SANTA ANNA. 111 
travellers in so dangerous a country. In a few hours we 
came within five miles of the San Ignacio River, upon which 
stream there are numerous settlements. Here we halted 
and slept out the remainder of the night, having completed 
about forty miles since starting in the morning. 
Just as we were making a fresh start a suspicious-looking 
_ ruffian rode up to us, and wanted to know where we were. 
going. We told him we were going all over 
the country, and showed him how beautifully 
six cartridges were packed away in the butt of our carbines, 
after which he took himself off. 
Van Alstine had a friend at Santa Anna, a young Mexican 
dandy, who thought no small beer of himself. He had been to 
Europe and the States, and had made a good deal of money 
as a miller in his native village since his return. He spoke 
English fluently, and gave us some really good coffee for 
breakfast, after which we went on our way. At the little 
town of Santa Anna we struck the high road from Magdalena, 
the largest settlement on the San Ignacio River, and followed it 
for the rest of the way to Hermosillo. At Barajitta, a small 
| mining village twelve miles from Santa Anna, I obtained a 
fine specimen of gold quartz. About twenty-six miles further 
we came to some tanks close to the point where a trail from 
Alameda joins the main road, and as we had made nearly 
: forty miles since morning, we concluded to halt; so, after 
watering our mules, filling our canteens and tin cans, and 
| going a couple of miles away from the water-tanks for safety, 
we again took refuge in the woods, lighted a little fire, and 
cooked our evening meal. 
‘What would the traveller do without coffee? Of all 
things it is the most necessary ; it matters little what you 
‘ have to eat, provided it fills the vacant place within, for all 
Dec. 8. 
