OCR Text |
Show 123 The only forage was found on the low- lands, and then consisted largely of the hard, innntritious " saccatone,'' which appears to have crowded all other grasses out. It contains in its tissues so much mineral matter that it is impossible to cut it with a mowing-machine without ruining the implement. The mules will not touch any part except the tops, if they can find other forage. The whole valley has a " baked " appearance, and the atmosphere, tinged with a half- cloudy redness, can be seen rising in tremulous waves from the superheated surface. The valley of the Gila at our crossing of the river is 2,517 feet above the sea; hence, in coming from Camp Apache we had descended 2,408 feet. Camp Grant, about thirty miles south in a direct line, is 2,336 feet higher than the river, so that there is a marked sloping of the country from north and south toward this stream, which fact must not be lost si^ bt of in considering its peculiar climatic conditions. Its sandy soil, its rapid evaporation, the dryness of the ridges parallel to the river, together with its greatly lower altitude, impress of necessity upon the flora the peculiarities which contrast so strongly with that of the surrounding region. Yet it is but just to state that this valley in many places produces fair crops of barley and corn. There is enough of water for irrigation of the at\ jacent low- lands, and this rescues even the soil of the Gila Valley from hopeless sterility. Indeed, at the very point of our crossing there are evidences in some ruins that a large population of semi- civilized Indians subsisted on the productions of this region in the past. At Camp Goodwin ( now abandoned as a military post) we found a luxuriant field of corn and potatoes. As to the quality of the latter, I would remark that I never tasted better. Melons, onions, and cabbages of the best quality swelled the list of productions. Grass was scarce, but by clearing away the growth of rank weeds that infested the ground, and protecting it from stray animals, the soil would yield good crops of grass or of any of the cereals. This place is capable of being transformed into a garden. Its worst feature is the unhealthiness of the climate. In fact, it was on this account abandoned by the Government authorities. Drainage would do much toward improving the location in this respect. Between Camp Goodwin and Cottonwood ( nineteen miles) the agricultural resources are reduced to a minimum, and, except at one or two points along the route, even grazing to any considerable extent is out of the question. Water may be found, possibly, at some points off the line of march; but unless it is, there is nothing to invalidate my statement as to the general worthlessness of the country. At Cottonwood we found a creek- bed, with some water remaining in a few scattered pools, at which the stock found enough to supply their wants; but herds of any size would have exhausted this precarious supply. There was an abundance of grass on the hill- sides, which would, during the portions of the year in which water could be found in sufficient quantity, make this a good grazing center. It was observed that the milk was almost unfit to drink, owing to some plant ( probably an artemisia) that the cows had been eating. This, we afterward found, was not an unusual circumstance in this region. There was a fine belt of Cottonwood, ash, and button- wood along the creek- bed, bat it was being rapidly used. A few miles south of Cottonwood, at a most unexpected locality, a good pool ( it could hardly be called a spring) of water was found. It appeared to be well known to those who were in the habit of passing over the road, as the signs indicated that it was a regular camping- ground. From the number of deer- tracks about the place, it is probably the only water- hole within miles to which thdy could safely venture. Pasturage was about the same as at Cottonwood, but the soil was more sandy and unpromising in character. Chimps of grama- grass grew between the chico ( Atriplex Nuttallii) and creosote- plant, ( Larrea Mexioana.) The only tree was the inevitable piuon, which occasionally, in the more favored spots, managed to survive. Here the trail turned off to Camp Grant. At one or two points, in the distance of twenty- five miles to that post, water could be found sufficient for camping purposes. There was no lack of grass along the trai, and some timber, too, existed along it in the arroyos and on the adjacent foot- hills of Graham Peak. We however kept the r jad, which was through [ a country of the same character, to Eureka. The valley in which this is situated, without having a constant- flowing stream, appears to have enough of water to meet all the demauds of a large herd. The ground is at several points quite boggy, indicating a ready means of obtaining more water than appears on the surface. In fact, it is a sort of drainage- basin for the neighboring hills. A strip of fertile soil exists above the ranch. Timber of good quality can be had in abundauce within a few miles. Without having anything to make this an especially attractive location for a home, there is no doubt that it will yet be an important point in the stock- raising interests of the country. Camp Grant, ( altitude 4,753 feet,) twelve miles east of Eureka, is on the southern slope from Graham Peak, in a region far from attractive in its appearance, yet in reality promising all the essentials of a desirable location in Arizona. Wood, water, and grass is an expression suggestive to a frontiersman of plenty and comfort for man and beast; and these are all present in abundance at Camp Grant. Much of the winter- supply of |