26th.—After a slight breakfast of bread and meat, we left this inhospitable place in disgust. It did not afford grass for our horses to graze on. We proceeded 12 miles through a dreary waste, and had to encamp at night in a place where there was no water.
27th.—I was awakened by the Sergeant of the Guard at 2 o’clock this morning, it being my turn to stand sentinel of the morning watch. After breakfast we went on 15 miles to Cotton Wood Creek. There we fixed up our tents, but no forage being found for our half-starved animals, we soon took them down again, and proceeded 5 miles on, to Rabbit Creek. At this place there was plenty of grass and some tolerable scenery, but we were in no condition to enjoy it; being late in the night we spread our blankets on the prairie, and composed our wearied limbs to rest.
28th.—Our journey was still continued through a dry and sterile land, where there is neither wood, water, nor grass; late in the evening we came to a pool of water. It was cool and good, and we drank of it freely. Our wagons did not come up till very late, and being tired, we wrapped ourselves in our blankets and laid down to sleep without our supper. We went supperless, not to bed—but to the sod.
October 1st.—The last two days of September we remained at a place called Whetstone Creek, to rest. This Whetstone Creek is another oasis. It was the source of great joy to ourselves and our mules and horses. Our pastime was like the boy’s holiday whose mother allowed him to stay at home from school to saw wood and bring water. Our resting spell was a spell of hard work, and most industriously did we labor in cleansing our arms for inspection by the Colonel. And we had to do a deal of marching and countermarching. Indeed the parade lasted so long and with so many manœuvres were we exercised, that the patience of officers and men was worn to its extremity. It was nearly thread-bare. And then came the orders for every man to see to his own provisions and water, as another desert was to be traversed. So we go—changing from bad to worse. To-day, after a march of ten miles, we reached the “Point of Rocks”—a significant name. Late at night we encamped in a valley between high mountains, where there was some grass, but no water.
2nd.—We still moved on over barren rocks and sand hills. We labored hard all day to leave them behind us. The hope cheered us of soon finding water, we realised it at the far-famed Red River. Our whole force encamped on its banks about night-fall. The waters of this distinguished river are brackish, but refreshing. Incrustations of salt are formed upon the rocks lying above its surface. This river was named Rio Colorado by the early Santa Fe traders; who, without having followed it down to any considerable distance, believed it to be the head waters of the great river of this name, which flows into the Mississippi below Natchez. It has, however, since been followed down to its junction with the Arkansas, and found to be the Canadian fork of that river. We were now within 140 miles of Santa Fe, having marched more than 600 miles over a country destitute of timber, with but little water, and occupied only by roving bands of Indians who subsist wholly upon buffalo meat. We saw immense herds of that animal on the Arkansas and its tributaries. The whole country presents, thus far, the most gloomy and fearful appearances to the weary traveller. But rough and uninviting as it is, all who visit New Mexico via Santa Fe, are compelled to pass it.
3d.—We have journeyed well to-day, having reached St. Clair Springs. It is a beautiful spot, well watered—and glowing in delightful verdure. It is surrounded by mountains, the surface of which are covered with craggy rocks. We searched for miles around our camp for wood, with little success. The different companies killed a number of antelopes here.
Sunday, 4th.—We are still encamped, and shall remain in our position till the morning of the 5th. I took a walk, to “wagon mound,” so called from the shape of its top, being like a covered wagon when seen in the distance. This mountain top is surrounded by a cliff of craggy rocks at least 100 feet in height. A most beautiful view is presented to the beholder. To the south you see hills covered with cedar and pine, situated in the immense prairie; to the north and north-west, are seen mountains with rocks piled upon rocks, with here and there groves of evergreens; far away to the east, is the desert, over which we had just passed. The sides of this mountain are covered with a hard kind of sand, and pumice stone, having the appearance of cinder. Whilst I am writing, being situated as far up as it is prudent to go, an adventurous fellow by the name of George Walton, has gained the wagon top, two others have also ascended, an achievement that few can perform. North of us there is a salt lake which we intend to visit this evening.
Sunday Afternoon.—Lieut. Smith and myself took a stroll to the lake. We found a thick crust of salt around its edge, which is several miles in circumference. We returned to camp by a mountain path, very difficult to travel.
5th.—Eighteen miles were passed over to-day, through a mountainous country. We had just erected our tents and prepared for rest, when an evidence that we were approaching some civilized country, arrived in the shape of a Frenchman, who met us here with a travelling grocery. This concern came from Moras—a barrel of whiskey was strapped on the back of a poor mule—which stuff, some of our soldiers were foolish enough to drink: it sells at $1 per pint. Such dear drinking ought to make drunkards scarce.
6th.—Saw a mud cottage on the road side to-day. The sight was most pleasant to our eyes, accustomed as they were for forty-four days to a wild waste. As we rode up, every one must have a look into the house. It was inhabited by a native of North Carolina, whose wife is a Spanish woman. After being somewhat gratified with the sight of a house, though built of mud with its flat roof, we went on 18 miles, and encamped at a town called Rio Gallenas Bagoes. On visiting this place we were struck with the singular appearance of the town and its inhabitants. The town consists of mud huts containing apartments built on the ground. The men were engaged in pounding cornstalks from which sugar is made; the women with faces tattooed and painted red, were making tortillas. We ate some, and found them excellent.