TO THE RIO FLORIDO. . 455 
masses of native iron, or meteorites, in this part of the 
State ; and we made inquiries respecting them as we 
came along. We were here told that they were to be 
found about six leagues distant. Dr. Webb determined 
to avail himself of our detention to examine these masses. 
He accordingly procured a guide in the town, who pro- 
fessed to know where the objects of his inquiry were 
to be found; and taking with him our ten soldiers and 
three others of our party, he set off from camp. He 
expected, from the information given him, that he 
could reach the place in a few hours, and be back early 
in the morning. 
Colonel Doniphan, with the army of the west, left 
this place for Parras by the Bolson de Mapimi. As that 
district of country is now in possession of the Coman- 
ches and Lipans, who are there some thousands strong, 
it is not considered safe for parties of less than one or 
two hundred to attempt it. We avoided it entirely by 
keeping to the west, though it made the route full 
three days longer.* 
November 10th. Dr. Webb returned this morning 
without having found the object of his search. It ap- 
peared that on reaching the place designated, the guide 
became somewhat confused; and on being questioned 
* I take this occasion to express my acknowledgment to Dr. Wisli- 
zenus, whose “ Memoir of a tour through Northern Mexico, connected 
with Colonel Doniphan’s Expedition, in 1846-47,” has been of great ser- 
Vice to me, and. was my only guide from Chihuahua to Guajuquilla— 
and again after leaving Parras, I have great pleasure in testifying to 
the accuracy of this memoir, which is a model of its kind; and I do not 
hesitate to say, that no official report has ever been published by our 
Sovernment, which, in the same space, embraces so much and such ac- 
curate information, ’ 
