OF THE SPANIARDS 16
BURIAL OF DE SOTO 19
FLORIDA WARRIOR 21
PALISADED TOWN 23
A FLORIDA INDIAN'S CABIN 24
MAKING A CANOE 25
A CHIEFTAIN'S GRAVE 26
PROCESSIONAL FANS 27
ROCK INSCRIPTIONS, NEW MEXICO 29
MAP, NEW MEXICO. ROUTE OF SPANISH INVADERS 31
JUNCTION OF THE GILA AND COLORADO 34
ORGAN MOUNTAINS 36
EL PASO DEL NORTE 38
A PUEBLO RESTORED 41
ACOMA 43
CASA GRANDE, GILA VALLEY 44
RUINS OF PECOS 47
CEREUS GIGANTEA 49
PUEBLO IDOLS 50
HIEROGLYPHICS, GILA VALLEY 51
MAP, CALIFORNIA COAST 55
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 57
DRAKE SAILS AWAY 58
OLD MAP SHOWING DRAKE'S PORT 60
CARMEL MISSION CHURCH 61
SPANISH MAP OF 1787, SHOWING MISSIONS, PRESIDIOS, AND ROUTES 63
MAP FROM ARCANO DEL MARE, 1647 64
SHIPS OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY 68
A WOOD RANGER 70
CHAMPLAIN 72
A PORTAGE 73
TOTEM OF THE FOXES 76
FRENCH COSTUMES 77
FOX RIVER 78
LOUIS XIV. 82
MARQUETTE'S MAP 86
WILD RICE 87
TOTEM OF THE ILLINOIS 89
WAR CANOE, FROM LAHONTAN 90
THE CALUMET 91
LA SALLE 94
MAP SHOWING LA SALLE'S EXPLORATIONS 95
WAMPUM BELT 102
SIOUX CHIEF 107
SIOUX TOTEM 108
SUGAR PLANT 120
MAP SHOWING DELTA OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND ADJACENT COAST 122
BIENVILLE 124
FRENCH SOLDIERS 126
NEW ORLEANS, 1719 129
ABANDONED HUT, NORTH-WEST COAST 133
HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY'S HOUSE, LONDON 135
HUDSON'S BAY SLED, LOADED 136
INDIAN MASK, WEST COAST 139
SEALS, ST. PAUL'S ISLAND 140
RUSSIAN CHURCH, ALASKA 141
SNOW SPECTACLES, ALASKA 144
INDIAN CARVING 144
INDIAN GRAVE, NORTH-WEST COAST 155
QUEEN ELIZABETH 148
FALLS OF ST. ANTHONY 151
INDIAN BURIAL SCAFFOLD 152
MAP, MOUTH OF COLUMBIA RIVER 157
MEDAL, SHIPS COLUMBIA AND WASHINGTON 159
AN OREGON BELLE 161
A FLAT-BOAT 164
ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI 167
A LOUISIANA SUGAR-PLANTATION 176
FRENCH SETTLEMENTS: GERM OF ST. LOUIS 177
OLD CONVENT, NEW ORLEANS 179
MAP, ST. LOUIS AND VICINITY 180
CHOUTEAU'S POND, ST. LOUIS 181
ROCK TOWERS NEAR DUBUQUE 182
MOUNTAIN GOAT, OR BIG-HORN 185
INDIANS MOVING CAMP 186
A MANDAN 188
MANDAN SKIN BOATS 190
GATE OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 193
CATCHING SALMON, COLUMBIA RIVER 196
MAP ILLUSTRATING LIEUT. PIKE'S EXPLORATIONS 199
INDIAN BURIAL-PLACE 200
PIKE'S PEAK 202
THE YUCCA-TREE; SPANISH BAYONET 205
CHURCH, SANTA FÉ, WITH FORT MARCY 207
AN EMIGRANT'S CAMP 217
MAP ILLUSTRATING LONG'S EXPLORATIONS 220
PRAIRIE-DOG VILLAGE 221
DIGGING IN THE RIVER FOR WATER 222
STATUE OF BENTON 229
FORT LARAMIE 235
AMOLE, OR SOAP-PLANT 237
SAN ANTONIO 242
THE ALAMO 244
SAMUEL HOUSTON 245
MEXICAN CART 249
MEXICAN ARASTRA, FOR GRINDING ORES 250
PUEBLO WOMAN GRINDING CORN 253
BOY AND DONKEYS 254
PUEBLO OF TAOS 255
BIG TREE 257
MAP SHOWING STATES AND TERRITORIES ACQUIRED FROM MEXICO 259
CALIFORNIA INDIANS AND TULE HUT 260
EL CAPITAN, YOSEMITE 262
SALT-LAKE CITY AND TABERNACLE 265
SUTTER'S MILL 272
TWO MINERS 274
THE GOLDEN GATE 276
CHINESE LAUNDRYMAN 277
A FATHER 280
MOUNT SHASTA 281
ON THE OREGON TRAIL 282
SAN FRANCISCO IN 1849 283
EARLY COIN 284
HYDRAULIC MINING 286
CHICKEN-VENDER 287
MISSION SAN XAVIER DEL BAC, NEAR TUCSON 289
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS 291
A SQUATTER'S IMPROVEMENTS 296
STREET, KANSAS CITY, 1857 297
LAWRENCE, KANSAS 298
THE FERRY, LAWRENCE, KANSAS 300
A SQUATTER MOVING HIS CLAIM 301
MUD FORT, LAWRENCE 303
JOHN BROWN 304
JOHN BROWN'S CABIN 305
GATE, GARDEN OF THE GODS 309
HUMORS OF THE ROAD 310
DENVER IN 1859 311
OVERLAND STAGE—IN CAMP 311
GOING IN 312
COMING OUT 312
OFFICE OF "ROCKY-MOUNTAIN NEWS," DENVER 312
COLORADO CITY, 1859 313
QUARTZ STAMPING-MILL 314
QUAKER GUN AT STAGE STATION 315
PONY EXPRESS AND OVERLAND STAGE 317
TRACK-LAYING, PACIFIC RAILROAD 319
REAPING-MACHINE 327
GROUP I.
THREE RIVAL CIVILIZATIONS.
"_True History, henceforth charged with the education of the People, will study the successive movements of humanity._"—VICTOR HUGO.
I.
THE SPANIARDS.
AN HISTORIC ERA.
"_And from America the golden fleece_ _That yearly stuffs old Philip's treasury._"
_Marlowe's Faustus._
The story we have to tell was the problem of the sixteenth century, and is no less the marvel of the nineteenth. Put in the simplest possible form, the riddle to be solved in every palace of Christendom was, "How is the discovery of a new world going to affect mankind?"
To make the whole story clear, from beginning to end, calls for an effort to first put ourselves in relation with that remote time,—its thought, its interests, its aims and civilization. Let us try to do this now, at this time, when from our standpoint of achieved success we may calmly look back over the field, and see clearly the causes which have led up to it in orderly succession.
In the very beginning we see three rival civilizations. We see different nations, each of which is putting forth efforts to grasp dominion in, or stamp its own civilization upon, the New World in despite of the other. We see civilization apparently engaged in defeating its own ends. Naturally, then, our first interest centres in the combatants themselves. Who and what are these Old World gladiators, who, in making choice of the New for their arena, have stripped for the encounter?
Great affairs were engaging the attention of the civilized world, so great that nearly all Europe was up in arms. It was the era of unsettled conditions,—of old jealousies and animosities revived, of new opportunities and new adjustments created by them. But among the nations of Europe power was very differently distributed from what we see it to-day. Spain, not England, was acknowledged mistress of the seas. Not yet had England wrested that proud title from her ancient rival in the greatest naval battle of the century. Drake and Frobisher had not been born. Hawkins was a lad, strolling about the quays of his native seaport. Who, then, should dispute with Spain dominion of the seas?
The royal standard of Spain had indeed floated very far at sea. Columbus had borne it even in sight of the shores of Mexico; but, though he had given to Spain a new world, he, the man of his century, did not succeed in finding his long-sought strait to India, and so had died without seeing the one great purpose of his life accomplished.
Yet Columbus, so to speak, was a lever of Archimedes,[1] for with the greatness of his idea he had moved both the Old World and the New. The Old was thrown into commotion because of his discoveries and what they implied to mankind, the New thrilled with the new life that stirred in her bosom. Spain at once stepped forward into the front rank of nations. How strange and striking are the events that have flowed from this one idea working in one man's brain! And where, in all the history of the world, shall we look for their equal?
By the time Columbus had returned to Spain, the Portuguese mariner, Diaz, had also discovered the Cape of Good Hope. Upon this these two proud and powerful nations, Spain and Portugal, agreed to divide between themselves all the unknown lands and seas to the east and to the west of a meridian line which should be drawn from pole to pole, one hundred and seventy leagues west of the Azores. All other nations were thus to be excluded from the New World.[2]
Having first secured a solid foothold in the Antilles,[3] through Columbus and his discoveries, Spain early threw out her expeditions into Florida (1512) and Mexico (1519). The one was the logical result of the other, for St. Domingo and Cuba now assumed distinct importance, as stations, whence it was easy to move forward upon new schemes of conquest. In the harbors of these islands the Spaniards could refit their ships or recruit their crews after the long ocean voyage from Europe. Cuba, especially, became an arsenal of the highest military importance, which Spain took great pains to strengthen.
So at the very outset, Spain held this great advantage over her competitors. She possessed a naval station conveniently situated for making descents upon the adjacent coasts, which none of them was able to secure for themselves.
Columbus died in 1506; Ferdinand, King of Spain, whose name by the accident of time is linked in with that of Columbus, had also died; and now Charles, who shortly was crowned Emperor of Germany, began his most eventful reign. The period it covers is one of the most momentous in modern history, and as great occasions commonly bring forth great men, so those monarchs who then ruled over the peoples of Europe were worthy of the time in which they lived. Charles was himself one of the greatest of these monarchs. Francis I. of France was another; Henry VIII. of England another. Hence we have felt justified in saying, as we did at the beginning of this chapter, that our starting-point was fixed in an historic era; for every thing betokened that as between such men as these were the struggle was to be a contest of giants.
During this reign the conquests of Mexico and Peru took place. During this reign Spain was raised to such a height of greatness as had never before been known in her history. Europe looked on in wonder to see these grand schemes of conquest being carried on three thousand miles away, while Spain's powerful neighbors were kept in awe at home. The English poet Dryden, who wrote a play upon the conquest of Mexico, makes Cortez and Montezuma hold the following dialogue, Cortez offering peace or war:—
_Mont._ Whence, or from whom dost thou these offers bring? _Cortez._ From Charles the Fifth, the world's most potent king.
Other nations would gladly have shared the riches of the New World with the conquerors, but Spain haughtily warned away intruders, meaning to keep the prize for herself alone.
It was then that Francis I. demanded to be shown that clause in the will of Adam disinheriting him in the New World. But Spain was too formidable to be attacked on the seas. On the land, the two great rivals met at Pavia, where the pride of France was laid so low that after the battle was over, Francis wrote to his mother the memorable words, so often made use of in like emergencies, "Madam, all is lost except honor."
The pre-eminent grandeur of Spain, at this period, shines out all the clearer by comparison with the inferior attitude of England, not only as a military power, but in respect of peaceful achievement. By the light Spain carried in the van of discovery other nations moved forward, but at a distance indicating their respect for the dictator of European politics.
It is worth our remembering that in the efforts made to obtain a foothold upon the mainland, or _terra firma_,[4] as the Spaniards then called it, the territory of the United States may claim precedence in the order of time. Before Cortez landed in Mexico, Ponce de Leon had discovered and named Florida. Therefore Florida was the first portion of the North-American continent to receive the baptism of a Christian name.[5]
Although, under this name of Florida, Spain first claimed every thing in North America, it was the great central region lying about the tropics to which her explorers first turned their attention.
Cortez landed on the Gulf Coast, unfurled his banner of "blood and gold," set fire to his ships,[6] to let his followers know that for him and them there was no retreat, and marched on into the heart of Mexico. Two initial points are thus fixed from which to continue the story of Spanish domination in the New World, Florida and Mexico.
Then again, having at last found their way across the Isthmus of Darien to the South Sea[7] (1513), the Spaniards in a measure ceased from their persistent and useless search for an open water-way to India. Cortez presently hewed out another road, with the sword, across Mexico, to this great western ocean. His achievement was quickly followed up by Ulloa (1539), Cabrillo (1542), and other Spanish navigators, who were sent by Cortez or the Viceroy to extend discovery up the coast. They coasted the Gulf of California, first called the Vermilion Sea, and sailed beyond it, as high as 30° North latitude.
So thanks to Cortez, Spain had secured the much-coveted way to India at last. Yet when he came home to his native country, the king demanded of those about him who Cortez was. "I am a man," said the conqueror of Mexico, "who has gained your majesty more provinces than your father left you towns."