YAMPAIS INDIANS.—ROUTE TO THE COLORADO. 
97 
and explore among the sandstone and granitic mountains, which are smoother and less broken 
into canons than the volcanic region we have traversed. We therefore grazed the mules, filled 
our canteens, and then followed an Indian trail by a northerly course, up a dry ravine. After 
winding among granitic hills about two miles, we entered a higher step of the valley, which 
looked smooth and nearly level for an immense distance towards the north. But we turned to 
the right around the base of the mountain, and two miles beyond took possession of a grassy 
spot among the cedars for a night’s rest. The Indians are still lurking about us. They have 
been seen and tracked to the mountains, where was found a curious sandal, made of willow twigs 
interlaced and bound with sinews. Leroux supposes these Indians to be Yampais, who range to 
the junction of Rio Virgen with the Colorado. Towards the northeast are the Cosninos. South 
of them, and to the Gila, the Tontos are supposed to roam. No one that I have seen appears to 
have any very definite idea of these tribes. There is probably a close affinity between them. 
The weather is spring-like. Vegetation begins to conform to that of Rio Gila. Canotias* 
are mingled with cedars upon the dry arroyos, and mezquites with cotton-wood upon the 
flowing streams. Numerous varieties of cacti also abound, from the huge Echino cactus of 
Wislizenus, to humbler mammillaria. 
January 29.—While at breakfast an Indian whoop was heard, and turning towards the 
hills, we saw two tawny figures looking down upon us. A couple of Mexicans were sent out to 
parley and bring them to camp. Our ambassadors bore a white towel pinned to a ramrod, as a 
flag of truce, but evidently placed less faith in this token than in the pistols which they 
endeavored to conceal beneath their coats. After a long series of gesticulations and signs, one 
of the Indians took a firebrandf from behind a bush where it had been concealed, and produced 
a little column of smoke as a signal of peace. Slowly and cautiously the Mexicans continued 
to approach, and were at length received by one of the savages with great dignity. The other 
seemed to be facetious. Without ceremony he converted the towel into a breech-cloth, and 
transferred the ambassador’s hat to his own head. We saw from their continued vehement 
gestures that they were not likely to come to camp, so Leroux and myself went to them. The 
Indians greeted us by placing their hands upon their breasts; and saying “Hanna,” “Hanna,” 
invited us to be seated by the fire which they had kindled. By signs they told how they had 
watched and followed us, fearing to ajiproach camp lest we should kill them. They examined 
Leroux pretty closely, and then pointing towards the northwest, indicated that they had seen 
him before in that direction. The accused blushed, but stoutly denied the fact; at the same 
time pulling his hat over one side of his head to conceal a wound they had given him there two 
years ago. But the subject was quickly changed, and we inquired for the route to the Mojave 
villages. They pointed nearly due west, across valleys and over low ridges, to a blue mountain 
chain, at whose western base, they said, flowed the Colorado. The distance was from two to three 
long days’ journey for them on foot, reckoned seventy miles ; and there were three small springs 
of water on the way. The return would be more difficult, and would require at least three or 
four days of Indian travel. Although, to the base of the far mountain, the country looked mode¬ 
rately level, smooth, and practicable for a road, for that very reason we feared this route the 
more. It was on an elevated table-land, bounded by a mountain chain, which all agreed we 
should be obliged to surmount, and thence necessarily have a difficult descent of several thou¬ 
sand feet to the Colorado. Therefore, independent of the want of water for so large a train, 
which the Indians’ three small springs would seem to imply, it was deemed better to hold to 
the valley and stream of Bill Williams’ fork, and run the risk of increasing the distance. 
Our new friends confirmed our ideas regarding the locality of some of the Indian tribes. 
Cosninos, they said, roamed towards the northeast; Pai-Utes lived northwest, upon the farther 
side of the Colorado. They professed to be Yampais; or, as they pronounced it themselves, “ Ya- 
* This is the Mexican name of one species of the thorny “ green-harked acacias.” 
f This circumstance reminds me of the custom which Alarchon found to prevail among the Indians on the Colorado—that of 
carrying a firebrand. Hence the name which that river at first received, viz : Rio del Tizon. See Indian Report. 
13 h 
