64 NEW TRACKS IN NORTH AMERICA. 
nor a single patch of green. The country seemed to consist 
of a succession of mesas, piled up one above the other, like 
terraced mountains, presenting from five to a dozen parapets. 
Volcanic force considerably assisted in producing the wild 
confusion which surrounded us; for many of the summits — 
were formed of pointed masses of plutonic rocks which had 
been forced up from below, while considerable areas of surface 
had been covered with a thick coating of lava, the broken — 
edges of which shone out smooth and black in the sunlight. 
The most prominent mass in the landscape—called, from its _ 
shape, Saddle Mountain—is probably an extinct volcano. 
It stands exactly in front of the trough between the moun- — 
tains which we had left, and seems to be the chief obstruction — 
which prevented the Aravaypa Riyer from ¢ontinuing its 
direct course into the Rio Gila, and obliged it to deviate from 
north-west to south-west; for looking over the dreary land- { 
scape in the latter direction, the rugged outline of the m 
country seemed to us less obstructed by formidable barriers on” 
that side; while at our feet we could trace for miles the black 
cleft in the earth’s crust which we knew to be the Aravaypa ; 
Cafion. With a good deal of climbing, we managed to enter 
a side gorge which debouched upon the main caiion, and be 
following its windings at last entered the latter — 
three and a half miles from its head, and then followed its” 
course to camp, fully persuaded that if the cafion itself y 
impracticable for wagons, no way could be found through 
country above it. A rapid exploration of a very few miles 
the cafion proper was sufficient to prove that it would only 
add greatly to our difficulties to nitenpt to take our _— 
with us. 
- On the third day the party from Fort Goodwin returneé 
bringing us some extra mules, pack-saddles, and ss u 
ee 
