PIMO VILLAGES. 247 
plain, there may be seen inall directions similar heaps ; 
and about a mile to the east, I noticed a long range of 
them running north and south, which the Indians said 
were of a similar character to that on which we stood. 
In every direction, the plain was strewn with broken 
pottery, of which I gathered up some specimens to 
show the quality, as well as the style, of ornamenta- 
tion. also found several of the green stones resem- 
bling amethysts which the Indians, after heavy rains, 
come here in search of. They are highly prized by 
them. All the early travellers in this country, from 
Coronado, who crossed the Gila in 1540, to the present 
time, have spoken of these so called amethysts. I 
would have liked to make a further examination of 
this plain; but our animals had no grass or other feed, 
nor should we find any until we could reach the Gila, 
twenty-five miles distant, which prevented me from 
extending my examinations. 
Mr. Leroux informed me that on the banks of the 
San Francisco, are similar heaps to these, and other 
ruins, the walls still standimg. He thinks that the 
buildings he has seen on that river, and others in the 
Moqui and Navajo country, of three and four stories 
in height, would, if ‘in a ruined state, make similar 
heaps to those under our notice. Iam inclined to the 
same opinion, and believe that the ruins we visited, 
belonged to a building of several stories. 
There is no doubt that this valley, as well as that 
of the Verde and Gila Rivers, were once filled with a 
dense population, far enough advanced in civilization 
to build houses of several stories in height, surrounded 
with regular outworks, and to irrigate their lands by 
