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Show RAILROAD PASS. 319 them by my insistency. At this rancheria there is an arroyo with running water, plenty of grass, much game, and much seed of chia. I spoke to them of God, of whom I could perceive that they already had some knowledge; then they all kissed the crucifix, and made their children kiss it too. They go dressed in antelope- skins and some shirts of Moqui; they have tolerable camping place. [ This answers all the requirements of GarceV " arroyo with running water and plenty of grass"- arroyo con agua corriente, bastante zacate, etc.] The next day, after proceeding one or two miles along the pass, which we called the Railroad Pass, we emerged from the Cerbat range, and came into what was at first supposed to be a broad valley, but which turned out to be a basin [ Ives* fig. 29, Cerbat Basin], formed by the chain we had passed and spurs extending from it. There was a low divide on the rim of the basin nearly opposite the eastern entrance to the Railroad Pass. [ This divide was between the Hualapai and Peacock mountains, leading over to Cactus pass, etc.] The altitudes of these opposite edges are about the same. Lieutenant Whipple, while locating a railroad line near the 35th parallel, had reached a point [ Cactus pass] a short distance east of this divide, where he struck the headwaters [ White Cliff creek and Big Sandy wash] of Bill Williams's Fork, at that time [ Jan., 1854] an unexplored stream. Supposing that it would conduct directly to the Colorado, he followed it till it was too late to return, and was compelled to pursue a difficult and circuitous route to its mouth. He was confident, however, from a careful study of the country at either end, that the direct route from the divide to the Colorado would be practicable for a railroad, besides greatly shortening the distance. The observations of the past two days have demonstrated the accuracy of his judgment." |
