APPENDIX A.—DIARY OF THE EXPEDITION. 
55 
trees near the springs, and nowhere else in the vicinity. The water is difficult of access. It 
issues from seven holes, and is supplied from springs in the rocks; there was sufficient for every 
purpose. Good grass; no wood; brush around camp for cooking. The animals having been 
watered, were fed with corn, and tied to the wagons until 2 o’clock a. m., when they were 
hobbled and turned out to graze until after sunrise. Observations for the time were made 
during the day. A strong guard posted as usual. General direction, north 70° east; miles, 
20 t V 
Camp No. 8— Friday, February 24, 1854.—Left camp at 9 o’clock a. m., moving in the 
direction of the Cornudos mountain. There is a fine gravelly road from our last camp'fo this 
mountain ; there are some hills in the course of it, but they do not present any difficulty. We 
reached our camp, the Cornudos, about 2 o’clock p. m. This mountain is about five hundred 
feet high, and consists of huge masses of rock scattered in the utmost disorder and confusion. 
The water (as at the Huecos) is contained in reservoirs in the rock, and is very difficult to reach. 
There was sufficient for all purposes. Grass good; wood plenty. On the east of the mount¬ 
ain there is a cavern, entered by an arched doorway, receiving light through an opening in the 
roof, in which there was a well (now filled with sand) which, it is said, at one time contained 
twelve feet of water. There are also many other places here equally curious and interesting. 
The geological formation of these rocks differs from those of the Huecos, as they consist of a 
kind of granite or gneiss. The weather was colder this day than we had experienced since we 
left Dona Ana. The animals, immediately on our arrival in camp, were watered, hobbled, and 
turned out to graze, having been first fed with corn. As usual, a strong guard was posted 
during the night. Observations for the time were made during the day, and also at night for 
the latitude, but without satisfactory results, as the night clouded up. As we could not reach 
water on the next day’s march, the casks were all filled. Although a great quantity had been 
used from the reservoirs, there did not appear to be any diminution of the water in them. A 
little rain came down about 4 o’clock p. m. General direction, north 45° east; miles, 9. 
Camp No. 9— Saturday, February 25, 1854.—Left camp at 11 o’clock a. m. The mules and 
stock were allowed to graze until 10 o’clock a. m., when they were all watered. Before leaving 
camp some requisite repairs were done to the wagons. The road for this day was good, over a 
gravelly mesa. Reached camp, open prairie, at p. m. Ho water ; no wood ; brush enough 
for cooking purposes; grama-grass good and abundant. The animals were hobbled and turned 
out to graze till sundown, when they were driven in and fed with corn, then turned out to graze 
for the night; a strong guard posted as usual. Up to this time we have not seen an Indian ; 
still, every precaution that prudence can dictate is taken to prevent surprise. We have not lost 
a single animal as yet. General direction, south 85° east; miles, 12. 
Camp No. 10— Sunday, February 26, 1854.—Left last camp at twenty minutes after 7 o’clock 
a. m., and moved to our next camp, the Ojo del Cuerbo. Our road for this day was good ; for 
about six miles it was gravel; the remainder a firm red soil, until we approached within a mile 
and a half of camp, when it became somewhat sandy. At about eight miles from camp we 
came to a gradual descent, which continued until we reached the bed of the Salt lakes, about 
one and a half mile west of the Ojo del Cuerbo. Encamped ten minutes past 2 o’clock p. m. 
The mules travelled very well to-day, and are in very good condition. The Ojo del Cuerbo 
consists of two sulphurous lakes. The surface of this valley is covered with a salty and sul¬ 
phurous efflorescence, which continues in a southerly direction until it reaches the Pecos, at a 
point where it is joined by the Lymphia, a distance of nearly two hundred miles. The valley 
around our camp, as far as the eye can reach, is dotted with patches, of considerable magnitude, 
of a brilliant whiteness ; they are deposites of pure salt, formed by the evaporation of the 
water. Many holes had been dug near our camp, the water in which does not taste very salty; 
it loses much of the salt while filtering through the sand from the lakes. The grass is strongly 
impregnated with salt, and cannot be nutritious. No wood; brush very scarce. Found here, 
for the first time, bois de vache. On our arrival at camp the animals were watered, hobbled, 
