Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-07-26

night passed, however, without Wis
it from them, and the only inconve-
nience felt from their proximity fell
upon our horses, for we were compel
led to hobble them we'll and stake
them inside the lines Of sentinels
where the grass was soon eat close to
the ground.
Description Of country through ,Ohich
zoe passed-~11riraL at q Fresh Ia
ter Rircr-Statement ofhe Mer,can
Carlos Great Rejoicing Out of
Sugar, and Coffee scarce-Rainy
Night--Serenadc Of OrIs and
WOiUes- Stampede Of Oren, ,oith
other matters.
For three days after leaving the
Wakoe village our route was along the
wide and fertile bottoms of the river.
Our course was a little south Of west,
but being confident that we were on
the banks of Red River it was though
from day to day thlt the stream wouidt
turn of more 10 the north.
On the opposite or south side Of
the river the country had been rug
ged and broken up by hills-on the
side we were travelling nothing could
be seen but a boundless and unbroken
prairie, with naught to destroy its same.
ness save here and there a light firing
ing Of trees bordering the banks of the
smaller creeks and rivulets which, RI
sing IN the prairies to the north, found
their way to the river after meandering
many miles along cool and secluded
paths. Struggling grape vines had
crossed these streams by means Of
the tree tops, the limbs Of which had
bent over as though to commune and
shake hands with each other, and the
whole formed a cool and delicious
arbor, from whence, ever and anon,
tho deer would jump up at our ap-
proach, frightened from his noon-day
siesta.
We left our saltwater camp early
in the morning, the spies starting in
advance in search Of the best road.
Soon the country ahead appeared more
broken, and before the middle Of the
day the hills and gulles we encoun-
tered almost impeded the farther pro-
gress of the Wagons. After a tedi.
Gus and fatiguing march we at length
reached the borders Of a small river of
fresh water, and having travelled a
short distarce we effected a crossing.
For miles up and down the banks
were high and precipitous, and our
Mexican Carlos Immediately set it
down as the Rio Utau. a stream unnn
" hich he stated that he had often trap
ped, and what appeared still more
plausible that at the very place we had
crossed he said the Mexican hunters
had frequently crossed before with
their carts loaded with dry buffalo
meat.
| There really vas every appearance
of an old Wagon road when we reach
ed the opposite side Of the river, and if
any one had previously doubted the
statements ofCarlos those doubts were
now set at rest. He said that he was
as well acquainted with the country
round as he was with his mothers door
yard, and informed US Of the country
ahead with a plausibility that convin-
ced all he was now perlectly"at home"
He said that the Angos,urGs, or Mar
rows Of Red River, were distant only
some seventy miles, and that the same
distance beyond would bring US to the
Mexican ranches or farms in the imme-
date vicinity of the frontier town of
San Miguel.
Placing confidence as we did 10 his
reports it is needless TO say that all was
Joy and conglatulation in camp that
evening. Our beef, the only thing in
the shape Of provision along, began to
} get extremely poor from the fatiguing
marches and want Of grass and water
l Der sugar was all gone, and although
= our coffee still held out, we were toe
near the bottom Of that great luxury tC
expect il would last much longer. In.
o dependent Of this many Of US began tc
r think in earnest that bread, ifnOt ht
r staff Of life, Offered at least very com.
8 Portable support. We still had ouI
regular allowance, three pounds o
: beef day, but it was greatly inferior il
! comparison with the same allowance
: we had on first starting, and the inferi
II ority now began to be felt seriously
r AS | have intimated before, however
q all was Joy and gIadness in camp atthr
II good news Of our near approach TO set
: dement's, and it was thought that TWEEN
le ty days at farthest would bring us t
y the rich wheat and corn fields as wei
,e as the sheep folds Of New Mexico
y ar different would have been our fee
) lings had we but anticipated the suffer
Ut ings yet in store for us. Had W
re known that four or FIVE hundred mile
of dreary travelling was still before us
IN and that hunger and thirst, to say moth
i ing Of hostile Indians in great number
m were in front, we should not have ia
| IL,