474 



Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



-were not in use; they were very long, and by their means we suc- 

 ceeded in erecting a second shelter; but everything was covered 

 with sand, and we felt far from comfortable. . ' ' ^ 



In a short time, the man we had sent out returned un successful ;- 

 so we finished our suppers without coffee, without even a cup of 

 water. The poor mules, that had worked so hard all day, we were 

 obliged to fasten to the wagon; here they remaimed all night, on 

 the barren sand, where not one blade of grass was to be seen. We 

 dared not let our mules loose, knowing that when urged by thirst, 

 they will wander off until they find water. 



October 23. — We arose 



when 



the first streak of grey light ap- 

 peared in the east, and, without stopping to prepare dur breakfast. 

 we resumed our toilsome march. The poor starved and thirsty 

 mules, plodded pokingly along, in rather a doleful plight. ■ 



Before proceeding far, I caught sight of the peaks of volcanic 

 rock that tower above the town of " Moquino." Immediately 



glimpse of a, distant pool of Water gjimmering in 

 I directly ordered the command to proceed to the 



speak to some pastores 

 From them I learned 



F 



all that now remained 



after, we got 



the sunlitrht. 



D 



a 



pool and to encamp, while I rode over to 



who were 



watching their 



flocks close by. 

 that the ruins we saw ns'ar the water were 



of the town of "Rito," which town they said had been deserted 

 by Its inhctbitants some years since, because those people who lived 

 higher_ up on the " arroyo de Rito" cut off all the water of the 



creek 



eek m seasons when they wanted to irrigate their lands, thu 

 iving the people of Rito of it, who needed it most at the 



s d e- 

 same 



.prn 

 season, for the same purposes. 



We encamped close by the town; the large pine rafters of the 

 deserted houses furnished us with fuel. " 



the town. The houses were all oi 

 with mud, and neatly whitewashed. 



In the afternoon we visited 

 them built of stone, covered 



, , , , , - Here we found a neat little 



chapel, and tiie house of the priest still remained in pretty ^good 

 condition. One feels sorrowful to see so much-labor thr'ownaway. 

 so much useful material left fo the ravages of destructive time- 

 but our fires burned so cheerfully, that all regrets were consumed, 

 m the lively flames. We concluded that it would be a fortunate 



occurrence to daily encounter old 



ruins. We remained here all 



day. We had plenty of wood and of water; the oasturage was 

 good, and our mules needed time to rest ar.d recruit their strength. 



.. *« w w «^ J WW ^ oci %ir 



from Covero to Albuquerque. 



some 

 V/e 



In t^he alteraoon, we saw some commissary wagons returning 



. - . sent over to them, in order to 



ascertain if they had any letters for us; for we had desired to havfe 

 al! our letters forwarded f.om Santa Fe 



there, as those travelling through the country could easily' find out- 

 wher""^*^""*" "- — ■ •' 



as soon as they jfrrived 



lereabouls on enquiry. 

 Towartis dark a party o 



pa^ty of five or six Mexicans halted near us, and 

 soon more of the rafters from the old ruins were crackling in th& 

 names. ihese men said that they were going to fight the Navaioes, 

 and that many more of their " ■ - *' 



way. 



compadres" were already on the 

 October 24.— At eight o'clock, we left the ruins of Rito, and 



\ 



