A MULE-BACK JOURNEY 343 



lower than our starting-point, but still the river seemed 

 like a mirage, near, yet unattainable. 



Although the declivity was now gentler, the lofty walls 

 of gray sandstone flanking the dismal canyon through which 

 we rode shut off any ventilating breeze that chanced to 

 pass above, and made a stifling oven of the narrow fissure. 

 For two hours we travelled over the rock-strewn stream- 

 bed, and then suddenly entered a narrow belt of mimosas 

 and cacti; the Rio Grande flows through the centre of the 

 green little valley. 



Although the river had appeared peaceful enough from 

 the summit five thousand seven hundred feet above, we 

 found it to be a wide, brown sheet of ruffled water racing 

 over a boulder-encumbered bed. Our mule-drivers were 

 filled with alarm and dared not venture into the treacherous 

 flood. It was as we had feared; the spring rains had begun 

 in the mountains, and the surplus water was rapidly swelling 

 the lowland streams. While we were debating on the proper 

 course to pursue, an Indian youth chanced along and con- 

 sented to guide us to a ford about half a mile up-stream. 

 Arrived at the spot, he stripped and waded cautiously into 

 the river, which here spread over a wide bar. Fortunately 

 the water was not over four feet deep; the youth returned 

 to the bank and led the mules across one by one. When 

 the river is too high to ford, the natives use tub-shaped 

 boats made of ox-hide in which to cross; there is no way 

 of controlling the craft, so the current may carry them a 

 mile or so below the starting-point before it reaches the 

 other side. 



The water of the river was unfit for drinking. It con- 

 tains about thirty per cent solid matter, although the reason 

 for this was that it was rising rapidly and bringing down 

 a great quantity of sand from the mountain. 



Numbers of small ravines emerge from the barren slopes 

 flanking the Rio Grande, and streams of inconsiderable 

 size pour their water into the larger artery. All these open- 

 ings are filled with brush and low trees; we followed up 



