PREFACE. 
V 
Sonora, Chihuahua, and other Mexican States, are given 
with much detail on the topics mentioned ; which I fear 
will render this itinerary dry to many, although to 
others it will give the book its chief value. 
I have divided my narrative into distinct journeys, 
each complete in itself The first is from Indianola, 
on the coast of Texas, where the Commission disem- 
barked, via San Antonio and the northern route (not 
now travelled), to El Paso del Norte, about 850 miles. 
A second to the Copper Mines of New Mexico, in the 
Rocky Mountains near the Rio Gila, with a residence 
there of several months. ' A third to the interior of 
Sonora, and back. A fourth from the Copper Mines 
along the boundary line south of the Gila to the Rio' 
San Pedro, and thence through another portion of 
Sonora to Guaymas on the Gulf of California. Fifth, 
a voyage from Guaymas to Mazatlan and Acapulco, 
and thence to San Diego, and San Francisco. Sixth, 
various journeys in California. Seventh, a journey 
from San Diego, by the Colorado and Gila rivers, to 
El Paso del Norte. And lastly, a journey through the 
States of Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas, New Le.on, 
Tamaulipas, and the south-western corner of Texas, to 
Corpus Christi on the Gulf of Mexico. These several 
journeys embrace an extent of nearly 5,000 miles by 
land. 
With reference to the aboriginal tribes, I have 
described with minuteness only those with which I 
