340 NOTES ON HISTORY AND CLIMATE OF NEW MEXICO. 



thence the transit can be made to a northern and more invigorating air. 

 The summer in Mesilla is said to be quite hot. 



Proceeding from Santa F6, between Taos and Fort Garland, the mili- 

 tary wagon-road — conducted by Lieutenant Ruffuer — winds in the caiion 

 of the Rio Grande and near its margin for miles. The river is narrow 

 and rapid, hemmed in by peaks and precipices, and rushes a foaming 

 flood over rocks and bowlders. 



The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, which will be extended to 

 Garland by May 1, 1877, will i^robably come down this caSon and open 

 out some magnificent scenery to the tourist. Arriving at Fort Garland, 

 situated in the San Luis Park, (8,000 feet above sea-level,) wehave a near 

 view of the Sierra Blanca, one of the highest of the Rocky Mountains — 

 14,404 feet — easier of ascent than Mont Blanc, (15,784 feet,) the Jung 

 Frau, (13,071 feet,) or the Matterhorn, (14,370 feet.) A daily line of 

 stages passes Garland toward the San Juan mines, reaching the Rio 

 Grande River in 26 miles, in 60 miles La Loma and Del Norte, and in 

 about 100 miles the summit of the main divide, " among a mass of 

 snow-peaks, in groups connected by crests more or less high, from 

 which the waters flow radially, and is probably the highest portion of 

 the Rocky Mountains. This region, like that of the Yellowstone Lake, 

 seems to be one of the domes of the continent, as is shown by the fact 

 that the same rivers which eventually flow west flow at first east and 

 south, like Grand River and Lake Fork." (Reconnaissance in the Ute 

 country by First Lieut. E. H. Ruflner, United States Engineers, Wash- 

 ington, 1874, 1). 31.) Among those mountains whose heights have been 

 determined, we have Summit, 13,356 feet ; Bristol Head, 11 ,814 feet; 

 King Solomon, 13,073 feet ; Engineer Mountain, 13,270 feet. The high- 

 est of all is Mount Chauvenet, altitude unknown to me. King Solomon, 

 in the Sierra La Plata, and Mount Galena (12,978 feet) are in the rich 

 silver and gold mining region, now rapidly filling up by immigration. 



From Engineer Mountain " masses of snow-peaks rising a thousand 

 and two thousand feet above timber are seen, with sky-lines marvel- 

 ously bold and wild. The peaks (says Maj. H. G. Prout) are seen at 

 distances of 10 to 30 miles around. I doubt if any other mountain re- 

 gion in the world displays so extensive a mass of increasing variety of 

 form so wholly grand." (Page 24, ibid.) 



The great overland California Railway passes over no country equal 

 to this, as it purposely and economically was located at a lower level. 

 Here, about latitude 37° 45' and longitude 107° 28', the Great Sierra 

 Madre rises to its greatest height, and thence flow the fountains of the 

 Rio Grande del Norte. 



