TAOS AND ITS VICINITY. 173 



This valley contains more llian a thousand acres of choice land, well 

 supplied with timber from the heavy pine forests surrounding it. 



The prevailing rock is granite, sandstone, limestone, and lias, with 

 occasional conglomerates of various kinds. I noticed strong indications 

 of copper and other minerals ; and the general appearance of the coun- 

 try led me to conclude it to be one possessed of vast stores of hidden 

 wealth. 



While here, we were quite successful in replenishing our stock of 

 provisions. 



My experiments in turkey-hunting made me a proficient shot by moon- 

 light, a feat which adds materially to the sport. This is done by manoeu- 

 vring so as to have the turkey in a direct line between the marksman 

 and the moon, causing its shadow to fall upon his face, — then, raising his 

 rifle to a level from the ground upwards, the instant the sight becomes 

 darkened he fires, and, if his piece be true, seldom fails to make a centre 

 shot. 



The most feasible mode of hunting turkeys is to watch their roosting 

 places at night ; and, after the moon attains the required position, they 

 may be killed by dozens in the above manner. They rarely leave their 

 roosts on account of the firing ; but remain, half stupified with aflTright, 

 while they are picked off one after another by the practised hunter. 



Sept. 25111. Again resuming our journey, we reached Taos on the 1st 

 of October. 



Our stay at this place was pjolonged for several days, during which 

 time we took boarding with a Mexican lady, the widow of an American 

 trader. 



The country travelled over en route, from the San Carlos to Taos is 

 very rough and mountainous, but variegated by many fertile valleys 

 skirting the numerous tributaries of the Arkansas and del Norte. 



The trail crosses several of the latter streams, for the most part bear- 

 ing an easterly course ; among which are the Cornua Virda, Huaquetore, 

 Timpa, Apache, and Pischepa. 



These creeks frequently pass through deep canons of sandstone and 

 limestone for a distance of several miles together, — disclosing upon all 

 sides a wild and romantic scenery. The great fault with the valleys is 

 a lack of timber ; the hills, however, are generally supplied with pine, 

 pinion, and cedar, which, in a measure, atones for the above deficiency. 



On leaving the Pischepa, a reach of little more ihan one Jornada (day's 

 travel) leads over the mountain range, separating the waters of the Ar- 

 kansas and del Norte, at a point bearing a short distance to the left of 

 two famous landmarks, called the Spanish Peaks. 



Here the traveller is at once ushered into the valley of Taos ; and, 

 continuing on, in a brief interval finds himself surrounded by a clan of 

 half-naked Mexicans. 



Taos proper embraces several fertile lateral valleys bordering upon 

 the del Norte, and three small aflluents from the east and is supposed 

 to contain a population of some ten thousand, includiivg Indians, Moors, 

 Half-breedSj M^lattoes, and Spaniards. It is divided into several pre- 



