called "North Creek." The ranch near our main camp he had taken up
only about three years ago, and he considered agriculture in this
region successful, especially with potatoes. Maize, too, may also
ripen. Furthermore, he told me of some interesting cave dwellings
near the Mormon settlement on the eastern edge of the sierra, which
I decided to investigate.

When the Mormons had come to colonise parts of northern Mexico, an
American called "Apache Bill," who had lived for a number of years
with the Apaches, told them of a large, fertile valley showing many
evidences of former cultivation. Probably he referred to a locality
that had once been inhabited by a remnant of the Opata Indians,
who had become christianised and had received fruit trees from the
missionaries. The trees, when found, were said to be still bearing
fruit, while the people had vanished--having probably been killed
off by the Apaches.

I returned to the main camp, leaving, however, two men behind to
search still further for the _casa blanca_. When they returned after
a few days, they reported that nothing could be found, and that the
country was difficult of access. On my return I found the men who had
gone to Casas Grandes back already, bringing with them some provisions
and the first mail for three months.

Two miles east of our camp obsidian was found _in situ_. It was not
in the natural flow, but in round, water-worn pebbles deposited in
the conglomerate. Many of these had been washed out and had rolled
down the hill, where a bushel of them might be collected in a few
hours. The outcrop does not extend over a large area, only about two
hundred yards on one side of the bank.