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Show 119 stream to the other. The hills were sandy, covered with a very sparse growth of grass, a Bigelovia " chico," Atriplex acantho carpa, a depauperate acacia, and the inevitable sage- brush. An occasional dwarfed pifion- pine managed to survive. Large herds of sheep and cattle from the Rio Grande range some distance back, and pick up a living. As a supplementary pasturage to the river- flats, this divide is of value, but i t can never be turned to any purpose of agriculture. In a word, the region along our route from Albuquerque to McArty's ranch is unquestionably the most unpromising portion of New Mexico that I have seen. The sand along the road to the Rio Puerco almost entirely hides the subjacent rock, but we did get an occasional glimpse of the white concretionary stratum beneath. At our crossing- point, the Rio Puerco has worn out a deep channel in the alluvial soil, which is there quite thick, and iudicated abundant fertility, if water in any quantity were present. In the latter part of June, however, the bed of the river was absolutely dry, save where the water had accumulated in the deeper holes. This supply is quite too precarious to admit of herding there during tke drier portions of the year. The solitary Mexican family we found at the bridge was about ready to leave and seek water elsewhere. From the Rio Puerco to £ 1 Rito the country was even less prepossessing than that we had gone over. The same arid, treeless waste of country was spread out before us. " Sheep Springs," indicated on our map, naturally enough suggested water; baton reachiug the point we found a little, percolating drop by drop into the hole dug for its reception. This, too, was so alkaline, that neither man nor beast could use it. There is doubtless a better supply here at other times, but it is precarious at best.* There is a marked outcrop of saliferous sandstone near the spring. The purgative properties of the water appear to be very decided ; nothing but'extreme want could induce us to use the water. At £ 1 Rito, the San Joel, like the Rio Puerco, into which it flows, ( when there is water,) was absolutely dry. The town contained a population of several hundred people, all depending, so far as we could learn, on a single well, at whioh we were obliged to purchase water for our animals. The crops were perishing from the drought. The soil, however, was fertile. Laguna, two miles west of the town, has a large spring, but markedly alkaline; still, as it was cool, we made it quite refreshing by the addition of citric acid. The Pueblo Indians were herding their flocks near by the water. Pasturage was good and abundant in the adjacent hills. The pueblo was two miles farther on. It was well supplied with water from a large spring that came gushing out of the can\ on- side, immediately under the basaltic trap. It was cool, and almost free from alkali. From this place almost to Covero we traveled through an alluvial valley, the soil of which was quite fertile, and evidently was fully utilized by the Indians for farming and grazing purposes. It was alkaline, and in many places quite covered with the characteristic white deposit. There was an abundance of grass of two kinds, chiefly Brxzopyrum spicatum, which was eagerly eaten by the mules, and the other, Sporobolus cryptandrus, only when no better could be had. The latter grew by choice only in the most alkaline soils. It was hard in its tissue; evidently relished by the " burros," but the mules, after nipping off the tops, would leave the rest standing untouched. Covero is situated over a coarse, yellow sandstone. Immense bowlders lie scattered over the surface. A good spring of pure water bursts out of a crevice in the rook near the center of the town. This alone could have determined its location on so forlorn a spot. There are some signs of cultivation of the soil; but what the attending success is I am unable to say. McArty's ranch is eight miles beyond. Here the pasturage i s fair, and water abundant. Timber, too, is near enough to add to the advantages of the situation. We saw some rather unpromising wheat and corn under cultivation as we passed. There is plenty of good alluvial soil near enough to the water to make some productive ranches in that vicinity, and drainage will reclaim some that are now in swamp. As nsual in such places, the adjacent hill- sides will support large herds. Following the stream up, we found that for several miles it was flowing through and over a recent lava- bed that originated in the vicinity of old Fort Win gate, or from the San Mateo Mountains. It bad evidently been poured out since the country had been eroded, and assumed its present configuration, following down the course of this same stream, turning its water into steam, which became entangled in the mass, and filled the cooling lava with cavities like pumice- stone, or like a sponge. This same lava-overflow has an appearance so fresh, with the waves and ripples formed and chilled, that it has attracted the attention of all who have passed over the ground. A large, slightly alkaline spring rises out of the lava, and is apparently the main feeder of the stream below. Its water is not cold. The vegetation of the lava- bed is quite unlike that on either side of it. Rank sedges and rushes covered the ground where there was enough of standing water to make a congenial home for them; and in such places the mosquitoes and flies literally swarmed. * Since writing the above, I have been informed of the existence of a spring about a mile to the south of Sheep Spring. This, of course, increases the probability of successful herding at that point. |