Vol. IV, pp. 163-208 February 8, 1893 



THE 



NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



THE NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS 



BY 



HERE PROFESSOR DR JOHANNES WALTHER 



{Separate from Verhandl. d. Gesellsch.f. Erdkunde zu Berlin; 1892, 

 Heft 1. Translated by Robert Stein) 



Four years ago I had the honor to report to you on the 

 observations which I made with Professor Schweinfurth in the 

 Egyptian deserts. Since tliat time I have been again in Egypt, 

 have touched the desert of northern India, and have been much 

 occupied Avith the literature of deserts ; and last autumn I seized 

 the opportunity offered by the fifth International Geologic Con- 

 gress at Washington to look at the American deserts. 



The great geologic excursion through North America, under 

 the professional guidance of our American colleagues, passed for 

 some days through deserts and gave me opportunity for sev- 

 eral side trips into neighboring deserts ; afterward, in company 

 with Dr von dem Borne, I spent two weeks in traveling through 

 the deserts of Arizona, California and Texas, and met with a 

 hospitable reception in the tent camp of Professor Streeruwitz, of 

 the geological survey of Texas. Through his kind leadership 

 I was enabled in a few days to visit the most interesting points 

 in western Texas, in the Sierra de los Dolores, and in the Sierra 

 del Diablo. 



23— Nat. Geog. Mag., vol. IV, 1892. . (163) 



