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ling, in a book printed subsequently, entitled: "The Great West and the Pacific Coast," describes the conditions existing in Arizona at that time, from which I condense the following:

Their trip from Wilmington to Yuma, then Arizona City, was one of hardship and not of interest to us at this time. Freight was shipped from San Francisco to the mouth of the Colorado River at that time in sail boats, from which point it was transferred into small river steamers for transportation up the river. Oftentimes on account of the uncertainty of the river channel, to reach Yuma involved a trip of two months. The rates current then, according to General Rusling, were, from the mouth of the Colorado to Yuma (or Arizona City), 150 miles, twenty dollars a ton in coin; to La Paz, 300 miles, forty dollars a ton in coin; to Fort Mohave, or Hardyville, 450 miles, sixty dollars a ton in coin. The rates from San Francisco to the mouth of the river, some 2,000 miles, were from twelve to fifteen dollars per ton, coin, so that every load of freight landed at Arizona City or Hardyville, cost from thirtyfive to seventy-five dollars a ton for transportation alone, to which should be added five dollars a pound in gold for each one hundred miles into the interior, which made freight cost delivered in Tucson about $250 a ton in gold, and in Prescott about the same, which, in itself, was ruinous to any mining enterprise, and, in fact, to any enterprise whatever. Even at these exorbitant rates it is doubtful whether the freighters amassed any great amount of money for frequently their trains were captured and

the contents of the wagons destroyed. No freighter at that time but suffered more or less on that account, and the merchants in the different localities also incurred great losses. These conditions made Arizona practically inaccessible to population and trade, and gave rise to an earnest desire on the part of her citizens that a port should be opened at Libertad on the Gulf of California where supplies could be hauled into the Territory at a saving estimated at the time of over $200,000 per annum.

General Rusling and his party arrived in Yuma on the 2nd of March, and after inspecting the post there, were joined by Governor McCormick and his wife, they having left San Francisco in advance of Rusling's party, and on March 4th they continued their journey to Prescott over a road which was difficult and dangerous. Their outfit consisted of two four mule ambulances, into which they stored themselves, their baggage, rations, forage, cooking utensils, etc., with two wagon sheets to pitch as tents if necessary. These, however, they did not use except for making their beds. General Rusling declares the climate was simply unrivalled. There was no cavalry at Yuma, and the road being reported comparatively safe to Maricopa Wells, they went thither without escort, depending upon their own courage and vigilance. Nevertheless, they provided themselves before starting with firearms, giving to the cook whom they took along to provide their meals, and to both drivers, Springfield muskets, while they themselves were equipped

with a Spencer or Remington rifle apiece, as well as revolvers.

Their road, for the most part, ran along the side of the Gila river, which was swollen at that time on account of the melting snows of spring, and over the desert sands. Portions of the Gila bottoms, he claims, were fine agricultural land, but required irrigation. They found but few settlers along the route and nothing but here and there an abortive attempt at cultivation, usually unsuccessful. The bottoms everywhere were covered with bunch grass and mesquite-timber-"the one the delight of horses, the other invaluable in that treeless region. The mesquite has but little height; but its trunk is often two and three feet in diameter, though only about as many high, from which point it throws out great, sturdy, black, gnarled limbs for a distance of thirty or forty feet all around. We saw many of them, that I think could not have been more than five or six feet in height, the bend of the branches included; nevertheless, with their crooked and gnarled limbs, they sprawled over the ground for a diameter of fully seventy-five or one hundred feet. At first they strike you as dwarfs, puny in aspect and purpose; but afterwards, as stunted giants, massive in strength and power, writhing in very anguish, because unable to tower higher. For lumber purposes, the mesquite amounts to but little; but for fuel, it is invaluable, and the future settlers on the Gila will prize it highly. It occurs pretty much all through Arizona on the best river-bottoms, and everywhere seems a pro

vidential institution. It makes a firewood scarcely inferior to oak or hickory, and bears a bean besides, which constitutes a large part of the subsistence of the Mexicans and the Indians there. These mesquite beans make a very sweet and palatable dish, and horses, mules, cattle, etc., are especially fond of them. The Mexicans we met en route to California, were subsisting upon them almost entirely, and subsequently in wandering through the Pima village, we found them in every storehouse. A Pima belle, for a bundle of cigarritos, cooked us a dish of them, and we have eaten worse things in New York and Washington. Said an old Arizonan one day, 'Whenever you see mesquites, strangers, look out for good land, you bet!' and we found it so invariably. Indeed, with a moderate amount of enterprise, and a small amount of capital, we saw no good reason why the valley of the Gila should not eventually be dotted with excellent farms. The land is all there, and plenty of water to irrigate it (if only the Gila can be subdued, and surely it can), and the climate the year round must be delightful. But, as a rule, we found the country desolate and forsaken, with the exception of a starving ranch here and there, whose dirty and dilapidated proprietor cared more to swear at his snarling half-coyote dogs, and sell an occasional glass of mescal or whisky, than to do an honest, hard day's work."

At Gila Bend, they were informed at Yuma, they would find Apaches if anywhere. They took the precaution to dismount from their ambulances and skirmish through on foot. As a

consequence, they were not molested. This experience was repeated all the way to Tucson, and by exercising prudent vigilance by day, and a few simple precautions by night, they made the journey through in safety. Continuing his story, the general says:

"A few miles west of Gila Bend, between Berk's Station and Oatman's Flat, we passed a group of rocks that interest everybody, but which nobody seemed to know much about. They stand near the roadside, and consist of smooth, red porphyry, or some such stone, curiously carved with figures of men, birds, beasts, fishes, etc. Many of the figures are now quite indistinct but sufficient remain to show what they were, and their very indistinctness— coupled with the hardness of the stone-proves their great antiquity. The rocks themselves, when struck, ring like genuine clink stones; and, it would seem, only the sharpest and hardest instruments could make much impression on them. The place is called 'Painted Rocks,' and we only had time for a cursory examination; but the sculpturing seemed too remote for Spanish times, and was generally attributed to the days of the Aztecs. However this may be, they appeared to be there as a species of hieroglyphics, and doubtless have a story to tell, that some future Champollion may unfold. It may be that the ancient travel for Mexico left the Gila here, or about here, and struck across the country for the Santa Cruz and so south, flanking the Maricopa Desert, and that these sculptured rocks record the place as the starting point-as a sort of finger-board or mile

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