

IXTEODUCTION. 



distinct table-land 

 Grande valley, fi 



il it can no longer be recognised as a 

 Tlie following elevations along the Rio 



om 



the St. Lonis Park to the 



xican 



f 



demonstrate the downward slope most clearly 



( 



s* 



Intermediate distances in mi 



St. Louis Parlv 

 Santa Fe . 

 Albuquerque 

 Islet ta 

 Fort Craig 

 El Taso • 



loO-O 

 62-96 



14-0 

 111 



147 



es. 



Elevations. 



7,567 



6,846 

 5,033 

 5,022 

 4,508 

 3,830 



1 



' 1 



I 



* 



? 



3uth of El PasOj the Eio Grande encounters the 

 •emity of the central plateau of Mexico, and, like 

 stern river, cuts its way through it, forming for 

 miles a succession of magnificent canons. 



t 



m 



.** 



The eastern chain of the Pocky Mountain system term"^; 

 nates a few miles south-east of Santa Fe, scarcely roachrit 

 the 35th parallel; for the long narrow ranges of gold a'd 

 silver-hearing mountams, the Placer, Zandia, Manzana, So?^c 

 dad, Organ, &c*, which form almost an unhroken chain alo./^|G 

 the eastern side of the Eio Grande valley, should not 

 classed in the Rocky Mountain system ; they are differeii^^ 

 in formation, and more recent in date. 



The western chain continues from South Park, to represe4i 

 the continental divide. In it different ranges have receiv^^'t 

 special local names, hut all arc spoken of in general terms a 

 the '^ SieiTa Madre of New Mexico.^' How many, or how fe^<# 



of these ranges, from the Sierra de San Juan north of the 47t 

 parallel to the Miemhres and Burro Mountains, which foml 

 the northern boundary of the great Madi^e Plateau south o| 

 tbe 33rd, ongbt to be considered as southern continuations O; 

 tlie Eocky Mountain system, must remain uudecided unt 

 the country north of Mount Taylor is better known. 



I 



t 

 i 



