FROM MOUTH OF DEVIl's RIVER TO EL 



85 



^ 



feet, and Hood, in many instances, marlved their progress througli the day's work. Beyonp 

 the Sierra Carmel the river seemed to pass through an almost interminable succession of moun- 

 tains : canon succeeded canon ; the valleys, which alone had afforded some slight chances foi 

 rest and refreshment, had become so narrow and devoid of vegetation that it was quite a task 

 to find grass sufficient for the mules. At a point some few miles below Sierra Carmel, it was 

 supposed that a better pathway could be found on the Mexican side of the river. Just above 

 the entrance of the river into a small canon a place was chosen, which seemed to afford the 

 most feasible opportunity for fording the river. With great difficulty the whole train was 

 passed over without loss. With this slight interruption, the line of survey was carried on until 

 it reached a point since shown to be about one hundred and twenty-five miles above the mouth 

 of the Pecos. Here the work was suspended, owing to the failure of provisions and the means 

 of transportation on the river. With the whole party we passed down on the Mexican side 

 through the town of Santa Rosa, and arrived at Fort Duncan after a long and tedious journey. 

 It is but proper^ in justice to Messrs, Thompson and Phillips, the gentlemen associated with 

 me as assistants, to mention their names as an expression of my appreciation of their exertions. 

 To Mr. Phillips, for his able assistance and unvarying industry, I feel especially indebted. 



I have forborne any but an incidental allusion to the difficulties of the survey under my 

 charge, leaving it for yourself, so well acquainted with the character of the country gone 

 over, to appreciate these difficulties, and thus excuse any deficiencies that may have occurred 

 in the work. 



I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servantj 



M. T. W. CHANDLER, 



/ 



Major Wm. H 



Chief Astronomer and Surveyor U. S. and Mexican Boundary Commission. 



PRESIDIO DEL NORTE. 



We arrived in front of the Presidio del Norte July 8, 1852, and found watermelons ripe 

 and the corn in tasseh The town, isolated and very remote from any other settlement, had 

 been sufiering from famine. The Indians had run off most of the cattle, and the drought for 

 the three preceding years had caused a failure in the corn. 



The Presidio is a miserably built mud town, situated upon a gravelly hill overlooking the 

 junction of the Conchos and the Rio Bravo — the latter called here the Rio Puerco, no doubt from 

 the contrast of its muddy waters with those of the Conchos, which, except during freshets, is 

 limpid. The town, which contains about eight hundred souls, is ont of the oldest Spanish settle- 

 ments in northern Mexico ; but from the barrenness of the soil, an attempt is making to settle a 

 military colony forty miles higher up the Rio Bravo, where the land is supposed to be better 



adapted to agriculture. 



The church is Avithin the walls of the Presidio, or fort, and contains one or two paintings of 

 a better class than are usually found disfiguring the walls of frontier churches. In almost 

 every house is found, in addition to the cross, a figure of onr Saviour, which is sometimes so 

 very grotesque that piety itself cannot divest it of its ridiculous appearance. 



