sites 
€ om 5 
[7] Meds rete COel 
cliffs, hailed by the Florida campaigners, some of whom were along, 
as old friends, ‘ They were cabbage trees; and marked the locale of 
a spring and a small patch of grass. We found also to-day, in full 
bloom, the bronnia spinosa, a rare and beautiful plant; the plan- 
tago, new to our flora; a new species of eriogonum, very remark- 
able for its extremely numerous long hair-like fruit stalks and mi- 
nute flowers. : 
We rode for miles through thickets of the centennial plant, 
agave Americana, and found one in full bloom. The sharp thorns 
pane ig every leaf of this plant, were a great annoyance to our 
dismounted and wearied men whose legs were now almost bare. 
- number of these plants were cut by the soldiers, and the body of 
them-used as food. . The day was intensely hot, and the sand deep; 
the animals, inflated with water and rushes, gave way by scores; 
and, although we advanced only sixteen miles, many did not ar- 
riye at camp until 10 o’clock at night. It was a feast day for the 
wolves, which followed in packs close on our track, seizing our de- 
-serted brutes and making the air resound with their howls as they 
battled for the carcasses. — 
_ ‘The water comes to the surface in pools at this’ place. Itis a 
valley surrounded by high bleak mountains destitute of vegetation. 
he mountains are of a micaceous granite ‘seamed with volcanic 
matter. The grass, which is coarse, extends for a mile or two 
along the valley. he | 
A heavy cloud overhung the mountains to the west, and the wind 
_blew a hurricane from that quarter; yet our zenith was never. ob- 
_ scured, except for a minute at a time by a fleeting cloud detached 
é ey ae of my chronometers, were not such as I could desire. 
December 1.—We 
ok 
ter, toits termination, and then descended to the deserted 
f San Felippe. site Retains ihr sid -are 
om 3,000 to 5,000 feet high, and those to the 
ial 
Lot wi “encrusted on the top with snow and icicles. me p was 
S: ina | mg field of grass, three or four miles in ex ent, through 
_ which a warm stream flowed and drained. through a cafion to’ the 
— ‘north, abréast of the village. We went to the: barren hills and 
_ collected the dry sage dnd scrub meézquite, with which we made a 
_ feeble fire. The larrea Mexicana grew here also, but,it is unfit for 
fuel. : 
_ About nine miles from the camp, we passed the summit which is 
said to divide the waters flowing into the Colorado from those 
owing into the Pacific, but I think it is a mistake. The pass is. 
nuch below the peaks on either side, and the height gives no indi- 
* 
