20 



become exbausteil, and beyond a little salt grass at tbe moiitli of tlie A'irgin, iiotbing bad beeu 

 encouutered iu tbe way of forage. 



Tbe road down tbe Yirgiu from tbe conflaeuoe of tbeMiubly is not passable for beavy wagons 

 in bigb water, on account of sbifting sands. At tbcse times a road upon tbe sand mesas to tbe 

 westward will bave to be constructed. Tbis will be a rougb and sandy road. From tbe inoutb of 

 Las Yegas "Wasb we liave before us tbe Black Butte, near w liicb Lieutenant Ives came witb bis 

 boat at bis fartbest station upon tbe Colorado, wbile witb tbe river party. At tbis point tbere is a 

 little sand island, around wbicb a small part of tbe river runs and again returns to tbe motber stream, 

 collecting nuicb alkaline matter in its passage, lleacbing tbis. Lieutenant Ives judged tbat they 

 bad found tbe moutb of the Virgin, and looking to the east and north, they saw tbe dark, bigb 

 mountains, tbat seemed to say tbere lies no passage beyond, concluded that farther than this point 

 no navigation of the Colorado could be effected. 



The mountain scenery in tbis locality, to my idea, was tbe most wild, picturesque, and pleasing 

 of any tbat it has ever been my fortune to meet. Tbe walls of tbe Black Canon rise steep, dark, 

 and sharp on tbe south and east, and to the northeast those of Boulder Canon, while tbe continua- 

 tion of ranges leading to tbe north and northwest makes our station appear similar to tbat of a 

 depression in a grand basin, from which escape seems diflicult in any direction. Tbe walls of 

 Boulder Canon arc nearly perpendicular, from twelve to fifteen hundred feet in height. Tbe scene 

 encountered upon reaching the river by moonlight was one of extreme loneliness and grandeur. 



The next morning those so fortunate as to return follow up the wasb to meet tbe train, in camp 

 at Las Yegas, wbile tbe hardy party — pioneers of tbe last few day.s — have continued on tbe trail 

 toward El Dorado Oaiion. A bard day's march in the burning sun is concluded, and night brings 

 nothing save tbe certainty that no camp has been reached, and tbat no one knows where there is 

 any water. We had been directed to some ambiguous place nearly one mile away from tbe trail 

 -where it was said tbat it could be found, and flually, a little before midnight, we did find it — Lieu! 

 tenant Lockwood and myself coming in somewhat later than the pack-train. Never was water more 

 acceptable, though found in so drear a locality, high up among some dark volcanic-looking foot hills, 

 npon which no one would suppose that raiu had ever fallen. 



During the day tbe surveying party bad gotten lost, and at night we did not know where they 

 were— an affair that caused much uneasiness, as it would bave been little better than death if they 

 bad followed any route except tbe one leading to Las Vegas. After reac hing El Dorado Canon, our 

 apprehensions were quieted, and another party started out and came to tbat point. 



Strange as it may seem, there was a slight amount of wild bunch-grass, or '' bard-tack," as it is 

 called, near at hand to our dismal camj), which, though very dry, offers some nourishment to the 

 animals, that are allowed to graze till 10 a. m.; after which a brave start is made, and after winding 

 in and out of canons and sandy washes, the mill at El Dorado CaQon is reached before nightfall. 

 During tbe daj-, and while crossing several bigb divides, the river stretched out before us down be- 

 low Cottonwood Island, and the mountains tbat follow down below Fort Mojave and to the east can 

 be plainly seen. Tbe position of the post can also be nearly determined by the aid of a field-glass, 

 although the distance was at least sixty miles. 



A day's rest was taken at the mouth of tbe canon to see if an y thing could be heard from the 

 surveying party, and on the succeeding morning we start back and meet another party sent out 

 from the " Yegas," at a little spring iu the canon, not very far from tbe niines. While at tbis point, 

 a short time was taken to look at a few of the leads in 



El Dorado Disiuict. 



Before the war these mines had been the scene of some little excitement, which subsequently 

 was broken up, and tbe camp nearly abandoned. About 1865 a revival was created, ami some of 

 the mines bave since been worked. In 18G6 a company of troops were stationed near the mouth of 

 tbe canon. The principal lead is tbe Tecbatticup, which has all the appearance of a true fissure- 

 vein, though not very wide. The surface-showing of ores bave always assayed high ; those from 

 the interior bave rich mineral indications, but at our coming, by the ordinary amalgamation pro- 

 cess—the only one used— did not yield a large return. "Whether this resulted from mismanagement, 

 or the fact that the process was poor and tbe mill old, it is ditticnlt to .say. Tbe vein-matter shows 



