GENERAL SKETCH OF THE ROUTE. 
Our operations have been confined to a belt of country bordering upon the parallel of 
35° north latitude. The conformation of this region is such as to afford some peculiar 
advantages for the construction of a national railroad. "There are many water-courses passing 
through it, and valleys extend in the desired direction over a great portion of the distance 
between the Mississippi river and the Pacific ocean. This route would accommodate the eastern 
trade which centres at Vicksburg, Memphis, and St. Louis; and the railroads which are con- 
templated westward from those cities, through the States of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri, 
might well converge,and unite upon the Canadian. 
From the eastern border of the Choctaw territory to the head of Pajarito creek, about seven 
hundred miles, our route is near the valley of the Canadian. Beyond, to Rio Pecos, (nearly 
. forty miles,) it passes a ridge which extends northwardly from the Llano Estacado and divides 
the waters of the Mississippi from those of Rio del Norte. After crossing the Pecos, threading 
Cañon Blanco, and traversing the high mesa which breaks the continuity of the Rocky mountains, 
this line unites with the valley of Rio Galisteo, and strikes the Rio del Norte near San Felipe ; 
or, by a shorter route, from the lagunas near the head of Cañon Blanco, proceeds by the way of 
San Antonio Pass to the narrows uf Rio Grande, at the Pueblo of Isleta. 
Having crossed the Rio del Norte, and also the Puerco, we ascend by Rio San José it the 
broad opening in which it takes its rise, to a low point upon the crest of the Sierra Madre; the 
range which divides the waters flowing towards the Gulf of Mexico from those emptying into 
the Pacific. From this summit, the valley of Rio Puerco of the west leads to Colorado Chiquito, 
(Flax river,) down which we proceed to the great bend towards the northwest. Then, by a 
pass south of the San Francisco mountains, we enter a well-wooded region where springs feed 
the head branches of Rio Verde. Continuing westward, we cross various small rivulets, and, 
edging along the banks of Pueblo creek, ascend to Aztec Pass. Thence to the Mojave villages 
two routes are noticed; one, following the valleys of Williams’ river* and Rio Colorado ; the 
other, a shorter line in wärte a direct course westward from Aztec Pass, via White Cliff ‘on 
and a gap which separates the Cerbat range from the Blue Ridge or Hamook-habi mountains, 
to the Colorado above the cañon of “The Needles," near Camp 132. Leaving Rio Colorado at 
the Mojave villages, we pass the Paiute mountain, with steep but regular slopes, to Soda lake, 
and a few miles beyond, upon the flowing waters of Mojave river, unite with the survey of 
Lieutenant Williamson. As that officer is now understood to have been successful in his explo- 
rations through one of the Tulare passes to San Francisco, we need but refer to his report for a 
description of the remainder of this route to the Pacific. 
The line will now be divided into sections, and the topographical features of the country 
given somewhat in detail. 
? Heretofore called ‘Bill Williams’ Fork.” The Mojave or Cuchan name of this stream is ‘‘ Hawil-hamook,” meaning 
