T  R  A  N  S  C  R  I  P  T  I  O  N

LOS ROBLES - Feb 24 - 1927 [1928]

      1.   In accordance with reference (a) I cleared camp at 8:00 a.m. Feb 21 with the following troops:
 
Bn Hdqs (Detachment)   4 officers    5 enlisted
Holmes mounted Co.     3   "        80 enlisted
Machine Gun Squad      No  "         5 enlisted.
 
Total ( incl med) 7 officers 90 enlisted.
 
In addition we took one guide and six muleteers. Animals, riding 98 - pack 14.

     2.   The pack animals were loaded as follows:

1 - Machine gun
1 - Machine gun ammunition
1 - pistol ammunition (Thompson Gun)
2 - 30 cal. ammunition
2 - Mess gear, medical supplies and miscellaneous
7 - Rations.

     3.    There was a delay of about one hour at Complida [Cumplida] because the guide which was arranged to meet us there was late. We expected to make 12 miles and to camp at Paraiso.

     4.    After leaving Complida the trail was very bad in spots, the column being very long, it took considerable time to clear these bad places. At one stream crossing it took one hour to cross the entire column, several mules being mired and repacking being necessary. After 2:00 p.m. the trail began to climb steeply, the country was uninhabited and dense, generally unsuitable for camp site. March was continued until after dark in the endeavor to find a suitable place to stop. We bivouaced on the top of the mountain in a small corn patch, the only open space encountered. The pack animals could not make the grade and the contents of the packs had to be manhandled up the steep grades. Mud was very bad along mountain generally and there were about fifteen occasions when both pack and riding mules slipped and fell off the trail and down the slopes. There was about two hours of rain. Total time marched first day was about eleven hours. The second day the trail was equally bad but going was down hill and after about six hours march we reached Paraiso and camped for the night. The pack mules made this march, without incident other than readjustment of packs. [ p. 2 ]

     5.    The third day we cleared at 8:00 a.m. and reached Los Robles at about 4:00 p.m. covering approximately 14 miles without incident. The trail lead down the valley of the Jiguina River, and most of it is passable for bull carts.

     6.   The total mileage was about 28 or 30. The men arrived in fairly good condition, the mules were badly fagged. About ten are temporarily unserviceable, due to lameness and such and saddle sores. Two mules had to be left on the trail, which I hope to recover. Naturally the strain on clothing and equipment was very great.

     7.    From best information available before and since the march, none of the passes between the Complida and Jiguina valleys are any better than the one we took. Lt Pipers platoon spent about two days crossing betwen Quatro Escuinas and Corinto, and his column was without pack mules. The maps so far available do not show the range of mountains which run northeast. These mountains make between La Verona and the Matagalpa - Jintoega road and divide the two valleys. As nearly as I could estimate it Complida is almost due east of Aren Juez [Aran Juez]. After leaving Complida we traveled west and southwest, striking an area called Escaleros, (with about 25 hours widely separed [separated] in the head of the broad open valley which can be seen from north of Matagalpa). At Escaleros, we pushed into the mountains proper.

     8.    From the experiences on this trip it seems that operations in the valley north of Quatra Escuinas should be supplied from Matagalpa. The Tuma River passes about 16 miles north of Corinto. There may possibly be a pass through that area. It appears to me undesirable to attempt to use pack animals to cross these mountains except to meet an emergency.

/s/ K. E. ROCKEY.

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