182 
EL PASO AND 
CHAPTER YIII. 
EL PASO AND VALLEY OF THE RIO GRANDE. 
Early colonization of Mexico — Position of El Paso — Mode of irrigation — -Ag- 
ricultural productions — Vegetables — Fruits — Extensive culture of the 
grape — Wine — Brandy — The Rio Grande — Deficiency of water — Uncer- 
tainty of crops — Houses — How built — Oriental style preserved — Pri- 
mitive mode of life — Flour mills — Degeneracy of people — Dress — Set- 
tlement on the American side — Coon’s Rancho — Magofiinsville — Socorro 
— San Eleazario — Mountain chains — Plants — Current and sinuosity of 
the Rio Grande. 
In a work like the present, which professes to be a 
“personal narrative,” it can hardly be expected that 
much space should be devoted to an historical or geo- 
graphical description of the countries visited. Such 
digressions are important only as illustrations of the 
narrative, and must necessarily be limited. It was my 
intention to devote a chapter to these subjects, so far 
as they relate to New Mexico ; but after looking over 
my materials, I find them so ample respecting the 
discovery and colonization of this country and the 
almost unexplored region between it and California, 
that the subject would fill half a volume if I gave it 
the attention it really deserved. There is no portion 
of the early history of this continent, whether it be that 
