The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-11

dy this peak has been the Plains the dis
tnc. of over one hundred miles, tai Is IL and low
the country about t. Popcs camp is situated the
rver and the locality from whence he proceeded
make hs expensive experiments IN boring artesian wells
for years believe the appropriations
doay the expenses uf these fruoss efforts To obtain
water IN IL" Staked Plain FIRST 800 900, and after
wards 100000, an Of which has been expended, with the
exception Of about SIS 900 Of the last appropriation Be-
sides this there the expenses Of two companies Of
Dragons and large Quarermascrs department. Capt
Poc bored well 10 the depth OF l40 feet but
uay reported that the scheme would require
ponse machnery anu the project OF procuring water
on the Staked Plains was for time abandoned and the
buildings Of popos Camp u1cd by the Overland
Mail Company station They built Of adobe, in
substantial manner, and form quite little town W.
stopped Just ong enough TO get supper ofshtsake,
coffee dried beet and raw onions and taking fresh team
started on a sixty mile journey to the Guadalnp,
mountain. With single team OF four mule
iordcd the Pecos, about three miles abov
rolc's camp, the stream being quite rapid an
nearly covering the hubs Of our wagon Our Ia
along the prairie country on the other siie
the rvcr and after running about thirty miles campcd
se The head OF the Delaware creek cooked
breakfast with fire OF buffalo chipsna fuel which makes
excellent manurcand expected TO have nice cup OF
coffee, when upon examining our pack found that
had been overlooked in the hurry and we had to content
ourselves with erked beef cooked the ''chips,
onions, crackers slightly wormy and a bit Of bacon
The stomach however does long remain delicate af
ter few days of . the Plains, and breakfast was
quite acceptable TO me, notwithstanding the buffalo
chips, which struck me as rather novel, and at first
dis.asteful idea
The Guadalupe Peak loomcd up before all day the
most aggravatng manner fairly seemed TO be further
OF the travelled, that l almost
despair all hopes of reaching it, Our last eight
miles among the foot hills Of the range and
confidently believed were within mile two at the
outside But the road wound and crooked over the interim
nabc hills for miles yet and seemed to be
than before. | could see the outlines Of the
plainly and eagerly asked how far was the captain
aughmgly told me just five miles yet and we had
better stop and give the ANIMALS a little rest
| Or they never could finish IT, | should not have
had The slightest hcstancy in attempting 10 walk
the distance in few minutes, near did il seem. We
camred az Independence Spring, about i've miles from
up constantly few feet from the surface, while the depth
Of the spring Is said TO be fifteen feet The water
exceedingly COOL and is believed To be the that
bubbles up the mouth Of the Delaware below and
the pney woods above sinking in the ground and rising
again twice We were Obliged actually 10 beat our mules
with rocks make them 90 the remaining vc miles to
the station which Is called the Pnery account of the
number Of pine trees that in the gorge Of the
tain in which is situated As We approached the
tain lie hills and guleys bore the appearance Of having
bt created by vast fierce torrent rushing around
the base Of the peak and tearing its way through the
loose earth The comparative scarcity of stone ali over
the sakej Plain and up to the very foot Of the
is also motto, able and seems as nature had saved all
her ruggedne 10 pile mp this colossal form Of the
Guadalupe Peak which rears lis head four thousand feet
above The level of the plain and seven thousand above
The level Of the viii account for the
| delciously cool bree2cs Of which have spoken.
We found the corral built Of heavy pine tmberl very
scarce article indeed, except on the mountns-and after
getting another stereotype meal With the addition OF
pic and baked beans started with fresh team
sixty mile ride, TO the Carnudas mountain through
the Guadalupe canon. The Wild grandeur Of the
this is beyond description The peak ITSELF some
times called Cathedral Peak towers fun coo feet above the
lase If the canon, where is the ortuoUs white sandy
| bed OF a stream which dry, but which the
Iany season must be torrent. The road winds
Of the stcepcst and soniest hills hal yet
seen studded with nextrcabc rocks each OF which
80 ms read, 10 olt the wagon INTO the abyss below IN
enough 10 make shuddcr to look NJ the perpendicular
SIDE 81 tie and think what havoc mschcvogs
nan could make with an emgrani tram passing through
tic canon The Great Peak towers u ready any
ment 10 ali, while huge boldcrs hang III ready with
the weight oi rain drop, 10 be iooscned from their fast
ennss aud descend with numbering swncss TO the bot
tom carrying destruction ~ thcir paths The water ap-
pears 80 have washed away the soil OF the peak and s
MINOR hills revealing the strata ike 50 many regularly
tWh walls Of fortress and the whole mtss
wcscnts ei stupendoas grandeur.
Just before the bottom or the reached
snt L, tlc roasde the grave og MsAcn guide, Who
hAd advance ol tbs party aud murdered
by the lndinsa thrilling reminder of another oi the
Gahs rs ~ tins atcadin Iass.
We got through about sunset and never shah forget
tic gorgeous appearance o the clouds tingcd by tho
srtfDs sun above these iaggc peaks changing Ike
80 panorama they assumed al sorts 81 fantastic SHAPES,
ircm frantic maidcns, with disboycci hair hugo
scrs of crcc dcmcanor chasing another through tho
realms OF space. We had hardly passed Though osore
ihe sound of voices and tn cleaning "a sh denoted
ihat there ~as larty ahead OF -. TIE awe inspiring
drcanmg a. lay stcssly IN the wagon but the possib
ly - meeting ioes, haps band Vi murdcrous Indians
In tbs wild AMI lonely pot ncd M for time with fears
but had great Lah IN the captains pro.ess and ict
somewhat easier when he declared be his opinion
| tia, tie party was an American Ia a we
upon them, and, to astonishmcn; found that
tie overland mail, which lett franeseo the 10Th
SEPTEMBER, Win I've through Passenger anl which
now egh hours ahead of tfnc Aicr exchanging con.
Iatgaios amt tcng bits of news both parties passed on
ayaLg my sell Of the opportunity 10 send 20 the HERALD
despatch which had nearly written tor the
We eahIed ~ CFog spring within about thirty miles of
the taInudas mountain. The spring is OF sulphur, but
ralalabe enough when one i thirsty. II
level plan, distance ftom the roaI aud would ee
Iasscd unno,ced known the traveller Tn.
nom the Graaalupc 70 tarBudas gradual accent
paia The Guadalupe mountains plainly visible from
all POINTS OF the route were also the Carnuss which
ae separate pcass Of Jagged rocks at,ng up from the
plain 10 the height Of about 500 ic.t The rocks
hOudcrs Of red sandstone and tho principal peak
oblopg character set with such rcgu.
lay 10 appear be the work Of art The col
iecis in natural basins from the RAIN and stands the year
round As yet they have furnished sufficient supply
a. water and II not adequate can easily be cnlarr.i
There four prime pal peaks which appear he ranged
IN square There y quite large station here and
procured frcsh tcam and sdc driver. and set for
waru Tank, thirty six miles distant About miles
| on the road We rasscd the Alamos Wells, which
springs IN mountain about half mile from the road
though apparently hui few yards. From these wells
the Waco Tanksa distance q twenty mles--therc
| water Within about six miles OF the Waco Tanks is
ihc serra Alto high mountain, which can be seen al
mot mmcdaicl! after leaving the Caruudas The road
al the way, i exceont being a rolling plain, with the
exception Of very steep hill tho Sierra Alto, down
which much feared could not descend IN safety: but
driver med know every stone and We whirlcd
along the very brink e the prccipoes with ITrfcct
safety though TIE night quite dark. ON reaching
| tac Waco Tanks found excellent corral and cabin
built. hut % ustcrnatou tho stat keeper pointed
% two eight gallon kcgs, say ne That all the water
have lett Tor dozen and many bead Of cattle
The Waco Tanks have been reported u be incxausbe,
but the unusual droughis had drained them. aud tic
rigorous search through the mountain did not bring
light any The tanks bad been recently enlarged.
20 hold water enough % last ycar VIXEN tho rain
ncNt fc but until that time the station would have
abandoned unless hy chance water could br found ii the
vicinity We changed horses here and took supper
fcw hours ride brought 60 Franklin CITY. on the
Grande river opposite the ancient town of VI paso A.
wc ucarcd The river the delightful aroma of the fruit and
herbs MS mcst grateful alter long and
arcafy a ride over the desert, and al that
moment I could have endorsed all the cncomums
On "tbc fertile VALLEY of tic Rio SrandcH We
passed many vineyards and comfortable ranches built
of adobe, aud looking extremely neat About two miles
from Franklin s Fort Hss, occupied hy small gar
rson Of United States troops The fort built of adobe
Tic ciy 81 Franklin the American sle OF the river.
cuutafts few hundred inhabitants, aud the midst
of 1nc agricultural district The onions well the
grapes, 81 this loaty, of world vide celebrity, and
"a iaeo wines universally appreciated. a.
rived very early in tho morning, and did not the
river, had not chance 0i seeing III raso Here
Mr. Goyers division ends and ~ justice 10 hin we'll
.- IL.nai.. III. sL..x Sh.ch MI.