New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-27
NEW-MEXICO.

AT EXCURSION TO THE SIERRA MIMBRE.
Cosrssp asdesss Of The N. r rribsns
RIO ABAJo, New Mexico, Get. 2S 1855.
Having lately made four days visit to the Min
kres Mountains, thought ,hort account of the
section of country through which passed, and it's
general appearance aud characteristics, might
prove interesting to the readers Of HE tribune
Intern tdiste between the main sources of tie
CHA hiver and the great valley of the Del Norte is
found the Sierra de los Mmbres. II extends
north and south, say about fifty miles above aud
below the SD parallel of latitude AS you travel
along the valley of the Del Norse from Do1a Ana
t. Fra CIistOvsl the blue range of the Sierra at
tracts the eye for the space above mentioned and
in the clear atmosphere of the country, with the
aid Of the bright eastern sun, appears to be aoo1:
FIVE TO ten miles distant though 10 reality its base
10 not less distant from the banks of the Rio
GraDde than tbirty.fve miles SJuth ward, ia
about the lntitude OF 80 3V very considerable
depression in the sierra allows the passage Of the
main Travelled route TO CaliforDs, by way Of the
ella Valley. Nortbwsrd abrupt breaks in tue
rsnse separate the Minbres Moaotains from other
chains, and plainly IL ark It's entire extent The
wish to visit party of men AZ work timber C It
ting in the nearer portions Of the Great Sierra
and desire 70 get rid for ii ne o. musketoes hot
suns and the influence Of the hilarious stDos pbere
of the river bottom, led me, the motnins OF the
22d, to saddle up, and with two pack M iles az
means Of transportation. and "ns" squio oi
mon ss escort, 60 start on mountain TRIP. our
route Law north. westward about six miles up the
river, ard thence turned nesrly westward up
toAada, (DarrOw fiat valley, desolate and dreaty
in its freedom from trees ard shrubbery for about
fifteen miles; thence, as we approached the suoor
dpate ranges or spurs Of mountains, winch as "
ell nm the shruok rhasm that Woud 0thgr-
wise appear bet Veen the mountains Snd the
plateau, we turned DOrthward and westward and
through pretty rocky gap or small canon found
our way behind this first chain OF bills The
plateau, OF rather slopng plliD, extends foe
near tgenty miles from the Rio Gra0de 10 the
FIRST hills gradually ss sending until, on looking
back from the gap just erred to. the view takes
in panorama of mountains, and valleys, plains
and plateaux for an ex tent OF forty TO seventy
Eve miles. In this gap we found the first water
since leaving the river, mating our journey thus
far TO be over q complete jornadG. ride of 1--we
miles further brought Ne, in second canon, to
the usual camp Of the tesmsteIs employed III
hauling timber, where we found Our.elses aad
our animals sufficiently fstigued and hungry to
halt for the night The grassy slope OF the ride
of the valley served US for couch and the pretty
clear sire am twenty yards below Es running over
ledge Of che finest limestone think ever ssw
furnished US with au abundance OF cool water.
The decsye branches and trunks of white ash
and black wal0ut trees supplied wood for our
camp fires, and in this charming spot, after con
GLIDING cur supper, wa wrapped ourselves in
blankets and cOmforters and sought repose. The
next morning after resting the night through with
out hearing the buzz Of single musketo, but re.
ftesbed With breathing me cool clear mountain
air, We pursued our way for FIVE or six miles
further into q narrow canon, where we fou1d
the timber-cutters' camp. omitted to mention
that as we were about emerging from our
csmp-couches q meteor Of the mOsl beautiful
description appeared crossing the horizon from
S T. TO q. W., and tasiDg IN the latter portion
of its course before disappearing behind the peaks
of the Sierra. the curve, size and appearance OF
military fIeball. At no time have ever ssen 30
large and beautiful meteor, and IL seemed tD be
% near that my cOmpsgnOn de voyage declared il
must have struck the mountain peak about halt
mile dittaDt rom our camp. But t. return: our
morning journey Of FIVE miles carried us through
groves OF mouotain oak, large cedsrs, and tue
shrubby mountain tree, much resembling the
persimmOn. Of grass there was ne scarcity,
every hll-sl0pe and narrow valley being covered
with the most nutritious kiads. 1t a treat to
look upon the Fl 20 mountain pines to which we
were now introduced-some of them three feet
Ia diameter, while mountain ced4rs we're passed
10 apuia aoce, varying In diameter at The bust
from one 70 three feet. / have 10 doubt that
ID &c cedars are Identical with the csdsrs of
Lebanon, go wen described in number of Harp,r's
"aso-'"e " Soaa. lie representations of the
cedar groves OF Syria IN that magazine ansU.r IN
those saw in all respects they are entirely
another tree from the scrob cedars of the In YER
slopes, the bark, particularly during the GRO eth
of The tree dividing tselfinto little c1bss of about
an inch in dimension, aud gray OF white on the
outer surface.
We passed one day at the timber camp ENJOYING
the resDous odor Of the pines. in hunting and
other employment, and then before the frost h.d
fairly dissppea AIRED from the ground we set cut
for further explorations smid the cahons and
valleys Of the Sierra. A ride Of two miles over
dividing ridge on an Ipdi sn trail brought u iato
more extensive cshoo, shut 10 by stupeodous hills,
mostly wooded with pines, cellars or pehon trees
10 their very submits, except where they we're
capped With granite sandstone or II nsstone cifs
r'de at four mites west sardly In this canon
brought us at about lunch time 10 the end OF our
journey 10 that direction, iu the midst of a grove
OF heavy pines. On oar way we passed through
an abundance of the trees ! have heretofore
named. and in addition the larse,t specimens of
black alder trees have ever seen In some In.