Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-23
General antslLiaentt.
fom the Baltimore Times.

ditional news in regard 10 the prospects of the
gold hunters, with a characteristic letter from old
Ned Burleson, about his natural enemies the In
dians:
Rtnrned Gold Hunters.--Messrs. S. M. Minor
A. w. Searcy, George ii. Wilson, and E. w
| Compton, reached this place on Monday last
being on their return from the Mountains of the
| Pecos and the Rio Grande, whittier they went
| with Stewards company, 10 hunt for gold. They
belonged 10 the party commanded by Captain
Joseph IL. Wood and report the following as the
| operations of that detachment They went up the
Pecos TO the mouth of the Rio Bonito, and up the
| latter TO its head.
Valley of tie Bonito.-The valley Of the Bonito
is from two TO three miles wide, level, rich, and
beautiful; covered with thick coating of mez-
quite grass walled in by mountain on either
| side. Raspberries, currants, and hops found
in the greatest abundance, growing wild. Near
the head Of the Bonito the timber is very good,
consisting of juniper, oak, and spruce pine-the
| latter being six or seven feet in diameter, and two
| or three hundred feet high. The Bonito rises in
the Sierra Blanco.
Village Of Joseeito.-Woods company trav-
eled on trail and saw Indian signs frequently.
One day while incoming it, about mile from camp,
on hill, they discovered eighty warriors bearing
down upon them at brisk gait. They prepared
| for action, secured their horses, and showed a
bold front. Upon discovering no signs offear, the
! Indians dispatched one of their number, with a
blanket suspended on long staff, and demanded
| parley They professed friendly feeling for
| the Americans, smoked, and marched with the
| whites in the direction of the village lying about
| two miles distant on the head of the Bonito. On
the way they were joined by the whole population
| of the town-men, women, and children, by whom
| they were escorted. The party made no stop,
| passing Immediately through. The village has a
number oflodges built ofhides and brush. Apaches
and Muscaleros constitute the inhabitants, and
call this spot their home. They raise corn and
vegetables have dug bitches to irrigate the land
and seem TO have been stationary for years A
| large drove of horses and mules were seen, num-
| bering some four hundred. They were mostly
| American !; many had collar marks Mr. Minor is
| of opinion that the horses of Patten and his
were among them. The principal chief is named
Josecilo the others are called Santa Anna, Santa
| Fe and Negrito. They all had letters of recon-
mendation from the Indian agent of New Mexico;
! yet Mr.. Minor thinks they would have attacked
| them had they seen an opportunity TO do so at
advantage; consequently every precaution was
used to avoid being surprised.
Runs of ToWn.-From Josecito Captain
| Wood proceeded across the Sierra Banco, on the
west side of which were found ruins indicating
| the existence, at some period in the past of a
| large city The foundations of houses and other
| signs are numerous. For the space of ten miles
| they saw these also many fragments of broken
| pottery. These ruins seem not 10 have been
| much examined. When the company r. ached FL
| Paso they met with many Mexicans who contend
| ed there were rich mines in the vicinity Of the
ruined city. In confederation of the fact surface
| indications of gold were found in abundance.
From there to Gran Quivira is five leagues,
| Great Sab HaAey.-From the ruins the party
| proceeded across the Great Salt Valley. II is
| from IS to 80 miles in breadth--is covered by salt
CRYSTALS to the depth of six eight inches. There
| is wagon road from the lower end Of I'll Paso.
| Very Cold Water.-On The west side of the
Sierra Banco four or five thousand feet above the
| level of the plain, rises stream of water from a
bed of granite, so extremely cold that one can
| hardly drink it. II rushes with velocity down
the PERCEPTIONS sides of the mountain to the plain
| and after distance offour miles, is lost Mr.. M
| speaks of this as admirable point for the erec-
| ton of machinery-there being bountiful supply
of timber in the vicinity. From here to Ell Paso is
| 140 or $50 miles, mostly wagon road.
Game.-The party met with and killed black
bear, antelope, and black tailed deer.
li,,erak.-In all the gorges of the mountains
they found specimens of silver ORE had not the
means Of Analysing and testing the richness. As
before stated, indications of gold were numerous,
and visible on the surface near the ruins.
The Mexicans say the mines of Gran Quivira
will not pay for the working. The scarcity of
wood and water being the drawback. portion
| of Woods company were left at work in silver,
mine, fifteen miles eastward from Donana.
Balance of Parry Captain Wood, with twenty
| five men, has gone from Ell Paso to Gran Quivra
| Its locality is well known. He will have no diff
iculty in finding it. Had Captain Stewart adopted
| that plan, his company would have reached Gran
| Quivira without trouble or delay. A pert of the
| wagons were burnt on Delaware Creek. The
remainder were taken to Ell Paso.
In the various pereginations in the mountains
the different detachments suffered for water, and
Woods for food also, which prevented them from
prosecuting their researchesto the proper extent.
There is no doubt of the existence of both gold
and silver in that region. Future adventures
will bring the profitable localities to light.
Donana-Captain Wood visited Donana-found
the Indians had reported him some days before.
Mr.. Minor SAYS: The Indians in confinement at
the post near this place, are three fellows who
We're picked up in the streets drunk One ofthem
was released, and his wife retained as hostage.
He was instructed TO hunt up his chief and re-
quest him to come in and hold talk After stay
ing out two or three days, he returned, saying he
could not find him; which was fasehood, for the
village of Josecto is only ,seventy-ive or hun
dred miles from Donana, wagon road good
part of the way, and large trail the balance.
What binders the village from being broken up!
The Raurm.-About month SINCE, Mr.. Minor
and company left Ell Paso, travelled the upper
road-water scarce--very little at the Alamo
sprlngs-none in the Cornudos del Alamo (Thorns
welD AT the Horse-head crossing Of the Pecos
came into very large Indian trail, leading to-
wards the Rio Grande; in the pass of the noun
tain this side saw seventy or eighty dead horses;
met with no accident At Fort McKavit they
were treated with much kindness and hospitality
by the commanding officer, COL Bomford.
Thus far the Gran Quivra expedition has done
little more than to establish the truth Of the exist
ence of the precious metals in the Pecos and the
Rio Grande mountains. The fact that such an
expedition has been made will induce further re-
searches.
Indian News.-The following communication
in the S. w. american, (Austn) from Ed. Burles-
ton, will give idea of the security of travellers
upon the Rio Grande frontier. Ed. has seen too
much service TO be mistaken on the subject On
the 9th of January, 1851, he fought fourteen In
dams with eight men. The Rangers dismounted,
the Indians charged them, and desperate hand
to hand conflict came off; the Rangers driving
their enemies from the field, killing four and
wounding seven, and sustaining loss of two
killed and six wounded; among the latter Burles-
ton himself He was engaged several other
occasions, and may be called experienced
Indian fighter. Here is his letter:
EAGLE Pass, Oct. Is, 1853.
DEAR RIP: In order to give you the outlines of
trip we on, will commence by telling you
of our first accident This morning. after leaving
the Chicon, and travelling five six miles.
came in sight of an Indian, Lipan or Camanche,
and as you well know, the first thing was to get
him, as he had three horses. gave the boys that
were with me orders to crowd him and kill him if
possible, which they would have done, but to my |
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