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Show • I \ , i l. ~ I I I { JOURNAL. September 25, 1846.-Left Santa Fe, to go 13 miles to Maj~r Sumner's camp, preparatory to start to-morrow en route to California; camp overrun with horses to be sent to the United Statesdragoons' horses; comman(l all mounted on mules; country desolate. The creek of Santa Fe runs off in the sand a few miles below town, and cultivation ceases; no trees, c t dar shrubs, dry ravines at camp, volcanic signs, and many springs, producing ten excellent springs of water, sinking almost as soon as it rises; no grass near camp fit for pasture. Septe1nber 26.-Started with oragoons at 7-the ox teams starting at daylight; the night was unpleasant, from loose animals running through camp after the corn blades purchaseq by the officers for their horses and mules; the grass was all eaten out before about camp and the country around Santa Fe, and to-day is thinly covered with gram a grass and occasional cedar shrubs, betokening the greatest teriJity; the newness of the country is apparent. Passed to-day a succession of strata dipping to the east, • sandstone, b I ue and reci marl, and white clay, intersected with basaltic dykes. South of camp a high nob is formed by an abrupt escapement of secluded shrub, dipping from the blufi' to east; in several places to-day sudor volcanoes; the country is covered with basalt on the west of Del Norte, and in many places on the east plants of the artemesia sort abundant; several mules missiDg this morning; two wagons broke to-day-one a king bolt and one a tongue; camp in tolerable grass near San Philippe, on the Del Norte. September 27.-Marched at 8; many of the mules which broke loose during the night gave much trouble in the morning to catch them; some complaints of their depredations on corn fie 1 d s were settled, 'by paying damages. Passed Algodones, Bernalillo, and Sandia. In Algodones there was signs of poverty, very little being required, apparently, to feed the people upon. Fitzpatrick remarked, that he nGw thought more of Oregon, as he haci seen many places there as good or better than the va1ley of the Del Norte, which he had not thought ever would support any population. At Bernalillo the wealthy cultivate the grape, and make a. delicious wine. The grape grows upon sma 11 bushes on the flats, ~nd is irrigated like the other products. We found peaches there mferor to any in the United States, as also any f1;rape cultivated in the open air. Fences are made of day, by putting the mould on the wall and filling it, and leaving the large bri ek thus formed to dry there. They appear to be rather used to keep men out than horses or animals, as in many places the top of the wall was cov- |