The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-07-27

were two hours hunting route around hill which lay
in our way capped with basat The basat is OF a dark
color containing probably large portion OF IRON 1t was
scanned in various ways with lightcoored substance
which divided the mass into irregular spheroids Some OF
the basalt cellular some sodin all, about egh feet
thick In another place the same seam fell into hol-
low and was about fifteen feet thick with an irregular
coumnar structure; near this was of volcanic
cinder This basalt or trap Gaping the hills is OF
the why travelling is difficult in this country:
this coupled with the loose gravel and sand in which
the feet of the animals sink, makes wagon drag heavily
and already we begin TO hear OF resortng to packs We
passed day remarkable mass of conglomeate which
had been left when the hill it stood upon washed away
! 1t resembled house at distance very much From
one OF the hills could the mountain of Abuquer.
que, one hundred and fifty miles distant We marched
to-day about eighteen miles, and crossed the river at
good ford into remarkable bend southwest of the Jor
NADIA mountain Wagons arrived about 5, D. m, having
gone about eleven and a half miles. number of mules
gave out in the teams oday indicating that of
travel must be very slow to reach California with
wagons Upon due consultation the General determined
to remain In camp and send to MAJOR Sumner for mules.
to take back the wagons and other property which
could not need IN packing and resort at to packing
as of transportation This he resolved upon,
knowing what he had passed over and upon the report
OF Carson who represents the country worse rather
than better In front Leaving, them to Captain Cooke the
task OF opening wagon road he determined above.
Mexican zones) and Corporal Capn were despatched
sopplng-siXy miles.
October lOM.-Frost and ice in the morning Remained
in camp. Santiago Ortiz and another New Mexican came
into camp with mules for sale, which they said they got
from the Apaches in trading AS this is contrary to the
laws OF the territory the General coniscated all the mules
they said they had gotten from the Apaches and sent
them off, They said they knew it was contrary law,
and were willing to submit The General gave them
paper stating what he had done, and the for il
they then asked for license to trade with the Apaches
which was granted them. They asked leave to with
draw, and departed. Grass at camp not good.
October llmmlce and frost The water of the river
getting cold The water is reddish, and does not settle
as soon as that OF the Missouri Visited locality OF
rock resembling that of chalk in appearance, about two
miles east OF camp 1t ouuoops at the base of the Jor
NADIA mountain, with difference of 10 degrees east under
the mountain. 1t rests upon coarse sandstone
conglomerae, and underies the straied of the
tornado A deep wash in the hill is walled with this
white rock as an amphtheatre 1t full state, so
highly charged with lime, that in times past water has
formed large masses OF afa in the crevces of the
rock and the adjacent ones In front OF it, next the
river, is large of proracted black basalt On the
top of the higher hills, mile farther east and resting
upon the superintendent strata of the chky substance
are large masses OF lighter colored trap Near the base
OF the black volcanic in the bed of the Del Nore
there rises spring highly charged with carbonate of
soda. In fact throughout the valley of the Del Norte
soda efloresces on the surface of the bottoms many
places perfectly white In passing along the river saw
the tracks OF the otter, the catanoun the wild cat the
BEAR the raceoon, the poleca the crane the duck the
ployef, the deer and the California quail. The latter
differs from the quail OF the United States the male has
plume of black and the female of reddish feathers, and
the plumage OF both has blue in it than that of the
United States
October l2M.-Lay in camp wondering why our pack
saddles did not come. A wish expressed for par
Gel OF Irish wheel to transport baggage the
rough country; the idea may be worth something a
wheel Car is horse wheel-barrow. All persons who
have resored much to packing for army know how
destructive 1t is to animals
October 3MLieut ingalls, arrived with the pack sad
dies and the mail containing general orders Nos 80 to &c.
and letters which required answering, We had already
moved our camp across the river, to camp with fine
CANA grass. We there said all day and completed
our work, wrote to friends, and closed the door to flu
ture communication with the States will now pass
INTO the Apache country, where it sprobabe no will
dare follow U.S.
October 1iM.-Marcbed at quarter before O. and got
on pretty well, as we had almost pack for every person
All were busy &c the hour of starting from the General
downs but our packsaddles were bad and ashropes
worse with few OF kickins and accidents we
made our march down the river miles, en-
camped opposite to the mountain San Diego. The
try passc.. was the pretty much as before
The mountain San Diego appears to be composed of
strata upheaved and dipping east with steep escarpment
on the river Along It's river face of basalt
Opposite to 1t, dipping SOUTH is locality of compact blue
limestone, probably cetaceous West of this small
mountain, with the strata dipping north, with steep
escarpment TO the south. All this within five six
The eastern part of San Diego mountain appears to be
covered with cedar bushes but, at the distance
from it. the best spy glass cannot distinguish them from
volcanic rocks
October l5M-Marched at 8; and after four miles of
rough travelling, turned to the west and took
final departure from the Rio del Norte Its rugged gravel
hills and harsh bottom grass tasting of salt, has not
made regret leaving it. We assembled near 200 feet at
once to an elevated plain, deeply cut with the canons
OF the streams which came to- encampng on the
third There proved to be great distractions and would
have detained very long il we had brought our wagons
The grave on the slopes OF the banks at angle of
about 30 deg; and it would be difficult get passage
around it. The guides OF Capt. Cooke went 10 seek
crossing for these creeks their junction with the
Del Norte. From the south bank OF the third creek on
which we encamped, doubt practicable wagon road
could be obtained to the banks of the Del Norle; the
abe-land is fine, and upon good route could be made
We entered upon country to-day with many varieties
plants strange to us, and of more tropical aspect
for the temperate zone they OF new caste, and
known species for the tropics. The gravel beds of
aluyon near camp have turned to stone, and deep cut
or canon OF fifty feet deep and twenty wide affords pas
sage for the stream which have encamped which,
for short distance, is fine leapng mountain stream,
with overhanging trees, and fish playing in its waters
1t then sinks IN the sand and all is arid again Distance
"a mleso first creek mile to second IL niles to third
6 miles; course SSW The trail is very plain
October loM.-Marched at s. and found ourselves APP
preaching the lesser peaks of the Sierra de los Numbers
and passing through them, found the country very
BEAUTIFUL with mountain streams at intervals of four or
five miles, all days and smaller growth of walnut and
sort OF veoak shaded the rivuets all else prairie
covered with the finest CANA grass We occasionally
found the road rocky, but very good The growth
OF liveoak, in stunted shrubs, covered of the
mountain peaks to their tops; others entirely bare
the Numbers chain the wesi look black in the dis
lance the vegetation. The leaves of wood
and grapevine, and other vegetation, were yellow the
October sun. The CANA grass looks faded; but it is
the seed, and furnishes fine food for animals
There two kinds of gama--the and winter
the first is too dry for much pasture the lat
ter may be said to be best We passed limestone
heat the limestone blue and compact the hills appeared
TO be all scarped like the teeth of