128 Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



w 

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in short, similar in erery respect to the existing puehlos of New 

 Mexico, and to the ruins of the Casas Grandcs described, as I think, 



erroneously to the Aztecs. 



With respect to New Mexico, one principal want is that of voca- 

 bularies,, which would at once se*ttle the question of identity with 

 any of the Mexican nations. The same difficulty exists with re- 

 spect to all the tribes of the country drained by the great Rio Co- 

 lorado of the west. But there is an additional embarrassment re- 

 specting the actual situation of what were called the seven villages 

 of Cibala; of which we' can only say, that they were situated in a 

 narrow valley six leagues long, and on the very sources of some 



one branch of the Rio Gila. * . 



The phenomenon of this insulated seini-civilized population, is 

 in itself remarkable, and difficult to be explained; and the discovery 

 of the precise spot, where the seven Cibala villages were situated, 

 is especially desirable. With this object in view, I beg leave to 

 submit to you the following queries. ' i. a 



1st. On leaving the copper mines, on the I8th of October, and 

 ' after having crossed the Sierra Mimbres,. you reached the main 

 branch of the river Gila on the 20th; now \Yhat I wish to knrw, is, 

 from what quarter did that main branch come, oj in other words, 

 if you had ascended that main branch, what was its apparent course. 

 What was the distance from the western foot of the Sierra Mim- 

 bres to that main branch where you struck if? Did you," along that 

 distance, cross any tributary streams of the Rio Gila, and from 



what quarter did they come? , . j r „ip 



2d. Can you furnish me with the approximate latitude ot some 

 of the principal points observed when descending the river; prin- 

 cipalis the junction of the Salmas, the village of the Pimos In- 

 dians, any other spot where evident traces of ruins were dis.:overea, 

 and the mouth of the river Gila. From what quarter did the river 

 Salmas come? Did you carry time with you, so as to obtain t 

 relative longitude of some points 1 The most important would o 

 the spot where you left the Rio del Norte, that .where you struc 

 the main branch of .the Gila, the mouth of the Salmas, the Fimo 

 ' village, and the mouth of the Rio Gila. If you had no other means, 

 still your travelled distance may give a rough approximation. 



It seems to me that the easiest way to answer these two q^"'^^' 

 would be a rough approximate sketch of the country traversea ^ 

 you. I will take special care not to commit you in any way- ^ 

 am no plagiarist, and I must in general terms acknowledge tna ^^ 

 am indebted to you for some important information; but 1 w^ 

 the same time refer to your intended complete report and na F? 



J 



each. 



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3d.* You did not visit the mouth of the great Rio Colorado: 

 General Kearny states in his letter that the mouth of the Gila 

 in about latitude 32''; that he crossed the Colorado ten miles be^o^| 

 and marched near it for thirty miles, when he left it, (turning 

 eastwardly Across the desert,) without having reached ^*5, ^° ^^a 

 Jfow the generality of our maps place the mouth of the Color 



