The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume] (Mesilla, N.M.) 1877-1879, 1878-03-23
A AHrx1 ~ THE A444ABREE An HBRsE4s Hoott=ss HHoott=s-
TAINS.

Among tiie maay mountain ranges in
Doha Ana County the san Aadreas oecapi.s
no mean position separated from tie organ
range b san Augustine pas. they extend
for flty mile. To the fft.f44t. Il succession Of
high rugged ridges, their rock bound sides
tBt and carved in all manner Of curious
shape, by deep raaon9, Save stunted
greHtA p;iioa agl juniper along the sum
miis q tn riig,s, they are destitute Of tim
ier Small .prings or seapages Of water
aae found in loost of tie canolS: around
these !, found , rifh growth Il vegetation
San Augustine pass i> anoHt Is miIcA east
of Mt~,'is Eighteen miles north otASan
Augustine i san Nichols, spring. de-oiasg
iaoking F.aec: no tee higher than a grease
wool bush i ~ Ia. f''anl in til, vicinity.
and tI,r uHiy pastnIa2, i, a thin
growth q wiry sgass
The approach to ihc spring from the
ila,n- : a5rup; aud r'0,ky; apaF7attff, road
has seen ca through tiie projecting points,
to reach tac water requir<S an ascent 'of, >fhe
csfian for some DISTANCE
The spuag oi s8a Nicholas though ics-
known on arcouW ofiis isolated position has
history qnite4es interesting as the famous
q, tlsI Ai.1l.eFs,s ~ the J,a1ada del Muerto:
tos over ttIrce canturie>it was. the can,ling
ET1115Id TII5f Fssiia1 ysaet ior tired travellers
WDfn .i,c S.aai2his we're lficeu oa, Of Santa
Il. ansl il... S.iA4ra ;ft;4.ss - New Mexico
IN lds9. theF halted at St, Nicholas 10 recu
perafe 9ffer t',.ir lnn!. and harra,ing march
II ,bTsoafli- II has l4en The scene Of in
Rphterahir 'aar,ie,s af.I ia;lian masacres,
laan, = winch ARE sti.i fresh in the teco.cc-
iien u oid citizens
More recently s.,u Nicho,as has i,eru Que
Of ftht many rcuslelvsas Il our bona Ana
Couats Ban,lifti BG the Apache hos dis
appeaggd cton San AaslreA>, and 4, the iessl=
aitsi weTe ~ regulating affairs in Lincoln
Go, oug tsio q huG.ers ha,l no apprehension
Of an unpleasant encounter a> thcy drove into
san Nicholas At six o'e|osk on fine spring
m. rning After brief Tcst We lef san
Nicholas. ant ra;ticd a&8y oycr a irre Rad.
1T l0ocoek sye passed tie first Of a success
s.. ~ Of S,,. Lakes tl.a; lie in the basin be-
tween the Sln Antieaas mountains. and tlle
hills Of eypsam which iut i'm the plain
resemble huge SNOW tlr,fts he sui,e +,
contains bur li;tlc water aai less salt. it is
simply sat nl9rsn nlilo wide by four or
tse uiles long. covered Wit. IN alkaline
crust strongly infrcsnated with salt
This chain ni lakes extends for twenty
mic, up tl,e VALLEY ,eiue q. them Are ,aid
- furnish raek -ilt equut 70 thu Obtained
f,om the celebrated t'ua,alo,pe Lakes in
Texas. At o'ciock ?. VI two of our han
ter arrived At ,de Spring in the san Andrcas
iAnli sl,4Fsa i ~ rvrTJyryrJ 70 establish
hunters caETE5 for few day-; latter in tic
eisy the Judgs arrived bringing with him
iiue young dos which had ca'eloSsly come
within range Of his unerring rifle.
somc years ago Wild excitement was
created hy tho, discovery of what promised
10 be rich silver mines ia the vicinity of
san Andreas Cation, and considerable labor
aud money were expended ia prospecting.
Large quantities ofmet bearing quartz Vas
found, but careful test proved it to be of
little value, and the feni hopes Of the san
9guine miners vanished like dew before the
morning sun" In poiat Of fact the mines
Pctcrea oui