a square mound, some 20 feet high, and on its level top a warm spring boils up in the very centre. The presence of many similar springs in this valley proves that there is no absolute want of water here, and Artesian wells would most likely strike a large subterranean water basin.
Near the lake Patos the two roads from el Paso meet again. Opposite to our noon camp to-day, in the western mountain chain, rose an isolated mountain of very singular form; at the base conical, on the top flat, and sufficiently large for a fort. This conspicuous mountain is seen for a long distance. In the afternoon we travelled 12 miles more, and reached Carrizal, the only town on the road from Paso to Chihuahua. We camped in the place. Carrizal is a small country town: it was formerly a presidio or fort, and has therefore a wall yet around it, and some soldiers in it; but for all that, it is not safer from the Indians than without them.
August 19.–We stayed this morning in Carrizal, because one of the wagons had to be repaired, and started about noon. Made 15 miles, and camped again near the road. In the distance of about 10 miles we passed the Ojo Caliente, (warm spring.) It is a clear, pure water, in a large basin of porphyritic rocks, with sandy bottom, out of which many warm springs come to the surface. The thermometer, placed in the springs, showed 82° Fah.; the atmosphere, 84.5°. As an outlet from the basin, a creek runs into the Carmen below. Near the springs is a whole ridge of porphyritic rocks, containing some limestone, and no doubt connected with the springs. The basin, with its lukewarm water, affords a most comfortable bath, but we had no time to try it. About one mile south of the Ojo, we crossed the Rio Carmen, quite a river at that time, but in the dry season generally without a drop of water. The Carmen comes southwest from the mountains, and taking from here a northern turn, runs into lake Patos, as above mentioned. This peculiarity of Mexican water-courses in drying up entirely, and swelling to rivers again, must be ascribed partly to the regularity of the dry and rainy seasons, partly to the deep sandy beds of the creeks, and to the general dryness of the country in soil and atmosphere.
August 20.–Travelled to day in rainy weather, without stopping, about 30 miles–a most fatiguing march. We camped, as usual, in the prairie, with plenty of rainwater, excellent grass, and sufficient wood from shrubs. Near our night camp, I understood, some miles west on the mountains, is a fine spring, called Chaveta spring. The grass in the rainy season grows wonderfully fast, much more so than in other countries in the spring, because the season is warm. The rainy season is here the real spring for vegetation. In the spring months the grass, though it may grow some, will always be dry and fallow; but as soon as the rainy season commences, a good observer can almost see its daily growth.[1] The rainy season brings forth at the same time most of the flowers of the prairie, and resembles in that respect, also, the spring of other climates.
August 21.–Took an early start and marched 20 miles before we halted in the prairie. Passed this morning the Oj de Callejo, (at present a creek,) which comes from the near mountains to our left and crosses the
- ↑ That the common phrase, to "see the grass grow," is not an absurdity in itself, the following fact, mentioned in Alex, von Humboldt's Kosmos, may show:
"The celebrated Spanish botanist, Cavanilles, was first taken with the idea of seeing the grass grow by directing the horizontal micrometer-thread, in a powerfully magnifying telescope, sometimes upon the shoot of a bambusa, sometimes upon the flower stalk of the agave americana, which develops itself very rapidly."
