New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-30
rhe Route 10 FL Paso.


1sv mos, interesting report made 70 Gen Torrss,
chef Of the I. s Engineers. by Lieat '" d I. WI
ting Of that corps WHO went ouf with the party organ
lied ~ Cen Woria 20 explore the route nom Ssn Al
tonic 70 z PAso Be Norts The rePor; beng very ions
We coudens. II for The TribHae The party consisted
Of Lieut. w Lsszi smith. Typographical hngiHeer-'
and nine frontier men They eit -an Antonio FEB -
and reached Fredesicks5urS. IS niles 70 the nortHs
west on the 18th the road between the two places
e through 3 billy limestone country Frum Fred
ercksburg San SAILS they Travelled through pleasant
valleys admirably suited ruais and requiring little
labor from the pioneer tie region appears 70 b. rich
IN minersl products Richard Howard. Esq. the voiun-
teer guide OF the party led them with srest accuracy
They suffered much from want Of water for three
days men snd horses hai not drop, and 5ut for mist
which mo.stened the grass night and cloudy
weather could nothave got through On the u March
they struck branch u the Pecos River and after
that stream Itself We copy couple Of paragraphs
Here We saw the s;ranEe IN which toe rivers
d break through the vast limestone strata inst
many feet shove their oeis form the great table land
The descent from the latter . generally difficult often
neutrality-suspicious. limestone bluffs bound
the level plain and rising Ike steps from the river
and cut 81 deep rsvines which sh0s the whole eeva
TIE Of truncsted cones are the general %
staces Occasional passes found, however, and On
one Of these were fortunate - bit
his remarkable river. which lttie - Known.
rises IN the mountains near santa -, and, entering the
limestone formation in about the lattute ~ 81 north
IL valley gradually contracts until At length u = found
near - mouth winding amid perpendicular ems ioF
hundreds % miles 70 rolls red and turod stream oy
channe. Of Only forty feet width. and rarely varying
VITA great rapidity and intricate windings @ the east
ern point Of the large bend OF the Rio Grande.
The region along this river barren and rocky, with
20 timber 90 the 18th they EFF IT, and after crossing
twenty Eve miles OF prar-. came 20 a remarkable
range Of springs which entered soug the ChsrTse =
ezra They are mpregusted with mineral and large
quantities Of salts incrust the grass around them they
are pleasant 70 the taste small creeks Cow from them
and sink into -he prsirie
They then passed TO the west, eaving the Chsrrste
and Dsbolo mountains the left in order avoid the
rough country and after strike southery course for
the Preside Approaching the mountains the sque-
gave place 20 gueous formation. and instead Of
Cat limestone tables, they found steep high hills,
crowned with dark masses Of mysdaodsl basalt The
/ following passage Is too good to be abridged
finding that "a advanced the range s,l continued
stretching away "a the norhVard u decided 20
attempt the passage of the mountains and 20 shape our
march directly for Preside On the nth We entered
the valleys AZ the base Of the Sierra Dahoo. little
aware 81 the dangers IN our path Following Al old
and family marked trail which led close 10 the main
| peaks had trsverscd. We imagined. the whole
range and the country gradually began 20 appear more
open but sitter entering valley where the hills
prevented extended view the party on the afternoon
VI the 18th were sudd, MY and completely surrounded
hy five bands OF the Apache warriors each under lie
respective chiefs and numbering altogether some TWO
hundred mounted men.
Viewing us A. intruders they advanced with great
rapidty, with hostile gestures bows strung snf bran
di-hed ances Completely enveopec, where but itue
resistance could be made - numbers greatly supe
nor without even shrub % which % tie our fright
ened animals and numbering only twelve armed men,
the situation of the hite band was penious Judging
that here policy the true while Lieut. -mifn
and Mr. Howard cOoly eNtncated the command from
their dangerous and without hurry or con
fusion reached the side OF small hill, ! remained
smong the Indians and gained little time by holding
up my hand tor them stop. and calling on their chief,
for parley. This was agreed 10 Why I know not,
tor never men more completely m the power 81
this trescherOus than ourselves They sterny de-
msnded who and tor what we were In the
Apache country. one OF them. named Gomez. and ~
aiterw.rd learned, the terror OF Chihuahua, was
particularly snI0us - attack US at once. They we're
sns~ed thst were Americans, IN route TO Preside
| our intentions depended on their own w nAd come
there pe=cesble-tnat remained belonged to them
! They insisted that should instantly come with
them and have talk. but were told there could be no
| conference until their men were drawn on and they
came up unarmed This appeared 20 excite d.senslon
among them some were for instant attack whle
others were undecided Mr Howard came down ana
Joined The chief Gomez, called out that we were
afraid and that II We did they said their
| nsht would commence but there WAS that IN the eye
and reply OF intrepid young guide and interpreter
that caused MIN u lower NJ. tone. IL
% see at this moment the cool and resonte demeanoi
of the escort who the direction OF Lieut. smith
hsd tied the heads of their animals together and
wero waiting for the raising Of hand L. commence
the unequal struggle On the night sud lett TWO par
ues had stripped and dismoaned, WITH ther bows ano
arrows in readiness 70 take US as nearly 80 possible IN
hank, while another In front, and mounted, appeared
about 10 charge But the influence Of Gomez was not
sufficient bring the majority OF the chiefs 10 MS AL
vice and they sgreed 10 draw OIL their people and par
! ley. This Wa done and II was decided thHt tney
.l. he ale ~
they were encsmped and that should follow, select
our camp, and Ia the evening decide our future relA
tions by council We took post IN small rsvine wnich
Afforded some little chance tor defense ne lnuitns
who had here very large cavalcade OF horses and
drove Of cattle were all around US. Our situation
was gloomy, and few considered we had chance 10
escape The chief Gomez particularly urgent that
should about and look for wool, here quite
scarce and 20 10 cooking repeatedly saying ne was
friendly but observing that his party were all mount
ed and their bows stl strung remained together,
each by his saddle his arms In MS hand, and
watching with great anxiety the movements Of the Ia
dams.
Al eight in the evening the chiefs, unarmed and with
their blankets appeared 20 talk Through the medium
| Of Mr. Howard explained that were an advanced
party OF the army 10 appear upon this line. that
toward all friendly Indians the intentions OF the United
states friendly agents would probably be sent
among them, and while they continued peaceable they
| would be- put upon the footing with the other
Indian tribes that the commanding general was de
siruus that their chiefs shosd meet him on MS sp
proach and enter into treaty. Making them some
iring presents Of tobacco, Sc which they begged as
| m earnest OF sInity they al seemed satisfied out
Gomez who the lsst retained bic fierce and insulting
dem-AnOr.
| They were anxious 10 our relations with Mexico
and we're told that We had been with that power
but were now A. peace, and that the army would al
vance o. maintain that peace. The slightest alusion
however % that part OF the treaty which relates 10 re-
strsning Indian predatons upon Mexico aud restor
ing Mexican captives would have been the signal I"r
desperate struggle from which fifteen men, with but
two dave scant allow ance OF provsions without WOOD
and water and totally ynheltered, badly armed, anc
worse equipped had but little chance 70 escape WIZ
life
We laid down that night upon our arms the e1
IRENE codness Oi the mountain atmosphere increased
our discomfort Expecting to be attacked each mo
rnent but little sleeping done. In the morning vi
learned from a Mexican captive that wartaik hae
been held, and Gomez was only prevented during Tn
NJ got from falling by the refusal Of the chiefs
| CIgarrito and Chuonero, 10 aid him
eaddiDg up the morning Of tue 18th, and leaVini
this locality designated In after conversations Al
| o. Gomez Camp" retrsced our march Of yesterday
| guided ~ the friendly chief Clgsrri.o. Gomez nm
sell took eaye IN a very insulting manner, and warne
as never - wit that country again. We learned ina
he vas but four days from Mexico, with large cavs
eade great many cattle and the plumber Of his reern
excursions n chihuahua The old chief who, rom
At the head OF our train related these things, adde
that We must beware OF him Tor his designs were ye
hostile and begged ~ be eXcu pated from All share
as operations. We stopped al Cisarritos camp ta-
-.