— ae a uae a x : adi q 
and gave the pleasant information that the saddl e only about 
six hours behin 
October 14. “We parted wit our ‘wagons, which were sent back 
under charge of Lieutenant Ingalls, and, in doing so, every man 
seemed to be greatly relieved. With me it was far otherwise. My 
chronometers and barometer, io before rode so safely, were 
now in constant danger. The trip of a mule might destroy the 
whole. The chro meters, fone wees of the largest size, unsuited 
to carry time on foot or horseback. All my endeavors, in the 24 
_ hours allowed me in Washington to procure a pocket chronometer 
had failed. I saw then, what I now feel, the superiority of Dock 
over large chronometers for expeditions on foot or horseback. The 
* viameter for measuring distances, heretofore attached to the wheel 
of the instrument wagon, was now attached to the wheel of one of 
the small mountain howitzers. 
The valley narrows into a cafion at Bush h peak, and opens again 
a mile or so wide, where we encamped for the night. Growth of 
to-day much the same,as yesterday, 
Bush peak is, on its river face, a steep escarpment ) basalt, and 
abreast of it, on the west side of the river, we saw many chips of 
meétalliferous limestone. To-day, met a solitary Mexican mounted 
on a mule, Syne before him a_ horse, with his back literally 
skinned with the e. He was beating the poor beast over the 
galled place. The Mexicans generally treat their horses and mules 
in a barbarous manner, EiGing and packing them when their pene 
are running with sores. 5 
October 15.—After traveling three and.a half miles, we turned 
off from the Del Norte and took final leave of it at a pretty little 
grove, ne we found two Mexicans returning from a trading expe- 
n to the Apaches. They were attending a poor worn out jennet, 
ad 2 ad maltreated and overtasked,) in the ho that a 
‘Test would enable it to take their lazy bodies to 
At this point, several intelligent guides were detached to look 
a road further south, by which Captain Cook, who is be follow. 
aes ie ormons, may turn the mountains with his wagons.* 
“On the table land the winter grama (a more delicate grass than 
summer ial oe: in great abundance, but mow dry and sun burnt. 
mezquite, fraxinus, (ash,) een from any 1 e 
ies. ncaa and datura. 
* The route ilowed by Colonel Cooke will be found traced on the map 
had a our new camp Lieutenant Ingalls ‘ia with a wil 
es 
( P a few 
the settle: © 
ments. a! 
owth noticed to-day consisted of malva, senecio ne @ 4 
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