Bia or El Valle is situated on another of those beautiful creeks that from time to time occur in this part of Mexico; it contains a motley crowd, doubtful of face and of character; largely half-breeds, and speaking Spanish, so murdered into patois, that Lieut. Browning, a fluent Spanish scholar, was some time learning to understand their language. Our circus party left us here; the woman who was really the queen of the show came to thank us for our protection, which she did most gracefully, and gave us a courteous invitation to her show and fandango, the termination to every Mexican entertainment, wedding, christening, and even battle. I could not go, but several of the party did, and pronounced the senoritas quite good looking.
June 18th, Parral.[16] Half way between El Valle and Parral, at a rancho on one of the bends of the Rio Florida, is a most splendid specimen of meteoric iron, almost pure in quality. It is, at its highest point, four feet above the ground, and from two to five feet one way, by two to three the other, very irregular. Where it is worn by the passers by rubbing their hands it is bright, and looks like a lump of pure ore.
A long, steep zigzag descent, rocky beyond belief, and painful to our poor mules, many of which had lost shoes, brought us into Parral, which is wild and picturesque in situation as well as in buildings, but yet desolate.
The balconies, so to speak, built in front of the silver mines, high on the sides of the mountains which entirely surround the town, give it a fortified appearance, and convey the idea of a respectability which we have not seen since we left Saltillo. We skirted the town, and are encamped on the banks of the river or creek that runs through the centre; our tents were soon in place and guard set, for we were immediately surrounded by at least a hundred idlers. While talking to some Americans, Lieut. Browning had his pistol stolen from his holster, while standing within three feet of his mule. This makes the fifth lost in this way. He drew his revolver and ordered the crowd off, and in an instant the ground was clear, and the fear that characterizes these miserable creatures was shown as they hurried off, holding their hats to shield the back of their heads.
We are, comparatively speaking, camped in a paradise, for we have pollarded cotton-woods to give us shade, a dashing little brook, and an aviary of birds to enliven or calm, to cheer and encourage us, and are in real enjoyment of rest from fatigue and pain, all but my thigh, which is very painful from the presence of a large boil.
June 20th. Parral. So far our prospects ahead are good, and we have determined not to take the Chihuahua route, but the mountain one from this to Jesus Maria, and so on, as we are informed from the best authorities that we can go that way without suffering from want of water or food, and arrive at the mouth of the Gila, not three hundred miles upstream. We are told of both routes by those who have personally travelled them, and learn that by taking to the mountains we shall be in pine forests, and that deer and bear are frequently found, so that we shall be able to have some variety from the monotonous fare of no meat or only tough beef, which we have had for three months.
All would have been well had we not encountered cholera, and lost that never-to-be-caught-up-with time at Davis's rancho; and no party would have beaten us over. We have passed the Comanche country, and now have to be on our guard against the Apaches. No one knows how constantly I miss my dear friend Dr. Kearney in times like these, especially when a deviation from our contemplated route is in question.
The country we have passed through is desolate in the extreme, parched, arid, barren, except where irrigated.
Parral is a mining town where silver is found, but there is no proper machinery for satisfactory work. There are about seven thousand inhabitants of the usual mixed variety.
June 27th, 1849. Here at Parral we have found some Americans, and, as ever, friends among them; Mr. Hicks and Mr. Miller in particular; but here unfortunately Hinckley, Liscomb and Teller were taken ill, and our departure was delayed. Teller was very ill from the first with a sort of cholera. We took him into the town for better accommodation and rest, but he sank rapidly; we were unable to save him, and could only alleviate his sufferings. His cousin and myself watched over him with heavy hearts, and depression again settled heavily on our camp.