Page:Memoir of a tour to northern Mexico.djvu/74

[ 26 ] May 19.–Marched 25 miles, 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 ENE., 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. In several places to day, but principally in small valleys, we met with groves of yuccas, or palmettos, of unusual height, exhibiting sometimes a dozen branches in the crown, and growing from 30 to 40 feet high.

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 for 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.

May 20.–Made 22 miles to-day, from Vequeria to San Juan. Having ascended for some time, we came to an elevated and wide plain, surrounded on all sides by high mountains. Towards the east we distinguished already the mountains of Encantada and Buena Vista. We passed several ranchos and haciendas on the road, among them the Hacienda de los Muchachos, where all the houses of the "péons" were built entirely of the yucca tree. From the thickest trunks they had made the doors; from the smaller and the branches, the walls; and the roof was covered with the leaves. While I stopped in one of the huts to taste some tortillas, my horse came near unroofing another by eating it up. Such a simple and primitive structure of houses would authorize us to presume a very mild climate, but I am told that the winters are generally very rough in this high plain.

We encamped at San Juan, a place renowned by the battle fought here in the revolutionary war against Spain. At present, nobody lives here. On a hill of limestone stands a deserted rancho, and below is a green spot, with fine spring-water, and some miry places around it. Here we camped. General Wool's camp is about 15 miles from here, in Buena Vista.

May 21.–As we expected to meet General Wool to-day, there was a general brushing up this morning in the camp; but as it was impossible to create something out of nothing, we looked as ragged as ever. In the marching line, too, an improvement was tried. Usually, during the march, the men selected their places more according to fancy than military rule, and it was not uncommon to have our line stretched out to five miles, or three-fourths of the regiment marching in the vanguard. But, to-day, to my utter astonishment, the heroes of Sacramento fell into regular line, and marched so for nearly half an hour, till the spirit of independence broke loose, and the commanding voice of Colonel Doniphan had to restore order again. However, after about 10 miles march over the plain, we arrived in "Encantada," where some Arkansas troops were encamped. According to orders from headquarters, we encamped here also. The battle-field and General Wool's camp at Buena Vista were five or six miles from here, and visits were soon exchanged between the two camps. With some friends from the Illinois regiments, I rode in the afternoon over the battle-field and to General Wool's camp.

Encantada is the southern opening of a pass that is here about five miles wide, and narrows itself towards the battle-field to about two miles.