Ex. Doc. No 



4i. 



587 



shrivelled up^ and purblind- they had three horses pretty well 

 packed with sbraethiDg, and a quantity of material for arrows; they 

 were fairly caught by surprise,- and were -eery much frightened; we 

 gaye them tobacco, and tried to get them to come to camp with us, 

 but the old fellows made a very eloquent speech, which we could 

 not understand, and pointed earnestly for us to go on, and let them 

 go their way; we left them, and got to camp about three o'clock; 

 distance, 22^ miles, thinking they would pass along our column to 

 the rear; but they marched themselves instantly; they are of the 



Hiknd's Gila Indians, or 



(P 



wolves,) as they are 



nicknameJ; from' them the river takes its name. The valley is nar- 

 rower to-day, but no doubt once supported a large population; 

 camp good on the left bankj signs of rain in the dry creek. 



8, having sent Carson off 



October 31,— Ma 



a q 



at7, with four dragoons, to explore ahead the route. As he, on his 

 route from California, made 60 miles to a point 8 miles up the San 

 Francisco without water, we take an Indian road nearer the Gila^ 

 - and hope to shorten the distance without water. After marching 

 10 miles, we halted on the San Francisco, right bank, where we 

 finally encamped. Carson reports that we can make seven miles 



more on the river, and must then 



fL to avoid the canon No. 



4j after we had concluded to camp, some Gilands made their ap- 

 pearance on a (Ustant hill, and made signals; we called them, and 

 sent messengets to the:n; waived a white flag; our messengers, 

 Captain Moore and Carson, shook hands with them, but they would 

 not be induced to come to camp; they have been dealt with by 

 Americans in the employment of Chihuahua, who have hunted them 

 at $50 a sca^pj as We would hunt wolves; and one American de- 

 coyed a large number of tbeir brethren in rear of a wagon to 

 trade, and fired a field-piece among them; it is no wonder, then, 

 that two parties of God's creatures, who never knew each other be- 

 i*e, should meet in a desert, and not approach near enough to 



^ 



f o 



shake hands. 



^w 





well for us to get them to us, as we 

 niight buy some mules; ours are flagging; and we might get water- 

 guides in the 60 miles in front of us. Remains of pottery at camp; 

 oeaver dams in great numbers in the Saa'Francisco; flags and wil- 

 lows along the borders very thick; some larger cotton-wood; the 





i^ 



,tap-root of the pumpkin of the plains, three feet by six inches; 

 perennial, apparently. 



Jfovemhcr 1. — First day ^f winter; it came with a freeze, making 

 ice half' an inch thick, and reminded us of our giving up the 

 Toute by Albuquerque, in consequence of fear of snow on the 

 Washitah mountains; marched at the usual hour, quarter to 8, and 

 crossed over to the Gila again, eight miles to upper end of the 

 caiion; here we halted to water and refresh before taking the jour- 

 ney which Carson found to be 60 miles, without water; near this 

 point, there was evidence of a former settlement, but nothing but 

 pottery; their pieces of pottery are \2ij ancient in appearance;" 



