houses are to be seen, also half fallen, having thick walls, and all the ceilings burnt, except in the lower room of one house, which is of round timbers, smooth and not thick, which appeared to be of cedar or savin, and over them sticks of very equal size, and a cake of mortar and hard clay, making a roof or ceiling of great ingenuity. In the environs are to be seen many other ruins and heaps of broken earth, which circumscribe it two leagues, with much broken earthenware of plates and pots of fine clay, painted of many colors, and which resemble the jars of Guadalajara, in Spain. It may be inferred that the population or city of this body politic was very large; and that it was of one government is shown by a main canal, which comes from the river by the plain, running around for the distance of three leagues, and inclosing the inhab itants in its area, being in breadth ten varas,* and about four in depth, through which perhaps was directed one half the volume of the river, in such a manner that it might serve for a defensive moat, as well as to supply the wards with water, and irrigate the plantations in the adjacencies."

By the foregoing extracts it will be seen that these buildings were in much the same condition as that in which we now see them, although a century and a half has elapsed since Mangi's visit. He was told of other ruins "a day's journey to the north on another stream" flowing into the Gila, which were doubtless those on the Salinas that I have described.

*About twenty-seven feet. See also Alegro's Hist. de la Compañia de Jesus, en Nueva España, tom. iii. p. 84.

I have been unable to learn from what source the prevailing idea has arisen of the migration of the Aztecs, or ancient Mexicans, from the north into the valley of Mexico, and of the three halts they made in their journey thither. This is another idea which has been so widely promulgated that it has settled down into an acknowledged fact, although I confess I have seen no satisfactory evidence of its truth. People have got too much in the way of ascribing all ancient remains to the Aztecs. We hear of them on the shores of Lake Michigan, where some have located the famous city of Aztlan. Other remains are spoken of in the Navajo country, south of the Great Salt Lake, where the Aztecs are said to have tarried a while. Again they are placed at the "Casas Grandes," on the Gila; whence they are supposed to have gone to a place north of the city of Chihuahua, where extensive remains are said to exist. The traditions which gave rise to this notion are extremely vague, and were not seriously entertained until Torquemada, Boturini, and Clavigero gave them currency, but they must now give way to the more reliable results from comparisons. No analogy has yet been traced between the language of the old Mexicans and any tribe at the north in the district from which they are supposed to have come; nor in any of the relics, ornaments, or works of art, do we observe a resemblance between them. The explorations and investigations recently made, and others now in progress, may throw further light on this subject, which I shall now dismiss.

linguistic comparisons.

After three hours spent at the ruins, the hottest, I

284 INDIANS OF THE GILA, AND THE CASAS GRANDES.

think, I ever experienced, we set out on our return to camp. Our Indian companions, having got out of water (of which we had none to spare), set off in advance to reach the river, and there wait for us. They were quite reluctant to go alone even a couple of miles, for fear of the Apaches; and I doubt whether they would have ventured even then without us, had they not been driven to do so by extreme thirst. As our canteens were all exhausted before leaving, we were obliged to follow their example. We found the river's bank about fifteen feet high, and so abrupt that it was with some difficulty we reached the water. After following the route by which we came, and crossing on our way several of the old irrigating canals, from which the ancient people who occupied the valley derived their water, we reached our camp at three o'clock, much fatigued though amply repaid by our day's excursion. The mercury had stood in the shade, beneath the trees, at 119° Fahrenheit, between the hours of ten and three o'clock.

I found a few Indians in camp, among them a messenger from Francisco Dukey, the Maricopa interpreter, who, ashamed to come himself, had sent another to me, begging that I would give him a written recommendation to show to other Americans. His request was peremptorily refused.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

CASAS GRANDES TO SANTA CRUZ.

Leave the Gila-Terrific storm on the desert-Encounter a party of Americans at midnight-Stopped by the darkness-Unpleasant situationPack-mules and cattle missing-Picacho mountain-Vegetation of the desert-Second night's march-Arrival at Tucson-General BlancoArrival of Mexican troops-Campaign against the Apaches-Meet Mr. Coons with 14,000 sheep-His disasters-Visit from Gen. Blanco and his officers-Repairs on wagons-Tucson and its valley-MeteoriteSan Xavier del Bac-Beautiful church-Spanish and Anglo-Saxon colonization-Incessant rains-Presidio of Tubac-Meet Inez Gonzales, the captive girl-Her sad fate-Uncertainty of irrigated lands-California emigrants-Calabasa-Picturesque valley-Tumacacori-San LazaroMore emigrants-Reach Santa Cruz.

July 13th. The heat continued excessive. The thermometer had ranged every day since our arrival at the Maricopa and Pimo villages at from 100° to 119° between the hours of 10 and 3; in fact it had scarcely fallen below 100 between these hours since we struck the desert beyond the Colorado. During the week we were at Fort Yuma, as well as during our journey, there was but little variation. The nights remained comfortable all the time; so that in the open air a single blanket was necessary.

Having a long march before us, we left camp at halfpast 4 P. M., desiring to reach a mountain forty-five

miles distant, or half way across the great jornada, the following morning, although we had little hope of finding water until we should get to Tucson. The mountain referred to is called the "Picacho," a name applied to every high abrupt peak. Our course lay a little to the east of south, direct for the Picacho, across a vast open plain. A short range of mountains on the west, within a mile of the road, was soon passed. On the east was a lofty range fifty miles distant, with no intervening objects. The road was excellent; and our animals being fresh, we hurried them on as fast as it was prudent to do. As we progressed, there seemed to be a likelihood of rain, which was somewhat increased by a perceptible change in the air. The prospect before us was dismal enough, in the midst of the wide-spreading desert; for by night-fall we had passed the mountains on our right, and were soon far from any landmark.

As the sun sank below the horizon, the dark cloudbank which we had observed far to the south ascended, and we could see the rain already falling on the distant mountain. Night now set in; the thick clouds rose higher and higher, and before nine o'clock had completely obscured every star. Shrouded as we were in darkness, it was no easy matter to find our way through the low mezquit bushes scattered over the desert. But nature's light-house opened its portals, and the vivid lightning flashed around us; so that the black mountain, our beacon in this desert, seemed constantly before us. Up to this time I had taken the lead in my wagon; but as my mules became alarmed, rendering it impossible to get along, I placed Mr. Leroux, who rode a milk-white mule, immediately before mine.