124 
DELAWARE CREEK 
a day, and would therefore require six days to reach 
their place of destination. The train here was in 
charge of Mr. Percy, who, after waiting several weeks 
in the hope that there would be rain, had sent a mes- 
senger to the commanding officer at El Paso, inform- 
ing him of his situation, and requesting assistance. 
Parties were now on their way from the Rio Grande, 
bringing water in barrels, which were to be deposited 
at several points for the use of the animals, to enable 
them to complete their journey. 
On approaching the encampment we were sur- 
rounded by sixty or seventy teamsters, who, ragged, 
dirty, and unshaven, crowded around us; for, with 
the exception of Mr. Thurber and his party, who had 
stopped here the day before, they had seen no one 
from the “States” since their departure from- San 
Antonio in June. They had had a long and painful 
journey to this place, and suffered much for the want 
of water. Their animals had given out in many places, 
which had caused hundreds to . left behind ; and 
many of their wagons had been uisabled or rendered 
useless for want of means to draw them. Besides 
draught animals, a large herd, embracing several hun- 
dred beef cattle, had been driven with the train ; 
and among these there had been great mortality. The 
stray cattle we had seen, and a few of which we had 
secured, were doubtless some which had luckily been 
left near a spot where there was grass and water, 
which enabled them to recover their strength. 
Mr. Percy, the gentleman in charge of the wagons, 
gave us a warm reception, and kindly offered to let me 
have the provisions I was so desirous to procure for the 
