NARRATIVE

OF THE

TEXAN SANTA FÉ EXPEDITION,

COMPRISING A DESCRIPTION OF

A TOUR THROUGH TEXAS,

AND

ACROSS THE GREAT SOUTHWESTERN PRAIRIES, THE CAMANCHE AND
CAYGUA HUNTING-GROUNDS, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE
SUFFERINGS FROM WANT OF FOOD, LOSSES FROM
HOSTILE INDIANS, AND FINAL

CAPTURE OF THE TEXANS,

AND

THEIR MARCH, AS PRISONERS, TO THE CITY OF MEXICO.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, by

HARPER & BROTHERS,

In the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New-York

CONTENTS

OF

E SECOND VOLUMF

CHAPTER I.

Departure from Fray Cristobal.-A broken Gourd.-Cold and dreary night

March. Encounter with a Regiment of Dragoons.-Wild and picturesque

night Scenes. Southern Women in a Northern Climate.-News of Colo-

nel Cooke's Party.-Sufferings upon the " Dead Man's Journey," or "Jour-

ney of Death."-A morning Halt.-The "Lake of Death."-Startling Re-

ports.-Murder of Golpin.-A short night Halt.-Farther Sufferings.--

Sleep impossible.- Another gloomy night March.-Salezar and his com-

fortable Quarters.-Wild roadside Scenes.-Sufferings on the increase.—

Another cruel Murder.-Death of Griffith.-Our Feelings on the Occasion.

-Once more on the Rio Grande.-The "Journey of Death" passed.-Ap-

pearance of the Prisoners.-Food and Sleep.-A singular Incident.-Easier

learning to Swear than Pray in a Language.-Farther Inhumanities.-

Threat of Salezar to search the Prisoners. Trick to outwit him. -A

Batch of valuable Bread.-More of Salezar's Rascality.-A sunset Scene.

Death of Gates.-Gross Inhumanity of a Mexican.-Dreary Passage of the

Rio Grande.-Salezar's last Command.-Arrival at El Paso.-Old Friends

seen. Find ourselves in more humane Hands.-General Elias.-Our hos-

pitable Treatment by him.-Captain Ochoa.-Sumptuous Living.-Sale-

zar in Disgrace

Page 11

CHAPTER II.

Ramon Ortiz, the young Cura of El Paso.-His Benevolence.-A pleasant

Ride with the Cura.- Description of El Paso.-Its irrigating Canals,

Streets, and Rivers.-Residence of Ortiz.-Farther Acts of his Kindness.

-A comfortable Change of Linen.-An Opportunity to vex Salezar im-

proved. Last Encounter with that Miscreant.-Arrival of a Courier from

Mexico. Departure from El Paso. - Hospitality of the Inhabitants. —

Parting with Ortiz.-Inquiries respecting General Pike.-A Camp with.

out Water.-Ochoa's Attention to our Wants.-Description of our Escort

and Procession.--Mexican Carts and Mexican Character. Opposition of

the Inhabitants to Improvements.-Another dry Camp.-Arrival at the

"Diamond of the Desert," a noted Spring.-A Rest.Difficult Passage of

the Sand Mountains-Appearance of the Country-A travelling Stone:

its strange History.-Superstitions of the Mexicans.-The "Well of the

Star."-Poor and sandy Country.-Appearance of the Texan Prisoners.

-Strange Variety of Costume.-Laughing at Misery

CHAPTER III.

Page 34

A singular Hot Spring.-Medicinal Properties of the Waters." Doing" our

Washing.-Carazal.-Appearance of the Town.-Dr. Whittaker in Busi-

ness.-Charley Tirrell, the Delaware.-A strange Contract.-Kirker, and

the Stories told of him. - Captain Spybuck killed by Apaches.-More of

Kirker.-Arrival of the Señora Ochoa, and her Style of Travelling.-Oppor

tunity to Escape unimproved.-A Mountain Spring.-Laguna Encinillos.

-Desolate Appearance of the Country.-Inroads of the Apaches.-Their

Prowess and Daring.-Increase of the Tribe.-Visiters from Chihuahua.-

Hospitality and the Jesuits' Hospital.-Situation of Chihuahua.-Mines in

the Vicinity.-Governor Condé. -Excitement of the Inhabitants. - The

"Military of Chihuahua.-Entrance to the City.-Carcel de Ciudad.-The

Women of Chihuahua.-The Plaza.-Description of the Cathedral.-The

Presidio. -Jesuits' Hospital.-Salon los Distinguidos. —Names upon the

Walls.-Description of the Hospital.-Apache Prisoners.-Hidalgo, with a

short Account of the first Mexican Revolution, and the Death of that cele-

brated Leader

54

CHAPTER IV.

The old Jesuits' Hospital of Chihuahua.-American Visiters.-Asked for the

Particulars of my own Death. - -A stealthy Interview.-Dr. Jennison.—

Clean Beds. A sumptuous English Breakfast.-Prisoner in the adjoining

Dungeon.-A Meeting.-The Mystery unveiled.-Singular Trial.-Testi-

mony of General McLeod and Messrs. Van Ness and Navarro.-A Release

from Chains.-An excellent Dinner from the Señora Magoffin.-Visiters

at our Room.-Letters to my Friends.-"La Luna.”—Armijo's Letter to

Garcia Condé.-Implicated with the Leaders of the Expedition.-Lewis's

probable Agency in the Affair.-A Gasconading Editor.-Poetic Address

to a Horse.-Movements of Lewis.-A lively little French Woman.—Our

Treatment by the Foreigners in Mexico.-Departure from Chihuahua.—

Collection of the Inhabitants.-Furnished a Horse by a Friend.- Difficulty

of mounting the Pony.-His Feats and Antics.-The Mexican Saddle, and

its Advantages.-El Ojito.-Encounter with American Wagoners.-Arri-

val at San Pablo.-A Chihuahua Major.-Our Accommodations at San

Pablo.-Practical Knowledge of Entomological Science.-Mexican Horse

Jockeys.-Mr. Falconer mounted again.-Saucillo.-An Escape agitated

-Death of Larrabee.—A young Mexican Musician.-Santa Rosalia.-The

Alcalde and his Daughter.-A stolen Horse claimed.-Military versus Civil

Law.-Roadside Graves and Crosses.-Stories in relation to them 74

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V.

Arrival at Guajuaquilla.-An Invitation.-Inhospitable Hospitality.-A little

Mexican Lawyer. - His Self-importance. A disagreeable Night. - Our

Companions fare better.-Again on the Road.--Rejoicing at Guajuaquilla.

-Tricks of a Wag.-Amusing Anecdote.-Montezuma's Brother.-Arrival

at El Rio Florido.-General Pike.-The Hacienda of La Noria.-Its former

Wealth and present Condition.-Inroads of the Apaches and Camanches.

-A young Irishman.-Visited by pretty Girls.-A well-informed Mexican

Lady.-Musical Soirée and Dancing.-Change of Scene.-Arrival at Cerro

Gordo, in the State of Durango.-Our new Commander, Colonel Velasco,

pointed out to us. His sinister Appearance.-Visited by a French Woman.

-A Fandango and Cock-fight.-Departure from Cerro Gordo.-A general

Turn-out of the Inhabitants.-Suspicions in relation to Ochoa's Integrity.

-Our new Guard of Dragoons.-Their Treatment of the Prisoners.-Hon-

ourable Conduct of Ochoa.-A roadside Camp.-Colonel Velasco's Char-

acter begins to develope itself.-Excellent Provisions provided. — Large

Droves of Horses passed.-An immense Hacienda.-Former Wealth of the

Proprietress. Condition of the Peons, or Working Classes of Mexico.-

Farther Insight into the Character of Velasco.-The Texan Officers allow-

ed their Parole

CHAPTER VI.

Page 96

Arrival at El Gallo, or The Cock.-Singular Names for Towns.-A rich Sil-

ver Mine.-Scenes at a Fandango.-The Well of El Gallo.-Arrival at

Dolores.-Guadalupe.-The Prisoners reach Cuencamé.-A small Party

of us quartered at the House of a Castilian. - Hospitable Treatment.-

Strange Superstition in relation to a Statue.-Gullibility of the Poorer

Classes. We are turned over to a new Guard. - Selling a Watch. - La

Señorita Juana.-Colonel Velasco takes leave of the Prisoners.-Captain

Roblado.-Story in relation to him.-Superiority of the Bread of Cuencamé.

-Our Departure.-Hacienda of Juan Perez.-Roblado, and his Treatment

of an Alcalde.-A tedious March.-Arrival at San Sebastian.-Frightened

Girls and wounded Dogs.-Freaks and Endurance of the genus Donkey.

-Arrival at Saenea. - Picturesque Situation of the Town.-The Maguey

Plant; its Uses and Abuses.-One Drink of Pulque sufficient.-A Gang of

"Involuntary Volunteers."-Mode of Recruiting for the Mexican Army.-

Rancho Grande.--Decay in Mexico.-An American Traveller.-Arrival at

Fresnillo.-The Mines in the, Vicinity.-Meeting with an Englishman.—

The Tienda del Gato.-Stories and Egg-nog.-More "Involuntary Volun-

teers."-A Stage-coach, and Thoughts of Home.-La Caleta.—First Ap-

115.

pearance of Small-pox among the Texans

CHAPTER VII.

Approach to Zacatecas.-Tedious mountain March.-Picturesque View.→

First Sight of Zacatecas.-Its singular Situation.-Specimen of Roblado's