The weekly Arizona miner., 1870-11-19

the Pina Apache country, and some effective scouts have been made from it by Captain Ncttcrvile and other officers Pnal and Saddle Mountains, two noted landmarks, are within plain view of the post When we were there, it was gnrrisoned by three small companies, and the following named officers
 Captain |. E. Dunkclberger, ist Cavalry, Commanding Post. First Lieutenant John D. Hall, Assistant Surgeon, U. s. A., Post Surgeon. Captain W. McC. Netterylle, 2lst Infantry. First Lieutenant V. M c. Silva, Dist Infantry. First Lieutenant T. F Riley, 2lst Infantry. First Lieutenant A. J. Gar rctt. lst Cavalry. Second Lieutenant George k. Bacon, lst Cavalry A. \. Q. NJ, A. c. s., and Acting Post Adjutant. Acting Assistant Surgeon w B. Dods. First Lieutenant II. B. Cushing, 3d Cavalry. and Second Lieuten- ant John C. Bourke, 3d Cavalry, were on detached service.
 Weipcsiuy Scp,ember 2S.--We got an early start from Grant, and were making good time up the canon, when it was discovered that the teamsters had forgotten to draw forage for their animals. Word was sent back, and the necessary forage arrived in about an hour, when we bade adieu to Captain Netteryile, and Lieutenants Riley and Garrett, who had accompanied us thus far. The hour was spent by Colonel Stonemsn in talking with
 
 the Captain, with Lieuteuants Silva and Gar rett Company "E," 2lst Infantry, and K |" troop, Sd Cavalry, were about 10 start on Mineral Creek near Pinal Mountain, and which is now established. After going about g miles, over country in which there was not drop of water, but plenty of grass, we encamped late in the night and slept little while the animals were being fed. On the way, we passed two or three places where white men had been killed by savages, and saw the graves of the murdered men. Dis tance travelled, about 9 naes.
 Tkarsday, Sptentber 29.-We were up and away long before daylight and soon reached i the Giia river, st Florence, when men and animals slakcd tecir thirst, which was great, as we had made about 5 miles without wa | ter. The bottoms of the Gila, at this point, are large, and the soil very productive. Cot ! tonwood and Mezquite were thick. Fine | farms, and substantial adobe houses were seen on every side, and we could not help feeling | pleased at once moro boholding these eyiden- ces of civilization. Thomas k. Ewing, who owns the finest ranch at this place, was very 1 kind 10 us, He informed us that most of the river bottoms for 30 or 40 miles, were settled and under cultivation. The Gila furnishes plenty Of water for purposes of irrigation, and | the rule is to raise two crops year. lt was late in the afternoon when we started from | Florence, and crossed the Gila, on our way to Camp Mcdowell. Twenty miles were soon passed, snd we lay down on the desert 10 rest, having made, with our mornings journey ot | IS miles, a distance of 3S miles
 ! F,iddy, Ssptcmbcr 30.-Got an early start, and reached the Upper Crossing of Salt river about noon, crossed 1t and rested near farm house. While approaching the river, we got fine view of the immense valley in which stands the town of Ph9niN, and in which arc many of the finest ranches in Arizona. We had friends there whom we would have gone to sec but for the fever and ague which was preying upon ns Salt River, or Rio Salado, as some call it, is, next to the Colorado, the largest stream that flows near or through Ar izona. The water was low when our party crossed it, yet it was with some difficulty WIG made the trip. The wash, in it's bed, and on its banks is made up, principally, of granite and quartz powders, which strengthened ogr belief that the stream passes through mineral bearing regions, above Tn Central Arizona Three years ago there were not to exceed ten settlers upon this portion of the riyeT to-day there arc nearly 300, and the population is rapidly increasing. Scores of miles of ditches to convey water for irrigatng, have been con. structed and the place is really the gTanary Of Northern Arizona. Soon ss the heat, which had been intense, became lees, we took up the line of march for Camp Mcdowell, where we arrived about o'clock in the even ing. On the march we passed some immense ruins. The road, from Salt river to McDowcil, follows the west bank of the Verde, one oi the largest and prettiest streams in the Terri tory, and upon which the post is located Mezquite, PdlO Ytrds, Cottonwood, and other trees were plenty in the vicinity, but grass was scarce save on the river bottoms. The post itself is, we think, the finest in the Territory. The houses, of which there are a great mum. ber, are of adobe, well ventilated and scrupu- lousy clean, as, indeed, was the large parade ground, and every place and thing in and about the post. It has, for long time past been commanded by that brave officer, Colonel c. R. Sanford, who, with his noble troop. has inflicted many telling blows on the Apaches The other officers of the post were Captain Moulton, Lieutenant Veil, De Witt, Surgeon and Field Surgeon D. J. Evans. Troops "C' and E." lst Cavalry, and A" 2ls, Infantry. The sutler's store of w. B. Hel- hngs Co. is the finest, best stocked estab. lishment of the kind in the Territory and it. proprietors, Messrs. Hellings & Grubb, are gentlemen in every sense of the term.
 The four peaks, which so many of oui prospectors have seen from distance, are moi far from Mcdowell, and though they look barren and forbidding, Colonel Sanford as. sared os that he had found pine timber and water, in valleys, between the peaks. He and his troopers once surprised ranchera uI there, and killed several of it's inmates
 The ranks Of the two Cavalry oompanie. were nearly full, and . finer lot of men are n