TO THE COPPER MINES. 221 
into the plain, and again contracting its dimensions 
among the hills, until it finally lost itself in a high 
range of mountains to the north. This was the long- 
talked-of River Mimbres, the third stream we had seen 
since passing the small water-courses which empty into 
the Colorado, in our journey from San Antonio to EI 
Paso, the Pecos and the Rio Grande being the other 
two. As we were now on the descent, with a smooth 
road, my mules dashed off at full speed in advance of 
the train, followed by the young men on horseback; 
for all were pretty well tired of the desert, and 
longed to feast their eyes on running water again; 
and the ten miles which separated us from the bank 
above the valley were soon passed over. . 
When we reached the verge of the hills which bound 
the valley of the river, a sight truly refreshing present- 
ed itself. The bottom for nearly a mile in width was 
covered with verdure, such as we had not seen since 
leaving the rich valleys near Fredericksburg, in Texas. 
As we rode rapidly forward, we noticed a herd of 
about twenty black-tailed deer quietly grazing on the 
luxuriant grass of the valley. Disturbed in their soli- 
tude by the rattling of the carriage and the tramping 
of the horsemen, they dashed away over the plain in 
single file, led by a large buck. We traced their 
Course for some distance, as they bounded over the 
hills, until lost in the mountain ravines. Nearer the 
river, other deer of the same species were seen brows- 
ing upon the willows, which, in like manner, darted 
off at our approach. : 
We pitched our tents beneath a grove of cotton- 
Wood trees, at a short distance from the river, when 
