76 
YAMPAIS INDIANS.-NAVA JOES.—RUINS. 
toms is marked by a line of small alamos. The gravelly prairies that hound the valley are in 
some places thinly spread with grama; in others, barren. Great quantities of broken pottery 
have been found. A portion appeared to have been water-worn, as if from a flood, and the 
patterns were somewhat different from any we have before noticed. Some were ribbed in par¬ 
allel lines; others wavy, but not in points. Arrow-heads neatly made of jasper were found 
entire. The foundations of houses were also sometimes traceable. 
December 7 —Camp 80.—We pursued a course a little north of west, still traversing the wide 
valley, towards the snowy peaks of San Francisco, which for several days have been visible. 
Sand and light soil, like ashes, rendered the journey heavy for the wagons. Finding a favorable 
spot we encamped early, having made but 8^ miles. Mr. Marcou says we are now below the 
Jurassic and Lias formations, and that geological indications are in favor of the development 
of coal-beds south of our route. 
A spur of the Mogollon mountains, which lies nearly southwest from us, is said to be peopled 
by warlike Yampais. Our guide, Savedra, has recounted various reminiscences of their bravery 
and daring. A few years since he joined a party of Moquis and Mexicans for the purpose of 
stealing children for slaves. Upon entering this country, they were met and attacked with such 
fury by the Yampais that the whole party fled. 
In passing through the Navajo country the natives have kept quite aloof from us. Therefore, 
as one of our Mexican herders from Covero understands their language, a vocabularly of it has 
been obtained from him. A few years since, while he was playing at Covero spring, he was 
captured by Navajoes. For nine months he was a prisoner, and followed the Indians in 
their wanderings. He accompanied a party of one thousand warriors through the Moqui coun¬ 
try, and afterwards spent much time among their rancherias in the famous Canon de Chelly. 
Their fields are numerous, though cultivated by women alone ; no man ever condescending to 
lend a helping hand. Their numbers, he says, no one can tell. They are thickly spread from 
Canon de Chelly to Rio San Juan, and he believes them equal to the whole population of New 
Mexico. These statements are noted as they were given, without vouching for their accuracy. 
One ought to deduct an allowance for the exaggeration usual among this people. It is very 
probable that the size of the tribe exceeds the usual estimate. Their wealth, by his account, 
consists of immense flocks and herds. Some of the rich men own one thousand horses each, 
besides mules, cattle, and sheep. 
b December 8 —Camp 81.—Plodding along through sand and light soil—sometimes threading 
the wide valley, at others crossing gravel ridges that bounded it—we made five miles, and 
encamped. We had crossed the deep bed of a well-wooded tributary flowing from the north¬ 
east, called Cotton-wood creek. Nearly opposite could be seen the junction of an affluent from 
the southeast. The Colorado Chiquito here branches into a net-work of channels, all bordered 
with alamos. Below camp is quite a forest, extending about four miles down the valley. From 
a high hill two miles hack from camp the river can he seen making a great bend, and sweeping 
northward. There we jmopose to commence a reconnaissance westward towards the southern 
slope of San Francisco mountain, hoping to avoid the circuitous course by the river. 
December d—^Camp 82.—At the usual hour we left camp, and proceeded a mile and a half, 
near to the great bend of the river, where we encamped. Near by is the remnant of a ruin as 
extensive as any yet seen. An isolated hill of sandstone is the foundation of this ancient pueblo, 
which was doubtless similar to those at Ojo Pescado. In few places are the faces of walls visi¬ 
ble above the debris of stones, vigas, and pottery. The colors of the latter are black, red, white, 
and yellow, worked into a variety of figures, but representing no animals. The indented kind, 
said to be so very ancient, is here found in many patterns. A stone axe and several pretty 
arrow-heads of obsidian or carnelian were picked up from the ruins. The pueblo, as well as 
could be ascertained, was rectangular, one side nearly east and west, 120 feet in length ; the 
other, 360 feet, nearly in the true meridian. The walls were in some places ten feet in thick- 
