67 a, Sane 
zontal branches, grew as a tree of from 20 to 30 feet in height; and its nu- 
merous red flowers and unripe yellow fruit gave it the gay appearance of 
a large Christmas tree. A erties 
Pelayo is a small village, or hacienda, with several ‘gpd springs around 
it; some of common, others of higher temperature. ‘The creek formed by 
them is, according to the Mexican statements, afterwards lost in the sand. 
Pelayo belongs to the State of Durango; but I am not sure whether the el An- 
dabazo, or some other point, forms here the boundary line between the State 
of Chihuahua and Durango. In Pelayo,*a small but steep hill was forti- 
fied on the top, by walls of stone. This fortification was probably intended 
inst General Wool’s army. 'T'wo days before us, Lieutenant Colonel 
Mitchell had arrived here with the vanguard, and seeing the inhabitants 
of the place organized as a military compan » he made 30 of them prison- 
ers, and took their arms from them; but upon their representation that 
they would by this act become a prey to the surrounding Indians, he re- 
Stored them their arms, under the condition that they be used only for 
defence against Indians. 
Me 
a 
ley, in which Cadena lies, a large hacienda belonging to the Governor of 
valley, about 20 miles broad, and about 35 long from north to south, en- 
circled on all sides by high mountains. This whole part of Mexico over 
which we travel at present, seems, as it were, but one large network of 
sisted of a very compact limestone, dipping from west to east, at an angle 
of about 30 degrees. A Frenchman, an old resident of the country, in- 
formed me that he found coal in this mountain range; but while I passed 
throdgh I could discover neither fossils nor coal. From the pass, the road 
turns through the level valley, due east, to Mapimi,21 miles from Cadena. 
This town lies in an eastern corner of the valley, surrounded by high 
mountains, in which silver mines are worked. Two springs, called Espi- 
ritu Santo and Agua de Leon, form here a creek, which runs through the 
ing establishment for silver ores, found in the mountains near Mapimi- 
he silver is combined with lead. The poorest ore, f was told, contains 
three ounces, the richest one mare of silver, in the carga; besides which, 
they make at the same time much greta, and sell it at $12 per carga. 
= f Mapimi was rather deserted. In the evening our artillery 
in honor of the anniversary of the battle of Palo Alto. 
