The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-19


For full sixty miles the is extremely heavy aud
progress with loaded teams very difficult Near the road
a steep sand hill, with little vegetation which eK
tends sixty miles INTO the plain. few DAYS before
ief Fort Yuma, (which was on Tuesday, the 9th, at
els A. NJ, there had been heavy sand storm the
desert Some OF the sand drifts very high, and
many the road entirely up These sand
storms very violent and often and animals
lost in them. On one occasion wealthy cattle owner oil
California three thousand head OF sheep in SIX hours
and out Of 900 sheep with which he started for San
Francisco, from Chadbourne Texas he only reached his
several small companies of Yuma Indians, crossing the
desert foot carrying their water gourds The Yumas
peaceably disposed tribe and these did more
harm than to make faces at and grin horses
SHE'D from them. foand the journey quite unpleasant
enough the wagon but they seemed to enjoy the walk
as If they were used 10 H. We took the prccauon TO
keep sharp lookout on our back boot where the bag
gage was kept, SO as to leave them no temptation to
seal--a temptation which they would not BE- likely to
resist Twenty -four miles of pretty rough riding through
the sand brought 10 OF the complnyS stations,
kept by kind hearted gentleman named Elliott, who
only Charges dollar FOR meal OF crackers, pork ana
coffee We found that there were horses ready for us
at the station but fortunately agent of the San Diego
Mail Company passing with lot Of stock, ana MI
Hall made trade with him for team and we sui
tered detention. l thought at first that he
had much the worst OF the bargain, for one
old insisted on pulling the wrong way. they
all finally pulled together however, through the
xcelept management OF Mr.. Hall, and we started on
mother twenty four mile ride to the Indian wells Mr.
Elliott station called Alamo Mocho the cottonwood
stump The stump must have been covered up IL the
IL.
NEW RIVER.
A few miles beyond crossed New river which Is
indicated the maps but has been but once
which by military expedition in 1851. They camped
at night, supposng thcy great distance from wa
ter in the morning, their surprise found they
the banks OF Many reasons were at first
assigned for II said that il large spring, and
others that il series OF springs bccve, how ever
the final CONCLUSION that ii sort OF slough from
the Colorado for shortly disappeared, leaving in rs bed
vast )ers Of fine fish, whose decayng bodies made
the most horrd stencil for months. 1t went almost az
quickly It cane
INDIAN wELLs-A CREEK IN THE SAND.
Twenty four miles Of heavy sand riding brought US to
the Indian wells, where we found the station had
had dihculty with Indians, who refused to let
them have water for their animals Almost collision
ensued but the Indians finally retired without making
attack although they vastly the majority. TWEEN
tytour miies from the wells We CANA to Carsso creek
which Indicated on the maps but as il appeared to US
vas SIMPLE sandy gully, a liuie damp. Our
bed, indeed desolate The vegetation
within SIGHT of out little account, while not tree
cosd he except upon the distant mountains where
there are many iine cattle ranches; but could
nothing Of vegetation but here there cump OF
quit or some other wild bush of the plains
CATTLE DYING OF THIRST.
An eng tram had Just passed, and met numbers
of cattle which had been abandoned as beng too weak to
travel there they stood almost living skeletons gradual
cori almost imagine they .ooked supplcatingy us,
and begged for inst single drop Some standing,
others ng, and others just gaspng IN the agones OF
death SIGHT almost enough 10 sicken the sou, st heart
The loss 10 emgrant ira nse-pecaiy large oness very
great from this Very often half two thirds
Of arge drove OF cattle will have be left the
weak to proceed from want OF water. The Indians
gather up these ST. cattle by carrying water to them
arriving them to the nearest creek by the custom Of
the country, cattle thus picked up seldom reclaimed
by Their original One Of the greatest benefits OF
tho establishment of this overland mail route will be that
Il viii indicate 10 the emigrant, with his valuable
droyes OF cattle the safest and surcst means OF
transit across these watcrless plains, which
30 little travelled that disputes often occur among
drccicis o train 20 which j. the right road was
furnished h sad illustration Of this fact by passen-
ger stage from Pilot Knob 10 II Monte distance
of go mies-wbo pad almost his last cent for passage
moucy himself family Of wife and children
TAI hearty infant bat eight months OF age, whose
ioyous glec quite addition to company the
tedious road besides being reminder OF another little
than two thousand miles away. The passenger
Of whom speak had started with large emgrant tram
from Fort Chsdbourne Texas 10 the Great Saked
PLAN the crossing OF which described IN my last.
dsp,c as 70 the proper course most OF the party
anor who had crossed the Plains several times insisted
that they should aud strike the Pccos They
were however, overrcd and the train passed directly
the PLAIN roads leading TO water The consequence
that there we're three thousand head OF cattle
thirst adding their bones to the vast numbers
which whitcn II AMI ine The roadside, their
grim skeletons warning the traveller OF the dread
iu dangers Of the desert The passengers name
was Foreman Of Williamson county, Texas, and when he
In the ri Monte he altered by the fatigue
OF his journey that bis own sister did not know him.
CALIFORNIA VALLEYS.
The oompa ny have station a, Carisso Creek, where
plenty II water be had BY digging About half way
between the next station aud yallcco Palm Spring,
50 called on accoun, Of a number Of palm plants which
grow near H. we fth stage from Francisco,
which a Little behind the usual time, but ahead "
schedule time. yalleco, or Little Valley, Is beautiful
green spot-a perfect the desert; about i've
miles square surrounded by rugged nberess hills, and
Tie green bushes and grass and hard road are most
refresh relief from the sandy Of the desert
There a number Of springs, OF them salt There
j. bui rancho where we changed horses The sand
-plIkcs In tn with large quantities Of mica, which
the un.ntaed often mistake Tor gold dust, as much
resembles the precious meta IN color. We found here
art Of Mr. toremans epgran, train, which, from thirty
three wagons had dwindlcd down to seven, with but
ihe of the cattle with which they started. Prom Lae
Valley the road leads through u rough canou
a steep ana stony hil into another valley, whose
ony Characteristic j. an abundance of grease weed,
which whether wet dry. excellent fuel AT the end
Of tbs valley twenye ght miles from Valeci'o our road
strikes IN. san Diego road an proceeds through very
lass-tbc most wonderful On the route II ap
pears T. have been the bed " fierce torrent bn, u was
dry The channel appears 70 have been cut through
e sola rocks with the reguart, a deep cut for a rail
road aud fcrpendcuiav up the steer sides Of the mar
row pass the Jagged rocks tower apparently ready f
and crush al beneath them YET among these iapged
PEAKS there varieties of curious wced~-cacus
plants spanish dagger frickiy and magley-from
which muir food ami drak obtained From the
mlRuey plant exhiarafng LIQUOR, called mcscal," Is
made while the plant itself after bong baked for twenty
Oir hours aiprns an cNceict meal outer covering
81 the leaf which sornewl lat resembles the Spanish dag
ger believe used for making rofe. the hbres
mrch ike hemp The mountlns near the road abound
ia mica aud no doubt repete with mineral wealth.
Our progress through this portion of the road quite
SLOW, necessarily and a required all Mr. Halls skill TO
gr.dc and wagon safely through the pass for in
sone places there hardly inch 10 spare. is the
nost wonderful natural road ever heard Of
one Of the drivers however thought the Journey rather
dull and declared that God pronounced this part
of the earth good u was more than did. Mr.
Foreman suggested that God knew what In the
and "a ha Ia fta
that the mountains of little good 10 since he
d.dn know what IN them To- Il seemed spc
cal d.spcnsaton of Providence 10 make the
appreo the beautiful road which lay just beyond, for,
est 40 from the rugged pass, We struck
PLEASANT SIGHTS.
beautiful bard road which would rival the Third
IN ts palmies days II seemed To infuse life into
ourselves and mails and felt as could at that
mcni turn back and chcerfuy retravcrse the drcary
Journey which had passed in consideration of this little
nar u good road. d led dre.ty the bed Of