VALLEY OF THE RIO GRANDE. 
183 
of the first establishment of the pilgrims in New Eng- 
land, the labors of the zealous Catholics in Canada, or 
the planting of the colonies in Yirginia, that can vie 
with the extraordinary adventures and sufferings of 
the pioneers who first traversed the broad prairies and 
deserts of the central portions of our continent. Long 
before the consecration of Plymouth Kock, the religion 
of Christ had been made known to the Indians of 
New Mexico ; the country of the buffalo was visited ; 
the Rocky Mountains were scaled ; and the Gila^ and 
Colorado Rivers, which in our day are attracting so 
much interest as novelties, were passed again and 
again by the persevering and energetic Spaniard. 
The broad continent, too, to cross which, with all the 
advantages we possess, requires a whole season, was 
traversed from ocean to ocean before Raleigh, or Smith, 
or the Pilgrim Fathers had touched our shores. The 
topic is too prolific to be crowded into a journal of 
travels ; and requires much study, and a careful examina- 
tion of the numerous Spanish manuscripts and early 
books in which the remarkable adventures alluded to 
are related. 
The geography of New Mexico, and of the other 
countries visited by the Boundary Commission, is also 
a subject of deep interest, and requires more space 
than can possibly be given to it at this time. I shall 
therefore say no more than is necessary to make the 
reader familiar with the prominent features of the par- 
ticular region over which he follows us, and of the 
towns and villages through which we pass. With 
this understanding, I shall give a brief account of El 
Paso, and the adjacent district. 
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