290 LA MORA. Book II. 
is the Mora — properly so called ; the other a tributary of 
it. From this circumstance the place is called the " Junta," 
or the Confluence. The country around this spot and 
up the two small rivers forms a splendid plain surrounded 
by mountains, and covered partly with natural pasture and 
partly with fields of maize. It belongs to a company, who 
propose to found here a town, for which the locality is 
especially adapted. Insecurity from the marauding Indians 
is perhaps the only obstacle opposed to the success of such 
an enterprize. About a mile above the Junta stands 
Barclay's Fort, on the Mora, a quadrangle of buildings 
surrounded by a wall, and provided with two cannon. I 
have before mentioned that this is simply a private 
dwelling. Such names as Barclay's Fort, Bent's Fort, 
Layton's Fort, often give erroneous notions to European 
geographers: these spots are merely fortified private esta- 
blishments. 
From the Junta downward the little river Mora, after 
leaving the plain, enters a wooded valley partly enclosed 
by rocks, which lower down deepens and narrows into 
a hollow, conducting the clear water of the Mora to the 
Canadian River. 
We rested here a whole day for the sake of our mules, 
and bought for them some maize for fodder, which they 
greatly needed after their hard toil and the poor food 
of the withered winter grass. Nevertheless, we had not 
hitherto lost a single animal of our drove. Our people 
too gave themselves up to enjoyment, after their fashion ; 
some got intoxicated, and began quarrelling ; others dis- 
appeared from the camp, and did not return till the next 
morning, — when I heard that this frontier locality, but just 
reclaimed from a perfect desert, was inhabited by a 
number of Mexican girls, who make a trade of selling 
