SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. ' 97 



Here we everywliere find distinct marks of metamorphism, the result of a closely allied 

 Cyclopean and neptunic activity. 



Changes in the physiography of the country. — One fact closely connected witli the physiography 

 of these desert regions is worthy of notice. The regions around New Kiver and other beds of 

 drainage, are inhabited by Indians, who raise on those alluvials, pumpkins, melons, and reap 

 the seed of certain grasses and seeds, especially of an " Amaranthus," called by the Mexicans 

 "Quelite," and by the Americans "Careless weed." These plants are dependents of alluvial 

 soil. 



At present the New River is often subject to dry up entirely for one or two successive seasons, 

 thus leaving this forlorn people to the most bitter adversity. Whether this was always the case 

 we were not able to find out, but there is some probability such was not, for if it had been so, 

 these Indians or their ancestors would not have settled in this neighborhood. 



According to traditions and observations made on the spot, water must have been distributed 

 in former times more abundantly over the desert west of the Colorado, since either changes in 

 the conditions of the climate or alterations in the level of the land, or both, must have taken 

 place, causing a gradual diminution of drainage, and necessarily a subsequent decrease of 

 population. 



All accounts which have come to our knowledge agree upon an increased sterility of soil. 

 Several localities are pointed out where in former times plenty of grass and mezquite, besides 

 spacious planting grounds, were found. 



Pascual, the present chief of the Yuma Indians, when a child, lived at " Alamo Mocho," 

 where at the time (he is now about 60 years of age) water was running constantly, as it did 

 also at New River. The place of Pascual's childhood was called Hu-ta-pil, because plenty of 

 tunas (the fruit of opuntia) grew there. Of all this, nothing seems to have been left but the 

 name "Alamo Mocho," (stunted cotton- wood,) as one tree of the kind marked this locality 

 long after water had ceased to run here. If such changes really have taken place, and there is 

 hardly room for doubt, we are inclined to ascribe the cause to an alteration of level — hyeto- 

 graphical changes being, perhaps, but the result. 



It is not improbable that this portion of the Peninsula participated in a similar rising as 

 Clavijero mentioned in regard to the southern regions of this country. 



We have already mentioned the earthquakes to which these regions, together with all Cali- 

 fornia, are subjected. They may be considered as principally instrumental in producing those 

 general changes upon the surface. Here every three or four years heavy vibrations of earth- 

 quakes are witnessed. Major Heintzelman thus writes of a severe shock experienced the 29th 

 of November, 1852 : " At the time the river was unusually low, and (the Laguna) behind the 

 post uncommonly high. (Behind Camp Yuma there is an old river bed.) Low grounds 

 became full of cracks, many of which spouted out sulphurous water, mud, and sand. Further 

 below, the river bed was changed considerably. The re-opening of a salfatara in the southwest 

 corner of the desert was mentioned as the result of this earthquake." 



Similar accounts of the same event were given by another eye-witness. He was at the time 



on board a small river steamer, about twenty miles below the mouth of the Gila, and on guard, 



when a heavy shock was felt on board, upon which the general alarm was given, "^'Boat 



aground!" Our informant, formerly a sailor in the South Pacific, on the coast of Peru, and 



13 M 



