232 



CHAPTER XXII. 



CTint&h trade. —Snake Indiana ; theu- country and charaeter, — Description of Uppei 

 California. — The Eastern Section. — Great Salt Lake and circurajacent country.— 

 Desert. — Digger count i-y, and regions south. — FerliUiy of .-oil. — Prevailing rock and 

 minerals. — ^Abundance of wild fruit, grain, and game. — Valley of the Colorado. — 

 Magnificent scenery. — Valleys of the Uintah and other rivers. — Vicinity of tha 

 Gila. — Face of the country, soil &c. — Sweet spots. — Mildness of eUmate, and ita 

 healthiness. — The natives. — Sparsity of inhabitants. — No government. — All about 

 the Colorado and Gila rivers. — Abundance of fish. —Trade in pearl oyster-shells. — 

 Practicable routes from the United States. 



In preceding remarks relative to regions coming under present observa- 

 tion, I have confined myself to generalities, for the reason, that less interest 

 is felt by the American public, in a minute description of the rivers, moun- 

 tains, valleys, etc., so far within the limits of Mexico, tlian in one connected 

 with U. S. Territories ; consequently the reader must rest contented with 

 greater conciseness in subsequent pages, until he is again introduced to the 

 interesting localities of his own country. 



Roubideau's Fort is situated on the right bank of the Uintah, in lat. 40® 

 27' 46" iioith, long. 109° 66' 42" west. The trade of this post is con- 

 ducted principally with the trapping parties frequenting the Big Bear, 

 Green, Grand, and the Colorado rivers, with their numerous tributaries, in 

 search of fur-bearing game. 



A small business is also carried on with the Snake and Utah Indians, 

 living in the neighborhood of this establishment. The common articles of 

 dealing are horses, with beaver, otter, deer, sheep, and elk sluns, in barter 

 for ammunition, fire-arms, knives, tobacco, beads, awls, &c. 



The Utahs and Snakes afford some of the largest and best finished sheep 

 and deer skins I ever beheld, — a single skin sometimes being amply suffi- 

 cient for common sized pantaloons. These skins are dressed so neatly 

 as frequently to attain a snowy whiteness, and possess the softuess of 

 velvet. 



They may be purchased for tlie trifling consideration of eight or ten charges 

 of ammunition each, or two or three awls, or any other thing of propor- 

 tional value. Skins are very abundant in these parts, as tlie natives, owing 

 to the scarcity of buffiilo, subsist entirely upon small gaaie, which is found 

 in immense quantities. This trade is quite profitable. The articles pro- 

 cured 80 cheaply, when taken to Santa Fe and the neigiiboring towns, find 

 a ready cash market at prices ranging from one to two dollars each. 



The Snakes, or Shoshones, live in the eastern part of Oregon and in 

 Upper Califcmia, upon the waters of the Great Snake and Bear rivers, and 

 the two streai is which unite to form the Colorado. 



