Geology from a Motor Car 353 



the surrounding slopes. These deposits are termed the Manix 

 Beds. These beds have been eroded since the disappearance of 

 the lake into vari-colored cliffs, ridges and pinnacles of a bad- 

 land type, with generally smooth slopes. The initial stage in 

 the history of accumulation in the Manix Lake basin was the 

 transportation of large quantities of coarse more or less angular 

 rock waste from the surrounding ranges, deposits to which the 

 term "fanglomerates" is applied. The fanglomerates were de- 

 posited on the lower slopes and in the valleys. Overlying these 

 are the horizontally deposited beds of Manix Lake. A fault 

 near Field, east of Manix, where the Mojave River cut a deep 

 canyon, affords a view of both the fanglomerates and the over- 

 lying Manix Beds. In the Narrows, south of Field, are greenish 

 beds of Manix Lake deposits. East of Af ton red and buff coarse 

 conglomerates are exposed, estimated to be as much as 300 feet. 

 In some places the beds are exposed in almost vertical cliffs, or 

 in high-pinnacled erosion columns. With the vari-colored 

 aspect of the beds these erosion features present a striking 

 stretch of scenery. 



River Ceases in Mojave Sink 



Near Baxter, at the lower end of Mojave Canyon, called also 

 Cave Canyon, the river has cut through the contorted meta- 

 morphic rocks. North of Baxter station the contortions may 

 be clearly seen in a marble quarry. The canyon ends at Baxter, 

 and the river passes into Crucero Valley, dividing its waters (if 

 any) between Crucero and Cronise playas. Mojave River 

 flows through Cave Canyon when there is enough water to 

 cause a stream, and debouches upon the sands of Mojave Sink. 

 In times of flood the river sometimes divides, part going to the 

 wash or sink southeast of Cave Mountains and part going north 

 into Soda Lake playa, where it is lost by evaporation. 



Manix Lake Outlet in Granite Rocks 



More than 200 square miles of water surface were exposed 

 to evaporation in Manix Lake. Evaporation apparently pre- 



