20 



stream connecting the large pools is altogether hid from the summit 

 of the bank. 



This seems the only way to account for the peculiar character of 

 these springs, and I am still further confirmed in this opinion from 

 the fact that holes were dry in seyeral places between the springs, 

 into which water rose from a depth of several feet, and overflowing 

 the surface immediately ran off in a small stream into the spring to 

 the south. 



The existence of this water and of a hard firm road across the 

 plain, will be of prodigious service to travel, and is particularly 

 fortunate in being discovered at this time, as it is precisely on the 

 most direct route of the semi-weekly mail to California. Its discovery 

 also will greatly diminish the imj)ortance of the artesian well boring 

 experiment in this plain. 



I transmit herewith a topographical sketch exhibiting the situation 

 of these springs with respect to known points both east and west. 

 You will perceive that the lines of survey heretofore made across the 

 Llano Estacado pass only a few miles to the north and south of this 

 line of springs, and certainly there is no evidence of the existence of 

 water in the midst of these bare sand hills until you are directly in 

 the midst of them. 



I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, 



JOHN POPE, 

 Captain Topographical Engineers. 



Captain A. A. Humphreys, 



Corps Topographical Engineers^ 

 In charge Office Explorations and Surveys, Washington, D. C. 



The water of these springs is undoubtedly not surface water, and 

 must come from a depth greater than any of the streams intersected 

 by the boring, as the surface of the springs is at least three hundred 

 feet above the surface of the ground at the artesian well camp. 



The geological formation in tlie immediate vicinity of both places 

 is the same, the gypsum and the loose pulverulent limestone appear- 

 ing on the surface. 



J. POPE, 

 Captain Topographical Engineers. 



Camp on Pecos River, June A, 185S. 



Sir: I have the honor to report that after incredible difticulty and 

 labor we have at last succeeded in withdrawing from the well the 

 broken sinker and bit. and are now commencing again the boring 

 operations. 



The peculiarity of the geological structure of this plain for so many 

 feet below the surface, in conjunction with the action of powerful 

 streams of water which pour into the well without rising to the sur- 

 face, occasion difficulties in the work which no previous experience 

 in artesian well boring has yet exhibited. In less than one week 



