200 EL PASO 
April 20th. Moved from camp at 7 o’clock, and 
continued our journey along the bottom. Whenever 
we approached the river, there were more trees, fine 
groves of large cotton-wood, with occasional mezquit 
marking the valley. The road is excellent, and con- 
tinues so without any repairs, except after rains, when 
it becomes almost impassible. At such times, wagons 
pursue a course lying at a distance from the bottom, 
and over the edge of the gravelly plateau, which 1s 
never affected by rains. The soil of the whole valley 
or bottom of the Rio Grande, is not surpassed for 
fertility, in the world. One thing alone is lacking to 
render it at all times productive, namely, water. For 
the want of this, a large portion of this rich bottom 18 — 
destitute of grass, and has but little shrubbery. | 
Passed the small town of Cruces, a recently estab- 
lished place, eight miles from Dofia Ana, soon after, 
where we soon arrived. As the train was still several 
miles behind, I accepted the invitation of Captain 
Buford of the Dragoons, to take up my quarters with 
him. 
April 23d. Crossed the Rio Grande to the camp 
of Mr. Salazar, the Astronomer of the Mexican Com- 
mission, to learn if General Condé had arrived. After 
wards rode to the neighboring hills, across which the 
line would pass, with the view of selecting a conspict- 
ous spot fora monument. The bank near the river 
not being sufficiently elevated, I determined to place 
a small monument with inscriptions there, and to erect 
a large pyramidal one on a lofty conical-shaped hill, 
which itself appeared like an artificial structure at 4 
