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Sen Sate 53 | [7] 
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“f Came into camp late, and found Carson with an express from: 
~ California, bearing intelligence that that country had surrendered 
» without a blow, and that the American flag floated inevery port. 
. . October 7.—Camp 68.—Two Mexicans deserted from my party” 
last night, frightened by the accounts of the hardships of the trip 
brought by Carson and his party. Yesterday’s news caused some 
. changes in our camp; one hundred dragoons, officered by Captain 
“Moore and Lieutenants Hammond and Davidson, with General 
Kearny’s personal staff, Major Swords, Captain Johnson, Captain 
Turner, adjutant general to the army of the west, Messrs. Carson 
and Robideaux, my own party, organized as before mentioned, and ~* 
afew hunters of tried experience, formed the party for California. 
_ Major Sumner, with the dragoons, was ordered to retrace his steps. 
Many friends here parted that were never to meet again, some fell | 
in California, some in New Mexico, and some at Cerro Gordo. 
Arrived in camp late, after a most fatiguing day, watching and di- 
recting the road for my overloaded and badly horsed wagon, I 
sat up until very late, making astronomical cbservations. e 
About two miles below the camp of last night, we passed the last 
settlement, and in about four miles left the beaten road, which 4 
crosses the east side of the river, and thenceforth a new road awasto 
be explored. The land passed over to-day, although*unsettled, is 
incomparably the best in New Mexico; the valley is broader, the — 
soil firmer, and the growth of timber, along.the river, larger and 
more dense. ; 
The ruins of one or two deserted modern towns, probably Val- 
verde, and remains of ditching, for irrigation, were passed to-day. , 
The frequent incursions of the Indians are’said to cause tlre deser- 
tion of this part of the valley. 
_ As we approached our camp, the lofty range of mountains sweep- 
ing to the northwest, around the head of the Gila, became un- ~ 
masked, at the same moment that the Puerco range showed them- 
selves on thé eastern.side of the river Del Norte, stretching boldly 
and ¥ away to thesouth. This last ridge of mountains is to the 
d altogether distinct from that commencing at Zandia, and 
ing off to the south close to the river. 
ive heretofore revelled in the perfect stillness and quietude of 
1 scenery of New Mexico; yesterday and to-day have 
ptions, for the wind has been very high from the south, 
and the dust overwhelming. i 
Computed to-day the height of the Secoro mountain to be 2,700. 
feet above the level of the plain. Several officers guessed at the 
height of the mountain, and the mean of all the guesses was 1,20U 
feet, and the distance of the peak only two anda half miles, while it _ 
_ Was, in fact, upwards of four miles. He who attempts to re kon | 
* the height and distance of hills in this pure, dr¥ atmosphere, after 
coming from ours, will always fall as much short of the mark.* — 
One or two large white cedars were seen to-day, and, in addition 
* Attention i gi i ndix. A wonderful di 
ence between the thermomeley and wet balb will there be seeu, showing the dryness of 
atmosphere. = 3 
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