586 



Ex, Doc. No. 41. 



the salt kind; several Indian trails crossing our path showed the 

 presence of the Apaches. The Gila is getting to be much larger 

 still not deep fording. Distance, 21 miles. 



October 29.— Marched at 10 minutes of 8; kept on the south side 

 of, the Gila all day; about eight miles out, we passed the mouth of 

 a stream seen on our left yesterday; it was dry, but af*times it con- 

 tains a good deal of water; its course is marked by cotton-woods; 

 at only two or three places could a camp have been found; all salt 

 grass; about twelve miles, there is a level plot of salt grass running 

 down to the river— enough for thousands of animals. All the coun- 

 try se"^med to be perishing for want of rain. About five miles from 

 camp, we fell upon the great stealing road of the Apaches; it was 

 hard beaten, and in .places many yards wide, filled with horses' 

 mules' and cattle tracks, the latter all going one way — from Sonora; 

 the bottom on the south side of the river is about two miles wide; 

 along here, for 40 miles, it could all be irrigated. There is a large 

 quantitj of cotton-wood along the Gila; the mountain peaks stand 

 along the river on each side, with long intervals of comparatively 

 low land between them; looking back to the southeast, a vast plain 

 is seen south of the turnpike, through which we might have evaded 

 that horrible journey. A^wild mule paid the column a transient 

 visit, but eluded pursuit, and fled to the hills with the swiftness of 

 - the deer. We have had the best road to-day of any since we left 

 Santa Fe, Pottery in abundance; but all the houses were gone; 

 probably they used no stones in the foundations. Distance, 

 21\ miles. - 



October 30.— Marched at a quarter before 8, and continued on 

 the Kiataro trail down the Gila; at 10 miles, we halted to noon on 

 the south side (left bank) of the Gila, at a good grass plat. On a^hill 

 of the usual diluvion, of 50 feet above the level of the river, with 

 a steep ascent, was the ruins of an ancient dwelling; the rooms 

 marked by the foundation stones of round volcanic rocks, from one 

 to two feet in diameter. I found a shell in the ruins, which had 

 been perforated, and worn as an ornament, besides many pieces of 

 pottery; the rooms were square, of the usual size of 12 or 15 feet; 

 near the house, a stone was found, about two inches by an inch and 

 a half, which had been painted red; it may have been used as thc_ 

 foot of an idol.' The pottery was marked. We continued our 



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M' 



march, after our usual halt of an hour; and after crossing the Gila 

 five or six miles, we came, suddenly upon two Indians, old fellow3> 



