El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-21

Uncle Sam this summer is going to
explore the lesstknown region within
the limits of the United States-tbat
mysterious country in western Texas,
here the old-time adventurer Corona
DO was lost, together with his band of
followers, while searching for the gol-
den village of Gran Quivera. He was
led to believe that there was sucb
village, filled with stores of the yellow
metal, by the tales of treacherOus In
diaus, who conducted him into those
wilds for the purpose of losing the
party and leaving them to starve in the
desert wastes. They we're taken by
their false guides across the stake6
| plains into this vast and horrible trap;
| but having discovered the snare, they
managed to make their way out Of it.
The government expedition, Gays the
Globe Democrat, will be headed by
Robert Hill, of the United States
geological survey. Yesterday MIR Hill
said Notwithstanding the vast
amount of exploration and scientific
research that has been going on, some
of the most elementary features OF
American geography are at present
practically unknown. We may say to
begin with that the most conspicuous
feature of the North American CONT
nent Is the great Cordillers, or Rocky
| Mountain system, with Its bordering
basin deserts. This system stretches,
in a shape that may be ikened to
canoe, from British Columbia to the
drop-otf of the Mexican plateau, south
Of the City of Mexico.
"The eastern rim of the canoe,
known as the Rockies, has been map
ped up to date only as far as Santa Fe,
N. M. From that point on through
New Mexico, Western Texas and
Mnvtnn
mountains and ranges which have
never been delineated on any chart.
No definite idea exists as to their ar
rangement, the elevations to which
| they rise, or the details of their topO-
graphy. 1t is known, however, that
in Mexico, south of the mouth of the
Rio Grande, the mountains of the
mighty system run into the sea, where
the great coastal plain that begins in
shore of the continent comes to an
end.
The problem Is to find out some
thing about these mountains, with
other details necessary for the map
ping of this country, which at pre-
sent is so completely unknown. Last
sumner l made section across the
qast front ranges in the Great Bend
region of Texas, and this year L am
going to reconnoiter the vast territory
which lies between there and Santa
Fee, to the north and west. From the
little that Is known of the country in
question it may be described Is land
of peculiar conformation, mighty
ranges of mountains alternating with
vest stretches of waterless tablelauds,
bCrdered by precipitous cliffs and in
closing immense desert valleys, called
"bolsons" by the Mexicans. The word
bolson means, literally, purse, and
hence is applied to these inclosed
areas which have no drainage outlet
to the st a. Among the mountains one
may mention the Sacramento group,
the highest peak of which, Ell CAPTAIN,
is said TO be over 13. GOO feet in height
above sea level, and Is covered with
valuable pin e forests.
"This region has many very remarkR-
BILE natural features, amoCg which
might speak of Howard Bolson, On the
line between Texas and New Mexico,
with it's strange lake of crystal sals.
L Is quite large body of water, and
Is always covered with thin layer OF
salt, which, up to very recent times,
was the chief source of salt supply for
all of Northern Mexico. The natives
used to come hundreds OF miles to get
it, But the railways arrived, clviilza'
ton was introduced, and an American
named Howard took possession OF the
lake under settlers rights. That was
about ten years ago. lnasmuch as the
aboriglnes had always considered the
lake the common property OF all. they
resented the monopoly aud murdered
tn enew owner. OF course, the salt Is
derived from the rocks or the noun
teins surrounding the lake, being
carried into the latter by streams.
There Is no outlet, and, evaporation
being very rapid, the saline element
ste ably accumulates.
81 ought not to forget to mention the
wonderful desert of white sand which
covers several hundred square miles
Over all of it's area there is nothing
but the purest white sand, which Is not
quartz, like beach sand, but composed
If grains of gypsum, or alabaster. AS
you may imagine, it is very beautiful.
Contrasting with this are the equally
interesting Malpais lands, the surface
of which Is made up oflava. This lava
makes broad ribbon running forty
miles southwark from crater situated
midway between the Sierra Oscura
and the Sacramento range, the volcano
itself rising from the center OF bolson
desert. The lava Is bubbly, ropy and
like in different parts, and has
the appearance of having been dis
charged in molten condition at very
recent period.
"Again, there are the wonderful
vermilion lands-vsst stretches OF
blood-red landscape, broken only by
occasional stripes OF snow-white
gypsum. They are an out-crop Of the
red cleys and rocks of the ancient
Persian formation. Rising sometimes
1000 feet or more above the desert
Dlains ara the sunerb escarpmeDts OF |