[II'-34] Before coming to Patos and Florida, we will see what Wislizenus says, Mem. p. 73: "May 18. Through a wide valley, with mountains to the north and south, we went to-day (18 miles) to Rancho Nuevo, and encamped about one mile southeast of it, in a valley.... Some miles from our camp, in a corner, amidst mountains, lies Castañuela, an old but small town, from which a shorter but very rough road leads over the mountains to Parras. A fine creek runs by it, descending from the southwest mountains and turning towards the northeast." This seems to be about the place to which Pike was brought on the 19th.
[II'-35] "Pattos" is marked "Hacienda Poloss" on Pike's map, where it is set down about a day's journey due W. of "Saltello"; "Florida" is also marked, nearly as far off to the N. E. But these are mere crudities of engraving; any good modern map will show Patos, about 35 m. W. by S. from Saltillo, and about 16 m. S. by W. from San Antonio de Jaral; which latter is 12 m. S. E. of a place on the railroad now called Pastora. As to Patos and its vicinity we will hear from Dr. Wislizenus, Mem. p. 74: "May 19. Marched 25 miles [from Rancho Nuevo] to Vequeria, a small place on a creek of the same name. The very tortuous road led over a hilly and broken country. From one of the hills we perceived, towards the E. N. E., the distant mountains of Saltillo. About five miles from Vequeria we passed a creek with very clear water, the San Antonio, which unites below, near Patos, with the Vequeria creek.... Northeast from Vequeria is an opening in the surrounding mountains, through which the mountain chain of Saltillo appears again. The route through this pass is the shortest and most direct from Saltillo, but with wagons one has to take a southeastern course to avoid the mountains. About one mile from Vequeria, in the pass leading to Saltillo, lies Patos, a small town." The name of the place Dr. W. calls "Vequeria" is preferably spelled Vaqueria; the word means simply stock-farm or cattle-ranch; vaqueros are the cowboys of such places, whom I used to hear called "buckeros" when I was in New Mexico, perhaps by unconscious confusing of "vaqueros" with the bucking bronchos they rode.
Here we regret to take leave of our accomplished fellow-traveler, who has set up finger-posts on Pike's route all the way from El Paso to Patos. Dr. Wislizenus keeps on eastward to meet General Wool's forces at Buena Vista and Saltillo. Pike has turned northward, down the San Antonio cr., and camps at Florida, less than 3 m. N. of Patos, in the direction of San Antonio de Jaral.
[II'-36] Route of the 21st northward, past if not through San Antonio de Jaral, down the right side of San Antonio cr., and across this from E. to W.; thence continuing northward to some point probably on the present railroad and in the vicinity of the station now known as Sauceda (Willows). Pike's map shows the crossing, at a point below certain forks he delineates, probably not far from half-way between Sauceda and Pastora.
[II'-37] Route N., thus bearing off from the river, main road, and line of present railroad, all of which run along together about N. N. E.; camp at or near no named place, but about 8 m. due W. of a place on the railroad (Treviño or Venadito) where a branch turns off to go to Monterey. "La Rancho" of the text, better written El Rancho, or simply ranch, is beyond the place marked on the map as an Indian village by the name of "Rambo"—unless this is the ranch itself, a little misplaced.
[II'-38] Route about N., 15-20 m. to the foot of the pass in the cross mountain, at the place marked "Rivera" on Pike's map.
[II'-39] On making Three Rivers Pass in the morning, Pike goes over the "cross mountain" which forms the divide between the waters of the San Juan and Salinas basin, and comes upon the water-shed of Rio Sabinas (which river he will cross to reach the Rio Grande). The main road which he strikes at the 13th mile is also the railroad line, and he strikes them both at or near Bajan, 5 m. above Joya, where the main road now comes in from points eastward. We have no mileage for the 24th, but it was a good day's journey to get only 9 m. short of Montelovez (Monclova).
As several of Pike's daily mileages are missing, we cannot say exactly how many miles he made it out to be from the Mapimi locality to Montelovez. If we average up the missing ones with the rest of the 14 days, it makes 15 m. a day, or a total of 210 m. Those who are better informed than myself concerning the kind of country passed over can judge how near right these figures may be. It seems to me rather scant measure for the most direct route by which the Bolson could have been flanked by anything like the curve the railroad now takes. Pike certainly never made such a fishhook-shaped trail as that delineated on his map, if he only went 210 m.
[II'-40] Route N., down E. bank of the river on which Monclova is situated, along the main road and present railroad. No mileage; but 5½ hours on a road should make 16-18 m., and set Pike near Hermanos, at the place Don Melcher or Michon had his real estate.
[II'-41] Benjamin Lockwood of Ohio had been an ensign in the levies of 1791 when he was appointed a lieutenant of Infantry, Mar. 7th, 1792, and arranged to the 4th sub-Legion, Sept. 4th of that year; he was attached to the 4th Infantry, Nov. 1st, 1796, made a captain July 10th, 1797, transferred to the 2d Infantry Apr. 1st, 1802, and to the 1st Infantry Sept. 2d of that year; and died July 29th, 1807.