Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-04-04
[For the Republican,
Arizona Territory.
y SKETCH.

Tucson, A. T., March 9th, '72
Mr.. Editor From Arizona City to
FIT. Mcdowell, 245 miles, | travelled with
d Government wagon train, guarded by
soldiers. All trains are guarded; and
everybody goes armed out here, for this
is Il wild, Indian, hair lifting country.
There are nothing but immense plains
dotted here and there by mountains, like
islands in the sea The plains, covered
with IA thick growth of sage brush, are
nothing but sand, dry, parched and water
less, except where stream from the
mountains winds its way through them
to the sea These mountains are immense
piles of rock and their sharp and Jagged
points pierce the sky like the spires Of
church. There is now and then a rancho,
generally along stream, which untor-
tunately are few and far between. The
valleys are more fertile and the banks of
streams are skirted with CottonwoOds.
The soil Is OF IA strong alkaG substance,
giving the water Il sickening, brackish
taste, III many cases rendering it totally
unflt for use. The aikali lies thickly on
the ground, and resembles ashes or a
heavy white frost. The Alkali districts
have the appearance of one day having
either part of the ocean, or of being
been thrown up by some volcanic agency.
and the idea struck me that must be very
close TO HI when | could see the ashes
lying on top Of the ground. One thin-
is certain, it is very hot here-not warm.
but hot, particularly during the summer
season. There is story told of an old
settler who died and went to HI, and the
climate was SO much colder than Arizona,
that he sent back for his overcoat.
We crossed Gila desert, SO miles across,
and not IA single drop of water all the
way, and the dust choking us, and the
sun pouring down upon lis with the con
centrated heat of ten thousand red hot
furnaces. 1t took US 4S hours to cross it.
We were obliged to haul water with us
in barrels, for both man and beast. This
desert embraces what | term the burnt
district. Marked traces of the scorching,
burning fury of VOLCANOES now extinct,
are everywhere visible, and there must
have been terrible roaring, cracking
and shaking here, during the irruptious
period OF more than one fiery crater; of
which burnt cinders, burnt rocks and
stones OF all shapes and Sizes lieing
around loose, or piled up in every con
celvable manner, are the remains. The
whole country is in mourning, and wears
Grape. Everything is burnt black and
looks like Chicago, after the fire. The
ground underneath you is hollow, and a
hollow, lumbling sound comes up as you
walk along over mere shell or roof of
stone. | thought to myself as we came
along, that should like to see the mouth
OF the crater that spit up all those stones
lying lround there. One of the party, a
witty 1rlshman, of course, remarked that
1t would be capital place to build a
church, because the congregation wouldn't
steal. As there was nothing but rattle
snakes, kiotes, and wolves; but no hui
man habltation, for 60 or 20 miles around,
this remark was appreciated. We passed
through one or two settlements on the
way; also the grave of Capt. Rose Oat-
man and family, murdered by Tonto
Apache Indians, in 1851, while emmigra-
ting from Arkansas to California. I read
the history of this horrible tragedy several
years ago; but | never expected to see
the grave of the victims There is nice
Whitley painted slab at the head of the
grave, erected in 1870, by member of the
Sth U. S. Cavalry, probably relative.
on which are the names of the murdered
and murderers, and the date of the muir
der. in large well printed letters
Arizona is prolific of many curious and
beautiful trees, plants, and flowers. Many
a rich man in the states would give thou
sands OF dollars to have them in his door
yard as ornaments and curiosities. But
they are tropical, and unsuited to the cold
climate of the Northern States. Between
Ft. Mcdowell and Tucson, pronounced
Too-son), there is another desert. As miles
wide, that is, they call it desert; but to
me 1t appears more like the garden of
Eden than any place l ever saw, except
that 1t is devoid of water. At all events.
it is the most beautiful spot have vet
seen in Arizona-desert though it be in
name. Were it vocal with the songs of
birds and the music OF gushing springs
and murmuring brooks, it would be a
glorious place indeedl The garden of
Eden during the brief residence of our
first parents there, could hardly have
surpassed it in beauty. There are a few,
birds, but the sweetest singers are absent.
Everything is clothed in green, even now.
in winter time. What then must il be in
summer time, when the leaves are outg
and all the funny trees and shrubs mt on
their Ual3.daV drpsSar and t,,,x,1. &c