78 Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



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making seventeen miles, we found ourselves encompassed by hills 

 much diminished in height, but not in abruptness. The road, ex- 

 cept the deci*) dust which occasionally gave w^y and lowered a 

 mule to his knee, was good, that is, there were no hills to scale. 

 The river was crossed and re-crossed four times. At 12 and 14 

 miles there were good patches' of grama, burnefl quite yellow, but 

 for most of the way, arid at our camp, there was little or no grass, 

 and our mules were turned loose to pick what thej' co.uld of rushes 

 and willow along the margin of the stream. • . 



lerever the formation was exposed along the river, it was a 

 conglomerate of sandstone, lime and pebbles, with deep caverns. 



Nearly opposite our camp of this date, and about one-third the 

 distance up the hill, there crops out ore of copper and iron, easily 

 worked, the carbonate of lime and calcareous spar. A continuation 

 of the vein of ore was found on the side where we encamped, and 

 a large knoll strewed with what the Spaniards call guia, the Eng- 

 , lish of which is "guide to gold." 



The night has set in dark and stormy; the wind blows in gusts 

 frpm the southwest, and the rain falling in good earnest, mingled 

 with^ the rustling noise- of the Gila, which has now become swift 

 and impetuous, produces on us, who have so long been accustomed 

 to a tranquil atmosphere, quite the impress of a tempest. We tare 

 b2en so long without rain as to cease to expect or make provision 

 against it, and the consequence is the greatest difficulty in getting 

 the men to proviJe coverings for the destructible portion of our 

 rations. • , 



Three Indians hailed us just before making camp, and after much 

 parley were brought in. they feasted heartily, and promised to 

 bring in mules. ^ At first they denied having any; but after their ap- 

 petites were satisfied, their hearts opened, and they sent the young- 

 est of their party to their town, which was at the head of the 

 dry creek of our camp, of the night before last. The fellow went 

 on his way,- as directed, till he met the Howitzers, which so filled 

 him with surprise and. consternation that he forgot his mission, 

 and followed the guns to camp in mute wonder. These people 

 , are of the Pinon Lano (piiion wood) tribe, and we had been told 

 by the Pinoleros (pinole eaters) that the chief of this band had 

 mules. 



Flights of geese and myriads of the blue quail, and a flock of 

 turkies, from which we got one. 



■ The river bed, at the junction of the San Pedro, was seamed with 

 tracks of deer and turkey; some signs of beaver and one trail of 

 wild hogs. * 



Our camp was on a flat, sandy plain, of small extent, at the mouth 

 of a dry creek, with deep washed banks, giving the appearance of 

 containing at times a rapid and powerful stream, although no water 

 was visible in the bed. At the junction, a clear, pure stream flowed 

 from under the sand. From the many indications of gold and cop- 

 .per ore at this place, I have named it Mineral creek- and, I doubt 

 not, a few years will see flat boats descending the r'iver from thia 

 point to Its mouth, freighted with its nrecious ofps. 



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