102 
HORSE-HEAD CROSSING 
base of conglomerate, over whicli it dasbed with a life 
and beauty which contrasted pleasantly with its usual 
dark and treacherous flow. The banks near the fall 
are high and perpendicular, and expose many thin 
strata of various brightly colored deposits of sa,nd and 
marl, presenting a singularly beautiful ribbon-like 
appearance. A small island or rock, overgrown with 
rushes, divided the fall. On tasting the water, it was 
found to be less brackish than at the Crossing. This 
fall is not noticed on the maps of the country. Passed 
a stray mule, which, looking plump and strong, I felt 
desirous to transfer to our wagons. Two or three 
men went in pursuit of him with lariats ; but he out- 
stripped them all, and disappeared in the chapporal. 
At four o’clock, stopped on the bank of the river, 
near a rapid, where we found the water accessible, 
and excellent grass for our animals. 
Finding our stock of provisions was fast diminish- 
ing, I ordered an account taken of them. There 
proved to be but three hundred and sixty pounds of 
hard bread, or about ten pounds for each man, which 
was accordingly divided in this proportion among all. 
With the usual allowance of a pound a day for each, 
there was bread enough for ten days. As we could 
hardly expect to reach El Paso within that time, each 
man could govern himself accordingly, and save as 
much as possible for an emergency. But scanty as 
was our stock, it was unfit to be eaten, being com- 
pletely riddled with weevils. Hundreds of these insects 
were found in a single biscuit. To remove them was 
out of the question ; and there was no alternative but 
to shut the eyes and munch away. Of salt pork there 
