The weekly Butte record., 1867-02-23

reasons: First, We did not any fossils Sec
ond it IS large, swift streaIn-iarse enonse Tor
river, Thir, il runs through white porphyry and
cement fermator-giving to its waters singai ari
white appearance and with others think the
name slfould he changed to White river. If 1t Is
not done. however, can grin and bear il, inst as
well as buFe the terrible rainstorn which fell up
Z on me waile campedupo ITS banks.
July 3I. Climbed very steep mountain which
have since learned Is named Governors mountain,
in honor of Ex-Governor Goodwin 1t took Jlst two
hours get ourselves and train on top of II, and
, were it not named. ! should explore Webster for
some horrible cogaonlen with which could
christen the oyergrown monster.
July 92-3. Climbed still higher to top of great
range Of mountains that divide the waters of the
Little Colorado from those of the ella. To the
north we saw the giant form Of the San Francisco
mountains: to the northeast the plains of the Lit
tie Colorado; and TO the south Tonic Basin aud
another range Of bald mountains formation, sand
stone and lava To the northwest there are forests
of pine oak etc, for about sixty miles, with water
and grass in abundance. To the east the same
dark line Of timber stretches out before the eye for
hundreds Of miles, with an average width OF from
seventy-ye TO one hundred and fifty miles, and had
previously been told that such an immense body
of timber was in this territory, should not have
believed it.
From this until the goth of August we Travelled
east through this forest without ever finding indi-
I tons of formations that denoted the presence Of
gold. save aud except about the head of tributary
/ OF Salt river, where managed 10 get the color in
some galches. At this point for distance of about
forty miles, on top of mountains seven or eight
thousand feet above the level OF the sea, there is
I wash of granite and quartz gravel that looks well
for gold. 1t lies upon sandstone bedrock. For
long distances the Southern side of this range OF
mountains is perpendicular, and you can look down
for thousands of feet The country TO the south is
one grand panorama of fairy dells hewitching
daeS, jagged rounded square, triangular. weird
shaped cones and peaks that to the north is high
table land. In the mountains there are lakes, can
ons, valleys; turkeys, bear and deer; and the eve
gets wearied of beholng grass. Glover, too. is Of
ten to be seen. By following the divide, We gener
orally had good road but soon as we left il
were confronted by some ugly canon that would
cause US to return and hunt the sandstone. Below
the sandstone north the formation Is calcspar. and
the soil is very rich, producing excellent grasses
wild hemp etc. ~
In about fifteen days from the time we left the
San Francisco river, we were abreast OF the hte
Mountains, but guide {who said he had been To
them before did not know whether they the
ones or not. We Travelled around the north side of
I them into New Mexico. where the GIla comes out
OF them, prospecting nearly every place that looked
at all favorable for gold and found nothing. The
peaks of this range are very high, but the range
/ itself Is somewhat broken up. Lava Is the forma-
+ ton. 1t rains SHOWS nearly every day in the
year, as was afterwards informed by the Indians.
The timber Is fir, very large aad ; thick rs it can
stand. Cinnamon bear, elk, deer antelope, turkey
and grouse abundant. There large and
/ beautiful valleys and lakes The valleys are sur
rounded by hills, skirted by fIiuges of spruce
( poplar, ETC. Every brook runs full of water and
grass appears To be drug in the market. Some Of
the streams contain fish: and it not for the
altitude OF the place. with its freezing cold in
midsummer. should certainly have supposed my
self in heaven. Upon no other portion of the
world which have ever has nature lavished
her charms with unsparing hands. The mind
become exalted and filled with reverence for the
Creator OF such enchanting loveliness; the eye
wanders over heautous scenery, gorgeous, brilliant
landscapes until, like taking last look at the
loved form OF some dear friend before 1t is consigned
beyond mortal vision, YOU compelled to con-
qner your desires and close your eyes lest on tar
ry until grief gets the mastery of your mind, and
you become incapable to leave the enchanted spot.
1t is beautiful country indeed and a sight of it new.
er fades from the mind. Here the once powerful
tribe of the Navaios hunted the antelope the deer.
the elk and the bear, ami herded their sheep No
wonder they fought against the power aud edlet
that trauspanted them to the parched plains of
New Mexico The veriest slave, the most cDwardly
poltroon, would and ought to fight tor such a coun-
try.
From these peaks we went northeast to within
sight Of the Zun villages. and finding nothing Turn
ed eastward toward the Gla The mountains at
the head of the Rio preta and the ella very
high and heavily timbered. There are some beau
tifnl valleys The formation is cement, and
tains gold We descended the mountains about
one hundred miles east of the Sierra Banco peaks,
and crossed nedr all the streams running into the
Pretl and soon came to it, crossed it, and followed
il down some thirty or forty miles when we ieit it
struck out for the ella. On the Prieta there are
some large and excellent valleys the climate is
good, tim0cr is plenty, gramma grass grows in
abundance, and consider it splendid farming
region. Irrigation would be unnecessary. as warm
showers fail frequently during the summer season.
All along this stream we old. abandoned lndi-
an hutS; We also camps made by white men.
In the streams coming in from the east we saw
some quartz. We soon came in sight of the ella
and camped on the north side OF it, in Old camp
lrrounl whore " found fenrps old Sba1S
empty whisky barrel, and various other things
used by civilized folks. Across the Gila about one
and a half miles from this camp, there the ra-
ins Of an old government post, which we after
wards learned was the ruins of Fort west. There
Is not much difference in the size of the tla and
Preta, but the difference is in favor of the Gila.
We then travelled down the latter stream. through
some excellent valleys. The country looks some
what like gold country. bat we found nothing to
pay. After following the ella for few days,
left il 10 avoid canon. and the second nj -ht from
it the Indians stole splendid American horse from
Us. The formation on and close to the river
teldSpathic granite, with beds of mica slate, bat
quartz was very scarce We were now very short
of provisions we crossed to the south side of the
ella, not to miss Fort Goodwin, followed il
down coaple of days. turned away from it on au
old wagon road. and went within sight OF the
Apache Pass and Stems Peak The country was
getting barren and water was scarce. 50 we steered
our course Tor the ella again, and after two days
hard drives camped upon its banks AZ some old ru-
ms aoout i0riY miles above Fort GOODWIN, called.
believe, Pueblo Niejo. or old town. The butt1m
lands tins portion ot the Gila extensive and
the soil is rich. There is plenty of grass the
hills, but timber is rather scarce.
On our way down the Gila. one day
great dust, and thonght il might be made by wag-
ons around the post, and on arriving at the place
about one hundred cattle tracks, which
which were driven pell nell across the ella by In
dans. On our arrival at Fort Goodwin, we learned
CochiSe's band Of ApaeheS had short time before
made a raid i the Sonora line i-i vino
OFF some three hundred head OF Uncle Sans cattle
Had our party been one hour sooner we might
have recaptared the stock and replenshed oar lar
der which was getting very lean. As il was
had TO % upon fresh sign,
On the evening OF September 9th we encamped
within SIX miles Of the fort. and three of
onr party went down to see about getting enough
provisions to enable US to reach settlements: saw
the commander, Colonel Chopin: told him who we
were aud what We wanted. He S,lid he would give
proyi>lens To those who had no means to purchase
any. and who would swear TO that fact. he pu; of
the discourse very abruptly. and seemed 10 look
upon Us Is bs-sag>, outlaws or interlopcrs. Next
day we drove down opposite the post and oamped.
The men went for their allowance of provisions.
bat were told they could not get any that day not
withsta0dng the fact That some of them were with
ont anything 10 eat. Next day came Sud with il a
renewal Of the application. About one halt Of the
party wished to e 10 Tucson and New Mexico On
clddiuE our Captain, who had become demoralized)
the other halt determined II possible u 70 through
the mountpins, Via. the south side Of the Sierra
Blanca to Prescott, and the Colonel vegy sener-
ously informed us that he coud ef Us have But ton
days ratlonS OF -four, beans. coffee and rice. with
at -ira h. rf,s - =,