140 ' ALAMO MUCHO TO 
wagon at this stage of our journey. I therefore sent 
out a party with mules in search, which soon after 
returned, bringing with them a very good vehicle. 
Disasters of this kind are of common occurrence on the 
desert, where mules give out or perish. One of our 
own wagons, in excellent order, was thus abandoned 
by the party which crossed here in January, and was 
soon after made a prize of. Two years previous to 
our crossing the desert, when a large number of emi- 
grants went over it to California, I was told that more 
than a hundred good wagons, with harness, pack-sad- 
dles, and a vast quantity of camp equipage, were scat- 
tered along the road. Many of these were subse- 
quently taken away by parties from the settlements, 
who came out for them with fresh animals; while 
others were broken up and used for fuel, or parts 
taken to restore the injured ones. 
Such was the eventful day of the 6th of June, with 
the heat at 108° Fahrenheit. We pitched our tents, 
and rolled up the sides to catch a little air; but it was 
like the African sirocco, and seemed as though issuing 
from a heated furnace. I found a little bower, about 
three feet high, made of bushes, and covered with raw 
hides, into which I crept, and passed the day. This 
retreat had been constructed by Captain Davidson, 
who the week before our arrival had been here from 
Fort Yuma for the purpose of opening a well. 
June Tth. In camp at Alamo Mucho. Remained 
as quiet as possible, moving only from my tent to my 
little bower. The men were occupied in enlarging 
the well, as it required much time to dip up the 
water, which was done with a bucket. ‘The supply 
8 
