EXTRACTS FROM [PRELIMINARY] REPORT. 17 
This stream, indicated upon old Spanish and English charts, is designated Rio Santa Maria. 
Captain Sitgreaves, supposing when he saw its mouth that it was the same he had already- 
named at its source in the mountains, calls it “ Bill Williams’ fork.” It is an important stream, 
draining an extensive tract of country heretofore unknown. Alternate sections of its valley 
furnished scenery of strange contrasts. For five or six miles we follow marl bottoms, luxuriant 
with vegetation, with a stream rapid, clear, and two feet deep, shaded by dense groves of alamo, 
mezquite, and willow ; then, gradually yielding to a sandy soil, the water passes beneath the 
surface, and for an equal distance we traverse a blank and dreary desert. There the quaint 
cereus giganteus and humbler cactacem, with occasional yuccas and curious shrubs, form a 
landscape extremely singular, but of which one soon wearies. Fortunately, these barren wastes 
seldom extend uninterruptedly above a few hours’ march with the train. 
Although our route equalled all we had reason to anticipate, it yet seems probable that the 
main eastern branch would lead through a more favorable country, by the Black Mountain to 
u Yal de Chino.” Thence a reconnaissance eastwardly might discover a passage through the 
Black Forest across the headwaters of Rio San Francisco, and unite with our trail upon Canon 
Diablo, near the Colorado Chiquito. 
What we saw of this country was full of interest to each department of science. There were 
extensive forests, abounding with game ; wide grass valleys, affording pasturage to innumerable 
herds of deer ; crystal brooks alive with trout, their fertile banks once cultivated and now lined 
with ash and walnut timber. From .the heights were frequently seen, looking down upon us, 
the fleet cimaron, or mountain goat. That this solitude had not always been unbroken by man, 
was shown by the numerous ruins of stone houses that lined the borders of the streams, and the 
still high walls of extensive fortifications that covered the heights surrounding. 
We traversed this region in winter, but the climate was that of spring, and vegetation was 
already rapidly advancing. Unpropitious as was the season, the botanist found much to delight 
him. New species of trees and tropical shrubs were collected ; rare and beautiful plants were 
obtained ; strange forms and unknown species of cactacem were gathered. 
It was a beautiful view that burst upon us, as we ascended a hill and first beheld the Colorado 
sweeping from the northwest to unite with Bill Williams’ fork, almost beneath our feet. One 
long and loud huzza burst spontaneously from the men, sending a thrill through every nerve. 
Their dreamy forebodings were cast upon its waters, and all felt relieved from a burden of 
anxieties. 
The river appeared three or four hundred yards wide, with a dark and reddish hue, flowing 
with a swift current between bluff banks worn through the midst of wide alluvial bottoms. 
The valley was sprinkled with large alamos, and bounded by hills leading back to sharp ridges 
of mountains, by which below the junction it was contracted to a canon. Upon the opposite 
side seemed a succession of mountains, which, receding from the river towards the northwest, 
terminated about ten miles above. There a wide plane seemed to extend indefinitely westward, 
and possibly might lead in about one hundred miles to San G-orgonio Pass, the fine puerto 
discovered by Lieutenant Williamson, to the valley of Los Angeles. 
Ascending the left bank of the river about twenty miles over soil evidently rich, and in some 
places showing evidence of having been cultivated, we reached a point where spurs from the 
mountain impinged upon the river, forming an unexpected obstacle to the progress of our wagons. 
Labor for a few days, perhaps for a few hours, might probably have cut around their points a 
practicable way. But our time was precious ; it was doubtful whether, with the utmost dili¬ 
gence, we could reach the settlements before our supply of subsistence should be exhausted. 
Therefore, abandoning our wagons, except a light vehicle to which was attached the viameter, 
and in which the lighter instruments were carried, we packed upon mules our collections, pro¬ 
visions, and necessaries, and cached such things as we could spare. Then crossing the spurs, 
we entered the fine valley of the Chemehuevis Indians. They are a band of the great Pai-ute 
3 
