s a favourite
resort for the wild animals of the country, and deer and elk are found
in great numbers around its shores. They are not even molested by the
Mexican hunters of these parts, who seem to have a superstitious fear of
the spirits of the Organ mountains, and rarely climb up their steep
sides.

Our party found an easy pass through the range, which brought us out
into an open country on the other side. After travelling several days
through the eastern spurs of the Rocky Mountains, known as the Sierras
Sacramento and Guadalupe, we struck upon a small stream, which we
followed downward. It brought us at length to a large river running
north and south, which we knew to be the celebrated Pecos, or, as it is
sometimes called, the Puerco. These, you will perceive, are all Spanish
names, for the country through which we were travelling, although
uninhabited and almost unexplored by the Mexican Spaniards, was yet part
of their territory; and such objects as were known to them, through
hunters or others, had received names in their language.

We crossed the Pecos, and travelled for some days up its left bank, in
hopes of reaching some other stream that might run into it from the
east, which we could follow. No such stream appeared; and we were
forced at times to leave the Pecos itself, and take out into the open
country for a distance of miles, before we could get back to its waters.
This was on account of the deep channel which the river--working for
long ages--had cut through hills that opposed its course, leaving on
both sides vast precipices for its banks.

Having got farther to the north than we wished, our party at length
determined to attempt the passage of the arid plain which stretched away
eastward as far as the eye could reach. It was a perilous enterprise to
leave the river, without some knowledge that there was water ahead of
us. Travellers, under such circumstances, usually keep close to a
stream--wherever it runs in the direction in which they wish to go; but
we had grown impatient on not finding one flowing into the Pecos from
the east; and, having filled our gourd canteens, and given our animals
as much water as they could drink, we turned their heads towards the
open plain.

After riding for several hours, we found ourselves in the midst of a
wide desert, with neither hill, mountain, nor any other landmark in
view. Scarcely a trace of vegetation appeared around us. Here and
there were patch