XTiii INTRODUCTION. 



of sui^veyors, passed into California throngh. the Moqui 

 a semi-civilised race of Indians) country and iN'ortliern 

 Arizona, — a land abounding in wild and beantifnl scenery 

 and studded all oyer with the ruins of a large native popula 



tion now extinct. 



This country was explored some years since — first by 

 Whipple (1854-5), and afterwards by Beal (1858). It lies 

 about the 35th parallel of latitude^ and is known as the 35th 



parallel route across the continent. 



The other part of oui- expedition, consisting of two survey- 

 ing parties, continued to descend the Eio Grande valley for 

 seventy-two miles below Fort Craig before turning westward. 

 They then explored the barren districts lying between the 

 Eio Gila and the boundary of Mexico. As the 32nd pai-allel 

 of latitude traverses this region, the route through it in 

 called the 32nd parallel route. 



After visiting many places of interest in New Mexico, I 

 took the 32nd parallel route, and trayelled with one or othe: 

 of the parties to Camp Grant, in the centre of Arizona, 

 this distance, which by the continuous line suryeyed by one 

 party was found, to be 345 miles, we crossed many mountain 

 ranges, traversed the Great Madre Plateau, and passe 

 through a gorge — the Arayaj^a Canon — of unusual grande 

 and interest. I left the surveying parties at Camp Grant 

 and trayelled, with a single companion as guide, in almost 

 due southerly direction for 600 miles, through the State 

 Sonera, in Mexico proper, to the port of Guaymas, in t 

 Gulf of California. The object of this trip was to obtain *» 

 much general information as possible respecting that Sta: 

 especially as to its mineral and agricultural merits, and '^ 

 feasibility or otherwise of constructing a branch 

 through it to Guaymas. After visiting Carmen Island, 



II: 



