APPENDIX A.—DIARY OF THE EXPEDITION. 69 
Our botanical collection is increasing, every day disclosing some new and beautiful varieties 
of flowers. 
It is deeply to be regretted that our limited means of transportation does not permit us to 
increase our geological and mineralogical collection to the extent we desire, as the country 
affords us abundant opportunity of extendinggour researches in these branches ‘of science. We 
continue to be fortunate in our collection of natural history. Observations for the time taken 
in the afternoon. Heavens cloudy at night, with a slight rain. General direction, north 82° 
east; miles, Tfr- 
Camp No. 24— Friday, March 24, 1854.— Left last camp at twenty minutes past 6 o'clock 
a. m., and moved in the direction of the trail discovered yesterday. We struck the road at the 
“Emigrant Crossing’’ about 9 o'clock a. m. ; distance from camp upwards of four miles. This 
is an extremely bad crossing ; our oxen swam for upwards of thirty feet to the opposite bank, It 
would be utterly impossible for wagons to cross without rafting. It cannot for a moment com- 
pare with the ** Crossing of the Pecos,’’ (mouth of Delaware creek,) the former presenting many 
difficulties—soft bottom, deep stream, and on the east side miry banks. The latter affords 
many facilities, and is strongly recommended to emigrants. We halted here to water, which 
had to be done with buckets. As we will not reach water until we strike the “Sand Hills,’’ 
our kegs were filled. We are now upon the long-desired trail. 
Our route was over a rolling prairie; the soil is gravel, mixed with clay. Grama-grass good 
and abundant. On both sides of the road there was plenty of mezquite-root and brush. 
We reached camp at half-past 3 o'clock p. m. No water. Mules and stock turned out to 
graze. The arrangement of the previous night continued. : 
Observations for the time taken during the afternoon; also for the latitude at night. "The 
latter had. to be: discontinued, as the heavens suddenly clouded up, with every.indication of a 
coming storm 
During ih day we espied a mule grazing at some distance to the right of the road. We 
approached him, but he evinced an evident dislike to our further acquaintance, taking to his 
heels in gallant style, affording quite a hunt to the mounted party, which he cortaiuly «c dis- 
tanced." However, we accomplished by stratagem what we failed to do by speed. After some 
difficulty he was driven into the herd, and ‘‘lariated’’ by the Mexicans. He was at once put 
in harness, and worked well, taking this sudden change in his condition most philosophically. 
. On examination we found him branded with the *«U. S." mark. Being in good order, the 
animal was a valuable accession to our teams. General direction, north 16° east from the river; 
miles, 19,5. 
Camp No. 25—Saturday, March 25, 1854.—Left last camp at twenty minutes after 6 o'clock 
a. m., and moved in the direction of the Sand Hills. Our route to-day, for nine miles, was 
over a level prairie; the road for this distance was excellent. Before reaching the ‘‘Hills’’ we 
had nearly seven miles of bad, sandy road. We could perceive them at a distance of twelve 
miles, stretching away as far as the eye could reach. For two miles, before camping, we passed 
around their western base. We arrived in camp at twenty minutes after 2 o'clock p. m. 
These ‘‘Hills’’ present a curious and interesting geological formation. They extend about 
fifty miles from north to south, and fifteen miles east to west. They consist of white drift-sand, 
thrown up into innumerable conical mounds, totally destitute of all vegetation. One would 
suppose that this region of sand is the last place where water could be found ; yet, however 
incredible it appears, there is an abundance of water in these hills, contained in basins of the 
finest sand. When amongst the “Hills,” one would suppose there had been a heavy fall of 
snow. Our camp was about a quarter of a mile from the water. The animals were driven up 
to water, sinking to their knees in the sand. The team-mules were fed with corn; six animals 
picketed in camp for the purpose previously mentioned. 
'l'he soil for ten miles from the Pecos was good, with plenty of prairie grass and mezquite 
