El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-29

together upon the south side of the Ca
madam.
Upon the map which accompanies
this report l have noted our camps,
and in table laid down the distances
between each. and have also noted the
best places for encamping; these / have
intended for daily stages for travellers
with loaded wagons. as they can easily
be made with mule or OK teams.
Where Tiers is no wood land there are
but few such places) will be seen by
reference to the table: at such places,
q supply for cooking should be carried
forward from the previous camp. Cen
orally there is a abundance of wood,
water, and grass at all the camping
places upon the road.
The first $50 miles from Fort Smith
the road passes over a gently undulat-
ing country. mostly timbered. but in
terspersed with small prairies affording
excellent grass, and the numerous
esmall creeks and rivulets give the
traveller an opportunity of enamping at
almost any place he may desire.
Beyond this we struck the plains,
where wood and water are not so
abundant. yet there is no place upon
the whole road where a very long drive
has to be made to get water.
After reaching the prairie. west of
the Upper Cross Timbers. the ground
is then as smooth and firm as ma
cadamized road almost the entire dis
lance to Santa Fe.
From Fort Smith to Santa Fee. the
road was measured with chain and
viameter the measurement by the
chain was little less than that OF the
yiameter, as the latter being attached
to the wheel. measured all the slight
inequalities of the ground over which
the wheel passed, whereas the chain,
being held horizontal, was more accu-
rate; / have heretofore given the dis
lance as determined Herewith.
In returning from the Rio Del No-te.
by the southern route, only used the
viameter, and made n deduction OF the
same per centage'' in the distance de-
termined as we found between the two
measurments in going out
The bearing. of course OF the road,
was taken with a compass every mile.
and a mean of the observations taken
during each day has been assumed as
the course for that days march
The variation of the needle was de-
| termined by Lieut.. Simpson. the top
ographical engineer who accompanied
| the escort), at four different points on
our outward route; and myself at four
points. about equal distances from each
other, between the Rio Del Norte and
Fort Smith, in returning. Between
these points a mean of the observation,
On each side, has been taken as the cor
rect magnetic variation for that por-
ton of the road.
With these data, and personal OBJ
servatiors. together with information
obtained from guides and others who
could be relied upon, 1 have plotted my
map. AS have thought that a better
idea of the country over which we
passed could be had by making this
report in the form of a journal, l have
accordingly adopted that plan. and
shall commence it at the point where 1
overlook Captain Dent. after making a
| few remarks upon the country we pass
| ed over before reaching him.
Our train consisting of eighteen
wagons. one six-pounder iron gun and
travelling forge. each drawn by six
| mules. crossed the Poteau river at FIT.
Smith, on the evening of the 4th of
April, 1S49. On the morning of the
5th we commenced our march, keeping
the old road through the Poteau bot
tom. to the Choctaw agency. Two miles
| from here there are three roads; the
left is the old road to Fort Washita,
the right leads TO the old Edwards
trading house, and the middle one is
opr road; kee ping this, our course is 20
| degrees south of west, passing over a
smooth and gently rolling country OF
timber and small prairies until We
reach the 'SansbOiS, (fOrty-seven
miles from Fort SMITH.
This stream is an affluent of the Ca
madam, and can be fOrded at almost
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