" , 
[ a4] 264 
pursuitof the horses. The plain appeared covered. we ig te with the zygo- 
ph ysaacaloranteasns, already mentioned ; and: the line of our road was 
phe sa by the skeletons of horses, which were strewed to a considerable 
breadth over the plain. We were afterwards.always warned, on entering one 
_of these long stretches, by the bones of these cet which had perished - 
before they. could reach the water. About midnight we reached a. consider- 
able stream bed, now dry, the discharge of the waters of this basin, (when. 
it collected any,) down which we descended ina northoetety dition. 
The. creek bed was. overgrown with shrubbery, and several hours before 
ie it brought us to, the entrance of a cajion, where. we ee water, and 
camped This word canton is used by the Spaniards to signify a defile 
: gorge ina creek or river, where high rocks press in close, and make a 
narrow way, usually. difficult, and often impossible to be passed. 
In. the foo THINg, we found that we had a very. poor camping ground: a? 
swamp) ‘spot, with a little long, unwholesome grass ; and the water,. 
whieh rose springs, being useful only to wet the gi but eutunly too 
salt to drink. All aro ound was sand and rocks, and s 
which had not been able to find support for their ‘lives. as we sds 
to start, we found, at the distance of a few hundred yards, among the hills. 
to the southward, a spring of tolerably. good water, which was a relief to 
ourselves; but the place was too poor to.remain long, and therefore we 
continued on: this morning, On the creek were thickets. of apir oldbeaite 
odoratum (acacia) in bloom, and very fragrant. = aed 
<o RaSHINE, through the cafion, we entered. another suede. basin, through 
the. dry. sean pel © continued it jnonthuneatenly one, an: veteat 
recta pear nice: 
"WS anne through a ae Na os Ph where a heavy gale) was blowir 7 
about the loose sand, and, ; after a ride ofeight miles, reached a. creek 
of salt and bitter water, running in a westerly direction, to receive the stream. 
bed, we had left, It is called by the Spaniards Amargosa—the bitter water 
of the desert. Where we struck it, the stream bends; and we continued in 
‘a northerly course up the ravine of its ‘valley, passing on the way.a fork 
from the right, near which occurred a bed of plants, consisting of arenas 
able new genus of crucifere, 
Gradually ascending, the ravine opened into a green valley, whececat: 
the foot of the mountain, were springs of excellent water. Weencan 
gist groves of the new acacia, and there erties ahupdapee: of good 
ae the anipals * ene eae a 
This was the best camping. ground we hz Poste stru i 
8s nish trail. The day’s journey was: about 12 miles. — ore 
ae 29.—To-day we had to reach the oie distant seven miles, 
here the Mexican party had been attacked; and, leaving our encamp- 
a we traversed a part of the desert, the most sterile and repulsive. 
1 et seen. Its prominent faainres were. dark sierras, naked and 
ins a, few straggling shrubs—among. them, cactus of several. 
tes p) tone called by sha Spassinnls bes nada, which 
ightly a and is eaten by the traveller to allay thirst. 
rally north; 
ce in the ¢ apa lle " Te, dead dlance Of. 
ace was ominous; n orate ast up, we found only the 
