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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 [?unclear words?] 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 [?] 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 decepting on these Sandy plains it requires an old [?] Judge of distances [?] one is often deceived by the [?] the delusion caused sometimes is very [?comp......?] 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 [?] reasons for building in Such a Miserable [?] plain as the [?] and Salt the Search 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 [?]