TO EL PASO. | 377 
for wagons; and a train loaded with corn from the ° 
Casas Grandes valley, was attacked here a year before 
_ by these savages, and all the mules driven off. The 
distance travelled the last twenty-four hours from 
beyond the Salado was twenty-eight miles, including 
the passage of the Médanos. 
August 16th. All, both men and animals, were so 
much exhausted with fatigue, that we were compelled 
to lie by to-day. In the afternoon, we had the usual 
shower. i: 
August 17th. Two miles brought us to the spring 
known as Samalayuca. It is a complete oasis in the 
desert, and consists of a small pool of water, in and 
around which are bushes and trees. It seems to be 
placed here by nature, for the weary and thirsty trav- 
eller, by whom the route would else be impassable. 
On the west there is not usually any water nearer than 
the Salado, thirty miles distant, which is also the dis- 
tance of El Paso, the nearest point to the north. Hast- 
ward is San Eleazario, twenty miles. 
The rain of yesterday had made the road so heavy,” 
that I feared we should not reach El Paso as I wished. 
But a few hours’ heat of the sun so improved its con- 
dition, that I determined to push on in advance of the 
tain; and as we were near our journey’s end for the 
Present, I did not hesitate to force my mules to their 
utmost. We ascended gradually from the spring for 
about ten miles, when we reached the level platean, 
Which was as smooth and barren as any desert we had 
Seen. About ten miles from El Paso, the road descends 
from the highest table to a lower terrace, and for five 
miles continues over broken ground with low hills and 
