EXTENSIVE FORESTS.—VALLEY OF RIO VERDE, 
85 
reached two small springs, to which they had been conducted by a Yampais Indian, captured 
by them a short time before. These springs furnished but a scanty supply of water, and no 
more was found till their arrival at Yampais creek, twelve miles beyond. A difficult range of 
mountains, besides two barren and extensive plains, were crossed, and a second range ascended, 
before a view of the Colorado was obtained ; tlie descent to the river being then very abrupt. 
From Leroux’s description, it would not appear that this route offers many facilities for a 
railway. 
Black Forest, Piehaco, and mountains north of Aztec Pass. 
The region from San Francisco mountain to this place contains much volcanic sand and sco- 
riaceous rock, quickly absorbing rain, and melting snow. Springs doubtless exist in many 
places, but being now covered by snow and ice, cannot easily be found. Pine forests, inter¬ 
spersed with prairies, seem to extend towards the south to the blue mountains that are just vis¬ 
ible above the horizon. The appearance is somewhat similar to the Cross Timbers upon the 
Canadian. Our camp is on a dry branch of Bill Williams’ fork, and, according to the barome¬ 
ter, 400 feet below the bivouac of last night. 
January 2.—Turning south and southeast along the channel of an arroyo, in half an hour 
we found pools of water. Willows growing upon the banks seemed to indicate that it was per¬ 
manent, though melting snows have probably added to the usual quantity. Keeping our course 
three miles over a prairie which sloped from the southern base of Bill Williams’ mountain, we 
again found water which supplied the train. We then followed Leroux in search of the main 
stream, to a point which he recognised as being near Capt. Sitgreaves’ Camp No. 21. Here 
we saw the ravine in which the creek flowed south, and followed a branch about four miles to a 
point of hills, where we again encamped. The stream below us flows in a canon 150 feet deep. 
Ascending a hill half a mile south, we saw an immense and beautiful valley, into which the 
creek enters from the mouth of the canon, about four miles distant. The valley is striped with 
