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Show FORTY YEARS AMONG THE INDIANS. 373 DESCRIPTION OF EL PASO. " The town of El Paso is situated on the right bank of the Rio Grande del Norte, in the State of Chihuahua, on a low bottom, liable to much damage from high water; land sandy. The streets are simply old cattle tracks, running in every direction. If an idea can be given of them without mapping it will be by saying they followed the forks of the trails, giving the grounds some-what the appearance or shape of irregular triangles. " The river- bed being quick- sand, it costs a great deal to keep a water- ditch in order. The houses are one story, made of adobe ; solid block, mainly after the old Moorish style of small fortresses ; hollow, square in cen-ter; one door in front. CLIMATE AND PRODUCTS. " The climate is warm and pleasant; plowing and sowing can be done any time during the winter. This makes the farmer rather indolent, as he does not have to hurry as ours of the colder climates do. " The products are wheat, corn, barley, beans, peas, onions, pepper, sweet potatoes and some few other vege-tables. Many things more might be profitably cultivated, if once understood ; but the people are satisfied with what they have, and manifest but little interest in new introductions. " The fruits are grapes, in great abundance and of the best quality ; pears, which the people dry in great abundance, price, ten cents per pound. They are excel-lent eating. Their apples are small seedlings, not worth eating. A few peaches of an excellent kind do well here. I have seen no other fruits. I have heard that strawberries and some other small fruits have been culti-vated by foreigners, and they do extremely well. |
