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be seen on their sides. They tower high above the phiins, great 

 masses of white, reflecting the rays of the sun with dazzhng bril- 

 liancy. 



The only water to be found over an area of many thousand miles 

 is at a few points in the mountains, where the rains have collected 

 in natural tanks sufficient to last for a few months. During the 

 rainy season, which often nearly fails, shallow pools are formed in 

 slight depressions on the surface, but a few days' sun is sufficient to 

 exhaust these sources. 



Further from the coast the plains begin to show more vegetation ; 

 gradually appear the palo verde., the mesquite and a greater variety 

 of cacti, and on the hills scattered sagiiaras (Cereus giganteus) ; 

 until, in the eastern portion of the Papagoria, the country is more 

 thickly covered with a low growth of mesquite and palo verde brush, 

 above which looms a perfect forest of the columnar saguara. 



East of the Baboquiveri range, the character of the country 

 changes ; the plains are cut in the direction of the longer axis by 

 deep valleys, receiving tributary canons from the mountains on 

 either side, and all that remains to show their original character are 

 the cut-up mesas, or table lands, lying between the river and the 

 sierras. 



These mesas retain indeed much of the desert appearance ; but 

 they are clothed with bunch and gramma grass, and scattered mes- 

 quite bushes. Many of the valleys have an extensive growth of 

 mesquite, and along the river beds in the neighborhood of hidden or 

 running water grow large cottonwood trees, and in some places fine 

 ash timber. On the hill sides, above the level of the 7nesas, are 

 scattered the live oak of the country, the trees varying from twelve 

 to twenty-five feet in height, giving the country the appearance of 

 an old orchard. As we ascend the mountains, the oaks are mingled 

 with the cedar; until, at an elevation of about 6,000 feet above the 

 level of the sea, the pine region commences. 



Owing to the peculiar structure of the river beds, which run 

 through loose quaternary deposits, the water falling during the 

 rainy season soon sinks out of sight and follows its course under- 

 ground, appearing only where the underlying older formations rise, 

 or where the valley is crossed by a' dyke, in either case natural 

 dams being formed. These occurrences are sometimes of sufficient 

 extent to form running streams for several miles, although usually 

 either only a spring is formed, or more frequently water is obtained 

 by digging. 



These valleys of Central Arizona, as well as the mesas and hill 

 sides, are covered with an abundant growth of different grasses, 

 forming extensive tracts of grazing country. There are not many 

 localities suitable for cultivation, these being confined to such places 



