88 EXPLORING EXPEDITION FltOM SANTA FE 



Sierra l;i Sal. In the north appeared a new and grand topographical feature. From 

 N. 10 W. to N. E. magnetic stretched a chain of great mountains, higher and more 

 picturesque than any we had seen. These have no common name, Imt one of the 

 peaks is called, from the stream which washes its base, Sierra San Miguel. 



Whether these mountains form a single chain or several, and what is their prevail- 

 ing trend cannot he said with certainty without closer inspection ; the overlapping lines 

 of their bases, which would decide that question, being concealed by intervening high- 

 lands. I should infer, however, from the view \vo had of them, that, they represent 

 several distinct ranges, with a trend nearly north and south, set >'// n-lirloii. Between 

 the most easterly of these mountains and the Sierra de la Plata is a low gap, in which 

 stands a remarkable pinnacle of rock; even at a distance of seventy or eighty miles a 

 striking object. One of the mountains in this group bears a large surface of snow, and 

 its height cannot be less than 13,000 feet. Several others are nearly as lofty, and are 

 cones of great beauty. * 



The hill from which we obtained this view is crowned with an extensive series of 

 very ancient ruins. The principal one is a pueblo, nearly 100 feet square, once sub- 

 stantially built of dressed stone, now a shapeless heap, in which the plan of the original 

 structure can, however, be traced. Like most of the ruined pueblos of New Mexico, 

 it consisted of a series of small rooms clustered together, like cells in a beehive. Xear 

 the principal edifice are mounds of stone, representing subordinate buildings. Among 

 these are numerous large depressions marking the places of cisterns or cxltij/<tx. (Quan- 

 tities of broken- pottery, similar to that so commonly seen in like circumstances, but 

 bearing the marks of great age, strew the ground about these ruins. 



A mile or two up the river are several other stone houses built high up in the 

 cliffs, l.')0 feet above the stream; they are usually placed on ledges covered by pro- 

 jecting rocks, which act as roofs. These houses are not large, and were probably 

 only occupied by the guardians of the iields once in cultivation below. All of these, as 

 well as the more extensive ruins Jbefore mentioned, are admirably located for defense, 

 and would be easily held by a handful of determined men against any number ol 

 assailants armed only with the weapons of savage warfare. 



Between our camp on the Dolores and Surouara no new geological feature was 

 'noticed. The Lower Cretaceous sandstones everywhere form the rocky substratum, 

 here and there covered with patches of the overlying shale. From these shale-beds 

 millions of Gryphseas have washed out, covering the surface and rattling under the 

 mule's feet like gravel-stones. Sage is the predominant vegetation, and no water is 

 found in the interval; yet we passed several ruined buildings, and broken potter}' is 

 scattered everywhere. 



Surouaro is the name of a ruined town which must once have contained a popu- 

 lation of several thousands. The name is said to be of Indian (Utah) origin, and to 

 signify desolation, and certainly no better could have been selected. The surround- 

 ing country is hopelessly sterile ; and, whatever it once may have been, Surouaro is 

 now desolate enough. Here are two canons, cut in the sandstone by two former 

 streams. These unite nearly a mile below camp. All the interval of mesa between 

 them is covered with ruins. The houses are, many of them, large, and all built of 



