May 30th. At three o'clock this morning I was taken with sharp pains, nausea and other symptoms of cholera, and for the first time was obliged to ride in the ambulance, but towards evening was able to be up again, though very much debilitated.
June 2d. We left Parras at five this morning, and at dusk reached El Paso [El Pozo], and camped on a gravelly hill. For miles a barren desert lined both sides of our road, until we came to a swamp tract, with extraordinary luxuriance of rank weeds, no grass, and passing this entered a dismal thicket of chaparral.
June 3d, Sunday. We left El Paso at eight this morning, and rode until ten, when we reached a deserted rancho, and with some trouble encamped near a river bed with waterholes along it. A beautiful lagoon with water holes a hundred yards long enabled us all to take refreshing baths, and I watched with pleasure the languid flight of the great blue heron, changing his position as he was approached. Two Mexicans, hunting cattle, came to us here, and Lieut. Browning bought a wild mule, for which he gave a few dollars and a broken down mule.
June 2d. [?] Again we have been through swamp-like country, crossed the dry bed of a river, with white sand glaring painfully in our faces, and found acres of wild sunflowers, and patches of what looked like horehound, then we came to a cottonwood bottom, gradually changing to a golden willow, which grew so luxuriantly on both sides of the road that I was reminded of the rich bottom lands of Ohio.
At noon we came to Alamito, a large rancho, or small village of scoundrels. In bargaining for water, which is only to be had from wells, we found the men who had it for sale were making their own terms with our rascally guide, and Simson stepped up and began talking to them. They pretended they could not understand, but on my tapping my revolver they instantly became most intelligent.
Here we had the first attempt at a "stampede" made upon us. Those intending to run off the "cabalgada"[15] of a travelling party, take a strong horse, cover him with the skin of an ox which has been newly killed, putting the fleshy side out, tie all the bells they have to the horse, and fastening an enormous bunch of dry brush to his tail, set fire to it, and start him off with yells and shouts through the camp of those to be stampeded. Horses and mules, keen of scent and hearing, receive warnings of danger through both faculties, and are so frightened they will break any ordinary fastening. No matter which way they go, the vagabonds are such beautiful riders they soon turn the herd to any course they like, and make their escape, for those robbed have nothing to follow on; for, even if a few animals are left, the speed of the thieves can never be equalled. In this instance our vigilant guard saved us; what would have become of us if they had not, I dare not think.
June 7th, Mapimi. After a ride of twenty leagues we reached this place last night just before twelve, and lay down without food for either ourselves or our horses, and the poor animals had only had water once that day. The journey had been well enough. From time to time we enjoyed a pleasant shade through a larger growth of musquits than common, and again the country was bare of all vegetation. Tired though we were, our sleep was poor, for we were in a sort of barnyard full of hogs, and surrounded by thieving Mexicans.
This is a mining town and has several smelting furnaces where charcoal is used. Lead, and about an ounce of silver to every hundred pounds of ore, is produced, so the silver pays for the smelting, and in some of the mines copper is found. The furnaces externally are picturesque, not high, but with eccentric peaks, mitre-shaped, and harmonizing well with the rugged mountains which surround this dirty little town, where idleness and dirt, dogs and fleas abound.
June 9th. We rested a day at Mapimi, and reached La Cadena this evening, having come nine leagues; we shall stay here tomorrow to have the tires of our wagon set and to rest. This rancho has a fortified appearance, and mounts one small cannon, it looks able to resist a heavy attack from the Indians.
The road to this place is almost level for twenty miles, when, entering a gorge with abundant grass, it winds up a gradual ascent for two or three miles, and to the west we had a grand view, in the middle of which stood the hacienda. A long front of white wall, a tower at each end, with the usual archway in the center, over which was mounted a small brass piece, made the whole show of the establishment; and though formidable to the Apaches, who are about here in numbers, to us was only picturesque. Today we lost two of our best horses with cholera; the poor beasts suffering so much in the manner that men do, that it was painful to have our own troubles brought back so forcibly to our minds.