Arizona weekly miner., 1875-05-07
Vhe e~ Miner.
(CyncIHded)

but It's waters are consumed ID irrigation. There are many small streams, all contribut- ing finally to the Colorado, and flowing into the Pacific waters.
 The mountains are the most prominent nat ural features of Arizona. In the northern part of the Territory the San Francisco mountain rises to an altitude of l2OO feet above the level of the sea- Its snowy sum- init is visible for radius of one hundred miles. In the southern part of the Territory the Santa Rita mountains are most eonspicu- ous, being about 1000 feet high. The whole country is composed of vast plains, crossed from north to south with broken ranges of mountains. The plains are covered with nu- tricious grasses, and the mountains are sup posed to contain minerals.
 The Spaniards found rear the boundary line the largest masses of pure silver which have been found in the New World, and ores of gold, silver, copper, lead and iron have been discooered in many localities. Rock salt of pure quality is found in the noun tains, and the lagoons bordering the Gulf of California furnish an inexhaustible supply of this necessary, thrown up by the tides and purified by the sun.
 The indigenious trees of Arizona differ materially from the American forest growth. The Mesquite tree, an acacia, grows in the lower attitudes, and produces an annual crop of beans, which are very nutricious for ami malls, and used by the Indians for making bread, and also for making whisky. A pro- life mesquite tree will yield ten bushels of beans annually. The Cereus giganteus is the most singular of the forest growth. This tree sometime rises to a height of 50 feet without limb or leaf. It has a coumnar, futed body, covered with thorns, and bears fruit at the crown, which the Indians gath CT when ripe, expressing the juice or molas- ses, and making the pulp into a cake or bread for the winter. The river-bottoms are lined with cottonwoods, and the mountains bear an abundant growth of live oak and yellow pine Wild hemp, the sunhower, and the poppy attest the generosity of the soil and the geniality of the climate.
 The American Aloe, or maguey plant, grows in great abundance on the hil-sides and mountains, and is an important natural production. The head is formed in leaves like an artichoke, and grows to the size of cabbage, being protected by sharp bayonet- like shoots eight or ten feet high. These be- ing cut away with long knives, the Indians and Mexicans gather the head and utilize it in various ways. If roasted it makes excel lent food, something like roasted pumpkin, but more astringent. It may be boiled down to a syrup and form saccharine feast, but the highest delight of the natives is to man. ufacture this mountain luxury into an intox- icating drink called 'mescal" This is done in primitive way, by fermenting the mashed head of the maguey in raw hide stretched on poles in the sun, and distilling the juice in a rude alembc. The extract has very much the appearance and flavor of Scotch whisky, and has consoled many a weary tray eler in that region besides myself. The fibre is manufactured into ropes, mats, carpets and saddle blankets. A green tree, producing a pleasant and nutricious pea, grows in the low lands.
 The indigenious potatoe or " comote" is found on the mountain sides in its native coarseness. Even in the desert food is pro- duced from parasite classed as "Ammabro- ma SonOrea," or the sand food of Sonora, which resembles the sweet potatoe in shape and flavor. Amole, the native soap plant, is a curious natural production, and is used by the natives for the laundry; it washes fan nels without causing shrinkage, and is consid- cred a great preservative of the hair, making it as glossy as if oiled. The cactus in many varieties is found in all parts of the Terri tory.
 The fruits grown in the Territory are ap- pies, peaches, apricots, oranges, figs, grapes, pomegranites, pears, lemons and quinces. On account of the open plains. and absence of dense forests, wild game is not so abundant in Arizona as other Territories of Western America, and the rivers furnish very little quantity or variety of fish. The buffalo does not roam so far west as Arizona. The prin- cipal game is bear, deer, antelopes, hares, wild turkeys, and the peculiar top-kuot quail. The Mexican paysano, or road-runner, fits continually before the hunter, and furnishes stories for the ignorant by his supposed apt itude in killing snakes The reptile family are abundant, and grow to a large size, the rattlcsnake furnishing the greatest variety. The escupion, or Mexican splitter, IS regarded by the supersttious natives as poisonous, but an examination of its fangs has proved it entirely harmless. Tarantulas of the largest sIzs are found in Arizona, and the centipede is frequently more familiar than welcome bedfellow. Lizards, scorpions, alicrans, horn ed frogs, and such diminutive reptiles, may be found in interesting variety.
 The first exploration of the Territory of Arizona, after its acquisition by the United States, was made by a company under my command in lS56 After weary march of l,5OO miles, through hostile Indian tribes, we established headquarters at Tubac, on the Santa Cruz river, and planted in this far oil wilderness the germs of Western civilization. The nearest military post was a hundred leagues, and mail from Washington did not reach this remote outpost in less than sixty days. At the present day we are in tele- graphic communication with the principal towns in the Territory, and the United States mails are distributed with cclerity and safety to all prominent points. Daily and weekly newspapers are published in the principal towns.
 A railway is in course of construction across the continent, on the 32d parallel, which will pass though the Territory and 1 bring 1t into more intimate relations with 1 the rest of the world.
 The Territorial capital and seat of the su- preme court Is Tucson, town south of the | Gala, containing population of $500. The | most important town north of the Gia is | Prescott, named after the historian of Mexi- CO., The town is beautifully located in the lap of the mountain, is the headquarters of | the military department, and contains pop