500 Ex. Doc, No. 41. 



,town and the river valley beyond^ filled with cotton trees;, the 

 highj flat ^^mesa/' covered with a sheet of volcanic jock, and the 

 grand snow-capped Sierraj that rises in the distance. This valley 

 of Valverde has been very highly spoken of; but it is of narrow 

 limits, and its soil is sandy, 



JVovemher 19. — While paying a visit to one of the traders' camps, 

 I saw the Indian method of grinding corn. A large slab of vol- 

 canic rock had been obtained from the neighboring ^^raesaj" this 

 was then worked into a level surface and placed in an inclined 

 position, to form the ^^metate" upon which the corn, that has been . 

 previously parched to render it more crisp, is placed and ground 

 with an oblong stone. 



Last night a Mr. Phelps, w^ho had left his home to try the health 

 restoring climate of the Rocky mountains, died. Being in the 

 last stage of consumption, he had hoped that the pure air of the 

 prairie might ameliorate his disease. Notwithstanding the benefi- 

 cial effects that pure air may produce, yet the exposure under the 

 thin canvass walls of a tent; the long journeys during days of 

 heat and cold; the deleterious effects of the deprivation of the 

 various conveniences of civilized life; the* necessity of travelling 

 daily, whether the patient be sick or well, more than cancel the 

 good influences of the healthful climate. 



J\^ovemher 20. — We have a great deal of ice in the Rio del 

 Norte; at one place it was sufficiently strong to bear the weigut of 

 a man. We found some of our friends making atoie,* which is a 

 very dilute kind of mush made of the flour of parched corn. 



We learned that Colonel Doniphan had not yet concluded his 

 treaty with the Navajoes, and was expected in eight days, and 

 several companies were already at Socorro. 



JSTovember 21, — We were delighted by the arrival of several 

 Americans, who confirmed the report that two companies of 

 Colonel Doniphan's regiment were at Socorro. One can never 

 believe the New Mexicans; not that they are wilfully liars, but 

 they are so ignorant that they see nothing clearly, but judge as if 

 looking through a glass darkened, and give word to the concep- 

 tion thus derived, which generally proves false. 



The Mexicans are remarkable for their ceremonious politeness; 



m meeting each other they generally embrace and uncover their 



heads, after which each runs through a long formula of inquiries 

 after friends and relations, and ends with good wishes and invoca- 

 tions of the protecting care of God, the virgin, and the saints. 

 To-day some one greeted a Mexican who appeared with the com- 

 mon salutation of ^^ Viva usted rail anos;" he instantly replied, 

 ««and God grant, sir, that you may live to see the last year of the 

 thousand. '^ 



From what I have been informed, the profits of the Santa Fe 

 traders are in this proportion: Goods, such as calicoes or prints 

 that are bought for 10 cents, sell for 37^ cents; and cazinets and 



•The ''atoUe*» oi Ciarigera. 



