134 NEW TEACKS IN NORTH AMEEICA. 



most distinctly separated, botli in appearance and geological 

 formation, from the more nortlicrn chains of the Eocky 

 Mountains. Between the former, roads, or rather trails, lead 

 do^\^l to the Eio Grande. The road between the Placer Moun- 

 tains and the Eocky Mountains follows the valley of the 

 Galisteo; another between the Zandia and the Manzana, is 

 called Tijeras Canon ; and a third, some fifty miles farther 

 soutli^ is lmo^^^l as tlie Abo Pass. The last two passes ivere 

 survey cdj each by one of our parties, who reached them by 

 different routes from Los Yegas. The Abo route was 

 found to be a most beautiful line for a railroad, along the 

 32nd -oaralleL but that in Canon Blanco and Tiicras did not 



D so good, as the descent rec^uired nearly the maximuin 

 grade of 116 feet per mile for about twenty miles. The 



pro\ 



was 



On leaving Santa Fe for the south, Captain Colton and 

 myself made a reconnaissance of this route, and thought it 

 looked a very favourable one. It has since been surveyed by 

 a retm-n party with very satisfactory results, proving that th^ 

 Eio Grande can be reached about the 35th parallel, without 

 having recom'sc at any point to the maxinnim grade sanctioned 

 by Congress. Curious to relate, there is coal in each of the 



■ 



passes here mentioned. 



Having crossed the level grass-covered jilain, a nine miles' 

 ride thi-oiigh the piiion groves bctTveen the Placer Momitains 

 brought us to a little mining village, the Eeal de Sa 

 Francisco. We spent the whole week in examining the 

 mines of this wonderful little district, about which, at the risk 

 of tiring my readers, I must say a few words in a fresh 

 chapter. 



