Chap. XIII. AND ITS ENVIRONS. 407 
well, which we were obliged first to clean out, before 
we could reach the water with a bucket. In order to 
water our animals, we dug a hole, trod the ground down 
hard, lined it with stones, and then filled it by buckets 
from the well. It required more than half-a-day's work 
before the animals could have a drop of water. 
The limestone about this spring contains many fossils. 
But I had no time to observe them, for, under our cir- 
cumstances, our horses and mules were of more im- 
portance than any question of science. While we encamped 
here, some Mexicans arrived who had been trading with 
the Comanches in the neighbouring territory of Texas. 
They had three boys with them, whom they had ransomed 
from the savages, and were taking to their families, trust- 
ing to reap some advantage on their outlay. 
The road from Julimas to this spot presented a succes- 
sion of the grandest desert scenery. Now over bare plains 
surrounded by steep mountains of the most grotesque and 
rugged character ; then through rocky denies ; through 
the dry beds of some wild mountain torrent, or down 
declivities covered with yuccas and lechuguilla agaves in 
full blossom. We travelled through the night, and the 
charm of these mountain scenes by moonlight is beyond 
description. By daybreak we descended over a limestone 
hill to the deserted Bancho de la Mula, the bare solid 
rock of the dark rough mountain-chain frowning upon us 
through thousands of these giant plants. How little could 
the boldest fancy realise the beauty of such striking 
scenes. The most daring imagination of a scene-painter 
would never have ventured upon such a picture, even for a 
fairy tale ! White nyctaginese grew by the road-side, 
shedding the sweetest perfume from their long tubular 
blossoms. 
