TO CHIHUAHUA. 409 
spring. The animals cleared themselves, breaking 
every chain, and leaving the ark where it was. ‘Find- 
ing it impossible to extricate it with its contents, it 
was unloaded, and the twelve mules again attached, 
when another and united effort brought it to dry land. 
This was not effected until the men had been knee- 
deep in mud and water for four hours. 
While this was going on we amused ourselves with 
collecting insects, reptiles, and other objects in natural 
_ history, of which quite a number were obtained. At 
_ one o'clock we’again moved off, over a superb road, 
and in twelve miles reached Carrizal (country of reed 
grass), and encamped near an old acequia half a mile 
from the town, the water in which was scarcely fit for 
the mules to drink. I did not wish to go to the town, 
a8 experience had taught me that it was best to avoid 
the Mexican settlements. We had not been in one 
_* where the arrieros or teamsters did not get into a row, 
or return to camp in a state of drunkenness. Mr. 
Thurber rode to the town, and purchased a supply of 
corn sufficient to take us to Chihuahua, together with 
some goats, as sheep were not to be had. 
Carrizal is an old dilapidated presidio, and now 
nearly depopulated ; more than half the houses being 
tenantless. The lands about it are rendered fertile by 
ligation, and in former years were cultivated. It 
derived some advantage too from passing travellers 
and caravans, as it is the only town between El Paso 
and Chihuahua. The inhabitants being completely at 
the mercy of the Apaches, they barely gain an exist- 
_ “tee; for these inveterate robbers boldly enter the 
q Place by day and help themselves to what they want; 
