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<br />REPORT OF AN EXPEDITION DOWN THE
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<br />'growth, with here [lnd there cedars, scrub~oaks, locusts, and
<br />the Pallugia pamcloxa, described in Major Emory's report.
<br />OefobcT 24, Camp No. 22.-Leaving behind us the moun-
<br />tains and the stream, whose course was too much to the
<br />southward, we struck out west across the plain. The ground
<br />was much broken by precipitous ravines, in one of which
<br />'~ere seen masses of porphyry and .quartz, th~ only excep-
<br />tlOns to the usual trap we had met smce reachmg the moun-
<br />tains.
<br />Octobcr 25, Camp No. 23.-In the course of the day we
<br />passed a ~e,wgro\'es of. the comm?n cedar, the only ~ree to
<br />be seen. I he grass, 01 good quality, was parched With the
<br />continued drought, and the soil, loose and dryas ashes, gave
<br />little hope of l-ilHlil1g water.
<br />October 26, Camp No. 24.-At daylight it was discovered
<br />that a dozen mulcs were missing. Their tracks showed that
<br />they had gone back upon our trail,and some men were des-
<br />patched La recover them j while the rest of the party pursued
<br />their journey across a rocky ridge thickly overgrown with ce-
<br />dars, who"e low branches, frequently sweeping off a pack,
<br />rendered the march slow and laborious. When we stopped
<br />to rest in the middle of the day the animals, overcome with
<br />thirst and fatigue, refused to graze, and huddled together un-
<br />der the shade of the trees. Before resuming the march, a
<br />gourd of water and some bread were left for the men who
<br />had been sent hack in search of the missing mules j and,
<br />after a march of seven miles further, we encamped the third
<br />night without water.
<br />OctobcT 27, Cam}) No. 25.- A" few hours after setting out,
<br />fresh signs of Indians began to make their appearance, and
<br />increased as we advanced, in frequency and numbers, until
<br />we came upon a well-marked and newly-made trail, leading
<br />to the northward of our course, but into which we turned in
<br />the hope of its leading us to water. Having pursued it in
<br />silence a few miles, we surprised a party of ten or twelve of
<br />the most wretched looking Indians I have ever seen, naked,
<br />and apparently almost starved. They all fled, except an old
<br />man and a woman, whom we attempted to conciliate with
<br />some presents j but were not successful in allaying their fears,
<br />althongh the llIall finally undertook to direct us to water.
<br />The mules werc therefore unpacked and sent off under his
<br />guidance. He conducted them to 1\\'0 smaU springs in a
<br />rocky gorge, some ten miles distant j but, in their eagerness
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<br />{
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<br />t;1
<br />
<br />~ll'.
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<br />
<br />ZUNI AND" COLORADO RIVERS.
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<br />15
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<br />to drink, the ground was soon trampled into a mere mass of
<br />mud, so that very few were enabled to quench their thirst.
<br />The Indian watched his opportunity, when not observed, to
<br />slip from his mule and escape among the rocks j but as he
<br />had performed the only service we required of him, no at-
<br />tempt waS made to retnke him.
<br />OctobeT 28, Ca.m}l No. 26.-As there was no other alterna-
<br />tive, the camp was removed to the vicinity of the springs and
<br />the men set to work at clearing them out. By this means,
<br />and leading two or three at a time to water, in the course or
<br />this and the following day a small quantity was obtained iar
<br />each animal, barely enough to keep them alive, but not
<br />-enough to nUay their thirst, as their relllsal to eat and plain-
<br />tive cries too clearly proved.
<br />The continued absence of the men who had been sent back
<br />on the 26th upon the tracks of the missing mules created
<br />.great fears for their safety, or lest they had returned to Z uili i
<br />and their arrival there, it was apprehended, would give rise
<br />to unfavorable rumors in regard to the party. Our anxiety
<br />was relieved, however, by their reappenrance in camp. They
<br />had succeeded in finding the mules and bringing them within
<br />a day's march of camp, when half the number had agnin
<br />made their escape. During their absence of four days the
<br />men had suffi~red much from hunger and thirst, having taken
<br />but one day's rations with them, aIld being without water,
<br />except a small gourd full that one of them had been provident
<br />enough to conceal beiare setting out. The bread and water
<br />we had left for them, though placed conspicuously in the
<br />middle of our trail, had not been discovered by them, and
<br />was probably carried off by the' Indians.
<br />A party sent out to reconnoitre brought back the gratifying
<br />intelligence that lwe~ve miles in advance was a smaJJ stream
<br />of running water amI an abundance of tolerable grass. A
<br />band or Yampais were found encamped upon it, from whom
<br />Mr. Leroux learned that the numerous trails we had observed
<br />for the last two or three days united and led to the country of
<br />the Mohaves, and that ~heir camp was but one day's journey
<br />from the ri vcr.
<br />October 30, Camp No. 27.-This rivulet, which I have called
<br />the Yampai, has its source in three sll1a]\ springs j it is re-
<br />peatedly lost in the ground within a distance of half a mile j
<br />aller which it disappears entirely. A Ie,'" willa,,, and cotton-
<br />wood trees grow upon its banks, and green grass was here
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<br />l~6b.4'-....t .1l:i~J:.t_., 44.1;,
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