202 NEW TRACKS IN NORTH AMERICA. 
Madre, and descended towards the Pacific. Turning south- 
west, they passed around the head-waters of the Rio Grand 
del Norte, and after a journey of 400 miles, they reached in 
safety the Animas, the most northern branch of the San Juan 
River, which flows into the Great Colorado from the east. 
They were now in the land where their hopes centred, and 
to reach which they had crossed plains and mountains, and 
forded rapid streams, leaving the nearest abodes of the white 
man hundreds of miles to the east. Their prospecting for 
gold began in the bed of the Animas, and though they were 
partially successful, the result did not by any means reach 
their expectations ; so they followed down the stream intd 
not in the quantity they expected; so they gradually moved 
west, along the beautiful valley, for 200 miles, when they 
found that the San Juan entered a deep and gloomy cafion | 
To avoid this they forded the river to the right bank, and 
struck across a rough timbered country, directing their 
course towards the Great Colorado. d 
Having travelled through this rough country for a distance Qo 
estimated at fifty miles, they reached Grand River, being 
still above the junction of Green River, the united waters 0 : 
which two streams form the Colorado proper. At the point 
where they struck the river it was hemmed in by cliffs of 
perpendicular rock, down which they could gaze at the 
coveted water, dashing and foaming two thousand feet below. 
Men and animals were suffering for water, so they pushed up 
the stream along the rocky uneven cafion wall, hoping to 
find a place where they could descend to the river. After a | 
day spent in clambering over and around the huge rocks 
that blocked their way, they came upon a side cafion, which | 
: ae succeeded i in —— with their animals, and where | 
