The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-28


exhibit crystalline character. Gradually and by the
increase Of volcanic debris ond sedmentary material
rocks formed elected gneous confined
already to certain fssuSes The crust having become
more trim and heavy above, these hssures OF
eeciion compelled the gneous forces 10 seek other out
lets, which may have been conditioned by the strauhca
ton, ANIMATION and cearage Of sedimentary rocks To
tins circumstance ascribe the OF those
long mountain ranges and dy kes The former mostly
onesided upheavings Of petamorphic strata the latter
diversified combination OF volcanic putonc nsptunic
rocks they really represented by the geographical
system along Azimuth line. There we have sentis
and granite svss, rachyte aud trap exhibiting still
clear Of cleavage Elimination qualification and
granite gneiss siene, and various kinds of transit
+ 10 what degree our theory may agree with the OBJ
sefved geonostrical special survey OF the noun
along Azimuth line will show Before entering
however on this subject, propose remarks
few Spanish terms, which, identify their object with
them lest should be compelled to use in their
place others scarcely answering their purpose We
refer to the words cordilera, SIERRA cucho piacho,
puerto, Iona, mesa cienaea charco and pnsa.
CokpnIIRA -Cordilera means a long mountain ge
composed VI several paTael running inegrating s
which, however can be occasionally nterseced by passes
paTrow cross valleys The essential characteristic OF
the term is, that cordillera is formed by two
ranges, forming one geographical body, cord con
sts Of several strings twisted together The words cord
and cordillera are formed upon one STEM
SIERRA.-Sierra in Spanish, IS saw, or q mountain
range with serrated crest ard OF reef dyke wall
shape. The diameter Of both the sierra and the
cordlera very small compared with its longitudinal
axis.
CucmrIo.--cuchino is a branch, or outrunner, Of
sierra, parakng in its physogrsphy with the latter It's
sharp edged crest probably caused the name cucho,
which Ia also knife.
PIcAHo -Picacho means sharply tapering peak, pin
nacle horn the vertical height Of which shows smi
proportion to It's section, the longitudinal axis
OF . sierra TO its cross diameter.
PuKRro- Puerto gate, or post In its Typographical
application pass over through mountain ridge not
Of any length, as, for instance causeway or canon
CANoS-Canon mountain range, or dehie, with no
LoMA-Loma is a long mountain hill ridge, with
more smooth horizon. Lomta is the same on smaller
scale.
MrsA-Mesa table land, table mountain table
RIDGE the top OF which is OF larger horizontal extension
Mesia rs the dminutive form Of the same
NAL PAIs-Bad land, or nldn1is eTes OF the French
In Sonora exclusvey applied to Tomas,
table land constituted by large beds OF gneous rock
mostly compact, or vascular trap basat
CExAGA-Cienaga Is q valley or mountain basin with
an INSTRUCTED outlet and all round hemmed by hills
mountains. Thus cienaga abounls IN mry and DOGGY
places. -
either in strata of washed out in bed of clay
AJAWater hole in solid rocks and met with In the
crevices ane ravines Of rocky mountains Pnaja org
naly earhern jar not glazed bun mt so as To
allow exudation by which means the water inside re-
mans cool !.
ton Of the various sierras which shall have TO
by following our Azmuth line from southeast TO-
SIERRA pEI PAJARro-The southeastern terminus OF
Azmuth line the northern slope OF the Sierra del
Paja,o, (ttle bird or birdng), shows crystalline tran
sition rocks metamorphic unchanged, also rachy
tic strata metamorphc forms Of granite and sienitc
Some OF the more elevated portions exhibit
rough cellular surface, whilst the lower dense
and smooth. Tho color is dull red light pink These
rocks abound in crystals Of CLASSY felspar and coca
rionaly particles Of angte thus answering to the fre
quent occurrence OF sentic granite The foot OF this
shows the north side on some Of its cuchios
very fine grained white metamorphic sents, consist
ing Of minute particles OF horn bende and white feispar
On the lower parts OF the west SLOPE talcore arga
and quarzose states are met WITH though trachy
rocks ranging through in every direction. One
Of the aroyos there is cutting through solid mass OF
achyte forming puerto through vertical walls on both
both sides slope towards this puerto under angle OF
IS 40 feet This aud other localities on the lower per
Sieccia, feispatic pOrpbyry and rappic amy gdalod
rocks Some OF the waerbeds round the foot OF this
sierra are lined with singular formation and al,
| toned At first sigh, looked upon III as
il were fresh water deposite everything
or placed alternately with certain volcanic brecca In
| some places especially where occurs OF greater
height traces Of stratca,cn and even cleavage
visible forms throughout its lower portions one sod
| cemented mass, embedding between vertical walls Of
80 and 40 feet high torrent, which At the time we
parsed here in places dry The color OF these
rocks was light dark ash gray It's outer crust
formed by process Of cacnaton was quite loose Ia
cbs could be scratched out There was no re- agent Al
hand prove this rock TO s containing carbonate OF
lime, but do not doubt II contained such, even when
incline the time TO refer this remarkable
volcanic products, and perhaps with good reason 20
very cement which forms The matrix Of the volcanic
1 trecca tetore mentioned We found here and every
where rsppc amy gdaloid rock, matter at wha;
elevation taken, adhering carbonate Of lime, a II
j
or rachytic boulder exhibited the their empty
vascular cavities The hssures between these rocks and
the dells where they laid embedded show similar pre-
cpitae OF similar cacarcoEs substance. Ca the east
slope Of the sierra, in valley called Los Mega es 1.-THE
walnuu), similar strata line the course Of the water
here sometimes forming c1ntnuous winding iog bark
both sides, and sometimes covering oven
exteut the slopes Of the surrounding mountain
constituted by or, stalne rccks On these hsdes the
| ,ame mass forms inclined shevese beds, dppng
\ wards the valley and exhibiting og decurreu,
lines shaly Ian .naisd texture Eat 0. til. valley
\ he
maton still more boldly developed, i met with, every
traveller going from here 70 santa Crrz may observe
Farther 70 the souis and tosards southwestern.
most link Of the same cordera that Il on The sirike side
Of the Sierra Santa Barbara and s farther downwards
into Sonora strata OF the same character aoo0nd In AL
i the valleys drained by running water,
The volcanic brcccla occurring aso IN most OF h. water
leading valleys and ravines OF tho Sierra del pari,o,
rises from 20 to so feet angle upwards OF
4b0 70 vertical walls. Some pieces Of u tried.
upon which they showed much efervesceGce, though
srsnRA JAsoe-1o the north and northwest Of this
mountain range, with us bearing from east 70 wcs the
Janos rising up IN bold terraces Of dark
brown amygdalod trap and porphyry, the broadcast YER
races being along lover regions The ecge zach
these gigantic shelves ~ bordored with outstanding
rocks dykes, and rocky horns In the most phantastc
All these terraces falling back towards the
body Of the serrA, joining By OF deep and
rugged lateral valleys on the Other siie u which they
the higher and sleeper The most elevated partthe
central stock-forn huge table block, exh,png iss
south and wesi aide gigantic wals showing distinct
suanHcaton and cleavage, the linen Of which each
4 u
very singular appearance, they veritable
sonworh The fectlnear dssures visible q dis
| lance Of ten 10 fifteen English mills Tho vcrnscnar
james has reference 70 the photographic charac
Of the sierra II signifies in the language Of the Pa
payo indians arborecent strub o. the bguonaceous
order (Chlopes), which grows sbundanuy through
the dry rocky and stony water beds all the country
so In this reighborhcod The striking resemblance
Of the centre block OF this sierra TO masonwork would
certainly justify the more appropriate " De as la
drsoso sierra Of the brcksones tor that lsy centre
part agrees very much 70 Hamool6ts description OF
portion OF the Peruvian volcano rchnchs, where
| also a similar geographical phenomenon Is mentioned
On that volcano N constituted by kind u ptchstone,
ceaving IA thin vertical slabs layers which, at dis
tsnce gves 10 also the sp OF work, and
therefore called By the Inhabitants Of Anto "Prso De
Zoe todyslos"
L SIERRA ATlscoeA-on the northern slope q the
Sierra JaDos another group arranged, placed with
both the farmer upon one longitudinal axis, and
| having, ct the same Tine, with the sierra Jauos .
similar bearing from south west towards northeast
that IN, toward the valley Of the sAnta Cur river.
The three links Of the oordlcra they belong 10
have dip and strike alike towards the sans Cfuz river
M paragraphs character the Sierra q like
II Ius htfrU fla