The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-07
qhe adsden reaty-The Geographical
Portion Of Sonora and Chihuahus.

N
Portion Of Sonora and Chihuahus.
In order to lay before our readers an authentic &C
count OF the country embraced within the limits OF
the boundary line in the contemplated treaty Oh oeu
Gadsden, we have mace diligent inquiries OF gentle
men who have visited il sni nsv been 50 iortuna'o
as to obtain information OF tie most rel be cnarac
her IN reu,rd To For mn n OF this in ormation we
are indebted to advance sheets O. the personal mar
ratiye OF Mr.. Bartlett lai United States Commits
sioner of his explor I ons 10 1 xas, New MEXICO
California Sonora and Chihuahua
The journeys Of Mr. Bartlett extend throughout
the territory in question crossing AMI recrossjng
at various points in connect ON with the survey and
while passing from the Rio Grande, ny way of the
ella, TO California and back again. Without enter.
Ing further into the numerous topics embraced in
This work, which viii extend to two large octave
volumes, we have merely exs mined that portion of
it which refers to the district which will be included
in the proposed purchase
First Is the Mesills country, niisuamed valley
which is neither nor less than the bottom land
of the Rio Grarde Following up this river ab we Ell
Paso there FIST comes q mountain district six or eight
miles in extent through which the river has forced
q passage, after which the bottom lands appear.
These extend along both sides of the river and vary
from to two miles in wild H. until other hills and
mountains again approach, some forty miles above.
The initial point or southern boundary OF New
Mexico, strikes the Rio Granie 1t 80 deg. % min.
north latitude, as fixed by the com mission
about thirty miles north Of the mountain pass re-
ferred to-and within this district lies the Mesiila
Valley, which is = small table plateau, as its
name La Mesilla (little tabe) indicates, elevated
fee feet above the other bottom lands of the river
This is some eight or ten miles long, and on it is
the Mex ,an village known as La Mesills.
The alluvial or bottom land of the Rio Granie IS
rendered exceedingly fertile by artificial irrigation
This is done by cutting canals and ditches from tae
river which conduct the water to it and at the pr
per season. after the seed is planted the land is
flowed. Without tn is artificial nundaton the soil
will produce nothing, as for nine or ten monrhs 10
the year no rain falls But there is much uncertain
ty about the river for it often happens that 1t does
not rise sufficiently to fill the acequias" or rrigatng
canals when the result is total failure of the crops
This is Of frequent occurrence, and Mr. Bartlett men
lions several instances where large tracts of rich bot
tom land opposite La Mesa which were plougbed,
planted and intersected by the necessary canals pro
duced nothing for the want of water. 1t appears,
too that II the Mesla side Is all planted and irriga
ed tn at there will not be water enough left to rgate
the opposite side. Even the vineyards near FL Paso
are gated and oyerowed the same as the fields,
without which they would led little or nothing, 80
dry is the soil Such seems to be the character of
She valley of the RIO Graude, Of which the Mssilla is
portion. The land is fertile, aud with plenty Of
water produces large crops
Leaving the basin of the Rio Graude we ascend to
the plateau, which is from one hundred to one hun
bred and twenty feet above, and has gentle rise be-
yond This plateau is little better than desert, and
cannot be made to produce anything for the food Of
man of beast 1t extends far as the eye can reach
unlimited by hill or mount !in, towards the west, ex-
Ceptng an occasional kaob or conical hill. This
open plain commences nearly opposite Dona Ana,
where some hills oc sur, but beyond that it extends
further to the moth. This plain, ring few weeks
in July and August when there may be rain Is GOV.
cred with a short thin grass which rapidly springs
M and with the scorchng heats that follow, as ra-
pidly disappears. This grass only covers portion
of the high plateau for as we proceed west there
are broad districts where not blade is to be seen,
and where the thcrny chapperL and other desert
plants are alore found.
The first considerable range Of m ,untains is about
a hundred miles west of the Rio Grande This is
passed through defles, when another broad plain IS
reached, with mountain chain on lis oppisite side
These alternate districts Of broad desert plains aud
mountain ridges occur over space of about tw
hundred and fifty miles, when We reach the river San
Pedro the first continuous stream OF water met With
in this wide district. Emf grants and travellers de-
mend upon water found at small springs at
great distances apart The first are some water
holes dug by Colonel Cooke near Las Piayas, or the
Div Lake, nearly one hundred and fifty miles from
the Rio Grande which renders it impractcabe to
pass directly west from the river
If we pass within our own territory we find the
first water At Cookies spring, fifty miles from the
Rio Grande then the Mimbres, twenty miles further,
n diminuye stream which is lost in the plain before
it re aches Mexican territory. Ia this way we pass
from the Rio Grande, south Of our line, to the San
Pedro, without finding single spot where any con-
siderable number of AMI mails can find grass enough
for hearty meal, much less place where a colony
or military post ceild be su ported. The plains
are without trees or shrubs save only the mezquit
chapperal stun,ed bush ar med with hdeous thorns
compelling the traveller to give them wide berth.
The trees found in the mountains chiefly live and
post oaks though the SUBMITS of the higher ones
pines are found Water is also found In many of toe
deles OF the MOUNTAINS that travellers endeavor
TO reach them before giving up. These defles and
valleys possess great attractions for the weary and
thirsty traveller after traversDg the arid plains, as
they furnish him with wood, water, grass aud an
agreeable shade 1t is only in these secluded places
TOO, that game is found.
The river San Pedro is small stream, and when
first crossed by Mr.. Bartlett, about thirty five miles
west of our bour Diary, about two feet deep and
twenty wide. When he crossed it again some fifty
miles further towards its head he found it but few
inches deep, and LEES than ten in width. There was
no tillabe land here, for the stream far below
the valley that It could not be used for irrigation to
advantages; but the grass land vas good, and well
adapted to the rearing of large herds Of cattle for
which there were formerly many haciendas here,
but which haze long since been abandoned, and are
now in ruins There are no villages or settlements