that its acquisition seems little less than a matter of duty.

"From Libertad it is but one hundred and fifty miles to the mining regions of the lower portion of Pima County, and from Guaymas the distance is about three hundred miles; both roads are easy and supplied with grass and water. The transportation of mining supplies from Los Angeles or Fort Yuma as is now necessary in order to escape the heavy duties imposed in Sonora, although entirely practicable, involves much more of overland travel and consequently increased delay and expense.

"YUMA COUNTY.

"This county is bounded on the east by the line of 113°, 20' west longitude, on the north by the middle of the main stream of the Santa Maria, to its junction with Williams' Fork, thence by the middle of the main channel of said stream to its junction with the Colorado River; on the west by the main channel of the Colorado, and on the south by the Sonora line. The seat of justice is established at La Paz. Of the two counties upon the Colorado (Yuma and Mohave) this has at present the largest population. Until 1862 it was comparatively unknown for any distance above Fort Yuma; indeed, the Colorado had barely been explored. Ives had been up with his little steamer, trappers had taken the beaver, and the Steam Navigation Company had sent government supplies to Fort Mojave, but there were no intermediate settlements, and the Colorado River mines, now widely known, were unheard of.

"The discovery of gold on the Gila River, about twenty miles from its junction with the Colorado, attracted considerable attention, and prompted the laying out of Gila City, but it was not until 1862 that emigration started up the Colorado. At that date the finding of rich placers at Chimney Peak, twenty miles above Fort Yuma, and at various points from eight to twenty miles back of the site of the present town of La Paz, one hundred and ten miles from the fort, drew a large number of miners and prospectors from California and Sonora. The subsequent discovery of multitudinous silver and copper mines upon and adjacent to the river, in what are now known as the Yuma, Castle Dome, Silver, Eureka, Weaver, Chimehuiva, and La Paz mining districts, and the opening in 1863 of the interior country (Central Arizona) have given it an activity and importance second to that of no portion of the Territory. As yet its settlements are all upon the river. La Paz, the chief of these, is a busy commercial town of adobe buildings, with a population about equally American and Spanish. It has some stores that would not do discredit to San Francisco, and enjoys a large trade, extending up and down the river and to Central Arizona.

"Castle Dome, Mineral City and Olive City, all upon the Colorado, between Fort Yuma and La Paz, are mining towns yet small, but destined to become of consequence as the depots of mining districts of great richness, which cannot long remain undeveloped.

"The silver ores of Yuma County are mostly argentiferous galena. Those of Castle Dome

district, forty miles above Fort Yuma, according to Prof. Blake, are found in a vein stone of fluor spar.

"The same authority reports the copper ores as nearly all containing silver and gold; some of which gave forty per cent of copper and yield at the rate of sixty ounces of silver to the ton.

"A quicksilver mine discovered near La Paz is attracting considerable attention in San Francisco.

"The face of Yuma County is for the most part mountainous and barren, although the Colorado bottom, and occasional valleys are fertile, and the Indians have fine crops. Wood sufficient for fuel and for present mining operations is found in the mountain ravines and along the streams.

"A main highway from the Colorado to Central Arizona starts from La Paz, and is one of the smoothest natural roads I have ever seen. Its course to the Hassayampa River (one hundred and ten miles) is almost an air line, and in the whole distance there is nothing to obstruct the passage of the frailest vehicle or of the heaviest train. It lacks a sufficiency of water and of grass for animals, and a company chartered by the Legislature is taking steps to provide wells and feeding stations. The road will connect at La Paz with that from San Bernardino, which is smooth, with but little sand, and already provided with tanks and stations. The whole distance from San Bernardino to Prescott, the capital of the Territory, is less than three hundred and fifty miles. Emigrants from California to Central

Arizona travel by these roads, or by those of about the same length from San Bernardino to Fort Mojave, and from there to Prescott.

"Sixty miles from La Paz, on the road to Prescott, are the Harcuvar Mountains, which contain numerous valuable copper lodes, and the Penhatchapet Mountains, wherein very rich gold quartz has been found.

"MOHAVE COUNTY.

"This county is bounded on the east by the line of 113° 20′ west longitude; on the north by the parallel of 37° north latitude; on the west by the line of the State of California and the middle of the main channel of the Colorado River, and on the south by Williams' Fork and the main channel of the Santa Maria River above its junction with the latter stream. The seat of justice is established at Mojave City. This county lies directly north of Yuma County and is of the same general character.

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Ascending the Colorado, the first point of interest is Williams' Fork, the southern line of the county. It is the largest tributary of the Colorado, and has its rise in the interior country almost as far east as Prescott. It is not navigable but usually has a good body of water. Some of the richest copper mines in the Territory are near to its bank, and have already been extensively and profitably worked. Quantities of the ore sent to Swansea have give a larger return than was expected, and it is clearly demonstrated that it will pay to ship to that place, or to Boston, if reduction works cannot be reached at a nearer point.

"A road along Williams' Fork and its tributary the Santa Maria, leads to Prescott, but it

will need considerable work to be made popular. A company was chartered by the Legislature to improve it. In the opinion of Capt. Walker, the veteran pioneer of Central Arizona, and of others, the junction of Williams' Fork and the Colorado is the natural and best point for a large town or city; and a town named Aubry has been laid out there.

"Fort Mojave, upon the Colorado, one hundred and sixty miles above La Paz, is a noted point, and one of the longest occupied in the Territory by the whites. Within a mile of the fort is Mojave City, a sprightly town laid out and chiefly built by the California volunteers stationed at the fort for two or three years past. There are some good agricultural lands in the vicinity, and gardens abound. The visit of the chief of the Mojave Indians (Iretaba) to New York and Washington in 1863-4, gave him such an exalted opinion of the white man and the power of the general government, that he has not ceased to urge his people to the most friendly relations, and to habits of industry and enterprise.

"At Mojave, as at La Paz and Fort Yuma, there is a well regulated ferry across the Colorado, with scows calculated to convey wagons and stock.

"Hardyville, nine miles above Mojave, upon the Colorado, is a young, but active and hopeful settlement. It has a large trade from the quartz mining districts around it, and even from the Wauba Yuma district, forty miles in the interior, and from Prescott, the capital, one hundred and sixty miles inland.