TO EL PASO. 117 
pork was cooked, which, with hard bread, was stowed 
inside, while the unoccupied space inside and out was 
filled with bedding. A tent could not be taken, as 
the carriage was already too heavily burdened. 
November 9th. Up at four o’clock ; took a hearty 
breakfast, and was ready to move as soon as there 
was sufficient light to see the road. Started at a lively 
pace, intending to make a good march. The road was 
quite tortuous, winding among and over hills, in a 
direction nearly west, towards the bold head of the 
great Guadalupe Mountain, which had been before us 
some eight or ten days. This isa most remarkable 
landmark, rising as it does far above all other objects, 
and terminating abruptly about three thousand feet 
above the surrounding plain. The sterra or mountain 
range which ends with it, comes from the north- 
east. It is a dark, gloomy-looking range, with bold 
and forbidding sides, consisting of huge piles of rocks, 
their debris heaped far above the surrounding hills. 
As it approaches its termination the color changes to a 
pure white, tinted with buff or light orange, presenting 
a beautiful contrast with other portions of the range, 
or with the azure blue of the sky beyond ; for in this 
elevated region the heavens have a remarkable bril- 
liancy and depth of color. 
The low hills we passed are woodless, and sparsely 
covered with grass. Limestone occasionally protrudes 
from the hills, while the soil is hard and gravelly, with 
an occasional patch of sand. Stopped to water the 
animals at the head waters of Delaware Creek, probably 
Walnut Creek, about fifteen miles from camp, when we 
continued our course towards the mene of the Guada- 
