FORT YUMA. 149 
good shade, we remained beneath them during the day, 
which was as hot as before, the mercury ranging as 
high as 106°. But even with this heat, we deemed it 
a great luxury to be surrounded by such a delightful 
erove, after the total barrenness and desolation with 
which we had been surrounded for so many days. We 
had now left the plateau of the desert, and were upon 
the bottom-land with an alluvial soil. The party were 
so much exhausted with the last night’s march, and the 
exciting events which preceded it, that I determined 
to remain quiet during the day, and not leave until the 
moon arose. ’ | 
June 9th. Left camp at half-past one in the morn- 
ing, when the moon afforded a feeble hight, without 
which it would have been impossible to find our way. 
The whole party kept close together, with a sharp look 
out; as we were now in the country of the Yuma In- 
dians, with whom the Americans are at war. We learn- 
ed too, from the express that passed us on the desert, 
that bands of these Indians had been seen here two 
days before. Our journey was through a bottom filled 
with mezquit and cotton-woods; and from the great 
quantity of fallen trees of a large growth, one is led to 
believe that the whole bottom, from the point near 
Cooke's Well, which is fifteen miles from the river, 
must have been covered with water within a few years, 
and for a considerable time too, to cause such a de- 
struction of timber. 
For several miles after leaving the desert, and 
between that and the bottom land, there ran along our 
left a great sand-drift, or belt of moving sand, which 
extends far to the northward, and seems to be gradual- 
