RINGGOLD BARRACKS TO CORPUS CHRISTI. 513 
CHAPTER XLIV. 
4 
RINGGOLD BARRACKS TO CORPUS CHRISTI. 
Rio Grande surveying parties—State of the Survey—Despatches from 
Washington—Proviso affixed by Congress to the appropriation for the 
Commission—Letter of the Hon. Alex. H. H. Stuart, Secretary of the 
Interior—Money withheld—Compelled to disband the Commission and 
return home—Unfortunate situation of the party—Send the train 
and government property to San Antonio—Leave for the coast—The 
grassy prairies of Texas—Sal OColorado—Wells at Santa Teresa— 
Ravages of the Comanches—Night alarm from mustangs—Abundance 
of deer and antelope—Los Olmos—Immense drove of mustangs— 
Exciting race over the prairie—Horse lost—The prairie on fire—Rio 
San Francisco—Agua Dulee—Arrival at Corpus Christi. 
December 22d. At Ringgold Barracks. When I left 
_ lil Paso, it was for the purpose of joining Major Emory 
at this place, in order to complete the survey of the 
Rio Grande. I now learned from this officer that the 
survey had been carried as far down the river as 
Loredo, with the exception of a small space still to be 
covered between the great Chizo Caffon and the Rio 
San Pedro, on which two parties were then operating. 
It was believed that the small portion extending from 
Loredo to the mouth of the river might be finished in 
three or four months. The season was the most favor- 
able for engineering operations, and the parties were 
VOL. I1.—33 
