NO. 4 SAN JON DISTRICT, NEW MEXICO — ROBERTS 3 



the Vaqueros of Benavides ; possibly for some of the Jumanos — the 

 Patarabueyes of Espejo and the Rayados of Onate (Mera, 1935; 

 Scholes and Mera, 1940) ; for occasional groups from the eastern 

 Pueblos ; perhaps for some of the Wichita roving that far west ; 

 for the later Comanche and Kiowa; and even some of the Pawnee. 

 Coronado's party probably followed the Canadian north of the site 

 and other Spanish explorers visited the region. One of the main 

 Comanche trails, the northern, skirted the base of the bluffs. 

 Numerous survey parties from the eastern States passed that way 

 during and immediately after the Mexican War; the California 

 emigrant trail from Fort Smith, Ark., followed the Canadian in 

 1849; and still later one of the famous trails of the cattle barons 

 traversed the valley. All contribute a share of interest and enhance 

 the possibility of adding to the fund of knowledge pertaining not 

 only to the "early man" occupation of the region, but to later Indian 

 groups and historic events as well. 



The escarpment of the Staked Plains rising some 800 feet 

 (243.8 m.) above the broad valley of the Canadian River is one of 

 the striking topographic features of the district (pi. i, fig. i). The 

 brakes, from the rim to the plain below, are covered with juniper, 

 pifion, and scrub oak, and there are sporadic clusters of cottonwood 

 trees along the stream beds that start in the brakes and wind across 

 the lower plain from the base of the bluffs. On top a sparse scattering 

 of juniper and pifion extends back a short distance from the rim 

 and occurs in protected places in gullies and ravines, but for the 

 most part the upper level quickly merges into the vast, rolling, tree- 

 less terrain that so bewildered both the Spanish and early American 

 explorers. Prior to the recent heavy cultivation of large areas for 

 wheat and grain sorghums it was covered with a thick, heavy carpet 

 of grass that furnished ample forage for the great herds of buffalo 

 and antelope, as well as for the wild horses of the Canadian in historic 

 times, that roamed its stretches. Several varieties of cacti, including 

 the bushlike choUa or coyote candles, grow on the slopes of the escarp- 

 ment and along the ravines, and yucca is fairly abundant. Wild 

 grapes can be found in places along the base of the bluffs. There 

 are several kinds of bushes with edible berries and numerous plants 

 whose roots, tops, and seeds contributed in no small measure to 

 Indian subsistence. 



The winter and spring of 1941 were unusually wet in this district 

 with an attendant abundance of plant forms. Among those noted 

 were a number that are known to have been used by Indians in other 



