FROM MOUTH OF DEYIL's RIVER TO EL PASO DEL NORTE. 91 



the river of thirty mileSj hut hj air-line of only twenty miles, is almost one contiimous 

 settlement of Mexicans and Puehlo Indians, with here and there an x\merican farmer or trader, 

 I estimate the whole population of the valley as follows : 



El Taso ^ ;' 



Franklin 



Socorro , * ♦ 



4,000 

 200 

 300 



San Elceario 1,200 



Guadalupe 800 



San Ignacio 500 



Total 



7,000 



I have included under the head of El Paso the Indian town of Sinecu, which is in the eastern 

 part of the settlement, and is stated to have been built by the aborigines^ before the occupation 



of the country by the Spaniards. 



There are some families of pure Spanish descent in this valley, but the population is generally 

 of a mixed character — a cross of the Indian and Spaniard. They are mostly engaged in agri- 

 culture and commerce. Before the ports on the lower Eio Bravo were opened, there was some- 

 times as much as two million dollars' worth of goods passed into the northern States of Mexico by 

 the vfaj of El Paso ; at present, I suppose there is not more than $500,000 or |1, 000,000, and 

 of import about $70,000. The grapes, peaches, figs, melons, and the fruits generally of this 

 valley, are cf very superior quality. There are two descriptions of grapes— one white, the 

 other large and blue ; both are very luscious, having no trace of the musky taste of American 

 grapes, and in skilful hands make delicious wine and good brandy. When I first visited 

 New Mexico, in 184B, that whole country was supplied with wine and brandy from El 

 Paso. It is now mostly consumed in the country, or sent to Chihuahua. The wine as a^^ 

 present made will not bear transportation, and as a general rule is but an imperfect tesK of 



what the grape can produce. The__to\V3,_of_E^^ 



hands-o£sa:ny^^ The culture of the grape, and its product of wine, would be much 



increased but for the difficulty of procuring vessels in which to place it for transportation. There 

 is no wood in that whole region from which casks can be manufactured, and there is not yet 

 sufiicient demand to authorize the erection of founderies for making glass bottles. 



The meteorological table which I have given in the general sketch is not a fair exhibit of 



the hygrometric character of this region ; that record was kept in the last year of the great 

 drought, which extended through 1849-'50-'51. In the succeeding years much more rain fell, 

 but I had no party stationary at any one point, and therefore the record of 1851 was given as 

 that which extended over the greatest space. 



In the summer of 1852 the rains were frequent and copious. While occupied at the canon, in 

 the astronomical determination of that station, a deluge occurred which will long be remem- 

 bered by those present. 



In the middle of the night of June 25, the sky was overcast and our labors at the observatory 

 obstructed. We had all retired to bed, when I was awakened by a roaring noise, which I 

 supposed to be wind, I called to Mr, Burns, whb was in charge of my zenith telescope, to 

 take the usual precautions against high wind. He answered that it was not wind, but water ; 

 adding, if we did not leave camp pretty soon we should all be drowned, I had made the 

 selection of my camp on a spot which I supposed secure from any possible inundation, but on 



