SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES - 265 
by the stage line to San Diego and by the Butterfield stage line the 
following year. San Gorgonio Pass was discovered in 1774 by Padre 
Francisco Garcés, who went through it on the way to Mission San 
Gabriel and named it Puerto de San Carlos. It was traversed again 
in 1775 by Juan Bautista de Anza on his expedition to found San 
Francisco. The first American exploration was made in 1853 by a 
party under Lieut. J. G. Parke, of the United States Engineers, 
with W. P. Blake as geologist, members of the expedition sent out to 
discover a route for a transcontinental railroad through the great 
mountain barrier of California. The party was delighted to find the 
fine, low natural gateway of San Gorgonio Pass, which they considered 
the best pass in the Coast Range. In it was the ranch of a Mr. 
Weaver, who had settled there several years before. The narrative 
of this discovery is an interesting record. The expedition descended 
the Coachella Valley to the Salton Basin, which was ascertained to 
be several hundred feet below sea level. The scarcity of water, how- 
ever, made this route too difficult for caravans, and the old route by 
way of San Felipe Creek and over the high divide as described above 
was preferred until after the railroad was built through in 1879;* 
then wells were sunk and water found in the deposits underlying the 
valleys. Now there is ample supply at short intervals, especially 
along the main highway, which passes up the valley to San Gorgonio 
Pass but goes by way of El Centro and along the southwest side of 
Salton Sea. Water at Palm Springs, Toro Spring, Agua Dulce, and 
Indian Wells has long been utilized by the resident Indians, as well 
as by their predecessors the Cajuenches, a tribe of Yuman stock who 
were found by Garcés occupying the Colorado Desert region as far 
west as San Gorgonio Pass. 
/ith increase in elevation the vegetation of the valley floor as well 
as that of the mountain slopes changes rapidly, and the desert flora 
ceases near the 1,500-foot contour. This, however, is largely due to 
the fact that considerable moist air comes through San Gorgonio Pass 
at times, and on the mountains there is much more precipitation than 
in the desert ranges to the east. The Spanish bayonet (Yucca 
mohavensis) is conspicuous near Cabazon siding and for some distance 
west. (See pl. 42, A.) 
From the vicinity of Cabazon (misspelling of Spanish cabezén, big 
head) westward there are very impressive views of the mountains, 
especially of the San Bernardino Mountains, to the north. As 
shown in Figure 64, there are wide, flat-topped toothills on the north 
side of the valley. 
Skin’ Pee ae Dos Palmas Spring, east of Mecca, 
Colorado River at and thence up the Coachella Valley to 
Gorgonio Pass, 
miles above Yuma, came by way ao San 
-- 1§2109°—33-—18 
