AND THE ADJACENT COUNTRY. 161 
town be built where Fort Yuma now stands, which is 
altogether probable if a railway should ever pass here, 
it will be an advantage to the United States to possess 
both the banks of this river for so long a distance. 
The bottom-lands of the Colorado below the june- 
tion bear the traces of former cultivation, acequias 
being seen in many places. Whether this cultivation 
was by the Spaniards while they had a mission here 
towards the close of the last century, or whether by 
the Indians at an earlier period, is not known. But 
from the large trees, both erect and fallen, which now 
cover the bottom, even where the ditches appear, the 
cultivation, In my opinion, was anterior to the occupa- 
tion by the Spaniards. I have never seen bottom-lands 
of this character which might be more easily irrigated. 
The banks of both rivers are here low ; and the descent 
near Fort Yuma would permit the opening of a canat 
a few miles above, which would irrigate the whole 
valley. When a stream is far below the level of the 
bottom-land, and its fall but slight, it is necessary to 
make the canal so long that the expense will not war- 
rant the undertaking. The active and enterprising 
commander here intends bringing these rich lands into 
cultivation as soon as he has completed the quarters for 
the men, upon which he is now engaged. Should he 
do so, he will be able to furnish his command with 
what they now most stand in need of—a good supply 
of vegetables. | 
Close by Fort Yuma the traces of the old Spanish 
Mission buildings may still be seen. These consist of 
partly demolished stone walls of small buildings; 
though a few years since the walls of a church were also 
VoL. 1.—11 
