EL PASO TO THE COPPER MINES. 197 
CHAPTER IX. 
EL PASO TO THE COPPER MINES. 
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Observations on the Rio Grande, from El Paso to Dona Ana—Establish- 
ment of the Initial Point, and ceremonies connected therewith— 
Description of Dona Ana—Mesilla—Route to Santa Barbara—Visit to 
ruins—Mirage—Route to the River Mimbres—~Luxuriant vegetation on 
its banks—“ Giant of the Mimbres "—Ojo Caliente—A broken arm— 
Arrival at the Copper Mines—Description and history of the Mines— 
Value of the timber in the vicinity—Abundance of game—Scarcity of 
vegetables—Visit to Sonora projected. 
April 19, 1851. The members of the Commission not 
on duty, the Quarter-master and the Commissary, with 
all that appertained to their departments, had already 
taken their departure and established themselves at 
the Copper Mines. Having made my arrangements to 
move this morning, I took leave of my friends with 
many regrets. J had now been at El! Paso five months, 
and departed with the intention of reaching the shores 
of the Pacific before my return. A wild and barren 
region lay before us, destitute of inhabitants save hos- 
tile bands of Indians which roamed over the deserts or 
hid themselves in the fastnesses of the mountains; where 
water was exceedingly scarce, where there was but lit- 
tle sustenance for our animals, and where we could 
expect no assistance in case our provisions fell short. 
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