t](QO A VUit to Lake Maquata. 



jjilains are otherwise almost destitute of vegetation. A little patch 

 itit salt grass (Distichlis maritima) grew iu the vicinity of one of the 

 ajiesquie trees, and here my former acquaiutance with the region 

 ,«tood me in good stead, for I knew that comparatively good water 

 jaould be obtained in this vicinity. Cleaning out a small hole near 

 Jfibe tree, by the moonlight (we had reached the place just at dusk), I 

 Jhad the pleasure the following morning of finding a limited supply 

 fCff water, sufficient for our needs. It was very suspiciously sweet at 

 Mirst (alkali water is sweet to the taste) and we had to use it sparingly, 

 ;biut after a while it became sufficiently pure for us to drink with 

 ijmpunity, after we had dipped it dry a dozen times or more. 



The first night our horses were without hay, and had only a feed 

 ;<tf grain. Of necessity we hitched them to one of the mesquites, 

 ;«ind by morning Ave found they had gnawed off all the bark on the 

 •bnunk of the tree that they could conveniencly reach, and eaten the 

 rbwigs and leaves that were in reach also. The day after our arrival 

 swe traveled to the southward over th- desert for two or three miles 

 swnd cut a supply of hay with our p.c.vs! The only true grass in this 

 tsuilid region of agricultural value is a very rigid species, that grows 

 to scattering clumps, one to tiiree or four feet high, and generally 

 (Called gietta (Hilaria rigida). This grass is very nutritious, rich in 

 +t3he starch elements, and very brittle. It is not specially attractive 

 mi first to horses or cattle, but they soon learn to eat it witli avidity, 

 sand a single cluster is often sufficient for an animal for a night. A 

 satout grubbing hoe is the best implement for the haymaker when 

 :toarvesting gietta, but a pick is almost equally useful, or in the absence 

 :!Stf .either it can be easily broken off with the foot— but the foot needs 

 tboibe well protected by a heavy boot in the latter case! 



Leaving Coyote wells early the following morning, after we had 

 iSiftmpleted our haying, we travelled to the southward over a but little 

 teavelled natural road, sandy and gravelly or stony in places, toward 

 Signal mountain— the northern end of the Cocopah range. We 

 (fiaane in sight of the Maquata basin early in the afternoon, the 

 jkaike being some thirty miles from Coyote wells, and became con- 

 ^psaiced that reports of water in the lake were true, a long and nar- 

 amrw strif) of water being plainly visible along the western base of 

 tJJiKe Cocopah range and glistening in the sunlight. Evidently only a 

 fxea-tion of the lake bed, however, was thus covered with water, but as 

 Wie approached the shores of the lake our anticipations rose higher 

 Sfflftd higher. 



As we approached the shores of the lagoon we traversed broad 

 SBMQdy arroyos in which numerous ironwood trees (Olneya Tesota) 

 Wttye growing. Nearer the lake were a few shrubby clusters of mes- 

 flliBite, but only occasionally was a bean pod visible. Arrow weed 

 ((Fjluchea Corealis) and mock willow, and a few other plants usually 

 tosaasidered good indications of fresh water, were soon observed. 

 ■iRkese plants grew in considerable luxuriance, and fresh water may 



