The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 48, July 1944 - April, 1945 Page: 267
617 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Letters and Documents 267
which watch could be kept, caused this to be much frequented by the
Indians and Mexicans. It was the scene of a conflict, in which the Indians
sought shelter in a cave.-The Mexicans surrounded it-kept up an in-
cessant fire upon their enemies, when visible. For seventeen days the
Camanches bore the pangs of hunger, and made a resolute resistance.
Out-numbered and pent up, they fell one by one-the war-hoop only
ceased with the expiring groan of the last brave.
The general features of this section are bold. Plains, having large heaps
of boulders scattered over them-undulating prairies hemmed in by rough,
steep, scraggy mountains: the latter presenting an endless number of
mineral formations-primitive rock and flowers of every hue, are its main
constituents.
The passing of emigrant trains, pack animals, and cattle, has opened a
road, answerable for all the ordinary purposes of travel from this place
to El Paso.-The necessity of improvement hardly exists. The road in
question diverges from the route here recommended, at the Green Mounds
-bears to the right; crosses Lipan-camp, Good-spring, and Boiling-fork
creeks near their respective sources; passes over a divide to the head
of the San Saba-down the valley of the same; thence, to the Llano;
thence, to Fredericksburg. In returning, we followed and examined this
section of the road; found it bore too much south; is less direct, and, in
places, more rocky and uneven than the route proposed. Another and
more serious objection, is the want of water in a dry time-there being
a space of upwards of fifty miles from water to water. This deviation
from the correct course by the Californians, leaves a fraction of our route
unopened. The openness of the woods, and the equality of surface, offer
no hindrances to the accomplishment of this, by the first company which
passes upon the trail.
In this connection, it may not be amiss to observe, that a practicable
road can be established from the southern end of the Sierra Guadalupe
to San Diago, or Dofiana, on the Rio Grande. A line north of west from
the Ojo del Cuerpo will reach the Sacramento river within a days' travel.
That stream flows south of east, along the base of the Sierra Sacramento.
-It is a question among the Mexicans, whether it is lost at the junction
of the Sacramento and Guadalupe mountains, or continues its course to
the Pecos? The probability is, that it disappears in the mountains, forces
a way through them and rises again in the valley between the Rio Pecos
and the Sierra Guadalupe. This is supposition. It certainly finds no outlet
in the valley of the Salt Plain, the north-eastern angle of which it washes.
Its allies are famed for fertility. Large and valuable timber trees are
met with. The Apaches plant corn, and make their home, in this delightful
region. The direct route lies along the bank of the river to its head
waters; thence to the Puerto de los Caballos, leaving the Sierra del Solidad
to the left; thence to Dofiana, San Diego, or the most proper point to
intersect the army trail. The country was represented by our Mexican
guide as a level plain, generally, and adapted to the obtaining a natural
road. He mentioned several water-holes between the Rio Sacramento and
the Rio Grande. The successful adoption of this suggestion would cut off
several days travel from the road to California.
The facilities of communication between the starting point of this route
(Austin) and the Gulf coast, have been, heretofore, dwelt upon at length
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 48, July 1944 - April, 1945, periodical, 1945; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146055/m1/285/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.