14 
MESILLA VALLEY.—MESILLA. 
March 12.—G-ot off by early dawn, and encountered the same description of country as that 
of yesterday. Broad, smooth valleys, separated hy low ridges, the ascents and descents of 
which were easy and gentle, except where we came in contact with the volcanic covering of the 
mesas. As we neared the river our road became rough, encountering, while descending from 
the mesas, gullies and drains with steep slopes, and a long, dry, sandy ravine, leading down to 
the bottom of the Kio Bravo del Norte. We camped at sundown on the hank of the river, at 
the mouth of this ravine, and near the parallel of 32° 22', the boundary between the United 
States and Mexico, as settled hy the commissioners empowered hy the treaty of Gfuadalupe 
Hidalgo. 
We are now in the well-known Mesilla valley, a small portion of the Bio Bravo bottom lying 
between the river and the low table-land (Mesilla) on the west; Dona Ana is in sight on the 
opposite side of the river. Made twenty-seven miles, the entire distance from Cook’s spring 
being fifty miles. 
March 13.—Followed down the river, and soon got into the fields, the wagon road passing 
directly through them, there being no other obstacles than the numerous and ramifying 
acequias, (irrigating ditches,) many of which had been bridged. 
The town of Mesilla is, although new, a very thriving and busy place, and has a rapidly- 
increasing population. Passing through the town, we crossed the river and encamped in a 
grove of cotton-woods in view of Fort Fillmore. Although the route just passed over from 
Cook’s spring to the river is practicable for the construction of a railroad, and at the same time 
being satisfied that the gaps or breaks bearing southeast from the spring present another 
equally so ; still, wishing to compare the two, I determined to retrace our steps in order to 
make a profile of the latter. Accordingly, on the 17th of March I started with an escort, 
commanded by Lieut. B. Bansom, 1st dragoons; having obtained from the post fresh animals, 
both riding and pack, for which, and other assistance, I am much indebted to Major E. Backus, 
commanding, and to Lieut. J. C. McFerran, acting assistant quartermaster. 
Betracing our steps, we camped at the last water, the point where the road leaves the river. 
March 18.—Showery during the night. Packed up, and soon after leaving camp the showers 
of last night turned into a settled rain, rendering the travelling anything but comfortable. 
We, however, pushed on till half-past 3, when luckily finding two or three cedar bushes in a 
ravine on the right of the road, (wood being an exceedingly scarce commodity,) we deemed it 
advisable to make camp. Succeeding in making a fire, we huddled around it, alternately 
steaming our knees and backs until 9 o’clock, when we turned in with a fair prospect of getting, 
if possible, more thoroughly soaked, there being no cessation in the rain; and we started with¬ 
out a single tent, the only shelter or protection being one India-rubber poncho. 
March 19.—All hands contributed towards the making up of a very sorry picture; even the 
horses and mules looked most forlorn. 
It remained cloudy and threatening during the morning, but at noon the sun made his 
appearance—a very welcome visitor. We halted to dry our blankets and packs. At sundown 
we reached the spring. 
March 20.—Started southward, skirting the bases of the spurs making from the Picacho de 
los Mimbres. Continued on this course seven and a half miles, reaching a point in the gap 
between the Picacho and the Sierra Florida, from which I could see westward, over an almost 
perfectly level plain, the conical hills to the south of the Ojo de Yaca, while towards the east 
lay a continuation of the same character of country. Started eastward, bearing towards the 
middle of a gap between the mesas, over which the wagon road passes, and the low hills to the 
south. Took several barometric readings; camped at sundown, encountering thus far no obsta¬ 
cle whatever to the construction of a very easy grade. In fact, it was difficult in many places 
to detect a slope; and if any, the direction. Camped in the open prairie with fine grass, but 
without wood and water; distance 18.5 miles. 
March 21.—Wishing to reach the river before night, we started at 2 a. m., and after con- 
