[ 26 j : 46 
road, but in the dry season a mere seine that must be followed up to the 
mountains. About four miles south of it, and about one mile east of the 
road , te was informed, exists another Sai in the mountains, the Callejito. 
ve he 
colors than I had seen for a long time. ‘The grass was fresh a 
mountains, too, heretofore nal: cover themselves with a one coat of 
grass. ‘This whole valley, or rather plain, from Paso to Chihuahua, seems 
fertile enough to raise many millions of stock, and in former times they 
raised large numbers; but at present the wild Indians are the lords of the 
country, and the Mexicans are becoming impoverished more and more. 
Our noon camp is the highest point, according to m bar apriceead obser- 
vations, on the road between Paso and Chihuahua; its elevation above the 
sea is 5,317 feet. Every afternoon, generally, we Shea . thunder 
— with rain; Laie: to-day, while we were on the march again, it was se- 
us to travel on till we arrived on a hill near the head of the Laguna de 
Encinillas, and camped, (eight miles.) iva was neither wood in our 
camp, nor any use for it, as it pags all n 
August 
wide, and a large lake was on ourright. "This ‘Laguna de Encinillas,”’ 
as it is called, is one of those remarkable lakes so common in Northern 
Mexico, with considerable afflux of water, but without any outlet. With 
the freshet of the affluent waters they rise of course, and fall again in the 
- Although the water of the creeks and rivers that run into 
ore is eels; the water in the lakes has generally a salty, brackish taste, 
the surrounding country is covered with tequeszwite, or ideale salt 
i a state of effervescence, which is used for fabrication of soap. "The pecu- 
swelled to a torrent aid} its ro ‘aig heaves panies over all obstacles 
sounded in me testa the night ning a a ; 
August 23.—Thed distance from el Pefiol to Chihuahua is about 40 miles. 
\The Mexicans of our company prepared to 3 there in one day; Mr. Wiek 
‘and myself preferred to make it in two days, and we stayed therefore, with | 
and servants, behind. We travelled in the forenoon about 12 
er ay pp eed etting better. _ Near the western mountain chain 
cose tlements ndas, and villages—Encinillas, for 
instance, on the s ether ofa of the ae and Sauz further south. In the 
The prairie was to day covered with more flowers and of more Bishi: 
h 
naenieniiiaiiidinl a Tinian 
pall voe a ER 
