70 
APPENDIX A.—DIARY OF THE EXPEDITION. 
root. As we near the “ Hills,” these "become scarce. At camp we had some brush. The grass 
was very poor and scanty. 
The weather changed suddenly to cold, with a high wind. A slight rain fell during the 
night. 
Our camp is thirty-one and two-tenths miles from the “ Emigrant Crossing” of the Rio Pecos. 
No observations taken during the day. Heavens cloudy at night. General direction, north 7° 
30' east; miles, 16 T V 
Camp No. 26— Sunday , March 26, 1854.—Left camp twenty minutes to 7 o’clock a. m., and 
proceeded in the direction of the next watering-place in the Sand Hills, five miles distant 
from camp. There is a well marked trail here leading to the water, which can be obtained, 
however, at any point in the “Hills,” hy driving the animals about half a mile from the road. 
The mules and stock were watered and turned loose to graze some time. We passed from last 
eamp from northeast to southwest in arriving at this point, over a deep sandy road, which was 
very trying to the animals. From the great quantity of fragments of abandoned wagons, this 
place has been evidently a general camping ground. 
Having halted about an hour and a half, the command started. The remainder of our route 
for this day was over a fine and deep sand; we encountered many steep hills of the same nature. 
There could not, indeed, he a worse road, as was sufficiently evident from the exhausted con¬ 
dition of our animals. We fortunately overcame all the difficulties of this miserable road with¬ 
out doubling teams or meeting with any accident. As we did not expect to reach water until 
the following day, all the casks were filled at the above halting place. The grass is poor and 
scarce; there is no wood, although we found enough of brush and weeds for cooking. In short, 
there is no vegetation on this arid and sandy plain. 
We reached camp after a laborious and fatiguing march at 3^ o’clock p. m., and camped with¬ 
out water. The, same arrangement as last night respecting the mules. 
The weather continues cold; had it been as hot to-day as it has been for some time past, it is 
doubtful if we could have succeeded so well. 
A party under assistant wagonmaster Beylor was sent out at daylight to go ahead and find 
water. By some inconceivable mistake they took the trail (at which we watered) instead of the 
road; and having wandered about for a number of hours, completely bewildered, they accidentally 
came upon our trafck. 
No observations taken during the day or at night. General direction for five miles to water¬ 
ing place, northeast to southwest; remainder of the day, north 20° east; miles, 12^. 
Camp No. 27— Monday, March 27, 1854.—Left last camp at twenty-five minutes after 6 
o’clock a. m. For about five miles we encountered the same deep sand we had yesterday. The 
remaining portion of our route to-day was over a good gravelly road. Lieutenant Marshall and 
four of the party left the command early in the morning to find water. He met us near our 
camping place in the evening, having gone thirty miles without discovering any. The grass 
along our route is tolerably good; the mezquite root is not so abundant as it was before we 
struck the Sand Hills. We reached camp ten minutes after 5 o’clock p. m. No water; 
grass (prairie) tolerable; the mezquite-root requires some trouble to collect. We had sufficient 
water in kegs for cooking purposes, but it was used with economy, as we do not know if we will 
strike water to-morrow. We saw a large number of antelope to-day; but they were so shy, 
we did not succeed in killing any of them. 
The soil, after leaving the sand, was composed of a fine sand mixed with clay; decomposed 
gypsum was lying pretty thick in some places. 
The day was not so hot as usual—a fortunate matter for the animals, which, as yet, do not 
exhibit any particular sign of wanting water; they were halted at 10 o’clock a. m. and allowed 
to graze for a short time. 
The arrangement of the preceding night in respect to the mules is continued. 
