TO DELAWARE CREEK. 
101 
former, sometimes appearing in groups, seemed like 
bodies of men ; and many were ready to see an Indian 
in every resemblance to them wMcb our journey 
afforded. Passed the carcasses of five oxen lying about 
the road ; from which we concluded that they had 
belonged to some emigrant train, and had dropped 
down from exhaustion, and perished where they fell. 
Their lank bodies were dried up with the skins still 
adhering to them, showing that even wolves .do not 
attempt to find a subsistence on this desolate plain. The 
remains of wagons were also seen along the road, and 
furnished our cook with fire-wood, an article which he 
had had much difiiculty in procuring since leaving the 
Concho Eiver, and particularly since we struck the 
region near the Pecos. Small brushwood and the 
roots of mezquit bushes had been our resort for fire- 
wood for several days. Perhaps it was well for us that 
we had no fine joints of meat or steaks to cook, with 
such fuel ; but to fry a bit of pork, to boil some beans, 
and make coffee, which constituted our chief cooking, 
a little dry brush answered very well. 
We had another windfall to-day in meeting with 
two oxen, which were pursued and taken. They 
proved rather lean ; nevertheless they were an impor- 
tant addition to our stock of provisions. Took only 
their hind quarters, which would last as long as they 
could be preserved. Meat may be kept in this region 
by cutting it into strips and drying it in the sun ; but 
we had not time to do this. 
Stopped to water, and to our surprise found a beau- 
tiful fall in the river, eight or ten feet in height. 
It flowed between high banks of clay, resting on a 
