TO EL PASO. 
135 
which rises ten miles in the rear of El Paso. North- 
east of them were the El Paso Mountains, on the east- 
ern bank of the river, which unite with the Organ 
Mountains or “ Sierra de los Organos,” whose pinna- 
cles and jagged summits could be distinctly seen about 
sixty miles to the north-west. To the north, at a great 
distance. Mount Soledad was dimly seen ; while at the 
south the long line of horizon was only broken by low 
hills, on the Mexican side of the river. A road branched 
off just beyond the low hills we had passed, leading to 
the town of Isleta, in a southerly direction. Our 
course now lay south-west, over a sandy and desert 
plain, covered with low mezquit chapporal. Grama 
grass grew in tufts or little patches here and there ; 
which, though dry and apparently without sustenance, 
is eagerly eaten by mules. The country was exceed- 
ingly monotonous ; and our tired animals could scarcely 
drag their loads through the deep sand, which con- 
tinued the whole way without interruption. W e kept 
rising gradually over the undulating table land which 
borders the Rio Grande, until at length we reached 
its highest level. Here the valley of that long looked- 
for river opened upon us. A line of foliage of the 
richest green with occasional patches of bright yellow 
and brown marked its course. The first autumnal 
tinge, which in our northern forests so beautifully indi- 
cates the earliest frost and reminds us of the coming 
winter, is here likewise apparent. But there is not 
that diversity of hue as with us,— no rich crimson, scarlet 
and purple ; which is easily accounted for by the want 
of variety in the Mexican forest. Here the cotton-wood 
alone is found. Soon the houses were seen peeping 
