Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-09-06

Of the Colorado River-Throu0h
the Cocopah Indian Country-Lake
Maquata-The Overlooked Lands
and Desert = Cocopah and Coast
Ranges BlufEing the Indians-A
Thirty-Foot Tidal wave-Etc.
From the San Diego Union of August 26th.l
There has been much private and pub
lie speculation upon the rumored project
Of oyerhowing the lands near the mouth
Of the Colorado river. It has been sup
posed that W. S. Chapman, OF San Fran
cisco, had some gigantic scheme on hand
by which the climate of the lower coun.
try, and especially near the mouth Of the
Colorado river, was to be changed, and
great inland sea, to be made out of the
desert, was to be accomplished. Mr..
Chapman has undoubtedly some scheme
on foot, but what it is has not yet come
to the surface. That it is in regerd to
oyerhowed lands, we have no doubt
THE EXPEDITION.
lie. james, engineer in charge, was
sent from San Francisco, by Mr.. Chap
man, to make certain surveys and obser-
ystions on lands bordering on the Col
orado and New rivers. He organized his
party in San Diego, taking Samuel
Purdy, Jr., as assistant. Their outfit,
when they started to penetrate these
localities, about which 80 little is known
by the outside world, consisted OF eight
men, wagon and pack-horse From
where they branched of the Fort Yuma
road, they proceeded over desert coun-
try for about 25 miles, when they struck
the New river country, which is said to
contain large amount Of fertile land,
made so by the freshets that overflow
that section. II is SO miles from there
to the mouth OF Hardy's Colorado (river).
and 23lIs miles from there to the mouth
of the Colorado river at Montague
Island.
The party struck off to the right of
Signal Mountain, which is near the boun-
diary line between the United States and
Lower California, and at the head of the
Cocopah range.
LAKE MAQUATA.
This fine sheet of water is about thirty
five miles in length, and averages ten
miles in breadth Its water is described
as being intensely impregnated with salt
Its name signifies hair, SO called by the
Cocopah Indians, on account Of the Pc
culiar sea-weed which grows in it. The
shores are covered with this weed, which
has been washed ashore. and which very
much resembles hair. The northern end
Of the lake is at the base of the Signal
Mountain, and it extends southwark to
within sixteen miles of the lower end OF
the Cocopah range Of mountains. IN fact
the lake lies, as it were, in broad valley
between the Cocopah and Coast Ranges
1t is only fourteen miles from Indian
Wells, on the Yuma road. to the north
end OF the lake. This large body Of
water seems to be fed mainly by the tides
which flow from the Colorado river,
through Hardy's Colorado and Pasqual
slough. tits possibleth the very heavy
tide-one Of the "bores, spoken OF here
after-may flow over the land into the
lake. The ground on the lake, at the en-,
trance of Pascal slough, is but ten feet
above the mean tide, while further up it
is but two feet higher. The whole coun-
try from New River station, on the Yuma
road, to the Gulf of California, is subject
to overflow from the river, or high tides
from the Gulf. ...
Mount Purdy, an extinct volcano, Is al
the summit Of the divide between the
desert country to the north and the fer
tile country to the south.
HOT WEATHER.
While the party was in this desert
country the heat was almost intoieraoie
The thermometer indicated regularly a
three o'clock every afternoon ia IN tht
shade 1t would usually drop to ~ OF
S0' at night. but once more before INT
party reached Mount Purdy, the mercury
found 11Oo in the night. After passing
this mountain the climate was found t'
very fine, on account Of the breeze iron
the Gulf.
THE CoCoPAH INDIANS.
This tribe Of Indians inhabit the n'ese
or table-land back near the Cocopa'
range, and are opposed to invasions o
all characters, When the exploring
party first entered their dominion the.
met at Point of Rocks, on Hardy's Col
orado, a delegation of Indians wh'
wanted to know their business. IL wa
explained TO them that the party WISHED
TO make survey and map OF the country
As the Indians explain all their converse
ton by making marks in the sand Wit
sticks. the map business was readily un
derstood. They did not like to have tn
party 90 through their country, ana az
clared positively that 80 large numpe
of strangers should not. In San Frai
cisco several old Mexicans and others wh
had some knowledge OF the Cocopah
told Mr.. James that no one had as "
been able to penetrate thar country, an
that those who had made the attempt ha
lost their lives. A compromise OF oouo
full meaning was finally made oy wh'o
Messrs. James and Purdy were 10 oe
lowed to proceed with one man ana
pack.horse. Nothing daunted, tht
complied with the demand ana SET y ,
on their journey. They were followed
the Indians constantly, and occasional
the latter would come into camp.
INDIAN ATTIRE.
The Indians are tall and fine lookll
in their Garden-of- Eden attire goo
looking souaw is rather the except'
than the rule. They wear sort OF sn,
made OF bark, that comes down III
above the knees. The members OF ian
lies are yery affectionate toward ca
other. The men wear their hair lor
parted in the middle and cut snor'
front, over the eyes.
SHORT RATIONs.
During the time the engineers were
the Indian country. their rations consl
ed Of -four, sugar and coffee. They W
obliged to subsist for ten days on h'
and water, and when their supply g,
out, they lived for three days on wha VIVA,
called "pig weed" which they cool .a
and ate as "greens," and found II 10
very nourishing (no joke).
NEAR MOUTH OF COLORADO.
The party camped, with their ind
guide, on the west side OF the Colol'
river, opposite Montague Island, aha
rectly across from the ship yard OF
Colorado Steam Navigation Gompa.