44 
WILLIAMS 1 PASS.—SAND-HILLS. 
abrupt, terminating at its summit less favorably for a road than Roubideau’s Pass. It is followed 
by a large Indian trail. Captain Gunnison did not deem it necessary to pursue the exploration 
further, and we left this pass having only made our entrance and exit at its western portal. Turn¬ 
ing the southern base of the sand-hills, over the lowest of which we rode for a short distance, 
our horses half burying their hoofs only on ihe windward slopes, but sinking to their knees on 
the opposite, we for some distance followed the bed of the stream from the pass, now sunk in 
the sand, and then struck off across the sandy plain, which here extends far into the valley, 
and is very uneven, the clumps of artemisia fixing in place large heaps of sand, while the 
intermediate spaces are swept out by the wind. As we rose a sand-knoll a few miles from 
camp, we were made aware of its position on Sand creek, by a light cloud of dust raised by 
the furious charge of frightened horses dashing over the plain; and before we reached it, at 
dark, we came up with Lieutenant Baker, who had succeeded in recovering all his stampeded 
horses. Distance 10 miles. 
August 26.—Our route lay over the sandy plain to the north of Sand creek, which flows around 
the north base of the sand-hills, sinking in the plain near our camp. The sand was so heavy 
that we were six hours and a half in making ten miles—the sand being succeeded, on the last two 
miles, by a light, friable soil, and heavy growth of artemisia. We encamped on Chatillon’s 
creek, in which we could only obtain water by digging in its sandy bed. A few scattered cot¬ 
ton-woods are the only trees upon these streams, on which willow bushes also flourish. The 
mountain sides and ravines are dark with low-branching cedar and pine; but they are generally 
of too small a size to be of any use except for fuel. 
August 27.—In our course to-day we approached nearer the base of the mountains on the 
eastern line of the valley, the soil being still sandy, but much less so than for the last two days. 
The sage, however, being no less luxuriant, forced us constantly to wind about to avoid the thick¬ 
est patches. A few small spots of prairie-grass were passed, and marsh-grass grew luxuriantly 
for a few hundred yards on either side of two small creeks which we crossed, one of which, Trois 
Tetons, deriving its name from the peaks whence it descends, was so miry that it turned us a mile 
directly towards the mountains before we could effect a crossing. To our left we could see fine 
prairie-grass fields, directly in the course to the Coochetopa Pass, for which we were travelling 
around the valley; but the guide warned us of marshes, and the attempt was not made to cross 
them. Thirteen miles from camp we reached a fine meadow of bottom-grass a mile in width, 
extending from the base of the mountains far out into the plain, through the centre of which 
winds a fine stream of mountain water, named, after our guide, Leroux creek. A few grouse and 
sand-hill cranes were frightened from their retreat as we came to camp. Deer also were seen 
here and on the mountain bases a few miles distant. Our hunter supplies us with venison; but 
while pursuing a wounded buck, an hour ago, was driven in by a bear, which disputed the pas¬ 
sage to the prey. The sharp edges and needle forms of the summits of the Sierra Blanca, rising 
3,000 feet above the valley, attract much admiration at our camp to-night; and the promising 
opening in the Sierra San Juan, to the southwest, which allured Colonel Fremont to the disaster 
of 1848-’49, attracts its full sham of attention and comment, some of the gentlemen of our party 
having participated in that misfortune. The pea-vine and barley-grass grow here, thinly scat¬ 
tered on favorite spots; but the surface of the ground, over large spaces,-is often covered with 
effloresced salts. 
August 29.—Our course bore strongly to the west to-day in nearly a direct line for the entrance 
to the Coochetopa Pass—keeping, however, somewhat to the north to secure a good crossing at 
Homans’ creek, on which we are encamped—there being large marshes further to the south, and 
the dams of the beaver, which are numerous, flowing the water back to some extent. Our march 
was only six miles to this fine little stream, with a meadow of grass on each side, of a mile in 
width. Two varieties of currants, a black and a beautiful yellow, grow in and around our 
camp in great abundance, and are thought very delicious by the party. 
