Santa Fe And The Trail (1963)

[Music] Bo [Music] in 1830 there was an ocean lying between the Western border of Missouri and the Rocky Mountains it was an ocean of grass and flat dry Plains this open country was ranged by the wandering tribes of the Plains Indians the paes the osages the commanches herds of Buffalo lived off the grass of the Plains and were hunted by the Indians for their meat and hives This Grass covered ocean had its ships and its Sailors Jessup Greg is making his third trip across the plains his brother Adam is traveling the Santa Fe Trail for the first time the first wagon train traveled the trail in 1822 each summer since then more and more wagons heavily loaded with Freight had crossed the Prairie ocean in those early days of the trail the northern border of Mexico reached far into North America and the town of Santa Fe lay well within Mexican territory the Santa Fe Trail began at Independence on the Missouri [Music] River the wagons traveled Southwest AC cross nearly 800 miles until until they reach Santa Fe at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in between lay a wild and desolate region strange solitary unexplored what are you doing away I thought I heard something you don't hear it now do you no not now it's just that old Coy now you lay down and get some sleep we got a long haul in the morning you sure it wasn't Indians yeah I'm sure it wasn't Indians Jess how much longer is it to Santa Fe oh we've been out 21 days we got another 25 to go and Jessa what do you think Ma's doing back home now M's sleeping just like you ought to be now lay down and stay there [Music] okay on the tra there were few landmarks by which to navigate water was [Music] scarce the Indians were [Music] hostile help you you a pocket of quicksand at a stream Crossing could be treacherous a wagon or animals might be lost or at least the day's travel would be lost while the Traders work to get their valuable caros back on the trail again there was a whole series of obstacles to be met and overcome before the wagon man would finally make port at Trail's End the Mexican Town of Santa Fe Santa Fe was an isolated Mexican Outpost in 1830 it was founded in 1610 by Spanish explorers and missionaries under the Spanish it had been controlled by the Royal government in Madrid about 8,000 Mi away even now under Mexican rule Santa Fe was over 1500 mil from the capital in Mexico City the Spanish people who lived there were true Pioneers Diego Montoya has lived in Santa Fe all his life so has his father and his grandfather Diego's father is an Al calde a judge the cane is a symbol of his office anyone who has shown the cane in order to come before the alal must [Music] come many Friendly Indians live near Santa Fe in small villages called quow these poblo Indians lived here long before the Spanish [Music] came foree fore fore [Music] spe [Music] whoa which is gracious [Music] how was the trip oh no worse than usual I brought my kid brother with me this time very good how many wagons that you bring this time to your PR we got 40 in the train them four in the lead is mine are you ready to pay your custom duties in your as ready as I'll ever be Adam take care of the team huh oh hello want to come up on the wagon with me you can get a better look up there come on look watch come on have some might finding things here oh I see this is soap have on soap soap that's right this is cloth da cloth no no no the Mexican Government taxed all Goods brought into their country from the United States once the tax was paid the Americans could do what they wished with their goods some of the Traders took their wagons farther south into Mexico and sold their Wares in Chihuahua others sold their goods Wholesale in Santa Fe some like Jessup Greg set up stores in Santa Fe and spent the summer selling the Goods retail no how are you I don't understand Indian dances Jess yeah I'll be back in a while all right take care now [Music] where [Music] the poblo Indian dance was a kind of prayer to their ancient gods a prayer for rain or for good crops or for success in battle the early Spanish priests had converted most of the poblo Indians to Christianity and forbad them to dance but despite their conversions the Indians continued to practice their own customs and sacred rituals in 1680 the PUO Indians revolted against the Spanish rule many of the Spaniard were killed and many were forced to flee for their lives you came back when in 1692 with the Vargas didn't you yes in 1692 with a general how about the Indians now do they give you much trouble where the Poo Indians no very seldom and the Apaches and CES oh the Apaches and thees that's something elseas amen amen Sal seor graas seor that's very good Senora my great-grandfather brought the first Vine cuting from Spain about 100 years ago he was a wise man your grandfather and did you bring the Candlestick also no seor it came from Spain it's been in my family for over 200 years the silverware we have comes from La Mexico most of the fine things we have here come from there we have had trade with us with other Mexico for over a 100 years but the trade has been hard this distance far the roads very difficult what about the hardware and your farm implements do you get them there also most of what we have we make ourselves as best as we can all of that's going to change Senor Montoya because more and more American manufactured goods are going to be coming over that Santa Fe Trail every year ah it was a fine dinner Sor Monto well I'm glad you enjoyed it Sor GRE cigaro gracias your welome I like the house did you build it yourself no seor when I was a little boy my father build it the materials the bigest alest come from here in Santa Fe it's a lot different than the houses we got back in Missouri oh very much so seor you notice that all the rooms lead to the patio and we have only one door and that's in that wall to the street over there yeah you know it's it's built a little bit like a fort if you live as far from civilization as we do your house must be a fort when the trees began to turn yellow a few American Trappers came down from the mountains to sell their Furs to the Santa Fe Traders it was almost time for the wagon Caravans to head back to Missouri for neither men nor animals could travel the plains during the bitter cold of the winter months on the return trip the Traders would lead back Mexican mules and carry Mexican silver Buffalo rugs blankets and some furs my name is Harrison G and I'm the roughest toughest fightingest mountain man that ever spent his days of Youth battling the grizzly bear wrestling the Mountainland and fening with a rattlesnake in the High Frozen Wilderness of the Rocky Mountains howdy howdy son those your FS yes sir nobody else are you selling you buying no but my brother is he's inside come on G come on come on G my name is har go Jessup Greg glad to meet you please to meet you sir yes sir Beauties ain't there not bad what do you want for him well I'm an easy man to deal with jph Greg and my needs are few of course I'll need a little silver to buy me some sugar and some coffee and maybe some uh sold back pork for the winter say what's you getting all do to that for Fango tonight what Fango how about that woo [Music] that's so slow [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] heor Craig maybe you should stay here in Santa Fe I'd like to maybe not [Music] next year you'll see me with 10 wagons instead of four you will be welcome senor [Music] [Music] bye Adam goodbye in your G adio [Music] Diego the Gregs and the montoyas did meet again Adam and Jessup returned the following summer and eventually settled down as merchants in Santa Fe Diego was to become an official of the American government there when New Mexico became a part of the United States from such meetings of the Spanish and Americans in Santa Fe there grew a way of life in the American southwest that adopted from both cultures and made them one [Music] the for