TO RIO SAN PEDRO. 
367 
wished me to follow him, believing there would be 
found an abundance of water and grass at that place. 
We pitched our tents here for the night. Latitude 
of the Sugar Loaf Mountain 32^ 20' 21'' — Longitude 
W. from Greenwich 109° 01'. 
September 31s^^. As our animals were greatly 
fatigued by the two last days’ march without water, 
and with but little feed, it was thought best to remain 
here to-day to recruit them. Our bedding, being 
quite wet, was spread out to dry. To employ our 
time to the best advantage. Lieutenant Whipple was 
occupied in making astronomical and magnetic obser- 
vations near the camp and on the summit of a high 
mountain about three miles to the north. This moun- 
tain was found to be 1750 feet above our camp and 
2050 above the plain ; the party was seven hours in 
ascending and returning. It presented a picturesque 
appearance, from the columnar and basalt-like position 
of the dark and light strata of which it is composed. 
I employed mj^self in examining the hills near, and in 
making a few sketches. There were but few trees 
here, and these mostly live oak standing in the valleys. 
The hills were quite bare. While engaged in sketch- 
ing, halfway up the mountain, I was overtaken by a 
shower, from which I took shelter in a large natural 
opening in the side of a rock on the summit of one of 
the mountain spurs. The rocks here presented many 
fantastic forms. Among the crevices grew the fou- 
quiera, with an occasional cedar, while the Spanish 
bayonet and yucca sprang up on all sides. In the 
distance, on the right, rose the Sugar Loaf Hill, near 
the base of which was our camp. 
