American Big Game in its Haunts 



of the basin of the Little Colorado River. Taken as a 

 whole, this reserve includes some of the wildest and 

 most attractive mountain scenery in the West. 



Owing to the wide separation of the two main areas 

 of the reserve, and certain differences in physical 

 character, they will be described separately, beginning 

 with the northwestern and middle areas, which are 

 similar in character. 



THE NORTHWESTERN SECTION OP THE BLACK 

 MESA RESERVE. 



With the exception of an area in the extreme 

 western part, which drains into the Rio Verde, prac- 

 tically all of this portion of the reserve lies along the 

 upper border of the basin of the Little Colorado. It 

 is a continuation of the general easy slope which 

 begins about 5,000 feet on the river and extends back 

 so gradually at first that it is frequently almost im- 

 perceptible, but by degrees becomes more rolling 

 and steeper until the summit is reached at an altitude 

 of from 6,000 to 9,000 feet. The reserve occupies the 

 upper portion of this slope, which has more the form 

 of a mountainous plateau country, scored by deep 

 and rugged canons, than of a typical mountain range. 

 From the summit of this elevated divide, with the 

 exception of the district draining into the Rio Verde, 

 the southern and western slope drops away abruptly 

 several thousand feet into Tonto Creek Basin. The 

 top of the huge escarpment thus formed faces south 

 and west, and is known as the rim of Tonto Basin, 

 or. locally, "The Rim." From the summit of this 

 gigantic rocky declivity is obtained an inspiring view 



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