[7] ee 
Red cedar posts were found in many places, which seemed to 
_ detract from their antiquity, but for the peculiarity of this climate, 
where vegetable matter seems never to decay. In vain did we 
search for some remnant which would enable us‘to connect the in- 
habitants of these long deserted buildings with other races. No 
mark of an edge tool could be found, and no remnant of any house- 
hold or family utensils, except the fragments of pottery which 
~ were every where strewed on the plain, and the rude corn grinder 
ae 
Ngee & 
a 
. 
z « 
- where there were marks 
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: 
still used by the Indians. So great was the quantity of this pot- 
tery, and the extent of ground covered by it, that I have formed 
the idea it must have been used for pipes to convey water. There 
were about the ruins quantities of the fragments of agate and obsi- . 
dian, the stone described by Prescott as that used by the Aztecs to 
cut out the hearts of their victims. This valley was evidently 
once the abode of busy, hard-working, people. Who were they? 
where have they gone? Tradition amtong the Indians and 
Spaniards does not reach them. i 
I do not think it improbable that these ruins may be those of 
comparatively modern Indians,* for Venegas says: ‘‘ The ‘father 
Jacob Sedelmayer, in October, 1744, set out from his mission, (Tu- 
-butuma,) and, after travelling 80 leagues, reached the Gila, where 
he found six thousand Papagos, and near the same number of Pimos 
and Coco Maricopas;” and the map which he gives of this country, 
although very incorrect, represents many Indian settlements and 
missions on this river. is observations, however, were confined 
to that part of the Gila river near its mouth 
Great quantities of green-barked acacia on the table lands, and 
also the chamiza, wild sage and mezquite; close to the river, cot- 
ton wood and willow. We found, too, amongst many other plants, 
the eriodictyon Californicum, several new grasses, and a sedge, 
very few of which have been seen on our journey. 
5 e saw the trail of cannon up the valley very distinct; that of 
-2n expedition from Sonora against the Indians, which was:imade @ 
few years since, without achieving any results. . on 
_" Wherever the river made incisions, was discoverable a me!a- 
morphic, close grained, laminated sandstone, and in many places 
were seen buttes of vitrified quartz, (semi-opal- 
. the soil appeared good, but, for whole acres, not the sign of vege- 
tation was to be seen. rass was at long intervals, and, when 
found, burned to cinder. A subterraneous stream flowed at the 
foot of Mount Graham, and fringed its base withevergreen. Every 
where t of flowing water, yet vegetation was so 
scarce and erisp that it would be difficult to imagine a drop of water 
had fallen since last winter. — The whole plain, from 3 to 6 miles. 
wide, is within the level of the waters of the Gila, and might easily 
be irrigated, as it no doubt’ was by the former tenants of these 
ruined houses. ine : 
iy. bag 
__* Since these notes were written, a very interesting letter was received from the venera- 
ble Mr. Gallatin connected with the histo i ‘ 
, in e 
Be foand i the Appendix. . = 
: ie > F ee hci 
in iy py a ee ee a Ee Ce . ee 
_ October 29,—The dust was kneé deep in the rear of our trail; " 
? 
ry of these ruins. The letter, ng my reply, will ° 
- 
