FORTIFIED POSITION. 319 



tion, we became satisfied that it had been some sixty cavalry, who were 

 then doubtless awaiting our advance at no great distance ; and, from ap- 

 pearances, not more than three days had elapsed since its evacuation. 

 Feeling ill-disposed to try the patience of our enemy by keeping him in too 

 long a suspense, we immediately started in pursuit. 



The route led by a rough pass over a spur of the Toas Mountains 

 which heads the iierras templadas southwest of the Cimarone, into a prairie 

 ranging from east to west, forty-five or fifty miles long and thirty or more 

 broad, and skirting the three principal streams that unite to form the Colo- 

 rado. From this point it continued over another spur of the mountain 

 chain into a valley some ten miles broad, ranging from north to south 

 and intersected by the trail from Taos to the Santa Fe road, striking the 

 latter near the Waggon Mound,* — thence, for about twenty-five miles, 

 across a spread of high prairie, (quite rough and undulating, with frequent 

 hills assuming a mountainous character,) to a considerable creek, four or 

 five miles southeast of the town of Mora. 



At this point our scouts reported the enemy as occupying a fortified 

 camp, which commanded the only feasible pass leading to the adjoining 

 eettlements. Upon the reception of this intelligence we withdrew to a de- 

 serted ranclie and encamped for the night, in order to obtain, if possible, 

 more certain information relative to his position and force. 



The country between the de las Animas and this place, as a general thing, 

 gave indications of a good soil, but was quite arid, particularly the prairie 

 skirting the head branches of the Colorado. The hills and mountains 

 were less sterile than those farther east. They also afforded an abundance 

 of timber, consisting of pine, oak, cedar, and pinion. The creek bottoms 

 embraced considerable quantities of excellent land, though but sparsely 

 timbered. 



The mountains to the right towered majestically to an altitude of ten 

 or twelve thousand feet, opposing their snowy crests in stern defiance to 

 the heat of a summer's sun. 



Toward the close of our march, the landscape disclosed a scene of ro- 

 mantic beauty and grandeur. Mingled among the pleasing divert^iiy of 

 mountain, hill, dale, and lawn, xegas and llanos, forests and prairies, here 

 and there a small lake mirrored forth its bright waters, swarming with innu- 

 merable water- fowl, decorated by broad flowery banks, and shut in by rug- 

 ged highlands and rocky cliffs, that seemed like some fairy's home, where 

 enchantment held Nature's self in spell-bound admiration. The creeks and 

 valleys of this section were also enclosed by abrupt banks, that sometimes 

 protruded their precipitous walls to the very water's edge, and then again 

 expanded to give place to the grass, fruits, and flowers of mimic Edens. 



The prevailing rock appeared to be gray granite, ferruginous sandstone, 

 and limestone. Game was rather scarce, and consisted principally of buf- 

 falo, deer, and bear. 



As a whole, this entire region may be considered as admirably adapted 



* This mound is a singular natural elevation in the form of a covered wagj^on, 

 near the road from the Lniled States to SanU Fe,— about fifty miles south of Tao». 



