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Show in was discovered in the vicinity or on the mountain. Galleto grass in considerable abundance grows on the plain at its foot. From Indian fVelh, CaL, to Los Angeles, Col- The party left Indian Wells on the 14th of April, aud made a dry camp near Sacket'. s Well. This well has been entirely obliterated, and no water is found between Indian Wells and Carido Creek. From this latter place the route leads through Vallecito, San Felipe, Warner's Valley, Oak Grove, Bergman\ s, Teine-cula, Lag una Grande, Temeacal, down the Santa Ana Canon to Anaheim, and theuce to Los Angeles, which place was reached on the 7th day of May. The road is tolerably good, except over the Carizo Creek Hill, Vallecito Hill, aud- through Vallecito Cation. From Indian Wells to Vallecito it is quite sandy. A little salt grass was found at Vallecito, but at San Felipe and westward good grass for the auimals was obtained. Soraet> f these valleys were very beautiful, being covered with wild flowers of different hues, which, mingling with the rich green of the flourishing grasses, made a pleasing picture for the eye. Water iu abuudauce was found in these valleys, aud of good quality, except at Vallecito. The passage through the Santa Ana Caflon was rather difficult, as the liver had to be crossed seven times, and the stream was rapid, and bottom, in places, composed of dangerous quicksand. THE DIVERSION OF THE RIVER. This subject will now be considered. The Colorado feiver from the month of the Grand Canon down to Chem- e- hue- vis Valley, just below the Needles, may be said to flow through a caflon which occasionally widens into a narrow valley, as at the mouth of the Virgen, Las Vegas Wash, Cottonwood Island, and the valley from Hardy ville to the Needles. These valleys are separated by spnrs and ranges through which the river has cut its way, forming the Bowlder, Black, and Pyramid ( Ives) Canons, and the caflon of the Needles. Below the Needles we have the Chem- e- hne- vis Valley, which is again separated from the Great Colorado Valley ( Ives) by the Monument Range. The ranges between which the river flows are nearly 4,000 feet high at the great bend, the divide ou the west side opposite Cottonwood Island being 3,900 feet, and that on the east side at Union Pass 3,800 feet; while the summit of the Sacramento Valley near Chloride is about 4,100 feet above sea- level. As we proceed southward the river ranges become sensibly lower. Thus the highest altitude of the trail over the Monumeut Range is 2,300 feet, and the summit of the river range on the west side opposite Ehrenberg is 934 feet. Beyond the ranges which inclose the river are other higher ranges, with valleys between, whose altitndes are greater than that of the river. These topographical features can be plainly seen by referring to the map and profiles of the route. Tois being the case, it is evident that the river cannot be diverted from its present bed between the month of the Grand Caflon and the head of the great Colorado Valley. In this valley there is a large area which could be made productive if irrigation were practicable. An effort in that direction has been made at the Indian reservation at old Camp Colorado, on the east bank of the river, above La Paz. Here an irrigating-canal several miles long has been tried. From the information I received about it ( I did not have an opportunity to inspect it) I learned that the soil was so porous and unstable that the banks were constantly undermined, causiug them to cave in and fill the canal. After repeated trials the projector had concluded to flume the entire canal, which can only be done at great cost where lumber is Bcarce and prices high. Even if irrigation were practicable, it would be necessary to build levees to prevent the river from overflowing the bottom- lands and destroying the irrigatiug- canals and ditches The Great Colorado Valley is terminated at the south by the Chocolate Range, through which the river passes, and emerges from the Purple Hill Pass into the wide valley, which extends to its month. Below the Purple Hills there are no formidable mountain ranges on the west side of the river, except a short detached range, called the Cargo Muohacho, and Pilot Knob. The divide between these mountains is about 278 feet, while the altitude of the water-surface at Fort Yuma is 120 feet. A canal through this opening would therefore require a cutting of nearly 160 feet, and, besides, would have to cut through the sand ridge west pf Pilot Knob in order to gain lower ground more rapidly than by keeping to the north of the sand- hills. Even in this case the length of the canal from Fort Yuma to the point where the surface of the ground is of the same altitude as the water-surface at the latter place would be at least 30 miles long. These conclusions are arrived at from data obtained from the Texas Pacific Railroad surveys, and also from levels run by my party from Han Ion's Ferry over the divide north of Pilot Knob. In order that the canal should be entirely within the California boundary, it must cross the divide to the north of Pilot Knob. This, as has already been shown, would necessitate a long, deep cutting, partly through rock, and a passage through the sand ridge. This passage could only be effected by means of a flume or tunnel, to protect it from filling up with sand. A canal from some point below the boundary wonld be more practicable and less expensive in construction and maintenance. A AP. J J- 8 |