TO THE COCO-MARICOPA VILLAGES. 197 
and mezquit, where we could not see our way ten 
yards ahead; an admirable place for an ambuscade, 
although we had no fear of any thing of the kind. It 
was an agreeable change from the utter barrenness 
and parching heat of the table-land to find ourselves 
now ina thick wood. After passing the northern ter- 
mination of “Big Horn” Mountain, we completed our 
day's march, and encamped at eleven o'clock in a 
thicket of willows near the river. Mr. Leroux, who 
was in advance, soon after rode into camp with a fine 
black-tailed deer thrown across his mule, which he 
had just killed, and which proved delicious eating. 
We occasionally saw these deer, as well as antelopes, 
as we passed along; but our numbers and the white- 
topped wagons alarmed them. Hence it was only by 
leaving the party and going in advance that our 
hunters could hope for success. 
During the day we passed two abandoned wagons 
in good condition, save the injury they had received 
from long exposure to the sun. From one of them 
we helped ourselves to a king-bolt, to replace the one 
we had broken a few days before. | | 
From the large quantity of iron strewed about, with 
fragments of vehicles, tin kettles, and camp equipage, 
we were evidently at a place where wagons had been 
. broken up and burned. The extent of these traces 
showed tliat it was probably the place where General 
Kearney or Colonel Cooke encamped in 1847. We 
had discovered their camps in several instances, and 
many years must elapse before these signs will be 
obliterated. Distance travelled to-day, eighteen miles. 
The mountains here are as desolate and barren as 
