[26] . 22 
generally the aa, ye is considered to form it. Towards the west of New 
Mexi country is spread out between the Rio Colorado and 
- the Gila, inffubited ‘only by wild Indian tribes. This whole ides country 
sometimes allotted in the Mexican maps to Sonora, sometimes to Uppe 
California, but general to New Mexico, while the large wile desert 
northwest of the Colorado is generally attributed to California. 
-If we accept now in all directions the widest boundaries for New Mexico, 
it would extend from 32° 30! to 42° north latitude, and from 100° to 
about 114° longitude west of Greenwich. But as the country of the wild 
Indians has never been under any jurisdiction or control of the Mexicans, 
and seitl ments have never extended over the whole territory, the name of 
9 has generally been applied only to the settled country be- 
mol 
ofGreenwich. In this limited extent, whose lines are draw 
development, and natural hee wee 2 it will be most 
middle, oc Sets north to south, and formed By the Rio del Nor 
The valley is generally about 20 miles wide, and bordered on the east ae 
est oe mountain chains, continuations of ‘the Rocky Neg Se which 
have received here different names, as Sierra blanca, de los Organos, oscu- 
ra, on the eastern side, and Sierra de los Grullas, de Acha, fe los Mim- 
‘bres, towards the west. The height of these mountains south of Santa Fe 
may, upon an average, be between six and eight thousand isi while near 
’ Santa Fe, and in the more northern regions, some snow cov peaks are 
seen that may rise from 10,000 to 12,000 feet above the se the mountains 
cedars, and sometimes oak; in the valley of the Rio Grande, m ; mezquite. 
The main artery of New Mexico is the Rio del Norte, the longest and 
largest river in Mexico. | Its headwaters were explored in 1807 by Captam 
ike, between the 37° and 38° north latitude; but its highest sources are 
Supposed to be about two degrees farther north in the Rock mountains, 
near the headwaters of the Arkansas and the Rio Grande, (of the Colorado 
of the west.) Following a generally southern direction, it runs througt 
New Mexico, where its princ sipal affluent is the Rio Chamas from the west, 
and winds its way then in a southeastern direction through the States of 
Chibuabhast Coahuila and Tamaulipas, to the gulf of Mexico, i in 25° 
north latitude. ts tributaries in the latter States are the Pecos, from the 
north; the Conchos, Salado, Alamo, and San Juan, from the south. The 
le course of the river, in a straight line, would be near 1,200 miles; 
but by the meandering of its lower half, it runs at least about 2,000 miles 
from the region of eternal snow to the almost tropical climate: of the gulf. 
The elevation, of the river above the sea near Albuquerque, in ho Mex- 
ico, is about Age feet; in el Paso del Norte about 3,800; and at Rey- 
nosa, between and four hundred miles from its mouth, ‘about 170 
feet. The fall ree its otal appeared to be, between Albuque and el 
Paso, from two to three feet in a mile, and below Reynosa one foot in two 
miles. The fall of the river is seldom used as motive ve except for 
some flour mills, which are ge worked by: mules than by water. The 
cipal : ich is it derived from the oerer is for agri- 
e, by their Pelt nee system of irrigation. As to its navigation 
le 
