Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-02-23
NEW M EXuCO.
Tho mogoiiou Prospecting md
Mining Association.
MAcpALrNA. n. NJ, Feb. 8. 1883


holes Of the Rio Gallisteo, from which act
they found themselves mucl, refreshed, and
were once more on the move. Now, how.
ever, instead of the smooth and hard road
we had been travelling, we faced the deep
sands Of the river bed through which we
must pass for distance of three or four
miles before again reaching hard road,
and this required the remainder OF the
day, and was only accomplished by doub'
ling and sometimes trebling the teams
Just ns night closed III the last wagon was
placed upon solid ground, the tents pitched,
supper prepared and disposed of, few in.
spring songs by our excellent quarette,
and Ill sought their blankets and natures
sweet restorer. But our rest was not To be
undisturbed. Sometime during the night
the tinkling Of bell was heard IN the dis.
tance, which alarming circumstance was
promptly reported to the Grand Sachem
by the alert and watclfnl sentinel, who in
turn caused the entire camp TO be aroused
to whom was delivered u short and spir
tied lecture on the atrocities Of Indian
warfare, and the many devices the wiley
savage used to deceive and entrap his ene-
mics, and the tinkling of the hell was sig
nifcant of trouble, and with many words
OF caution we were once more relegated to
our blankets to dream of tortures, OF burn
ings at the stake of captive womcn-disem.
l. 4 IL Al Al
equally soothing aud nervc-qneting char
ncter. Morn came at last, and on calling
the roll our numbers were found to be
intact. After mutual congratulations on
our safety, tents were struck and all in
readiness for forward movement. Be
hind were the sand dumes of the Gallisieo
and before us we knew not what In the
foreground were hills upon hills and in the
background mountains seemed piled upon
mountains and over all lay our course, but
with Napolconic determination to sur
mount all difficulties the task was nssayed.
The summit of the first loot hills were
reached with but little trouble. Then
came rougher and mare PERCEPTIONS places,
requiring the doubling CT the teams.
Rongher and rougher became our way,
our mules were becoming jaded and worn
| and il seemed almos, impossible for them
| to go farther. At this crisis coil of rope
was produced from one OF the wagons and
cutting off hundred feet or more one end
being attached to the front axel of II wagon
and manned by forty pairs of willing
hands all obstacles were overcame, and
thus we toiled on aud mp until the summit
was reached, and there before us lay the
valley Of Ell Rio Grande del Norte Af-
ter n short rest our decent into the valley
was began, which was found much easier
than our assent had been, and at times
more rapid than desirable. However, il
was accomplished without accident and we
were once more on smooth and hard
road. Knowing that our "big medicine
man" was susceptible to flattery III what
ever form it light come, by precon-
ceried understanding all of the party that
could he spared from the wagons were got.
ten together in the van OF the train and be
ing drawn up in line by the side of the
road, at the word Of command presented
arms in true military style; and big med
ecine, with chapeau raised passed in from
with all the grandeur, pride and bearing
of spotted palfrey at II county fair. And
now we begin to encounter the sands oil
the great river, deeper and still deeper
they become, and it is evident the mules
can not pull through and the tactics ol
our mountain experience must be repeat.
ed. BY dint of perseverance and n moder
ate amount of profanity, camp was made
an hour after dark near pool of wate
strongly impregnated with alkali, ant
here again midst sand and dust, foot sor,
and weary, we sought the drowsy god.
Morning dawned ona strange and pc
, culiar scene. Looking North or Soull
over the long stretches of sand one woult
be impressed with the belief that a snow
storm had visited that portion OF the eartl
during the night. but upon Investigation
II would he found that the white field.
, were patches of alkali or soda, in places 81
thick as to be scrnped up by the handful
; To the east were the high hills just passed
, over and 10 the west rising to the hight O
one hundred to three hundred feet wer,
, rocky bluffs reminding one not a little o
| the palisades on the Hudson. 1t was sub
seqnently learned that these formed the
! west bank of the river. To the south ant
Immediately in front rose n high, rock,
and rugged hill, seeming sentinel to dis
: pute our further progress. Here, too, VIZ
} received our first visit from Pueblo Indians
| who stopped on their way 10 work in til,
fields, to please their curiosity and beg to
! bacco, and in field hard by were dozer
> plonghs formed of crooked sticks, eacl
e drawn by several yoke of oxen approach
t ing us in Echelon, forming strang
sight indeed, and carrying one back in th
! calendar of time to the days Of Abraham
y nnd Isaac and those other fellows VIII,
! stirred the soil of ancient Egypt in tn
e same manner. Nearing the high and rug
e ged hill above referred to it was foun
n that the road became divided, one brancl
I leading to the east of the hill and tn
e other to the west. Choosing the latter W
o were suddenly brought in full view of I
c Rio Grande del Norte, and now tn
e dreams of my childhood and the desires G
p more mature years were to be gralifiet
. Having associated the magnitude of til
IS river with the grandeur of its name til
e fancy had become impressed upon NJ
e young mind that here was stream !
a comparison with which the Mississipr
. was but a trout brook, md in after yeal
there continued to cling to me an ur
quenchable desire to gaze upon its water
While plodding through, the sands an
e tngging at the drag ropes many of III
II party expressed determination to aban
don The train as soon as the river WI
;, reached and continue the journey b
u steamer, bnt
y "The hest laid plans OF men and mice,
An gang aglee."
Reaching the river and making can,
g. the would-be excursOnists soon learie
d that no steamer had ever made point !
far north within thousand miles, ~,
. perforce changed their minds and conclu
u ed TO heel and toe IL as before. We wei
n now encamped on the east bank of the riv,
a and on the opposite bank was the Pueb
y village OF San PHILIPPE. As the snn WI
going down there could be seen descendir
the preciptous bluffs forming TO thu bac
re ground to the village large flock of goat
IS jumping from rock to rock, aud attendt
by tiny Indian boy, while at anolh
point drove of several hundred poni
made their way to the river and look the
sn au soda straight, all of which, with the quai
ss Indian village, formed grand subject I
in painter, As night closed IN upon I
beautiful scene, a party Of freighters ,lro
mp and prepared 10 make their camp