The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1858-04-08


may be raised in some localities there can now b.
little doubt, bat its value. for this purpose, ha
been largely oTerrated. First, because through
out the summer months, the grass parches ~
from heat and want % moisture and secoud, be
the supply of water always scarce ofteG
fails entirely at this seasoa. Allaiing to thit
subject. Prof Henry. of the Smithsonian Institute
On the authority Of Dr. Lethermam surgeon tc
ne United States army at Fort Defiance says =
The region Of country Inhabited by the Navajo
indians has had the reputation of being a good
grazing country, and its fame has reached the
eastern portion of the United States but taking
the region at large it will be found that with re-
gard 20 abundance Of natural nastqrare il has
been vastly ogerrated and We have no hesitation
in stating on the same authority, that were the
aocks and herds, now belonging 70 the indians
doubled they could not be slsfa aimed There is
required for grazing and procuring hay for the
consumption Of animals al Fort Defiance, garr-
soncd by two companies one Of which IS partly
mounted, ffty square miles, and this is barely suf
fcent for the purpose. The barrenness and desc
lation SO inseparably connected with immense
masses of rocks aud hills, scanty supplied with
water are here seen and felt in their fullest ex-
tent r.
Not among the least important features Of the
Great West is its system Of mountains. Il will
hardly be too much to say that after reaching the
1884 meridian the traveller, ia his ives ward jour
neys, is seldom out of their sight. They occur
for the most part in continuous chains or ridges
running nearly north and south, yet many others
stand isolated and alone, surrounded by hills and
valleys and desoIate plains rearing their snow
capped SUBMITS among the clouds, conspicuous
landmarks for the lonely traveller Nine distinct
chains have been enumerated west of Rio Coora-
do. This great mountain system, which occupies
about one-third Of the breadth Of the United
States exerts powerful influence on the charac
ter aud climate of the region have been des
cribing. Strange it may SEEM the Mississippi
Valley owes its unsurpassed productyeness to the
existence Of the And, mountains il South Amer
lea, The lover currents of the trade winds Of
the Tropics laden with moisture from of the At
lanlic mpinging upon the sid ) of these noun
tains are detected from their westerly to ! north
westerly direction, and bearing mp across The Cult
Of Mexico, receive new supplies ofmoistarc, which
i meets with colder Currents Of air in Is north
ward Journey Is condensed and i4lia in the saape
OF rain thus preventing drouths, aud rendering
or fields a5undantly fruitful Tae small portioa
s s. a.5 81 E5f gas grssf fyssrey f.sr NaStaia 50
TEN, meeting with the cold air Of the sumnits, IS
at oace precptated, very little reaching the re
gious beyond. In ike manner the yapors, borne
from the Pacific are condensed and precipitated
uear the coast and along the western ranges, oGly
a very small portion finding its way further.--
Most Of the moisture which reaches the vast in
terror IS borne up from the Mexican and Cali
fornian Cuffs between the ICES of mountaias--
lhus it will be seen how small "a supply reaches
the vast interior of the great West. And it is
rather remarkable that fact of this very inadequate
supply, large proportion falls the mountains,
as if attracted by their sImnits Let further
remember that the general character Of the soil IS
that of loose disintegrating sand and gravel,
sometimes approaching almost 10 the nature Of an
ash heap and incapable OF retaining moisture and
We shall be able to form a toeraly core 1t idea of
the fitness of this region for agricultural pur
poses, aud the aboies of civilization
1t may not be amiss here to alluIa a little fur
ther to the general scarcity OF water which is but
a natural Consequence of the want Of rain, the
barran nature Of the soil, and the dryness Of the
atmosphere. 1t is deemed together uusa.e and
in most parts quite too hazardous to be attempt
ell for large party to move an unknow route. +
u4tiI reconnoiteriug has been made, in order to
ascertain if water can be found for man and beast.
within the reach Of q hard days travel. And
even on the very bast routes, get -aowa there are
occasional districts, where lite g.ass a4d 30 wa
ter j. to be fount. short OF hard and wearisogne
march of two or three days duration and very Of
ten the water when at length found is brachish al
kalina or otherwise unfit to drink There are bat
few BROOKS or small streams Of ure clear water
such Is abound in the eastern parts of the United
States the rivers generally rising rather abruptly
in deep rocky gorges. or chasus. call / canous,
siukin. SO sudienly beneath the general level of
the surrounding country, as oaly to be percepti-
o'e in their mme late vicinity unless seen from
hills OF mountains.
We cannot torbear, here to describe little in
iztaH. Que Of these platea1s found in different
parts 10 which we have before briefly alluded =
he Ilaao Fstacedo, or S;akad Plain for such
) the name by which il is kaown, lies eastward Of
the river Pecos or Pueyeo, AMI south east Of San
Ia Fe in New Mexico. I. extends from the Can
adam River on til north. n abcu: the tAj-t3eth
deg # latitude on the s1a,a+ be..z some 80
niles in lenztb by about 10 n n.ltb from east
10 west IT. medium elevation above Tie sea. i
more tha.. 1000 t>et be.u- n4ay hundred feet
higher than the valleys OF tle gaboe.og streams
Il Is bounded in some places - rocky and nearly
ge7peuicalar walls severa, hundred fee. IL b7igbt
aai totally Inaccessible ia Others by bluF ana
sudden syegls of the land z'.le the east m
and western limits Of the southern part are scarce
IL percciged the land rising by an almost Taper
ceptao,e swell f,om either s.de to the summit
: 81 - 2