Note II'-2 — Chapter II · ITINERARY, CONTINUED: THROUGH OLD MEXICO, IN CHIHUAHUA, DURANGO, AND COAHUILA, TO THE PRESIDIO GRANDE, MARCH 22D-MAY 31ST, 1807.

Pike gives us nothing from Samalayuca to Carrizal, and we must fill the lacuna from other sources of information. The way grows gradually hillier and sandier, till it becomes all hills and sands. These are Los Medanos, dreaded for the difficulty of hauling loaded wagons through them, though not so bad on horseback or with pack-mules. Gregg describes the entourage, Comm. Pra., II. 1844, p. 79, as "a stupendous ledge of sand-hills, across which the road passes for about six miles. As teams are never able to haul the loaded wagons over this region of loose sand, we engaged an atajo of mules at El Paso, upon which to convey our goods across. These Médanos consist of huge hillocks and ridges of pure sand, in many places without a vestige of vegetation. Through the lowest gaps between the hills the road winds its way." This description calls to mind the Medano or Sand Hill Pass: see note39, p. 491. Wislizenus is even more vivid, Mem. p. 44: "Having arrived at the foot of the sand hills, we commenced travelling very slow. There was nothing around us but the deepest and purest sand, and the animals could only get along in the slowest walk, and by resting at short intervals. At last my animals were exhausted; they would move no more, and we had not yet reached half of our way. In this dilemma I put my own riding-horse to the wagon. Mr. Jacquez lent me some additional mules, and forward we moved again. In the meanwhile dark night had come on, illuminated only by lightning, that showed us for a while the most appalling night-scene—our wagons moving along as slow and solemn as a funeral procession; ghastly riders on horseback, wrapped in blankets or cloaks; some tired travellers stretched out on the sand, others walking ahead, and tracing the road with the fire of their cigarritos; and the deepest silence, interrupted only by the yelling exclamations of the drivers, and the rolling of distant thunder. The scene was impressive enough to be remembered by me: but I made a vow the same night, that whenever I should undertake this trip again, I would rather go three days around, than travel once more over the sand hills with a wagon. About midnight, at last we reached the southern end of the sand hills, and encamped without water."

This bad place was about 6 m. Beyond it, some 15 (?) m., is a fine spring of water a few yards to the left, called Ojo Lucero or Venus' spring. A place on the railroad in this vicinity is named Rancheria. Further on is seen, at some distance to the right of the road, a square mound 20 feet high, with a warm spring on its level top. Beyond this, on the left, is Laguna de Patos, or Duck l., a considerable body of water, which is the sink of the Rio Carmen. The other road from El Paso to Carrizal joins the main road in this vicinity. San José is a place on the railroad, opposite this lake. Off to the right, in the mountain chain above mentioned, rises a conspicuous picacho. Carrizal is a small town, like most places in Mexico (pop. 300 or 400 in 1839), but for some time supported a presidio or garrison as a protection from Indians, and was also walled in; but neither of these defenses seems to have troubled the Apaches much. Turning to Pike's map, we find he marks "Presidio de Carracal" on a branch of a large "Rio de Carracal," which he runs N. E. into the Rio Grande. But this is the Carmen r. just said, which runs into Duck l. not far from where Pike makes it head, and probably never reaches the Rio Grande. Yet it is liable to freshets and may greatly overflow its usual limits. Gregg struck one when he passed this way in 1839 and describes it, l. c.: "Just as we passed Lake Patos, we were struck with astonishment at finding the road ahead of us literally overflowed by an immense body of water, with a brisk current, as if some great river had suddenly been conjured into existence by the aid of supernatural arts. A considerable time elapsed before we could unravel the mystery. At last we discovered that a freshet had lately occurred in the streams that fed Lake Patos and caused it to overflow its banks, which accounted for this unwelcome visitation. We had to flounder through the mud and water for several hours before we succeeded in getting across." The spring which Pike marks "Ojo de Lotario" (Lothario) is that above named as Lucifer or Venus; and the hill delineated close by it is probably intended for the mound above said. He marks the road which leads from Carrizal to Sonora "Camino a Senora."