suppose from the accounts of trappers, and
others, who have attempted the passage from California to the Gila by a
more northern route, that it extends many days' travel beyond the chain
of barren mountains which bound the horizon in that direction. The
portal to the mountains through which we passed was formed by immense
buttes of yellow clay and sand, with large flakes of mica and seams of
gypsum. Nothing could be more forlorn and desolate in appearance. The
gypsum had given some consistency to the sand buttes, which were washed
into fantastic figures. One ridge formed apparently a complete circle,
giving it the appearance of a crater; and although some miles to the
left, I should have gone to visit it, supposing it to be a crater, but
my mule was sinking with thirst, and water was yet at some distance.
Many animals were left on the road to die of thirst and hunger, in
spite of the generous efforts of the men to bring them to the spring.
More than one was brought up, by one man tugging at the halter and
another pushing up the brute, by placing his shoulder against its
buttocks. Our most serious loss, perhaps, was that of one or two fat
mares and colts brought with us for food; for, before leaving camp,
Major Swords found in a concealed place one of the best pack mules
slaughtered, and the choice bits cut from his shoulders and flanks,
stealthily done by some mess less provident than others.

"_Nov. 29_.--The grass at the spring was anything but desirable for our
horses, and there was scarcely a ration left for the men. This last
consideration would not prevent our giving the horses a day's rest
wherever grass could be found. We followed the dry sandy bed of the
Cariso nearly all day, at a snail's pace, and at length reached the
'little pools' where the grass was luxuriant but very salt. The water
strongly resembled that at the head of the Cariso creek, and the earth,
which was very tremulous for many acres about the pools, was covered
with salt. This valley is not more than half a mile wide, and on each
side are mountains of grey granite and pure quartz, rising from 1,000
to 3,000 feet above it.

"We rode for miles through thickets of the centennial plant, Agave
Americana, and found one in full bloom. The sharp thorns terminating
every leaf of this plant were a great annoyance to our dismounted and
wearied men, whose legs were now almost bare. A number of these plants
were cut by the soldiers, and the body of them us