The Prairie Traveler Part 21

28.00. Fort Davis.-Good camp. From Fort Davis to Eagle Springs there is an ascent, and one of the very best of roads.

18.42. Barrel Springs.-Water good; gra.s.s and wood fair.

13.58. Dead Man's Hole.-Good wood and water; gra.s.s scarce.

32.83. Van Horne's Wells.-No gra.s.s or wood, but they will be found two miles back.

19.74. Eagle Springs.-Gra.s.s and wood poor; water about half a mile from camp, in a narrow canon.

32.03. Mouth of Canon "de los Camenos."-The road is rather rough. From here to Fort Bliss, opposite El Paso, the road runs near the river, and camps may be made any where. The wood, water, and gra.s.s are good at all points.

61.13. San Eluzario.-Mexican town.

9.25. Socorro.-Mexican town.

15.00. Fort Bliss, at El Paso.-United States military post and Mexican town.

Total distance from San Antonio to El Paso, 654.27 miles.

Miles. El Paso to 22. Cottonwood.-From El Paso to Messilla Valley, in the Gadsden Purchase, the road runs up the east bank of the Rio Grande to Fort Fillmore (N.M.), where it crosses the river into the Messilla Valley.

22. Fort Fillmore.

6. La Messilla.

65. Cook's Spring.-From Messilla Valley to Tucson the road is remarkably good, with good gra.s.s and water. The streams on this section are the Mimbres and San Pedro, both fordable, and crossed with little trouble. The Apache Indians are generally met with in this country. There is a flouring-mill two miles below El Paso, where flour can be purchased at very reasonable prices.

18. Rio Mimbres.

17. Ojo la Vaca.

10. Ojo de Ynez.

34. Peloncilla.

18. San Domingo.

23. Apache Springs.

9. Cabesas Springs.

26. Dragon Springs.

18. Quercos Canon.-Bunch-gra.s.s will be found sufficient for traveling purposes along this section of the road between El Paso and Tucson.

6. San Pedro Crossing.

20. Cienega.

13. Cienega Creek.

20. Mission of San Navier.

8. Tucson.-Total distance from El Paso to Tucson, 305 miles.

5. Pico Chico Mountain.

35. First Camp on Gila River.

29. Maricopa Wells.-The Maricopa Wells are at the western extremity of a fertile valley occupied by Pincos Indians, who cultivate corn and other grain.

40. Tezotal.-Across Jornada. There is but little gra.s.s here, but in the season the mesquite leaves are a good subst.i.tute.

10. Ten Mile Camp.

15. Oatman's Flat.-First crossing of the Gila River.

25. Second Crossing of the Gila.-The traveler can generally find sufficient gra.s.s in the hills along the valley of the Gila.

32. Peterman's Station.

20. Antelope Peak.

24. Little Corral.

16. Fort Yuma.

The distance from El Paso to Fort Yuma is 644 miles.

WELL IN THE DESERT.-ALAMO MOCHO.

XV.-From Fort Yuma to San Diego, California.

[Distances in miles and hundredths of a mile.]

Miles. Fort Yuma to 10.00. Los AlG.o.dones.-Along the Colorado.

10.00. Cook's Wells.-Here commences the great desert; water nowhere good or reliable until arriving at Carizo Creek. The points named are where deep wells have been dug. "New River," though usually set down, is a dry arroyo. The surface of the desert for seven miles on the eastern side is drifting sand and heavy for wagons. Then comes a section in the centre of the desert that is hard and level. On the west side there is about three miles of a mud flat.

21.90. Alamo Rancho.

16.40. Little Laguna.

4.50. New River.

5.80. Big Laguna.

26.40. Carizo Creek.-Water good; cane and brush for fuel, and they afford some forage for the animals; no gra.s.s.

16.60. Vallecito.-Gra.s.s poor; wood and water sufficient.

17.80. San Felipe.-Gra.s.s poor; wood scarce; water good.

15.80. Warner's Ranch.-The road pa.s.ses through a beautiful oak grove, where there is an abundance of gra.s.s and water. This is the summit of the mountain. At the Ranch the gra.s.s is poor, and no wood. The water is good. The oak grove terminates six miles from Warner's.

10.30. Santa Isabel.-Good gra.s.s, wood, and water. This was an old Spanish mission, but is now occupied by some Americans and Indians.

11.40. Laguna.-Two miles from last camp is a good camping-place. The road pa.s.ses over some steep hills, not high. This is the best camp on the road.

12.00. San Pasquel.-For the first nine miles the road is level and good to the top of the mountain, where there is a good camping-place, with wood, water, and gra.s.s; thence the road descends a very steep hill. The camp is on the east side of the brook, near Soto's house.

18.80. Parrasquitas.-The road pa.s.ses a good camp three miles from San Pasqual. Wood, Water, and gra.s.s at Parrasquitas.

8.00. Fisher's House.-The road pa.s.ses over several hills, and at four miles is a good camping-place. Wood, water, and gra.s.s at camp.

San Diego, California.-When animals are to be kept a considerable time at San Diego, they should be taken four or five miles up the river, as the gra.s.s is poor near the town.

Total distance from Fort Yuma to San Diego, 217 miles.

XVI.-From El Paso, New Mexico, to Fort Yuma, California, via Santa Cruz.

[Distances in miles and hundredths of a mile.]

Miles. From El Paso to 26.10. Samalayuca.-Spring, with gra.s.s and wood.

38.00. Salado.-Bad water, with little gra.s.s and wood.

24.75. Santa Maria.-Good gra.s.s, wood, and water.

27.50. Mines of San Pedro.-Bad water; little gra.s.s or water.

19.20. Correlitos.-Good water, gra.s.s, and wood.

20.00. Janos.-Good water, gra.s.s, and wood.

12.00. Pelatudo.-Good water, gra.s.s, and wood.

30.00. San Francisco.-Water half a mile south of the road.

18.00. San Louis.-Good water, gra.s.s, and wood.

35.00. San Bernardino.-Good water, gra.s.s, and wood.

30.00. Ash Creek.-Gra.s.s, wood, and water.

37.00. Head of San Pedro.-Gra.s.s and water.

24.00. Santa Cruz.-Good gra.s.s, wood, and water.

31.00. Cocospe.-Much gra.s.s; 10 or 12 miles without water. Leave Santa Cruz River at old Rancho San Lazaro. No water till reaching the head of San Ignacio, except at nine miles, a spring one mile west of the road.

26.00. Hemores.-From Cocospe to Santa Anna follow down the San Ignacio, and in many places there is wood and gra.s.s. Gra.s.s is much better at three miles from the river. At the foot of the hills there is an abundance of grama-gra.s.s.

5.00. Terrenati.

4.00. San Ignacio.

5.20. Madina.

5.20. San Lorenzo.

2.60. Santa Marta.

5.20. Santa Anna.

26.00. Alamita.-Plenty of gra.s.s. Leave the river 10 or 12 miles from Santa Anna, and no water thence to Alamita, which is a small rancho.

31.20. Altar.-No water; gra.s.s abundant.

13.00. Laguna.-Small water-hole; gra.s.s scanty and poor.

52.00. Sonia.-Sometimes water is found 25 miles from the Laguna, south of the road. There is a well at Sonia in the town, and sometimes water in a hole 300 yards south of the town, 100 yards west of the road.

10.40. El Paso.-Well at El Paso supplying 100 animals; water muddy and brackish; gra.s.s poor.

52.00. Sonorita.-No water on the road; at Sonorita are several brackish springs. Gra.s.s poor; bad camping-place; saltpetre at the springs.

Quita Oaquita.-No water on the road. Saline spring at camp, better than at Sonorita, but the gra.s.s is not so good.

10.40. Agua Salado.-Water uncertain; gra.s.s poor.