CHAPTER VII. 
From Albuquerque to Pueblo de la Laguna. 
Detention upon Rio Grande for supplies.—Plotting of notes.—Information regarding the country west.—Sitgreaves’ route.— 
Walker’s route.—Aubrey’s route.—Employment of guides.—Geological reconnaissance to Zandia mountain and to the gold 
m i nes .—Examination upon the Del Norte for a suitable place for a bridge.—Pueblo of Isleta.—Bosque de los Pinos.—Military 
post at Las Lunas.—Arrival of Lieut. Ives and party from El Paso.—Magnetic and astronomical instruments.—Remarks upon 
the mode of using them.—Division of the party.—Continuation of the survey via Isleta to Rio Puerco and the San Jose 
valley.—Direct route from Albuquerque to Rita.—Coal in the valley of Rio Puerco.—EL Alamo.—Ruins of Rita.—Rancho 
Colorado.—Pueblo de la Laguna. 
November 7— Albuquerque. —Upon our arrival here, Indian depredations and anticipated 
troubles upon the Mexican frontier caused considerable excitement throughout the Territory. 
The troops were actively employed in scouts or in preparations for serious encounters. General 
Garland, the commanding officer of the department, being upon a tour of observation in the 
southern portion of the Territory, the acting commissary remaining at this post was unwilling 
to take the responsibility of diminishing the supply of stores on hand, by furnishing the sub¬ 
sistence required for our party for the remainder of the survey. Not being able to purchase 
elsewhere, we were obliged to await the return of the commanding general. He arrived on the 
21st ultimo, and immediately directed every assistance to he granted us that his department 
could afford. Provisions have been received, and arrangements this day completed for our 
departure. 
During the detention referred to, the party has been actively employed in operations incident 
to the work. The notes of the survey from Fort Smith have been plotted and sent to the 
department at Washington, thereby duplicating the work and diminishing the chances of losing 
the results of our labor. Our means of transportation have been made as complete as circum¬ 
stances would permit. Information regarding the country we propose to traverse, has been 
derived from every available source. By the Topographical Bureau we had been furnished 
with a tracing from Captain Sitgreaves’ map of a reconnaissance to Rio Colorado in 1851; and 
here we have had intercourse with persons from each party of white men known to have visited 
the region near the line of our proposed operations. Mr. Antony Thomas very kindly has 
made for us a sketch, from memory, of Mr. Walker’s route in 1851, upon which extraordinary 
difficulties were encountered. Mr. Tully, a companion of Mr. Aubrey in his recent trip from 
California, has given a description of the country over which he passed. Mr. Aubrey himself 
has since confirmed the statements of his friend, cautioning us to avoid his trail as being unsuita¬ 
ble for our operations. We have conversed with Jose Manuel Savedra, a New Mexican who pro¬ 
fesses to have accompanied the Moqui Indians upon an expedition against the Mojaves; and 
also with the guide Antoine Leroux. The information derived from these sources regarding the 
country between Zuni and the Colorado river is exceedingly unfavorable; hut as no one has yet 
traversed the entire route designated in our instructions, it is possible that the difficulties 
encountered by other parties may he avoided by our own. In order to omit nothing that may 
contribute to success, we have secured the services both of Leroux and Savedra for the journey. 
Several reconnaissances have been made during our stay here, in the vicinity of Rio Grande. 
The botanist and geologist passed through the canon of Carnuel to San Antonio, and ascended 
to the top of Zandia mountain; which, from measurement by triangulation from Albuquerque, 
is found to he seven thousand feet above the valley of the river, and twelve thousand feet above 
