[26] - 40 
Norte.” ‘The road was very good, in the latter part ceacon ee ; on both 
sides of Shibsiver rose mountains, which converge above el Paso, and confine: 
the river for several miles to a narrow pass, enka in by precipitous .. 
August ¢ 8.-El Paso del Norte lies about six miles foot the upper cross- 
ing, and two roads lead to it. One road crosses here the river, and leads 
over hills, covered with deep sand, to the plain, on which the town lies. 
The other continues on the left side of the river, ascends over a rock 
broken country to a considerable elevation, and descends from here to the 
valley of el Paso, crossing the river below, at = a We selected the 
first road, and crossed the river, therefore, at on The water was very 
ee and Ww e passed it without any difficulty. My barometrical observa- 
made here on the flat river bank, gave an elevation above the sea of 
Bi 107 feet ; about 1,000 feet lower, therefore, than 1 had found the river 
nearly 300 miles nort tth from here, near Albuquerque. Supposing that the 
circuitous course of the river in that distance amounts to 400 miles, the fall 
of its water would, on an average, be.2} feet per mile. After some rest on 
the right bank of ‘the river, we et for the sandy hills, but the sand 
was by far deeper, and our animals e exhausted, than we had antici- 
pated ; and seeing the impossibility of'e geting through on this road withottt 
fresh animals, we retraced our way to the river, crossed again, and took 
the other road, which was rough, broken and rocky, but without sand. 'To 
our right was the river, running through a cafion; to our left rose high, 
steep walls of mountains; the road always ascending from hill to hill, till 
we gained at last the highest point and perceived the charming valley 0 
el Paso del Norte spread out before us. The pr del Norte rte, having escaped 
the pote pass, runs here into ‘an open, fertile plain, at the beginning 
.0f which el Paso is situated. The town is poneay built on the right 
bank of the river; but few houses are on the left. Stretched out along the 
river to the length of many miles, all the houses surrounded by gardens, 
orchards, and vineyards, and rich settlements, with cornfields, as far as the 
eye ( cant trace the stream sli ning its green bank—such a scenery bites Pore 
be ive; but to.a traveller, who has passed over the lonesome plains 
and through the dreary Jornada del Muerto, it appears like an’ oasis in the 
desert... Descending from the hills in the valley, we crossed the river on 
the mn ford opposite the town, and were soon in the middle of it, on the 
L ee in el Paso for about a week, = recruit my animals, and take 
. some view of the town and surrounding country. Unfortunately, the rainy 
- Season came on and prevented me from. ing many excursions and ob- 
Sate i Moe genie: however, [ was enabled to collect, I will 
render to he pub 
The setetent of el Paso was commenced about 1680, Whos Grvemer 
el Indian pueblos, which received 
ened in the fertile valley, but this seems to hav 
belonge vat the Spanish government to the province of New 
; esent, to the State of Chihuahua. The latter State claims as 
th $s to’ eis New Motions already fated: 32° 30’ lati- 
Mexi to fall mp Robledo, © 
pa creas in coming out pore ty denedn: El Paso itself, 
— tq my own fea ey lies in 31° 45’ 50” north latitude. In 
