Congressional Serial Set

times these alternating, and, being almost universally bare of vegetation, except that of a sparse, dwarfish, sickening-colored aspect, cannot be regarded as a general thing-at least, not until familiarity reconciles you to the sight-without a sensation of loathing. The face of the country, for the same reason-the general absence of all verdure, and the dead, dull, yellow aspect of its soil-has a tendency to create the same disagreeable sensation. I desire it, therefore, to be borne in mind that, when I have in the course of my journal spoken of fertile soil, or of beautiful prospects, I have spoken relatively-that is, in relation or contrast with the other portions of the country in which these exceptions have occurred, and not in relation to our more favored domain in the States.

Conclusion.

Before concluding my journal, I think it proper to bring to the notice of the department the expediency of having the country examined west of the Pueblo of Zuñi, for the ascertainment of a wagon-route from the former point to the Pueblo de los Angeles, or, failing in this, to San Diego. The route from Santa Fe to Zuñi-a distance of two hundred and four miles-is, with a very slight application of labor, practicable for wagons; and the guide, Carravahal, who has been down the Rio de Zuñi to its junction with the Colorado of the West, says it continues practicable all the way along this tributary to the point mentioned.

Mr. Richard Campbell, of Santa Fe, since my return, has informed me that, in 1827, with a party of thirty-five men and a number of pack animals, he travelled from New Mexico to San Diego by the way of Zuñi and the valley of the Rio de Zuñi, and found no difficulty throughout the whole distance. He further states, there is no question that a good wagonroute, furnishing the proper quantum of wood, water, and grass, can be found in this direction, both to San Diego and the Pueblo de los Angeles. He informs me, however, that, in order to reach the Rio Colarado, the Rio de Zuni would have to be diverged from at the falls, within a few miles of its confluence with the Colorado, and a valley running generally Southwardly followed down to its junction with the valley of that river. He has further informed me that above the mouth of the Rio de Zuñi there is a ford, called El Vado de los Padres, (the Ford of the Fathers,) to which a route leads from Zuñi by the way of the pueblos of the Moquis This route, which he represents as much shorter than the other, is, however, on account of the difficulty of crossing the cañon of the river at the ford, only practicable for pack animals.

The Colorado, when he crossed it, near the mouth of the Rio de Zuñi, vas fordable; but he is of the opinion that it might not always be found

80.

It is proper for me, however, in this connexion, to state that I have conversed with two or three trappers, who represent that the Colorado is so deeply cañoned from its mouth upwards as to make a wagon-route in the direction proposed impracticable. These persons, however, have at the same time stated that they know nothing personally of the continuous existence of this cañon, never having been immediately on the ground: their representations, then, should not counterbalance the statement of those who have.

I have introduced the above representations, to which I might add those

of other persons, corroborative of the statements of Messrs. Carravaha Campbell, in order that the department, being advised of the true st the information attainable upon the subject, might take such action give such instructions in the premises as, in its judgment, it might expedient.

By reference to the map, it will readily be seen that a route from S Fe to Pueblo de los Angeles, in the direction suggested, running would intermediate between the southern detour of Cook's route an northern detour of the "Spanish trail" route, or, in other words, as c as possible, would not only be shorter by probably as much as three hun miles than either of these routes, but, passing by the pueblos of Laguna Zuñi, and possibly of the Moquis, situated still further westward, w furnish supplies of subsistence and repairs of outfit for certainly the first hundred, if not three hundred, miles of the way-desiderata certainly to be disregarded.

Respectfully submitted.

JAMES H. SIMPSON, First Lieutenant Corps Topographical Engineer

APPENDIX A.

Lieutenant Simpson's report to Lieutenant Colonel Washington of a connaissance with a view to the establishment of a post on the border the Navajo country.

SANTA FE, October 10, 1849

SIR: In accordance with orders No. 35, current series, issued fr headquarters of department No. 9, requiring me to make a reconn sance of the country in the vicinity of Cebolleta, with a view to the lection of a suitable position for a post in that vicinity, I have the ho to report that I have made the reconnaissance required by said or and present the following as the result.

The point I would suggest as the most suitable one for the location a post is the small settlement called Cebolletita, situated two and a qu ter miles to the south of, and in the same valley with, Cebolleta, and the road leading from the Pueblo of Laguna to Cebolleta. My reas for this selection are involved in the following considerations:

The Navajo nation is the principal one to which the post in question, its military aspects, is to have relation. Coming from the mountains i mediately to the north and back of Cebolleta, (see map,) and passing Cebolleta and Cebolletita, is an avenue of approach from the Nava country to the Mexican settlements in that and the neighboring quar to the east of it. To the east of the selected point, I was informed the was another or other avenues of approach. To the west, by the way the valley of the Rio de San José and one of its tributaries, there are t other avenues of descent to be guarded against. Now, as the number posts to be established is but one, it is obvious that its position should i such as to affect the greatest possible area of country, and that in the mo prompt and effective manner. This position, evidently, then, should be central one. This condition is fulfilled in the case in question by loc ting the post at the place stated-Cebolletita.

The next considerations are, that the locality selected is where the eswatals wood and water are abundant for the troops, grass abundant for teck, and corn doubtless to be had in sufficient quantities from a and the neighboring villages.

la regard to the quarters at the point referred to, there are three ranchos, ap which are buildings suitable-with some slight repairs, in the case ote-for the quarters of the troops. These buildings belong, respect

, to Juan Chavez, Manuel Chavez, and José Francisco Arogonas; the order in which they are named is the order of their convenience spect to wood and water. The first two, I was assured, could be red; the third, in all probability, if necessary, could be also.

la regard to the facilities of communication, there is a pack-mule route fra Cebolletita to Alburqueque, the distance between the two places represented to be from forty-five to fifty miles. There are also two Tn roads from Cebolletita to Albuquerque-one by way of the Pueblo Laguna, which we found pretty good; and the other, a more direct one, the way of Alamo, said to be the shorter, and equally good. The sance to Albuquerque by the Laguna road is: to Laguna, sixteen miles; ace to Albuquerque, forty-five miles-in all, sixty-one miles.*

The valley in which it is proposed to locate the post, I would further Park, besides being the most pleasant one I saw within the circuit of reconnaissance, is more thickly populated with Mexicans than any that region.

Another advantage the locality possesses is its proximity to the friendly ajos-a position which enables them to be reciprocally protected by our ops, and at the same time give that information in relation to their eighbors which might be of the highest importance to us in our relabts with them.

I should not fail to report, that the escort accompanying me was comFaded by Lieutenant John Buford, of the 2d dragoons, whom I ever fund willing and effective in his co-operation with me in the discharge day duties.

I am, &c.,

J. H. SIMPSON,

First Lieut. Corps Topographical Engineers.

To Lieutenant Colonel J. M. WASHINGTON,

Commanding 9th Military Department.

ace the etablishment of the post at Cebolleta, a pack-mule route has been discovered from st to Santa Fe by the way of the Pueblo of Jemez, which, doubtless, is from fifteen to dy miles shorter than by the way of Albuquerque.

Name of the object in

English.

A comparative vocabulary of words in the languages of the Pueblo or c