43 



1^ Ex, Doc. No. 4L^ 



preserve the skin. I also obtained a beautiful yellow finclij whiclr 

 proves to bethe ^'fringilla vespertina.'' In the evening I sent some ^ 

 men to the village of P*^coSj which is 2^- miles from, and to the 

 north of, our camp. On their return, they said that they saw, near- 

 the ruins of Pecos, a curiously carved stone. It was now too late 

 to see this carving, and we marched so early in the morning that I 

 ,jT^u?t needs leave this stone for some one else to examine- . 



Decerrihcr 30. — We saw, to-day, great numbers of mzigpies, w^hich, 

 in company with the ravens, were feasting on the innumerable car- 

 casses of oxen that still strewed the road. We saw large flocks of 

 stellar jays, which were flying gaily amongst the groves of cedar 

 and pinon that cover the hills and valleys. j _ 



We have a fine view of the valley of the Pecos river, in which. 

 1 ies the town of San Jose, at which place I encamped; for I had 

 heard that the route through this town was six miles shorter than 

 that through San Miguel. 



At this place the river Pecos is50 feet wide; its wMters are beau- 

 tifuUy clear, and flow along with great rapidity, as if anxious to 

 mingle with those of the Gulf of Mexico, into w^hlch they empty 

 after having joined those of the Rio del Nolte, at the Presido del 



Rio Grande. 



We had an excellent road to-day; it is formed from the crumbling 



down of the coarse decomposing granite rocks, which form the 



neighboring sierras. 



December 31. — We were all up before daylight; and. having given 

 our animals a liberal allowance of corn and ''zacate," we started, 

 highly delighted with the idea of saving several miles by going 

 direct'to ^-Ojo Vernal,'' instead of passing through San MigueL 

 Having, with infinite labor, succeeded in mounting the high bluflT 

 which borders the river, w^e' selected the plainest road, which 

 seemed to be marked wnth the wheels of American wagons, but be- 

 fore we had proceeded far, a severe snow storm arose. We now 

 urged our animals rapidly forward, with the intention of reaching 

 the timber, where we should be sheltered fiom the violence of the 

 storm. The WMnd blew, with great force, directly in our faces; the 

 snow fell thick and fast; we could scarcely see, and our animals 

 could scarcely be forced to face the cold blast. Every moment our 

 progress was more and more impeded, as the falling snow increased 

 in depthj at length, we reached a forest of pine and pifion. We 

 now encamped, and the men soon heaped up huge pine logs, and, 

 taving set then^ in a blaze, we gathered around, endeavoring to 

 dispel the numbness which had seized our limbs. After several 

 Lours' continuance, the storm at length ceased, and we resumed our 

 march. Nearly all signs of the road had, by this time, become 

 concealed by the snow; but we followed, as well as we could, the 

 track we had been pursuing, until we found ourselves involved 

 among precipitous cliffs ^nd impassable ravines. We we*re now^ ob- 

 liged to retrace our steps, and soon got out' into the country 

 where we could see. The storm had entlirey cleared away- We 

 e^uld now perceive the high ^^mesa," which lies between San Mi- 

 gnel and Ojo Yernal. We^ therefore; took a course direct for this 



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