AGUA PRIETA. 255 
a little earth had given them a hold, formed a complete 
canopy over our heads. The various cacti, the agave, 
and the yucea also abounded, each flourishing in perfec- 
tion, and, as it were, striving for the ascendency. ‘To 
these must be added the fouquiera, with its tall leafless 
stems and its brilliant scarlet flowers, which shot forth 
from every rocky crevice. 
On emerging from the cafion our road led up a high 
hill where there was a level plateau, of a desert-like 
character, about eight miles across, with an excellent 
road, which brought us to the rich valley of San Ber- 
nardino. Here was stretched out before us a level 
patch of green, resembling a luxuriant meadow, some 
eight or ten miles long, by one broad; and directly 
beyond, on a little spur of the plateau, lay the ruins of 
the hacienda of San Bernardino. Crossing this valley 
we stopped on the banks of a little stream, a tributary, 
or one of the sources of the Huaqui, which passes within 
a few rods of the ruins. As we approached, a flock of 
herons arose from the water, alarmed at the unusual 
invasion of their quiet haunt. One of them, whom 
curiosity had. prompted to leave his companions and _ 
take a closer inspection of the intruders, fell a victim 
to his boldness, and was added to oar ornithological 
collection. 
San Bernardino is a collection of adobe buildings 
in aruined state, of which nothing but the walls re- 
main. One of these buildings was about one hundred 
feet square, with a court in the centre; and adjoining 
it were others with small apartments. The latter were 
doubtless the dwellings of the peons and herdsmen. 
The whole extending over aspace of about two acres, 
