Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-02-19

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US, we advanced 10 hold a talk with them
they were entirely naked, both male anC
female. We gave them TO understand
,ha. we wanted to reach The ella river. a
the mouth Of the Rio San Pedro. The,
directed US upon trail running down th'
ravine TO the S. W., this we descended
with little difficulty, for few miles, anc
encamped with water and grass. The
day has been cloudy ard pleasant. Dis
tance. 16 miles-l4sO.
Friday, July 2O.-Conlinued down The
ravIne, wilhort much interruption, unli
we reachedthe Gi,a. Here the river come.
ioamlng and tumbing out Of one canon
and Immediately enters another. We
crossed, and commenced climbing The
mountain on the north side. This is the
point were Gen Kearney reached The river
aller four days Of ,oilsome travel over the
mountains, on the north side OF the river,
TO avoid the canons above. During the
same time, they lost great number OF
animals. We have accomplished the
same object, on the south side in two days,
and by travelling less than half the distance.
He had the celebrated Kit Carson for
guide we had none. The inexperienced
will sometimes fall into good luck. Again
passed the knickerbocker company, many
Of whom are destitute Of provisions, and
were noonipg III upon the frui, Of the
prickly pear-a tlimsy substitute for food.
singular kind Of cactus. 1t is a tree with
out limb or leaf, but with branches similar
TO the main stalk, putting out about half
way up the trunk, it is an evergreen, flu,-
ed and armed with prickles, or barbs.
There are grea, numbers ofthese peculiar,
yet beautiful trees growing on the south
side oc the mountains. We are now in
The Pinon Lanos range they are high,
rocky, barren, and very difficult to pass,
Of which we ha6 a specimen this afternoon.
We climbed three successive mountains,
and then descended all at once, for dis
tance Of two miller, over rocks, sharp
stones, cactus. &C., and encamped in an
arroyo, near The river, down which ran
small, clear stream Of pure cold wafer,
which was most gratifying treat TO US,
after hard days march beneath burn.
ing sun. There is no grass in the neigh.
borhood for our suffering animals. There
is cottonwood, ash, and willow, growing
in this ravine. We found some small
sour grapes, and saw hummins bird,
wren. and ground squirrel. Distance.
20 miles-l500.
Saturday, July 2l,-Afer crossing the
poin, Of most precipi.ous mountain, we
again reached the ella. and then COM
menced the winding descent of the river,
for through these apparently impa sSabe
canons is now our only course. We
crossed the stream 80 times in the course
Of io.day's march, sometimes swimming
our mules, wetlns cur packs, &c. The
bed Of the river in places is very rocky,
and in others composed Of quicksand,
which makes it unpleasant 10 ford. ln
places the current was so rapid as 70 wash
the legs of the animals from under them,
and carry them down the stream but
they invariably recovered, and reached
the shore in safety. In these tremendous
canons, nature displays herpowers in the
wides, form. The siupendous rocks,
reared perpendIcuiarIy above each other
for hundreds Of feel, present grand but
gloomy spectacle 10 the beholder. Moth ;
ing like vegetation, or animal life, cheer
The solitude Of the scene, except the lonely
cactus tree, which has the appearance Of
so many armed sentines, stationed by the I
powers 10 guard these dark passes
We measured one Of these trees that had
been blown down, and found it 10 be 80
fee, in length, and % inches in diameter
some Of them have five or six arms, gene.
rally two TO three, sometimes one, and fire.
luenlly none. These singles stalks, ris-
lnJ out of the earth 10 the height Of 30
feet, and two feet in thickness, are an odd /,
looking vcgetabie.' We found species
Of nut to-day, resembling the almond in
taste, whi,h sickened some of the BOYS
ale Of them. We me, 5 naked
Apachcs, who were about taking dinner |
when we came upon them. The pre-
pared dish" lay in the sand, around which
they were seated it consisted Of several
wards Of the enirails of dead horse, con- /
tanning all the film, roasted in the ashes F.;
on this dainty mor>el, they leasted, pulling
it of in pieces with their claws, and ate
with apparently great relish, until they
were as " full as ticks, the seasoning
running down their face all The while. They
kindly offered to share their meal with US,
but having yet small supply of more pal.