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crossing being fordable, formed an accessible pass for the Indians into Mexico. This ford, known as the Lipan crossing, is represented by the preceding sketches.

The Lipans often visited us here, and made themselves useful as guides. As it proved to be impracticable to conduct the survey on land without taking an interminable length of time, it was decided to make the attempt in the bed of the river; anticipating such an emergency, boats had been built at San Antonio and brought along in wagons. After they had been put together and launched, and everything in readiness, the train was sent back by the road to Eagle Pass, there to meet the small party selected to descend the river to the same point. Upon trial, we found the boats, which were our only resource, would float-the only thing that could be said in their favor. The wood of which they were made was only partially seasoned, and the hot sun had so warped them, that they presented anything but a ship-shape appearance. The two skiffs were frail-a moderate blow would have knocked a hole in them-and the flat-boat was unwieldy and unmanageable. The current was so strong that two good oarsmen could not stem it in a light skiff. At the point of embarkation was a short break in the cañon of a few hundred feet on both sides of the river; the water then again rushed between rocky banks ten or twelve feet high, which increased in height as we proceeded. It would seem incredible that the bed of the stream could have been formed through ledges of solid rock, as shown in the accompanying sketch.

The occurrence of a freshet whilst encamped on its banks, however, convinced me of the impetuosity of its waters, which appeared to force everything before them. The bed is narrow, and hemmed in by continuous and perfect walls of natural masonry, varying from 50 to 300 feet in height; the breadth of the river being extremely contracted, these structures, seen from our boats, look stupendous as they rise perpendicularly from the water. It is not unfrequently the case that we travel for miles without being able to find a spot on which to land. The limestone

formation is capped by an infinite number of hills, about 150 feet in height, and of every imaginable shape. The whole adjacent country is traversed by deep arroyos or cañons, intended by nature to drain the high plains bordering on the river; they are, in their appearance, but miniature creations of the same power which forced a passage for the Rio Grande. Their junctions with the river form large rapids or falls, caused by the rocks and earthy matter washed down them. These rapids are numerous, many of them dangerous, and will always prove insurmountable obstructions to future navigation. The force of the current is very great, and for thirty miles above the mouth of the Pecos is one continued rapid; its average rate is nearly six miles an hour. The width of the river varies from 80 to 300 feet, and at a few points narrows down to 25 and 30; when confined between its rocky walls the channel is very deep. There are no tributaries along this section of the work, but several fine springs contrast their clear blue with the muddy waters of the river. There is but little growth until the approach to the mouth of the Pecos; a narrow strip of soil is then occasionally found at the base of the rocks, and gives growth to some fine live-oak and mezquite trees; grape-vines flourish in abundance, yielding a very palatable fruit. Catfish were the only kind of fish caught, some of them very large and heavy. Soft-shell turtle

abound. But few varieties of game were seen; the wild turkey in large numbers, and some few deer-the latter of the black-tail species. The only practicable way of making the survey through the cañon was by allowing the boats to drop down the channel, taking the direction of the courses and timing the passage from bend to bend; when opportunity offered, the speed of each boat was ascertained by distances accurately measured on land, making allowances for change of current and other causes of error. Observations for time and latitude were taken every night to check the work. On arriving at the mouth of the Pecos, a view of which is given above, the survey, 125 miles in extent, was completed. The Pecos is more deserving of its other Mexican name, "Puerco," for it is truly a rolling mass of red mud, the water tasting like a mixture of

every saline ingredient; its banks are like those of the Rio Grande for some distance above its mouth, and then become low and flat. As we continue to float down stream, we find the country below the junction undergoes some very considerable changes; these become still more apparent on reaching the San Pedro or Devil's river, whose waters form a dividing line between two distinct portions of country. The banks of the Rio Grande here present an entirely new. appearance-they become low, and prairie land, covered with mezquite, extends as far as the eye can see; numerous well timbered and beautiful streams unite their waters with the river along this portion. Within a few hours of each other, both the party in charge of the train and the boat party reached Fort Duncan, near Eagle Pass, 110 miles by the river below the mouth of the Pecos.

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To add to the interest of the expedition, a constant excitement was experienced in the descent of numerous falls. Ignorant of what unforeseen dangers awaited us, our frail boats were dashed blindly ahead by the force of a swift current over rocks and rapids, hemmed in on both sides by insurmountable walls which seemed mountain high, and at times not a spot upon which to rest a foot; there was but little chance of escape from destruction, letting alone the immediate peril of drowning in case of any accidents to the boats. Nor were these dangers imaginary— a serious accident, and one almost fatal to the success of the expedition and to the lives of most of the party, occurred the very first day after taking to the boats; notwithstanding every precaution had been taken, we were unable to avoid it, and our minds were most forcibly impressed. with the truth that real dangers did exist. After having descended the river for a few miles. an immense rapid presented itself to our view. The river here narrowed from nearly three hundred feet to the width of twenty-five; both shores could be touched with the ends of the oars; an immense bowlder divided the main into two smaller channels, leaving but a narrow chûte for the boats to descend. The bottom was covered with large rocks, and over these the