On the 7th we stopped at a small fresh-water stream; and on the 8th we reached the Wishetaw again, or a branch of it, and crossed it to the S. side. On the 8th and 9th we had great difficulty in getting through gullies and ravines, but were able to camp where our cattle had sufficient pasture.

It was now supposed that we were close to the Red River, and nearer to Santa Fe than some calculations made it. Three men were therefore sent off, on the 11th of August, to reach a spot well known to the Santa Fe traders, called the Angosturas, or Narrows. From thence they could easily reach San Miguel, and were ordered to send guides to us.

By keeping far out to the S., to head the ravines, we found a flat prairie and an easy road. Our course was kept to the S. and S.W. during the 12th and 13th : on the latter day we came to the edge of a valley on the N., about two miles wide, furrowed with ravines of immense depth, at the bottom of which we found many small springs of water. An examination of the valley was prevented by the long grass, in which we injudiciously halted, having caught fire by an accident. The flames spread with wonderful rapidity, and in a few moments two of our waggons were on fire, one of the tents was burnt up, and the other waggons were barely saved. The fire spread to the cedars and the brushwood of the ravines, and in a short time the whole valley seemed to be covered with flame. The next morning everything looked withered, black and charred, and the fire was still spreading along the valley to the N.E. The wind fortunately blew in the direction contrary to our course.

On the 14th, keeping along the edge of the valley to the W., we came to a point where, what had appeared to be a portion of the opposite side, was found to be merely a continuation of that on which we were in a different direction. At the angle, the elevated ground separating what I believe to have been part of the valley of the Red River from that of another drainage-basin, narrowed so much as barely to leave a passage sufficient for the waggons to be taken across. The stream, therefore, running through the valley did not come from the W. At this crossing we could see to our left broken ground and ravines similar to those on our right; and in this district to our left we believed the head waters of the Brazos to have their rise.

Having brought over the waggons, we bent to the W. and N.W., and came again to the edge of the valley to our right, I descended into it and rode across part of it. There were many dry beds of broad torrents, and I at last reached a small stream, the water of which was very salt, and we could obtain no other to drink. On both sides of the banks of this stream were continuous strata of fibrous gypsum.

On the 15th we passed a red sandstone district, and were again compelled to go to the S. and S.W. We were then obliged to stop for three days close to a large spring of water, very clear and bright as It flowed from the ground, but, soon after exposure, nauseous and bitter. I was one of a very few whom it did not affect, almost all our party suffering from sickness and diarrhoea in consequence of drinking it.

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Adapted from Thomas Falconer
"Notes on a Journey through Texas and New Mexico, in the Years 1841 and 1842"