Washington telegraph., 1853-04-13

4
month of June, at time when there is generally
no rain in the settlements, and during the dry sea-
son upon the plains, that the sources of the river
would be found IN lofty mountain ranges, where
the melting OF srows would account for The great
amount OF water passing through the channel at
the season mentioned
But such is not the fact as the principal tributa-
res have their origin in the eastern boTers OF the
table lands OF New Mexico. where there are no
mountains. We hOSveveI passed through a chain
OF mountains. about 2G0 iiies below the head OF
the river, where we observed frequent and copius
rains during the season OF the June food, ant am
o cpipiua that here is the source of much of the
water in the lower portion oi the stream.
As the water has a very bitter and disagreeabe
taste. it has been conjectured that it passed in its
course through extensive salt plains. But this
also found 10 be an error as there is no deposit of
chloride ot sodium upon the river, the peculiar
taste being communicated by some ingredient
which it receives in its flowing for a hundred
miles over a gypsum formation which extends
from The Arkansas river, in southeasterly direc-
ton to the Rio GTaude.
This great beltof gypsum, which have myself
passed through at four different points, embracing
a range OF three hundred miles, is considered by
DR.. Hitchcock TO be the most extensive IN the
known world. | have everywhere iound it char
acterized by the same peculiaTities with the wa
ter issuing from it invariably bitter and narSeat-
ing.
This defe on Red River is seventy miles in
length, the escaTpments from five to eight hum
dred feet high on each side, and in many places
they approach near the waters edge that there
IS not room FOR man to pass; and occasionally it
is necessary TO travel for miles in the bed OF the
river before a SPOT is found where horse can
Chamber up the preclpitous sides Of the cliasn. 1
could not determine IN my own mind whether
this remarkable dehle had been formed after a
long lapse OF time by the action OF the current or
had been produced by some great convulsion of
nature.
The barren mesa in Which these rivers take
their rise, extends from the Canadian river, in
southerly course, ior about 400 miles between the
parallels Of north latitude 30 30, and So 90 Ii
is III some places nearly 200 miles in width and
is embraced within the neridiaus OF l0t~ and
l040 west longitude,
The approximate elevation Of this plain above
the sea. as determined with the barometer is g.
ESQ feet; it is also much elevated above the sur
rounding country, very level, and extends oil in
every direction as far as the eve can reach with
out q tree sarub, any other vegetation 10 inter-
cept the vision. The traveller, in passing over it,
sees nothing but one vast, barren and monotonous
waste and dreary solitude. tits AN ocean of path
less, trackless desert prairie, where the voice oi
man is seldom heard, and where no living being
permanently resides. 1t may with propriety be
termed the Great ZahaIa Of North America
The almost total absence Of water causes q ami
mails 10 shun it; even the Indians do not venture
to cross it, except at two points where they find
q few small ponds. Many years since the Mesi-
cans marked out a route across this plain with
sticks, and hence the name by which ID is known
throughout Mexico, Of ei Lfam0 Est0ca30. or the
Staked Plain.
Capt. Marcy gives a pleasing account of the
habits OF the Cafnanche Indians, whom he des-
cribes as differing very essentially from those
tribes found east If the Mississippi river. In
their nomadic life ne finds great similarity to
the Arabs OF the desert and TIE wandering Tartar
tribes Of the steppes of Asia. They subsist on
the flesh OF the Buffalo, and their only occupa-
tions are hunting and loTay. Six OF eight young
men, whose only outfit consists OF horse a lance
aud shield and and the bow and arrow, with an
occasional gGn,) start on journey of Il thousand
miles OF more through desolate country, and
sweeping down upon some hacienda In the north
eTn province of Mexico, XIII the solitary herds
mau, and drive Off with terrific yells, The animals
they chose They are sometimes absent two
years before their success issnitcient TO warrant
credita5!e return. These Arabs Of America
destined to disappear with the buffalo that
now serves them for tood.-N. o. PicaEfHe.