EL PASO. 
167 
day ; several officers of the United States army stationed 
here were also among the guests. In the evening, I 
invited the principal citizens of the town to a ball 
and supper, and was honored by the attendance of 
about fifty ladies. Mr. Magoffin, whose house, in 
which I had my quarters, was the most spacious on the 
river, threw the whole open for the occasion, giving 
me thereby ample accommodations for the large party 
which had assembled. But as the greater portion of 
the company lived on the opposite bank of the river, 
it was no easy matter to get them together. I there- 
fore sent my carriage, and others that were kindly 
furnished me, for my guests ; and as it was between 
three and four miles from my quarters to El Paso, 
including the fording of the Rio Grande, it was neces- 
sary to begin fetching them at the unfashionable hour 
of four o’clock in the afternoon. The river had to be 
forded by daylight, in consequence of the frequent 
changes in the channel and the bars."^ 
I was quite at a loss for furniture and fittings for 
my entertainment. Chairs were borrowed of the 
* Accidents often happened in fording the river at night. But a 
short time previous a party of Americans, with ladies, in attempting to 
cross when it was quite dark, missed their way, and nearly perished. 
Their carriage remained more than an hour filled with water in the 
middle of the river. They could not land except at the regular fording 
.place, as the banks were steep : and they were only rescued by making 
themselves heard by people near the shore. I once got into a similar 
dilemma myself. I and my companions had to get out of the carriage 
windows and stand upon the tops of the wheels, while the driver was 
sent for assistance. Several Mexicans came, and, taking one on each 
of their backs, carried us safely on shore, though a little the worse for 
our immersion. 
