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the Government troops buy all the fodder that Comes to Market except a few Donkey loads of corn Stalks that is peddled about the City Bran is a cost of [?] and that is the cheapest fodder that can be got Corn 6 to 7 dollars the [?] (140 [?] ) Wheat the Same, no Oats Barley or potatoes in Market Bread dear Mutton 10p [?] Bacon 2 p and the provisions in proportion

Wednesday Sep 10 This day I spent in a ride to the Silver Mines in the Ortes Mountains about 25 Miles from Santafee I thought when I started that the Mountains could be reached in an hour good riding but to My Surprise it took 6 hours of Very fast going to reach the place Such is the deception on these Sandy plains it requires an old experienced hand to Judge of distances Correctly one is often deceived by the Mirage the delusion caused sometimes is very compleat The Gold and Silver Mines in the neighborhood of Santafee was formerly Much worked there is no doubt for [?] works are seen at every step the place we visited today was no doubt once worked at a former day. we here found good specimens of Silver ore and discovered a Shaft carefully filled up by hand with large Stones & Rubish which undoubtedly was the Entrance into the Mine and I have no doubt but that if it were open rich Silver ore would be found &c the Ancient Settlers of Santafee must have had some good reasons for building in Such a Miserable [?] plain as the [?] and Salt the Secret of the Mines in the Ortes Mountains was Kept until a very recent period When Soldiers discovered in some old papers in the Mexican Archives the Gold Mines will pay well if well worked for Many of the Mexican Women with a crude wooden dish take out 5 [?] from Some [?]