I 
TO RIO SAN PEDRO. 377 
tlement in Sonora, for the purpose of obtaining a supply 
of provisions before he could go on with the work. As 
the American Commission was in a similar destitute 
predicament, and there was nothing here but brackish 
water, no wood, and very poor grass, it was determined 
to proceed without delay to the San Pedro Eiver, one 
day’s journey distant, and there await the arrival of 
the provisions which were to follow us from the Copper 
Mines ; or, if supplies could sooner be got from Santa 
Cruz, to obtain them and then go to the Gila. The lati- 
tude of this place is 32^ 02' 38", longitude 109° 48' 54". 
September Wi. The backs of two of the pack-mules 
so much galled that they were abandoned here ; and 
General Conde kindly loaned me two of his, to carry 
their packs. At 8 o’clock a. m. we again set off in a 
westerly direction, ascending very gradually to a gap 
in the mountain range, about fourteen miles distant,, 
through which we hoped to find an easy passage. The- 
opening did not disappoint us, as it was very level;, 
but it was an arroyo deeply cut by mountain torrents; 
rather than a defile, and consequently presented a con- 
tinuous bed of sand and gravel for nearly twelve miles. 
Its precipitous banks excluded the air, so that the jour- 
ney was a most disagreeable one. On emerging from, 
the arroyo, we entered a plain, thickly overgrown with 
large mezquit bushes, but destitute of grass. We 
looked in vain for a line of trees, or of luxuriant vege- 
tation to mark the course of the San Pedro, and began 
to fear that we might have still another mountain ridge- 
and another plain to cross before reaching it, when all 
of a sudden we found ourselves upon its banks. The- 
stream which resembled the Pecos in appearance,. 
