Page:Memoir of a tour to northern Mexico.djvu/37

Rh Chavez, and apparently a man of pure Castilian blood, and of education. He presented me with some specimens of very rich copper ore from the celebrated copper mines near the headwaters of the Gila, and about 100 miles southwest from Socorro. As I understood that some copper ore and some old mines, worked in former times, were found on the mountains west of the town, I engaged a guide and made an excursion to the place. These mountains are about four miles from Socorro, and they consist principally of porphyritic rocks. The supposed copper ore proved to be but a green trachytic rock. The abandoned mines appeared to have been gold mines, but probably exhausted. The ore is found with iron and quartz. I found in those hills, too, a new species of yucca, with large, oblong and edible fruits. The pulpy mass of the fruit tastes like paupau; the grains are larger and thicker than those of the common yucca. For the first time, also, I saw here opuntias, with ripe, red fruits, which are as sweet and refreshing as the great many small prickles with which they are coated are troublesome. Crossing the river again, I met with the caravan about five miles from our last camp. In the afternoon we travelled two miles more over a very sandy road, and camped one mile north of Lopez.

July 29.–Made on better road this morning six miles; passed Lopez, a small town, and halted near a rancho. The mountains on both sides of the river, which generally heretofore were from 10 to 20 miles distant from each other, seem to approach now. The soil, though always sandy, exhibits the same peculiarity as above noticed–that, when irrigated, it produces abundant crops. Vineyards ought to succeed very well on the hills. Travelling in the evening six miles, we camped about one mile from the river. To-day we have passed the last settlements above the much dreaded Jornada del Muerto.

July 30.–Went this morning over sandy road six miles, and camped in a fine grove of cotton trees near the river. Examining in the morning the nearest bluffs on our side, I found them to consist of a dark brown, nodular sandstone, without any connexion with other rocks. In the evening we travelled six miles further; passed the "ruins of Valverde," (in prosaic translation, the mud walls of a deserted Mexican village,) and camped at the foot of some sand hills, in a beautiful grove of cotton trees. By the accession of several traders and travellers our caravan was increased to 50 wagons, and made quite a respectable appearance. When, the whole caravan was encamped here under the many broad cotton trees, and the camp fires illuminated the different groups of wagons, horses, and men, belonging to most different nations, it made quite a romantic picture, worthy of being sketched.

July 31.–In crossing the hills this morning, the deep sand, in which mezquite and other sand shrubs are flourishing made the assent rather difficult. Some black-looking hills between our road and the river consisted of amygdaloidal basalt. Descending again to the valley of the river we halted, (three miles.) Along the river spreads a broad seam of cotton timber, in which many wild turkeys are found. In the afternoon we passed more hills, and camped about one mile from the Rio del Norte, (seven miles.) During the march I found several sulphur springs on the river; the formation of the hills was the same black basalt. Late in the night an alarm took place in our camp. The Indians tried one of their favorite games–that is, stealing animals; but our mule boys being alert, the whole camp was soon in motion, and prevented their mischievous designs. But one mule was lost.