of the Arkansas, with its turbid waters and shifting
sand islands."

The narrative of Lieut. Emory, of his journey from this point across
the Desert of California, becomes highly interesting and
characteristic.

"_November 26_.--The dawn of day found every man on horseback, and a
bunch of grass from the Colorado tied behind him on the cantle of his
saddle. After getting well under way, the keen air at 26 deg. Fahrenheit
made it most comfortable to walk. We travelled four miles along the
sand butte, in a southern direction; we mounted the buttes and found a
firmer footing covered with fragments of lava, rounded by water, and
many agates. We were now fairly on the desert.

"Our course now inclined a few degrees more to the north, and at 10,
A.M., we found a large patch of grama, where we halted for an hour, and
then pursued our way over the plains covered with fragments of lava,
traversed at intervals by sand buttes, until 4, P.M., when, after
travelling 24 miles, we reached the Alamo or cotton-wood. At this
point, the Spaniards informed us, that, failing to find water, they had
gone a league to the west, in pursuit of their horses, where they found
a running stream. We accordingly sent parties to search, but neither
the water nor their trail could be found. Neither was there any
cotton-wood at the Alamo, as its name would signify; but it was
nevertheless the place, the tree having probably been covered by the
encroachments of the sand, which here terminates in a bluff 40 feet
high, making the arc of a great circle convexing to the north.
Descending this bluff, we found in what had been the channel of a
stream, now overgrown with a few ill-conditioned mesquite, a large hole
where persons had evidently dug for water. It was necessary to halt to
rest our animals, and the time was occupied in deepening this hole,
which, after a strong struggle, showed signs of water. An old champagne
basket, used by one of the officers as a pannier, was lowered in the
hole, to prevent the crumbling of the sand. After many efforts to keep
out the caving sand, a basket-work of willow twigs effected the object,
and, much to the joy of all, the basket, which was now 15 or 20 feet
below the surface, filled with water. The order was given for each mess
to draw a kettle of water, and Captain Turner was placed in charge of
the spring, to see fair distribution.

"When the messes were supplied, the firmness of the banks gave hopes
that the animal