AND VISIT TO CASAS GRANDES. 347 
we should pass on our way to El Paso, the superinten- 
dent gave me a note to the mayor-domo at the mine, 
after which we resumed our journey. 
Following the river, which we crossed near Bar- 
ranca, we kept down the valley about sixteen miles, 
when we came to a beautiful grove of large cotton- 
wood trees, extending from the river across the bottom 
to the very bank or edge of the plateau, which here 
rises from twenty to twenty-five feet above the valley. 
Passing this grove, we suddenly emerged into a broad 
and luxuriant valley or bottom, extending as far as the 
eye could reach towards the south. From the pla- 
teau, we could trace the course of the stream by the 
deep green foliage of the long line of cotton-woods 
which grow on its banks. 
From the point where I stood IJ noticed, about a 
mile distant, the ruins of a large building on the verge 
of the plateau, near which the road passed. As we 
approached, several others of lesser dimensions were 
seen, both on the plateau and in the bottom near its 
base. It required but a glance at these buildings to 
show what they were, the first being a church, with its 
entire walls standing, together with a portion of its 
tower. Remains of tombs were also visible; but from 
the decayed and weather-worn appearance of the walls, 
the church had long been abandoned. The ruins near 
were those of haciendas and ranchos, some of them 
quite extensive; from which I| inferred that the town 
was originally here, though it now stands two miles 
beyond. 
As we entered the town, which bears on account of 
these ruins the name of Casas Grandes, we attracted 
