"_Nov. 29_.--The grass at the spring was anything but desirable for our
horses, and there was scarcely a ration left for the men. This last
consideration would not prevent our giving the horses a day's rest
wherever grass could be found. We followed the dry sandy bed of the
Cariso nearly all day, at a snail's pace, and at length reached the
'little pools' where the grass was luxuriant but very salt. The water
strongly resembled that at the head of the Cariso creek, and the earth,
which was very tremulous for many acres about the pools, was covered
with salt. This valley is not more than half a mile wide, and on each
side are mountains of grey granite and pure quartz, rising from 1,000
to 3,000 feet above it.
"We rode for miles through thickets of the centennial plant, Agave
Americana, and found one in full bloom. The sharp thorns terminating
every leaf of this plant were a great annoyance to our dismounted and
wearied men, whose legs were now almost bare. A number of these plants
were cut by the soldiers, and the body of them used as food. The day
was intensely hot, and the sand deep; the animals, inflated with water
and rushes, gave way by scores; and although we advanced only sixteen
miles, many did not arrive at camp until 10 o'clock at night.
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