September 26, 1908 59 
proaching. Their stiff and ungiaceful form make them to the 
traveller the most repulsive tree in the vegetable kingdom.” 
The next day he directed his course southward, across the 
Yucca-covered desert, to the Sierra de la Liebra, probably some- 
where near the site of the present village of Lancaster. Larrea 
appeared, and seems to have favorably impressed Fremont. “In 
form, and in the pliancy af its branches, it is rather a graceful \ 
plant. Its leaves are small, covered with a resinous substance, 
and particularly when bruised and crushed, exhale a singular, 
but very agreeable and refreshing odor.” It was during this 
day’s march that Dalea arborescens was collected, if we may 
trust the date of the label. Brilliant bands which seen from a 
distance were supposed to be outcroppings of red sandstone, 
proved when reached to be beds of California poppies. At the 
evening camp he notes “nightshade and borders of buckwheat, 
with their white blossoms, around the granite rocks.” These 
were probably Solanum Xanti and Eriogonum fasciculatum. 
In the morning (17th) he “crossed the ridge by a beautiful 
pass of hollows,” as it is truthfully characterized, ‘‘and emerged 
at a small salt lake in a valley.’ This was Elizabeth lake, and 
it is explained that the water was “not entirely unfit for drink- 
ing.” Leaving the lake,” he proceeds, ‘we continued on through 
a succession of vallies and came into a most beautiful spot of 
flower-fields; instead of green, the hills were purple and orange, 
with unbroken beds, into which each color was seperately gath- 
ered. A pale straw-color [Platystemon?], with a bright yellow 
[ Baeria?], the rich orange-red of the poppy, mingled with fields 
of purple [Orthocarpus purpurascens?]|, covered the spot with 
floral beauty.” Soon the scene changes, and passing through a 
defile, overgrown with artemisia, the party came again to the 
Yucca desert. 
The next day (18th) they continued eastwardly along the 
desert base of the San Gabriel mountains, and the darkness of 
night overtook them before they were able to find a camping 
place, and at what must have been the wash of Big Rock creek 
