330 SANTA CRUZ TO 
takes a sudden turn, and leads over the mountains, 
through the much-dreaded Guadalupe Pass. I noticed 
near this spot traces of a large encampment, which Le- 
roux said was one of Colonel Cooke’s in 1846. 
August 4th. We commenced the ascent of the 
mountain immediately after leaving camp; and the 
animals being fresh, we reached the summit of the 
first hills with ease. I took my rifle and set off on 
foot, keeping near the train, as it would have been 
imprudent for the party to scatter in such a place. 
The descent of the first hill was difficult, being full of 
short turns, rocky and very steep. About half way 
down, we took the mules out of my wagon, and let it 
down by hand, the driver taking the pole, while four 
of us held it back until it reached the bottom. The 
baggage and subsistence wagons were got down in 
safety by attaching ropes behind and to one side, to 
which ten or a dozen men held on, thus preventing 
them from upsetting or making a too sudden descent. 
The only vehicle that met with an accident was that 
containing Lieutenant Whipple’s valuable instruments. 
Although more pains were taken with it than with any 
other, it was upset, and its contents thrown out, but 
happily without any damage either to the instruments 
or the wagon. | 
The worst is a chalky hill, near the last in the pass. 
It is exceedingly smooth and ‘steep, with short and 
very abrupt turns, so as to render it impossible to 
double a team, or even hitch six mules together to 
advantage. ‘T'o ascend this place with loaded wagons, 
is impossible. I sent Leroux off in the morning in 
advance with the pack-mules, directing him to pass all 
