EXTRACTS EXHIBITING CHARACTER OF COUNTRY. 
11 
be dwelt upon, when the dreadful sufferings and hardships experienced by the immense emi¬ 
gration to California since 1849 are duly considered. The establishment of such a route will 
put an end forever to dangers and privations which have proved fatal to so many of our citizens, 
and will not only facilitate our military operations in the Indian country, but will open to set¬ 
tlement and cultivation a region eminently adapted to agricultural purposes. 
To exhibit briefly the character of the country along the immediate line of survey, I append 
a few extracts from the note-books of the expedition. 
EXTRACTS. 
February 21.—Hueco Tanks. Eain-water in natural tanks; wood and grass. From El Paso 
to Hueco Tanks, country has a very gentle slope; is covered with fine grama-grass, and has a 
sandy soil. 
February 22.—Cerro Alto. No water; brush for wood; good grass. North and west of the 
canon of the Cerro Alto, a range of hills with sloping sides. Road to-day rocky. 
February 23.—Sierra de los Alamos. Springs on the side of the mountain; good grass; 
cacti for wood; 'country gently undulating; road good. 
February 24.—Los Cornudos. Water in natural tanks; wood and grass; country rolling; 
road rocky in places. 
February 25.—No water; cacti for wood ; fine grass; country level; road good. 
February 26.—Ojo del Cuerbo. Fine springs—water slightly sulphureous; small brush for 
wood; poor grass; country gently rolling; road generally good; rocky in places. Ground 
near the salt lakes covered with a white efflorescence of salt. 
February 2*7.—West face of Guadalupe mountains. No water; cacti for wood; fine grama- 
grass ; country ascending; road not very good; some sand. 
February 28.—Head of canon in the Guadalupe Pass. Springs; grass and wood not very 
good ; road rocky and bad. 
March 1.—Pinery on the east slope of the Guadaluph mountains. Water, wood, and grass 
in the greatest abundance. Fine pine forests on the mountain-sides; road not very good; 
rocky in places. 
March 2.—Independence Spring. Fine springs; thickets of scsub-oak, and good grass; road 
gravelly and good; country with a gently descending slope. 
March 3.—Head of Delaware creek. Several mineral springs, and one remarkably fine one 
of fresh water; dwarf cedar in the vicinity; good grass; country rolling; road rocky in places. 
March 6 and 7.—On Delaware creek. Water, wood, and grass; country undulating; road 
good. 
March 8.—On the Pecos, at the mouth of Delaware creek. Water, (slightly brackish ;) fine 
grass; roots of mezquite for wood; road good. 
April 8.—On the Llano Estacado. No water; fine grass; brush and roots for wood; country 
ascending and undulating; road, for a few miles, rocky; the remainder of it good and firm; 
from the Pecos to this camp, country covered with fine grama-grass. 
April 9.—On Llano Estacado. No water; grass not very good; roots and brush for wood; 
country undulating; sandy for a portion of the distance; grass not very good in the sand, but 
good elsewhere; abundance of game where the grass is good; saw chain of white sand-hills 
towards the south, about thirty miles off. 
April 10.—On Llano Estacado. No water; good grass; roots for wood; country gently undu¬ 
lating and sandy. In the sand the grass was a coarse red bunch-grass, about two feet and a 
half high. Range of white sand-hills towards the south, in sight all day. 
April 11.—Sulphur springs of the Colorado. Water and grass good; roots in abundance in 
the vicinity, for wood; country nearly level; road hard and good; fine grass all day; game 
and mustangs seen all day. 
