362 
THE COPPER MINES 
miles. We accordingly left the trail and followed 
him. In a short time we entered a narrow and pictu- 
resque defile thickly wooded with scrub-oaks. This 
we followed for about five miles, when it opened upon 
a beautiful grassy meadow about three hundred yards 
wide, in which were many fine springs. Here we 
encamped, near the base of the hills, and about three 
miles north of the line where the Mexican Astrono- 
mers had had their observing camp. After dinner 1 
followed the valley up for a mile. The flat meadow- 
like appearance continued as far as I could trace it 
from the tops of the hills, hemmed in on both sides by 
mountains. This valley I am inclined to think extends 
to the Gila, and during heavy rains is covered with 
water. There is land enough here to support a few 
families, with excellent water and some wood ; and it 
would be a good point for a station, in case a wagon 
road or railway should be constructed across this 
country. 
The weather to-day was extremely warm, so that 
our captive girl has suffered much from the exposure 
to the sun. Named this spring Ojo de Inez^ or Inez’s 
Spring, after her. I believe it is known to the Mexi- 
cans as Ojo de Gavilan or Hawk Spring. 
In the hope that we might be able to find a pas- 
sage across the mountains, without retracing our steps 
through the defile by which we had entered, and 
thereby save some six or seven miles of a very bad 
road, I sent a small party out to search for a practica- 
ble route. Towards evening they returned and 
reported that they had found one. 
August ZQth. The defile through which we were 
