476 RIO FLORIDO 
side into a trough of stone about four feet wide and a 
hundred in length. Here the animals were watered, 
though it was with some difficulty we could get the 
timid mules to drink from such a respectable-looking 
affair. The Indians attacked this place shortly before 
our arrival, took every mule and head of cattle, and 
drove off the inhabitants; since which time it has been 
abandoned. ! 
November 22d. The country had now become 
.very hilly and rough, with bad roads. On descending 
a hill, a linch-pin was thrown from one of the wagons, 
letting the axle down with so much force, that the 
end of it was. broken off and spoiled. Having some 
pieces of hard wood in the train, the end was cut off 
and a piece spliced on, a very difficult job, causing @ 
detention of four hours. ‘To ease this axle as much as 
possible, a portion of the load of this wagon was trans- 
ferred to the others. We now proceeded cautiously, 
the road still winding among mountains, and at eight 
o’clock p.m. reached the river Buenaval, having made 
twenty-five miles. This is a small stream which rises 
in the State of Zacatecas, and, running north, empties 
into the Laguna de Parras, in the Bolson de-Mapimi. 
It has no bottom-land where we crosséd it; and hence 
is destitute of the cotton-wood trees which are so grati- 
fying to the eye amid the general barrenness. 
November 23d. My intention on leaving this morn- 
ing was to go to the Alamo de Parras, about thirty- 
five miles distant; but an hour or two after we had 
started, our spliced axle-tree gave out, which compelled 
us to stop at the Norva de Pozo Calvo, a well similar to 
that of Curefia. On examination we found it necessary 
