El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-15

road through this place was cleared fol
us by California parties which had pre-
coded us. so that our wagons came
through without difficulty. Between
Wild China and Gazette mountain, high
mountains appear to the south and the
southwest. Leaving Gazette mountain
the road passes over an exceedingly
barren country, sandy. and producing
scarcely anything but prickly pear
This continues to the PecoS. which is
not visible until you come directly upon
it, it's banks not being marked by trees
or anything different from the surroun-
ding plains. To the southwest, high
mounds and table lands appear. The
road bears to the southwest. crossing
many large Indian trails, all of which
| bear southwest
July 10. twenty-seventh day.-Spent
| today in crossing the PecoS. which was
accomplished by making a raft of spare
wagon tongues and hounds, fioated by
empty water casks. Everything was
thus safely taken over. The Pecos here
| is muddy stream. of dark red color
and. running through the plains, has
very much the appearance of a canal.
| The prairie does not change in appear
| ance in the least as you approach the
river. and one is Immediately on the
river before he is aware of its prOXim-
ity. The crossing which we used is
known as the Horse Head Crossing
no doubt from the number of horses
heads which lie scattered near. The
soil here is very light, like ashes, and a
camp soon becomes intolerable-espe-
cially in windy weather. Grass here is
coarse and hard, and appears to have
but little nOuriShment There is no
wood at all to be had The banks where
we crossed were low. and toIerably
firm; but this must be the case only in
dry weather. In other places where we
approached the water, horses sunk to
the girth in the Doggy soil. which was
of most tenacious clay.
July IL, twenty-eighth day.-Spent
today on the west bank of the Pecos. in
order to give men and animals some
time to recruit. Soil on this side same
as on the other. being very light and
dry. and moved into clouds of dust by
every breath of wind, The grazing is
somewhat better than on the eastern
bank but still only tolerable.
July II. twenty-ninth day.-Left the
camp this morning at 6 o'clock. and
marched about five miles over the same
fiat and desolate prairie; afterwards
the country became covered with thick
cts and chaparral, and then continuing
to alternate between chaparral and
prairie. more or less open. The river
ing been west and northwest. The cur
rent is quits swift, but not as much as
that of the river at San Antonio. The
banks continue to be so high that it is
necessary to water the animals by the
means of buckets. When cut away.
they become Doggy. Our present camp
is mezquite chaparral in bend of the
river. Grazing today tolerable
July 13. thirtieth day.-Country to-
lou
here and there. being covered with sa-
line efforescence. This appears at ev-
cry few yards along the road, impreg-
mating the water and the grass At six
miles from camp we came to the falls of
the PecOs. where the water tumbles
over several steps of rocks. The total
fal lis about ten feet. Near our camp
tonight there is pond containing very
pure and clear water but it is also very
salt. Wild fowl abound in this vicin-
ity. The river is crossed here by sew
eral Indian trails. At this point the
depth is about five feet; bottom of
gravel, firm and hard. Our fuel today
is mezquite brush. Grazing pretty
good.
July IA, thirty-first day.-Road today
went through a kind of ravine, the
sides being of red sandstone and clay,
in thin layers. The soil of the road
hCAt ocSoiucS Sfuuy. anu lHeu 1ulI OF
lime. varying every few miles, At ten
miles from camp the river bends into
the road: and in the valley there is
very good grazing, and easy access to
the water. Two miles from this place.
we crossed a very small stream or
rather succession of water holes. for
the water was not running This we
supposed to be Toyat creek from its
situation. The water was very salt.
weather must be Doggy. On the left of
the road. further on. there is a success
sion of pools of very salt water
Country here is more rolling and more
covered with brushwood than near the
Horse Head crossing.
July Is. thirty-second day.-Started
this morning at 6 o'clock. and came to
this camp. twenty-five miles. through
country which. for the first four miles,
is somewhat hilly and uneven, and then
becomes n level plain. on which there is
very good grazing. At twelve miles
from camp. come to a pond of extreme
ly salt water. which extended to our
right for three miles. At fifteen miles
from camp. struck range of hills of
small elevation. running along the road
on the left. Country. except for these
O'Clock in a horseshoe formed by the
river. where there was very good graz
ing. but no wood.
July 16, thirty-third day.-Left this
morning at gig o'clock. and marched