146 
EVENTS AT 
Organos, or Organ Mountains, and approaches within 
two miles of the river, where it drops off into spurs 
of about two hundred feet in height. These hills or 
spurs cross the Rio Grande, and unite with another 
range eight or ten miles to the west. It is through 
these spurs or lesser range of limestone hills that the 
river has forced its way. 
November Wi. In company with the officers of 
the Boundary Commission, I attended to-day a public 
dinner given to us by the civil authorities of El Paso. 
The officers of the United States army, stationed oppo- 
site the town, were among the guests, as well as the 
principal citizens of the place. The dinner was served 
up in true Mexican style, with a great variety of 
dishes; and, with the exception of vegetables, of 
which there is a great deficiency in the country, the 
entertainment would have been creditable even in our 
Atlantic cities. The wine drank on the occasion was 
Champagne, claret, and vino del jpais^ or wine of the 
country. The latter was an excellent article, the best 
I ever found at EFPaso. When the cloth was removed, 
toasts were drunk, and some songs sung. The best 
feeling existed throughout the evening, and the affair 
terminated to the satisfaction of all present. 
November 23d Accompanied by Major Yan Horne 
and several gentlemen of the Commission, I went to 
pay my respects to the Bishop of Durango, then on 
his return from a visit to New Mexico. He was a 
venerable man of about seventy years, with a counte-. 
nance exhibiting great benevolence and intelligence. 
I found him affable and courteous in his manner, fond 
of conversation, and manifesting a deep interest in the 
