170 NOTES TAKEN. 
overtook us in the midst, when, wrapped in our blankets, a 
few hours gave us refreshment for another ride. , 
During our afternoon march, a rattlesnake of a new species, 
as we thought, appeared in our path, and struck the Doctor : 
on the sole of his boot, whilst on horseback. It was dis- 
patched without ceremony, but in the hurry,so much mangled 
that we could do no more than take a general description of 
it. It was a on the belly, white ground and 
bl ked in di pon the back, and had eight rattles. 
It was very vicious, making battle after it was badly wounded. 
This was the first time that any one of our party had come 
near a catastrophe from this source ; a lucky escape ! 
August 6th.—At sunrise we again ascended the ridge, and 
marching in a north-east course along the top, found large 
herds of deer. The soil very fertile, and mesquite timber 
larger than any heretofore met with. The Doctor, attracted 
by the large quantities of gum exuding from these trees, col- 
lected several pounds of it, which he intended to analyze. 
The tree is beyond doubt a species of acacia, the gum 
having the same appearance and taste of the gum-arabic, 
and exuding in sufficient quantities to warrant its collection 
as an article of commerce, which would make a useful and 
profitable employment for the wandering Indians, if they 
could be induced to turn thei attention to it.* 
Soon the dividing ridge was found to be abruptly broken 
* Since our return, an analysis has been made, and the report to the War 
Nik 
