Ex. Doc. No. 41. 53 



- Came into camp late, anrl found Carson with an express from 

 California, bearing intelligence that that country had surrendered 

 without a blow, and that the Am*erican flag floated in every port* 

 October 7. — Carap 68, — Two Me'xicans deserted from my party 

 last night, frightened by the accounts of the hardships of the trip 

 brought by Carson and his party. Yesterday's news caused some 

 changes in our camp; one hundred dragoons, officered by Captain- 

 Moore and Lieutenants Hammond and Davidson, with General 

 Kearny's personal staff. Major Swords, Captain Johnson, Captain 

 Turner, adjutant general to the army of the west, Messrs. Carson 

 and Ptobideaux, my own party, organized as before mentioned, and 

 a few hunters of tried experience, formed the party for California, 

 Major Sumner, with the dragoons, was ordered to retrace his steps. 

 Many friends here parj:ed that were never to meet again, some fell 

 in California, some in New Mexico, and some at Cerro Gordo. 



. Arrived in camp late, aftei' a most fatiguing day, watching and di- 

 recting 'the road for ray overloaded and badly horsed wagon. I 

 sat up until very ;ate, making astronomical observations. 



About two miles below the camp of last night, we passed the last 

 •settlement, and in about four miles left the beaten road, which 

 crosses the east side of the river, and thenceforth a new road waste 

 be explored. The land passed over to-day, although unsettled, is 

 incomparably the best in New Mexico; the valley is broader, the 

 soil firmer, and the growth of timber, along the river, larger and 

 more dense. 



The ruins of one or'two deserted modern towns, probably Val- 

 • verde, and remains of ditching, for irrigation, were passed to-day. 

 The frequent incursions of the Itidians are said to cause the deser- 

 tion of this part of the valley. 



As we approached our camp, fhe lofty range of mountains sweep- 

 ing to the northwest, around the head of the Gila, became un- 

 masked, at the same moment that the Puerco range showed them- 

 selves on the eastern side of the river Del Norte, stretching bol'f^'' 

 and far away to the south. This last ridge of mountains is ^ ^ 

 east, and altogether distinct from that commencing; at Zar-^^? ^^^ 

 tapering off to the south close to the river. 



o 



I have heretofore revelled in the perfect stillness a^-^ ^^^^^^^f^ ^^ 

 the air and scenery of New Mexico; yesterday ?^^ to-day have 

 been exceptions, for the wind has been very his'^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^3 

 and the dust overwhelmino:*. 



00 



. Computed to-day the height of the Secor^ mountain ^^^^^j[ 

 feet above the level of the plain. Sever^i officers guessed at the 

 hei-ht of the mountain, and the mean o^' all the guesses was l,iUtJ 



comlng'^from ours, will always ^"^11 as much short of the ^^rk.J 

 One or two lar^e white cedars were seen to-day, and, in additi 



on 



.orolocrlcal record in the Appendbc. A wonderM differ- 



• Attention is asked to my me^'orological reeom m lae -M'l'""";V„tj^e dryness of the 

 ence between the thermometer *nd wst bulb ^'lU there be seen, shoums tue arj 



atmosphere. 



