Note II'-35 — Chapter II · ITINERARY, CONTINUED: THROUGH OLD MEXICO, IN CHIHUAHUA, DURANGO, AND COAHUILA, TO THE PRESIDIO GRANDE, MARCH 22D-MAY 31ST, 1807.

"Pattos" is marked "Hacienda Poloss" on Pike's map, where it is set down about a day's journey due W. of "Saltello"; "Florida" is also marked, nearly as far off to the N. E. But these are mere crudities of engraving; any good modern map will show Patos, about 35 m. W. by S. from Saltillo, and about 16 m. S. by W. from San Antonio de Jaral; which latter is 12 m. S. E. of a place on the railroad now called Pastora. As to Patos and its vicinity we will hear from Dr. Wislizenus, Mem. p. 74: "May 19. Marched 25 miles [from Rancho Nuevo] to Vequeria, a small place on a creek of the same name. The very tortuous road led over a hilly and broken country. From one of the hills we perceived, towards the E. N. E., the distant mountains of Saltillo. About five miles from Vequeria we passed a creek with very clear water, the San Antonio, which unites below, near Patos, with the Vequeria creek.... Northeast from Vequeria is an opening in the surrounding mountains, through which the mountain chain of Saltillo appears again. The route through this pass is the shortest and most direct from Saltillo, but with wagons one has to take a southeastern course to avoid the mountains. About one mile from Vequeria, in the pass leading to Saltillo, lies Patos, a small town." The name of the place Dr. W. calls "Vequeria" is preferably spelled Vaqueria; the word means simply stock-farm or cattle-ranch; vaqueros are the cowboys of such places, whom I used to hear called "buckeros" when I was in New Mexico, perhaps by unconscious confusing of "vaqueros" with the bucking bronchos they rode.

Here we regret to take leave of our accomplished fellow-traveler, who has set up finger-posts on Pike's route all the way from El Paso to Patos. Dr. Wislizenus keeps on eastward to meet General Wool's forces at Buena Vista and Saltillo. Pike has turned northward, down the San Antonio cr., and camps at Florida, less than 3 m. N. of Patos, in the direction of San Antonio de Jaral.