* 
37 [ 26] 
Chavez; and apparently a man of. pure Spee sar blood, and of education. 
He presented me with some apecten of very rich copper ore from the 
celebrated copper mines near SS heat vais of the Gila, and about 100 
a southwest from Socorro. ae I understood that sonie copper ore and 
mines, worked in former times, were found on the mountains 
ee of the town, I engaged a guide and made,an pomas to the place. 
These mountains are about four miles from Socorro, and they consist prin- 
cipally of porphyritic rocks. ‘The supposed copper ore proved to be but a 
green trachytic rock. ‘The abandoried mines appeared to. ray been gold 
“mines, but probably exhausted. The ore is found with iro 
I found in those hills, et a new species of yucea, with large, oblong 
and edible fruits... The pul py mass of the fruit tastes _ like pe paupau; 
are larger and thicker than those of the common yucca. For the first 
time, also, I saw here opuntias, with ripe, red fruits, which are as sweet 
and refreshing as the great many small prickles with which they are coated . 
“are troublesome. . Crossing the river again, I met with the caravan about 
five miles from our last cam Bhs In the afternoon we travelled two miles 
more over a very sandy road, a d camped one mile north of Lopez. - 
~ July 29.—Made on better toad’ this morning six miles; passed Lopez, a 
small town , and halted near a rancho. The mountains on both sides of 
the river, which generally Rereiplors were fon 10 to 20 miles distant from 
each other, seem to approach now. The soil, though always sandy, ex- 
hibits the same peculiarity as eat Strat chat when irrigated, it pro 
‘duces abundant crops. Vineyards jealint to succeed very well on the hills. 
‘Travelling in the evening six miles, we camped about one mile from the 
river, ‘To-day we Hare, passed the last settlements above the much dread- 
ed Jornada del Muert 
July 30.—Went this morning over >. saidy road : six. miles, and ot entapae in 
a fine grove of cotton trees near the riv g in the ng the 
nearest bluffs on our side, I found thent ‘to. consist of a “eS aaa ee a 
lar sandstone, without any connexion with other rocks. fe venin, 
we travelled six Ss saihes further; passed the “‘ruins of Valoerde, ** (in prosaic 
translation, the mud walls of , deserted Mexican village,) and camped at 
the foot of some sand hills, in a beautiful grove of cotton trees. By the, 
accession of several traders. ant travellers our caravan was cag seg to 50 
‘wagons, and made quite a respectable appearance. Whe whole 
caravan was encamped here under the manf broad cotton ee and the 
camp fires | ieestes ae different. Bronps of wagons, orses “mel 
od 
a sibs Si Ta crossing the hills this eet the deep sand, in which 
feo and other sand shrubs are iene a the —e rather 
It . 
(seven miles ra a the 
res oe formation, of the hills was the same @ lac k 
