206 FORT YUMA 
tains on the Colorado which we saw at Fort Yuma 
were distinctly visible. 
In order to examine some sculptured rocks of which 
I had heard, I left camp at 5 o’clock p. mM. accompanied 
by Doctor Webb, in advance of the train. After cross- 
ing a plain for about five miles, we reached the object 
of our search, which consisted of a pile of large boul- 
ders, heaped up some forty or fifty feet above the 
plain, and standing entirely alone. Such of these rocks 
as present smooth sides are covered with .sculptures, 
rudely pecked in, of animals and men, as well as of 
various figures, apparently without meaning. There 
are hundreds of them so ornamented, showing that the 
place has long been the resort of the Indians for this 
purpose; for there seems to be nothing else to attract 
them here. Many of the inscriptions, like those before 
described, bear the stamp of great age, others having 
been made over them repeatedly, rendering it impos- 
sible to trace out either the early or the later mark- 
ings. I selected thirteen, of which I made copies. 
By this time the shades of night were falling about us; 
and the train having already passed, it was necessary 
to hasten on to overtake it. I regretted that I could 
not spend the day in this interesting locality, in order 
to copy more of the sculptures, as well as to make a 
closer examination of the many recesses among the 
rocks. I do not attempt any explanation of these rude 
figures, but must leave the reader to exercise his own 
ingenuity in finding out their meaning, if any. 
Leaving this place we entered an arroyo of gravel; 
and after following it for two or three miles, we 
ascended a very difficult and rocky hill to the plateau. 
