Year: 1875

On the 9th ult., we began our marcn


down the Rio San Juan. The river is


almost on our southern line, SO that our


work was to the north, yet principally


in New Mexican territory. A belt OF


% miles, including the flat lands along


the river, and the southern edge of the


great escarped plateau, must be studied


as we moved west. The explorer will


seldom encounter country more bar


rem of objects of interest, or more diff


cult and unpleasant to travel in. On


one occasion we rode 80 miles over the


low terrace, and did not encounter, in


that distance, any vegetable growth


above u inches in height. The ire


pressible sage that seems to flourish in


deserts, growing frequently to the


height of ten feet, is here not above six


inches, and the grass i, so rare that


one could count the blades. Occasion
ally rattlesnake would sound his chal-
lenge, or some desolate crow startIe US


by his hoarse croaking. More than half
of the exposed geologic strata OF the re-
gion are clays and sands, and all the
low country is covered to a great depth


with barren soil. Many deep gulches
have been cut through this by the oc-
casional freshets, and the traveller fire.
quently finds himself halted on the


very brink of an aroya or chasm many
feet in depth, and with walls vertical
or oyerhanging. A circuit of miles
will often be necessary to carry one
around the many. branched crevice to
a point opposite the point of stoppage.
1t is country that has had but little
done for it by the Creator, in the way
of hills and mountains, but that little
is done in very decided manner.


When you cease to travel horizontally,
you are probably at the base Of an in
accessible cliff, or standing on the edge
of precipice.


On the Sth l rode out to the Mesa,
apparently some six miles frem the
river, with the intention of climbing to
the upper level, getting better view
of the valley and the surrounding table
lands. After riding for nearly three
hours, Iarrived at the base of the first
and subordinate cliff. The upper cliff,
had, from a distance, appeared to
stand forward almost to the edge of the
lower, now retreated and was out of
sight. The subordinate table, which
had looked only step, now confronted
me, an inaccessible wall, rising 600 feet
almost vertically from the plain. Fol-
lowing along the base for 10 miles, l
was totally unable to find break, or
place so weak that man could ascend
it. Of course these table lands are not
regular on the edges. In many places
streams have cut deep canons down
through them, at times from opposite
sides, almost severing the level sum-
mits, and when the canons or deep
gulches are numerous, there only re-
main long lines of tabled ridges, project
ing from the main plateau, like pro-
into the lower plain, with
here and there an outstanding frag-
ment, quite severed from the principal
mass.


On the 9th, it was thought necessary
to make side trip into one of these
canOns in order to get the topography
OF the country about its head. 1t was
that there would be scarcity
of water, 80 that all our canteens were
filled at the river, and packed with our
bedding, and two days. provision on a
mule. From noon until sundown we
traversed the dry low land. Until long
after the moon and stars were our
only light, we threaded the narrow,
canons; but there was no
water-only rock and sand and clay,
where but the day before storms had
delused the country, and torrents had
poured down the desolate gulches.
The soil will not retain water. The sun
of single day will dry up the pools
that collect in the rocks. Atten O'Clock
we stopped, unsaddled, and unpacked,
and made what is called dry camp.


Our work was done as early as posi-
BILE in the morning, and we hurried our
animals across the hot
desert to camp by the river. We re-
joiced in plenty of water. We could
hardly drink enough-showered num-
berless blessings on the sparkling fluid,
and dwelt upon its wonderful qualities.
There was no country so bad as dry
and nothing 80 unfortunate
and disastrous as the want of rain.


On the following day, however, we
had occasion to modify somewhat these |
fond sentimentalities, for camp had |
hardly been located on the river bank,
when such q flood was precipitated !
upon the surrounding plain that our
outfit, with all the movable objects in
the valley, seemed in danger of being
carried down to the Pacific. Dinner
was cut short by the cry that the water
was coming into camp. The mess box
es were already afioat, and the campl
equipage could only be saved by tying
it to trees Oh finding some higher point
to which it could be carried. In haste
was dragged to the only
land that was left-a little low Island
knee deep with mud. Presently the
river began to rise, and even the little
of mother earth left to US seemed
with destruction. With the
roar of the river on one side, and the
and une1plored lakes on
the other, we did not rest that night
with our usual composure. We dream