Washington telegraph., 1849-02-28

Cor. Cooks ROUTE TO California;
I'VE publish below the letter OF 1t. Col.
Cook. to COL Albert, OF the Typographical
Engineers, giving a description OF the
route he travelled with his battalion and
wagon train i'll 1916, from the Rio Grancie
down the Valley of the Gila to the Pacific.
COL. COOKS LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 1047.
Sar-I have the honor, at your request,
to address you brief memoir on the sub
;ect of the district of country in Sonora,
Mexico. which I passed over in Novem-
her and December last, with a wagon
train. when [ deviated, in search OF a
nracticable route, from the mule train OF
Brioader General S. w. Kearney, on his
march from New Mexico TO California.
When he turned off the Rio Grande,
opposite the copper mines, and the heads
of the ella river l kept the river tor thlr-
tv miles to the South, and making
southern bend, turned again towards the
north and struck his route (as surveyed
by MIR. Emory of our corps) Just ABOVE
the village of the Pimo and MaracoPa In
dians. an estimated distance OF 444 miles.
Immediately below the point OF deVlatloh'
on the Rio Grande, the country bordering
tbe river became sensibly fatter and less
broken. [ left the river when III View
of point marked on the common maps
as 8. San Diego" and the distant view to-
wards Eel Paso' proved the country
to be unbroken aud comparatively level.
From the high valley of the river, L
ascended TO the table Lund of Mexico, by
an almost insensible slope over smooth
prairie. For $50 miles on this smooth
level table land, which is studded with
isolated hills or mountains. L Journeyed
without any difficulty, passing over but
three hills, in two cases, | know, in the
third believe unnecessarily. l then un-
expectedly, arrived at great break OFT
to a lower level of the country, the de-
scent to which was very broken and rough
mountains for fifteen miles. L found,
however, that [ had at that moment
fallen into an old wagon trail, which
led, | was told, from Yanos. l was
able TO get my wagons through, toll
descending in the fifteen miles probably a
thousand feet. This was the head OF the
uuaqui river, which emptles INTO the
California gulf | was told that this was
called the Pass of Gaudaloupe.
then passed all unbroken country,
about 81 miles, when fell upon the Jose
Pedro river, which emptles into the Glla.
l descended this without difficulty OF
ground about 80 miles. In turning oil
there is all ascent to nearly level country
of. perhaps, above all hundred feet, but
it could be made very gradual It's then
about AS miles to Tucson, town OF about
500 Inhabitants with fort and garrison.
This distance is over much smooth ground,
maintaining the same general level. Iue-
son is a rich aud well cultivated valley,
! where there is also dense forest OF m~-
gueY From Tucson it is some 70 miles
to the ella. 1t is level, plain, gener-
ally ofclay, where my wagons and toot-
men (waIer being very scalce) passed at
the rate OF about 80 miles d day.
On the map which | made and which
is in your bureau, is marked route con-
sideraDly to the nor.h OF u uadaloupe pass
WHICH, SOilc Vi NY SQluSS DCliC'Ou, No"io
avoid that broken descent, and be iOund
to be nearly level throughout to San Pc
dro; at the point where turned OFT from
that beautiful little river The most SEN
sibIe and experienced of men. LarouX,
who lives in laos, New Mexico, and who
had trapped on the CHA and passed III
different direction over that country, was
decidedly of this opinion, but his knoWl-
edge, Oh the other hand, was sufficient
to forbid to explore it, in my situation,
on account of scarcity of water.
The Rio Grande bottoms for hundred
miles above and at the point where left,
are we'll tlmbered there Is no timber on
the table land: save upon the small noun
talns which are every where to be seen;
this is cedar and pine, but of small growth,
Rock is everywhere to be had secondary
rocks OF almost every kind but by this
wonderfully level route, the continent
may be passed with scarcely view OF
granite. As far as Tucson the gramma
grass is abundant; it will fatten cattle
while working, and in winter. The route
from Tucson passes through country
abounding i'll exceedingly rich gold mines.
am very respectfully, Sir,
your obedient servant,
p. ST. GEO. COOKE,
M4jor I'd Dragoons.
To Col. ]. J. ALBERT,