10 EXCESSIVE BEILLIANCY OP THE SKIES. 



is easily accounted for by the excessive temperature of these plains, and the consequent effect of 

 ascending currents and general rarefaction. 



After several days of rain and a consequent decrease of temperature, these clouds descended 

 and enveloped the summits of the mountains. During the period referred to the sky was never 

 entirely overcast, and the rain came in terrific thunder showers, as many as eight or ten being 

 observable in different parts of the sky, but moving parallel from a little south of east to the 

 opposite point of the horizon. 



We have said that a southwest wind prevailed all along the Grila as far as the Pimas villages. 

 This breeze generally died away at sundown and a temporary lull prevailed until the moon rose, 

 when almost immediately a comparatively cool aad gentle breeze set in from the point of rising 

 and continued more or less during the night. This phenomenon was observed for several days, 

 from two days' march below the Maricopas wells to Tucson. 



The excessive brilliancy of the skies was frequently remarked in these regions, even near the 

 horizon. On the evening of the 3d of July, as a part of the train had fairly entered upon that 

 long and dreaded Jornada between the Gila and Tucson, we were riding in advance reflecting 

 on the dreary march before us, with no little misgiving as to its issue : the head of Scorpio had 

 passed the meridian, and the planet Jupiter, toward whose cheering light our pathway lead, 

 was in the southeast ; for some moments we had perceived a phantom-like presence on our left, 

 which we were at a loss to determine or account for, when, on closer inspection, a scarcely apprcj 

 ciable shadow of ourself and mule was perceptible, following along the ground. Perceiving it 

 to be constant, and proceeding from no passing meteor or terrestrial object, we took out a note- 

 book, and holding a pencil before a blank leaf detected a well-defined shadow proceeding from 

 the lumiaous jjortion of the galaxy near the southern horizon, and the brilliant stars of the 

 beautiful constellations Scorpio and Sagittarius ; no shadow was apparent from Jupiter, though 

 shining with unwonted splendor.* 



Numerous meteors were of almost nightly occurrence, both in California and across the conti- 

 nent, their general direction being southwesterly. 



* Since penning the above paragraph I have discovered in my reading several allusions to this phenomenon of brilliancy, by 

 travellers in eastern climes. In jin Appendix to Burton's Pilgrimage to El Medinah and Meccah is an account of it, given by 

 Banks, the translator of Giovanni Finati's Narrative, virho was one of the three Christians who have succeeded in penetrating to 

 that sanctum sanctorum of the Mohammedan. In Morris' Tour in the East the following passaje occurs in a description of the 

 passage of the desert between Cairo and Suez : " Tliere was no moon in the sky, but the blue rorff above us was freited with 

 multitudes of dazzling stars, that cast a faint ilhimlnalion upon the desert." There is a striking resemblance between the Arabian 

 deserts, as described by intelligent travellers, and the Colorado and Sjinora deserts, in geology, topography, vegetation, and to a 

 remarkable degree in the customs of the respective populations ; to fully present these resemblances would be to swell thi3 paper 

 beyond its legitimate limits. 



