446 CHIHUAHUA 
the capital to the larger towns at the south and to the 
city of Mexico, is a disgrace to the State, and more so 
to the town within half a mile of it. A few hours’ labor 
would render it safe and permanent; yet no one will 
do it. Each train managed to get over as we did, and 
appearances indicated that it had long been in the 
same plight. 
Encamped at a village a mile from the stream, near 
the grist-mill where we were to obtain our flour. I had 
letters of introduction to the owner, but he was absent. 
He is a gentleman of much enterprise, having at this 
place, in addition to his flouring mill, a cotton gin and 
smelting furnace. The ore is brought from a mine ten 
miles distant. There is no wood near, and the fur- 
naces have to be supplied with fuel by digging-up the 
roots of the mezquit chapporal. Heaps of this lay by 
the road side, from which it is carried on the backs 
of donkeys or men to the furnaces. I learned that the 
mine was not profitable, but that another had been 
discovered, which was to be worked by the same per- 
son, who would bring the ore here to be reduced. 
‘November Ath. Taking an easterly course, we struck 
the main road from San Pablo in four or five miles after 
setting out, when we again turned south-east. The 
road was good, with the same barren plain as yester- 
day. A tire here fell from one of the wagon wheels, 
notwithstanding the thorough overhauling they had 
received at Chihuahua; but such is the dryness of the 
climate, that these accidents will occur in spite of every 
precaution. The result was a detention of two hours, 
to wedge up the tire; after which we pushed on more 
rapidly, and reached Saucillo, said to be twenty-three 
