90 Audubon's Western Journal 



fibrous, they run so deep in search of moisture, 

 that they are often longer than the tree is high. 

 In the arroyos where the earth was often washed 

 from the roots, I had a good opportunity of con- 

 firming my conclusions. We proceeded up a deep 

 ravine, until we began the ascent of the famed 

 pass of Rinconada, intended to be defended by 

 Santa Anna, but abandoned when our troops 

 approached. How any force of artillery could 

 have deserted such a position I can not conceive, 

 for the unfinished fort commands the road for two 

 miles at least. 



The view from the Fort was most superb, but we 

 were tired of mountains, and longed for shade and 

 woods. Crossing this pass we had our first indica- 

 tion of increasing altitude, and above us on the 

 rocks were pines and cedars. They had the 

 showers we longed for and saw passing, while 

 almost smothered in dust, our hair and whiskers 

 white with it, and we looked like a troop of grey 

 veterans. 



We approached Saltillo over a broad plain, 

 dotted with ranchos for some miles before we 

 reached the town, which we entered through lanes 

 of adobe walls, and finally came to the principal 

 street, and commenced the ascent of the hill on 

 which the town proper stands. It is all Mexican 

 in its character, one story houses, flat roofed and 

 ihaving a fortified look, as if no one trusted his 



