, 1859-07-29

built Of dobies, which are made Of mud dried in the
sun after being mQded into the right size and shape
4 This townis situated in hne rich valley studded
with timber. We saw the largest trees here We lnd
seen since leaving Rcd river. After leaving this val
ley, enter the county inhabited by tie Apache ln-
dians, which Is rough and MOUNTAINOUS. There Is a
pass IN these mountains called Apache PASS" which
is said TO be very dangerous from the tact that the In
dians have murdeTtd several persons here. Here we
learned hat they bad stopped the stage previCns to
ours. They were ia ambush, and as the stage came
along they rose mp in large body stopped the coach
and demanded corn and tobacco. There was sack
Of corn in the coach which they pounCed upon; the
passengers, IN the mean time, Offering no resistance
They gave them some tobacco, and they were permit
ted to lass fpmolested We however, were more for.
unate although, a. we passed through, We mum
ber Of their horses tethered IN the valley below After
travelling some hundred miles through the same
ty, ana passing through small town, called Tucson,
we come TO the Ga rytr. the valley Of which has
been 30 often spoken Of as being so very fertile. We
travel down the ella river to ts junction with the
Colorado Of the West There is no doubt but what II
this valley had rains that il would he one of the
fertile countries in the world Butt is said that there
] has been no rain here for five years There two
villages on this river, through which we passed Of
PemOes and Maricupa Indians which are very friendly
to the Americans, and considered great protec-
ton 10 emigrants these Indians appear to he indus
triOhs and enterprisng, and have hne farms on the
Gs whose waters they for iIrgating their lands.
| We saw the Indian Agent here Mr.. -, who came
very near being murdered by some MeNicans about q
ear ego. 1t happened ut a station the read. He
and three Of his companions were asleep at night,
when they attacked by some NeXlcans, who were
employed about the station. 1hey succeeded in mur
derng his three companions, and he barely escaped,
after having bis left arm severed from his body close
| to his shoulder
Travelling through this county Is very disagrCsable,
from the fact that it is very hot and dusty. can
truly say that never saw such quantities OF dust in
my liic besides this annoyance II excessively hot,
the Thermometer being as high as l2O degrees above
zero. never have experienced any such weather be-
fore since. The air actually hot that it was
with difficulty we could get our breath, and Our lips
became so much parched that they almost Lied. Wa
ter very scarce at least any that was fit 10 drink
We always carried cur canteeHs with and having
bot one or two Of these, proposed 10 buy small
rundlet holding about gallon, and the actually
refused to take five dollars when WAS not worth
After travelling about two days and half down this
river, we came to ArizoniA city, situated the east
side OF the Colorado while Fort Yuma Ia Oh the OppO
site side in California. Some 20 miles above Fort
Yuma, on the Gha river, We passed through the Arr
zOnia gold mines, about which there has been con-
siderable excitement. There Is quite little village
/ here. The excitement, however, has now died out,
and the miners have nearly all left the place. They
have fne ferry across the Colorado, although IL is
quite wide stream and very swift. 1t very high
at this tiale owing TO the being melted in the
mountains. Here we had the misfortune to have our
team away. II terrib. sight to see six fne
large horses run away with stage coach. 1t hap
pened however that none OF were In the stage at
the time, having got out al the feny the driver was
thrown Om his box but was not hurt by the fall The
broken out IN consequence OF which we were detained
several hours. We came very near having 70 remain
here time, owing to the fact that tine river
SO much swollen that II had inundated the road along
its banks that il impossible to get along with
the stage but by dnt Of some pretty plain talk.
got the agent 70 consent to take way, any
how. So we had to pack our trunks on mules aid
carry them the sand hills around the high water.
The sand hills were very preciptOus that we expe-
renced considerable trouble in getting up with the
pack mules After going about half way the hill they
Il - - AaNNa ,.rW
hill again, with the trunks still fastened to them. Al
last had 10 take on the trunks and pull them up
with ropes. Al length we were permitted to proceed
on our journey. We Travelled about Is miles In this
way, when we got into good rDads; here we took the
stage again. after several additions had been made to
list OF passengers. We were nine In number,
Except the drve all told and only two seats in the
coach. fVu may imagine that we had good time Of
however, suffer 50 much for water this one, for
had made preparations aecordin.' After about two
hundred miles travelling, we got into comparatively
pleasant country, where we got some good water j
thought the best drank, and 50 1t really seemed
u be. We were now getting into the interior Of Cali
fornil, where the country Is being settled up by men
who have large herds Of stock; In places
hundreds OF cattle ell feeding within mile Of each
other. Here we see beautiful neandefing streams
with nice green grass upon their banks. What con-
tast here presented between this and the country
we had just passed Here our eyes were delight
ed with the most beautiful scenery Here places
upon which the poet might dwell with rapturous de-
| light. The lofty mountains ranging on either hand,
covered with the most beautiful emerald-the delight
ul valley spread out before u.s. exhibiting to the
nptured eyes such beauty and magnfeence that the
beholder Is forced 10 exeaim, how Oveyl how charm
| ing!! how beautiful!l! Such scenes as these are
enough to cause the most uncultivated and unrened
10 become pOetiral as well romantic. The city Of
Los Angeles Is situated In this portion Of the country
and cannot pass II by without saying something In
praise Of IT, II l. situated In most delightful valley
surrounded by lofty hills. There Of the most
beautiful vineyards here that ever beheld. II re-
minds me Of what have read ofsunny France. Here
ar5-ruhs Of every description, almost; though the
grape mostly abounds, from which great deal Of
wine Is made and sent to all parts OF the west Some
Of the remains Of the fortihcatons made here by Col
FromOnt are still to be seen.
From Los Angeles to San Francisco we had q com
parativey pleasant trip taking into consideration that
| we were very much crowded. We passed thruugh In
our course the towns Of Visala, Groy and San Jose
which are all business places; San Jose being the
largest and situated about fifty miles from San Fran
cisco, at which place we arrived on the twenty-fhh
day Of June, o'clock, P. NJ, twentyfour days from
1 81. Louis.
Now, my friend possibly you may lmagineour feel
ngs at being permitted to enjoy good long sleep
Locked In the soothing embrace Of Morpheus, we were
conscious Of nothng save the imaginary rumble OF
stage COACH and the eternal dread Of experiencing
collision with sHndry parts Of the Overland Stage d
MeasrS. Butterheld Co., until IL O'Clock the next
day, when were aroused from our Slnmber by the
importunate waiter numbering at the door. which wt
imagined 10 be the voice Of the driver announcing the
lamentable Act-"Change Coaches, here"
I Yours truly, A. E. W.
The War and the North American Overland