CHAPTER XI. 
From New Years Spring to Pueblo Creek. 
Lava spring.—Cedar creek.—Partridge creek.—Game.—Reconnaissance towards Picacho mountain.—Picacho springs.—Val de 
China.—Turkey creek.—Pueblo creek.—Aztec mountains.—Aztec Pass.—Return to Pueblo creek.—Ruins of ancient pueblos 
and fortresses.—Arrival of train. 
January 8— Camp 95.—Having resumed our journey, we proceeded over a country with a 
generally uniform slope; appearing beautifully smooth at a distance, hut cut up hy ravines 
which made rather laborious work for the train. At a distance of ten miles from New Year’s 
spring, at the head of a canon formed hy the breaking up of a bed of lava, we found a magnifi¬ 
cent pool of water, and there encamped. The basin was about thirty feet in diameter, and 
covered with ice half afoot thick. Holes were cut to allow the mules to drink; and a pole 
eight feet long inserted to measure the depth, hut the bottom was not reached. In furnishing 
the supply required for camp, no visible depression was made. It was not so with New Year’s 
spring. During the four days that the party was encamped there, the water was several times 
consumed, and snow was melted to aid in furnishing a supply. 
The average descent to-day has been about fifty feet per mile. With moderate cutting and 
filling the grade could be made uniform. The wagon road, now that it is broken, would he 
quite good for a train following. The astronomical observations were interrupted hy clouds. 
This was particularly regretted, as thereby was lost an occultation of Saturn by the moon. 
January 9— Camp 96.—Our course from Lava spring, nearly west, was for three miles over a 
country similar to that travelled yesterday. We then commenced the descent of an arroyo ; 
which, soon entering a rocky ravine, compelled the train to ascend the side of a hill, about one 
hundred and thirty-five feet, to the summit of a ridge. A dense growth of tall cedars and 
pinons covered the ground, and while most of the party were scattered through it in search of a 
gradual slope for a favorable descent, the train moved on and rushed down the steep side of the 
ridge, nearly upsetting some of the wagons. It would have been easy to have passed hy a 
ravine that was found to the right. Having travelled ten miles, we encamped in the valley, 
near a cedar grove, where we found good grass as usual, and a patch of snow upon the hill¬ 
side which supplied us with water. The geologist found iron pyrites to-day; also fossils, in 
carboniferous limestone. As coal lies between this formation and the new red sandstone, which 
occurs a few miles distant, it is possible that a bed of that useful mineral may exist in this 
region. The total descent in ten miles has been 500 feet. 
January 10— Camp 97.—We traversed the fine valley of Cedar creek, and passed westwardly 
over an almost inappreciable ridge into a wide ravine; which, by a gradual descent, led into 
the great basin of the Black Forest. Thence four miles south brought us to large pools of water 
in a rocky glen called Partridge creek. It is believed that water exists here at all seasons. Our 
camp ground is excellent; possessing, as usual, rich grama-grass, and large cedar trees for fuel 
and shelter. Game is abundant. A black-tailed deer and many partridges were killed to-day. 
The latter have been seen in great numbers. Upon their heads are tufted plumes, like those 
of the California partridges. Tracks of deer, antelope, hears, and turkeys are numerous. 
Hares and rabbits are frequently started from their hiding-places upon our trail. Singularly 
colored gophers, rats, and mice are found in hollow trees and crevices of rocks. 
The volcanic hills and streams of lava we have traversed put our magnetic instruments to 
great confusion. To-day, a compass having been placed upon a small boulder of compact lava, 
