62 FORT YUMA TO MOJAVE CANON—TRADING WITH INDIANS. 
heap of provisions. The whole tribe had crowded around to look on, and their amusement, 
during this performance, was extreme. Every sharp face expanded into a grin as I weighed 
the different piles in succession in my hand, and gravely estimated their contents; and when, 
the apportionment being over, I directed two of my men to bag the corn and beans, and coolly 
walked ‘away, the delight of the bystanders, at the summary method of completing the bargain, 
reached its climax and they fairly screamed with laughter. A few of the traders seemed not 
quite to comprehend why they should have had so little say in the matter, but having been 
really well recompensed, according to their ideas of things, the tariff of prices was established, 
and this morning, when fresh supplies were brought, they received the same rate of payment 
without question or demur. 
Mr. Mollhausen has enlisted the services of the children to procure zoological specimens, 
and has obtained, at the cost of a few strings of beads, several varieties of pouched mice and 
lizards. They think he eats them, and are delighted that his eccentric appetite can be gratified 
with so much ease and profit to themselves. 
There has been lately a remarkable disparity between the temperatures of the day and 
night. Almost every night it is cold enough to form a thin crust of ice upon the little lagoons 
and inlets, while at midday the thermometer in the shade sometimes stands at 85°, and in the 
sun it is oppressively warm. 
Fig. 14—Remains of Grand Mesa in Chemebuevis Valley. 
Camp 40, head of Mojave Catton, February 9.—The norther continued yesterday, and, as is 
apt to be the case towards its close, blew with redoubled violence. The force of the gale 
being felt principally upon the cabin and after deck, it was impossible to steer the boat, and 
after a day passed in swinging about from one shoal to another, rubbing over bars, and scrap- 
ing rocks, nightfall found us advanced just three miles. 
