30 
DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY. 
eastern slope of the Aquarius mountains, and join the main valley of Williams’ river. North 
of White Cliff creek there are long, swelling slopes, peculiar to a granitic region, with two 
distinct ranges of mountains between Cactus Pass and Rio Colorado. These ranges extend 
nearly in a north and south direction, with broad depressions between them. The eastern 
terminates, or is broken, near the parallel of 35°, leaving between it and the northern point of 
the Cerhat range a wide opening. The western range, called Blue Ridge, or ffamook-habi* 
which borders the left hank of the Colorado, extends somewhat farther south ; but gradually 
diminishes in height, and, near the latitude of the Mojave villages, is lost in an extensive 
prairie. Upon the east this prairie is bounded by the Cerbat range ; and upon the south by 
numerous parallel chains of metamorphic mountains, through which Williams’ river breaks 
in its course to the Colorado. 
At the southeast point of the great bend of Williams’ river is the junction of Rio Santa 
Maria, which appears to take its rise near a low depression in the Aztec range between Sierra 
Prieta and Mount Hope. It evidently drains a wide extent of country, the character of which 
is not known. Near its mouth it has a strip of valley with alluvial soil of apparent fertility. 
The sylva ttpon its banks are mezquites, mingled with cotton-wood trees. 
From the Aztec range to the Aquarius mountains, the hills are covered with june and cedar 
trees ; and the plains, which are mainly formed by immense beds of trap, are clothed with a 
carpet of nutritious gramina. Most of the numerous rivulets which traverse this region, 
south of the latitude of Aztec Pass, form narrow canons through the igneous rocks, and possess 
little soil capable of cultivation. Enclosed between the Aquarius and Cerbat ranges is the 
bed of Williams’ river, which flows nearly south until it enters short canons among metamorphic 
hills of the Cerbat range ; it then turns westward, unites with the Santa Maria, and forces its 
way to the Colorado. The bottom-lands of the valley will average from half a mile to a mile 
in width, and the surface consists of alternate patches of sand and fertile soil. Groves of mez- 
quite and cotton-wood, with dense thickets of willows, exist upon its banks, giving to this 
stream some of the characteristics belonging to the Gila. The hills that enclose it are generally 
barren of all useful vegetation, though diversified with numerous varieties of beautiful cactaceaq 
rendering the scenery novel and picturesque. 
From an examination of the observations made at numerous points of the survey, it now 
appears evident that gently sloping prairies extend continuously from the mouth of White Cliff 
creek around the northern extremity of the Cerbat range; and thence, sweeping slightly south 
for the purpose of avoiding the Blue Ridge, to the Mojave crossing of Rio Colorado. The dis¬ 
tance for a railroad by that line would be about 70 miles. Grades of about 92 feet per mile 
could probably be obtained, • with little expense for excavation or embankment. There is 
neither timber nor fuel in the vicinity ; both would be brought from the Aztec and Aquarius 
mountains. Water is scarce ; the Indians informed us of two springs only upon the route, 
which would make the distance from water to water about twenty-five miles. I do not know 
whether the substrata are such as to make it probable that water could be obtained at proper 
points by artesian borings ; but a supply could doubtless be preserved by judiciously constructed 
tanks. 
From our entrance to the valley of Rio Colorado Chiquito, or Flax river, its course is slightly 
north of west to Camp 82, a distance of about 35 miles ; and the arable soil bordering it averages 
from one to two miles in width. The river is about 30 feet wide, flowing between alluvial 
banks eight to ten feet in height. The soil is generally light and porous, like that of Rio Gila. 
o Mr. Blake has lately called my attention to the etymology of the word “Mojave.” It appears to he formed of two Yuma 
words—hamook (three,) and habi (mountains)—and designates the tribe of Indians which occupies a valley of the Colo¬ 
rado lying between three mountains. The ranges supposed to be referred to are : 1st, “The Needles,” which terminates 
the valley upon the south, and is called Asientic-habi, or first range ; 2d, the heights that bound the right bank of the 
Colorado north of the Mojave villages, termed Havic-liabi, or second range ; and, 3d, the Blue Ridge, extending along the 
left bank of the river, to which has been given the name of Hamook-habi, or third range. 
