den Indian pony trudged the trail； the routes of trade have been little or nothing altered。
Traversing the line of the Alleghanies southward； the eye notes first the break in the wall at the Delaware Water Gap； and then that long arm of the Susquehanna； the Juniata； reaching out through dark Kittanning Gorge to its silver playmate； the dancing Conemaugh。 Here amid its leafy aisles ran the brown and red Kittanning Trail； the main route of the Pennsylvania traders from the rich region of York； Lancaster； and Chambersburg。 On this general alignment the Broadway Limited flies today toward Pittsburgh and Chicago。 A little to the south another important pathway from the same region led； by way of Carlisle； Bedford； and Ligonier； to the Ohio。 The 〃Highland Trail〃 the Indian traders called it； for it kept well on the watershed dividing the Allegheny tributaries on the north from those of the Monongahela on the south。
Farther to the south the scene shows a change； for the Atlantic plain widens considerably。 The Potomac River； the James； the Pedee； and the Savannah flow through valleys much longer than those of the northern rivers。 Here in the South commerce was carried on mainly by shallop and pinnace。 The trails of the Indian skirted the rivers and offered for trader and explorer passageway to the West； especially to the towns of the Cherokees in the southern Alleghanies or Unakas； but the waterways and the roads over which the hogsheads of tobacco were rolled （hence called 〃rolling roads〃） sufficed for the needs of the thin fringes of population settled along the rivers。 Trails from Winchester in Virginia and Frederick in Maryland focused on Cumberland at the head of the Potomac。 Beyond； to the west； the finger tips of the Potomac interlocked closely with the Monongahela and Youghiogheny； and through this network of mountain and river valley； by the 〃Shades of Death〃 and Great Meadows； coiled Nemacolin's Path to the Ohio。 Even today this ancient route is in part followed by the Baltimore and Ohio and the Western Maryland Railway。
A bird's…eye view of the southern Alleghanies shows that； while the Atlantic plain of Virginia and the Carolinas widens out； the mountain chains increase in number； fold on fold； from the Blue Ridge to the ragged ranges of the Cumberlands。 Few trails led across this manifold barrier。 There was a connection at Balcony Falls between the James River and the Great Kanawha； but as a trade route it was of no such value to the men of its day as the Chesapeake and Ohio system over the same course is to us。 As in the North； so in the South； trade avoided obstacles by taking a roundabout； and often the longest route。 In order to double the extremity of the Unakas； for instance； the trails reached down by the Valley of Virginia and New River to the uplands of the Tennessee； and here； near Elizabethton； they met the trails leading up the Broad and the Yadkin rivers from Charleston； South Carolina。
To the west rise the somber heights of Cumberland Gap。 Through this portal ran the famous 〃Warrior's Path；〃 known to wandering hunters； the 〃trail of iron〃 from Fort Watauga and Fort Chiswell； which Daniel Boone widened for the settlers of Kentucky。 To the southwest lay the Blue Grass region of Tennessee with its various trails converging on Nashville from almost every direction。 Today the Southern Railway enters the 〃Sapphire Country；〃 in which Asheville lies； by practically the same route as the old Rutherfordton Trail which was used for generations by red man and pioneer from the Carolina coast。 In our entire region of the Appalachians； from the Berkshire Hills southward； practically every old…time pathway from the seaboard to the trans…Alleghany country is now occupied by an important railway system； with the exception of the Warrior's Trail through Cumberland Gap to central Ohio and the Highland Trail across southern Pennsylvania。 And even Cumberland Gap is accessible by rail today； and a line across southern Pennsylvania was once planned and partially constructed only to be killed by jealous rivals。
These numerous keys to the Alleghanies were a challenge to the men of the seaboard to seize upon the rich trade of the West which had been early monopolized by the French in Canada。 But the challenge brought its difficult problems。 What land canoes could compete with the flotillas that brought their priceless cargoes of furs each year to Montreal and Quebec？ What race of landlubbers could vie with the picturesque bands of fearless voyageurs who sang their songs on the Great Lakes； the Ohio； the Illinois； and the Mississippi？
In the solution of this problem of diverting trade probably the factor of greatest importance； next to open pathways through the mountain barriers； was the rich stock…breeding ground lying between the Delaware and the Susquehanna rivers； a region occupied by the settlers familiarly known as the Pennsylvania Dutch。 In this famous belt； running from Pennsylvania into Virginia； originated the historic pack…horse trade with the 〃far Indians〃 of the Ohio Valley。 Here； in the first granary of America； Germans； Scotch…Irish； and English bred horses worthy of the name。 〃Brave fat Horses〃 an amazed officer under Braddock called the mounts of five Quakers who unexpectedly rode into camp as though straight 〃from the land of Goshen。〃 These animals； crossed with the Indian 〃pony〃 from New Spain； produced the wise； wiry； and sturdy pack…horse； fit to transport nearly two hundred pounds of merchandise across the rough and narrow Alleghany trails。 This animal and the heavy Conestoga horse from the same breeding ground revolutionized inland commerce。
The first American cow pony was not without his cowboy。 Though the drivers were not all of the same type and though the proprietors； so to speak； of the trans…Alleghany pack…horse trade came generally from the older settlements； the bulk of the hard work was done by a lusty army of men not reproduced again in America until the picturesque figure of the cow…puncher appeared above the western horizon。 This breed of men was nurtured on the outer confines of civilization； along the headwaters of the Susquehanna； the Potomac； the James； and the Broadthe country of the 〃Cowpens。〃 Rough as the wilderness they occupied； made strong by their diet of meat and curds； these Tatars of the highlands played a part in the commercial history of America that has never had its historian。 In their knowledge of Indian character； of horse and packsaddle lore； of the forest and its trails in every season； these men of the Cowpens were the kings of the old frontier。
An officer under Braddock has left us one of the few pictures of these people*：
* 〃Extracts of Letters from an Officer〃 （London； 1755）。
〃From the Heart of the Settlements we are now got into the Cow…pens； the Keepers of these are very extraordinary Kind of Fellows； they drive up their Herds on Horseback； and they had need do so； for their Cattle are near as wild as Deer； a Cow…pen generally consists of a very large Cottage or House in the Woods； with about four…score or one hundred Acres； inclosed with high Rails and divided； a small Inclosure they keep for Corn； for the family； the rest is the Pasture in which they keep their calves； but the Manner is far different from any Thing you ever saw； they may perhaps have a Stock of four or five hundred to a thousand Head of Cattle belonging to a Cow…pen； these run as they please in the Great Woods； where there are no Inclosures to stop them。 In the Month of March the Cows begin to drop their Calves； then the Cow…pen Master； with all his Men； rides out to see and drive up the Cows with all their new fallen Calves； they being weak cannot run away so as to escape； therefore are easily drove up； and the Bulls and other Cattle follow them； and they put these Calves into the Pasture； and every Morning and Evening suffer the Cows to come and suckle them； which done they let the Cows out into the great Woods to shift for their Food as well as they can； whilst the Calf is sucking one Tit of the Cow； the Woman of the Cow…Pen is milking one of the other Tits； so that she steals some Milk from the Cow； who thinks she is giving it to the Calf； soon as the Cow begins to go dry； and the Calf grows Strong； they mark them； if they are Males they cut them； and let them go into the Wood。 Every Year in September and October they drive up the Market Steers； that are fat and of a proper Age； and kill them； they say they are fat in October； but I am sure they are not so in May； June and July； they reckon that out of 100 Head of Cattle they can kill about 10 or 12 steers； and four or five Cows a Year； so they reckon that a Cow…Pen for every 100 Head of Cattle brings about 40 pounds Sterling per Year。 The Keepers live chiefly upon Milk； for out of their Vast Herds； they do condescend to tame Cows enough to keep their Family in Milk； Whey； Curds； Cheese and Butter； they also have Flesh in Abundance such as it is； for they eat the old Cows and lean Calves that are like to die。 The Cow…Pen Men are hardy People； are almost continually on Horseback； being obliged to know the Haunts of their Cattle〃。 〃You see； Sir； what a wild set of Creatures Our English Men grow into； when they lose Society； and it is surprising to think how many Advantages they throw away； which our industrious Country…Men would be glad of： Out of many hundred Cows they will not give themselves the trouble of milking more than will maintain their Family。〃
With such a race of born horsemen； every whit as bold and resourceful as the voyageurs； to bear the brunt of a new era of transportation； all that was needed to challenge French trade beyond the Alleghanies was competent and aggressive leadership。 The situation called for men of means； men of daring； men closely in touch with governors and assemblies and acquainted with the web of politics that was being spun at Philadelphia； Williamsburg； New York； London； and Paris。 Generations of tenacious struggle along the American frontier had developed such men。 The Weisers； Croghans； Gists； Washingtons； Franklins； Walkers； and Cresaps were men of varied descent and nationality。 They had the cunning； the boldness； and the resources to undertake successfully the task of conquering commercially