melancholy aspect, the result of the inability of Mexico to
protect this portion of territory from the inroads of thesavages. There are now but a few settlements throughout this
district of country, but were it protected by a power that could
and would defend it, what is now a waste in the hands of the
savages might become a thriving country, with safety insured to
its inhabitants." Senate Ex. Doc. No. 55, 33rd Congress, 2nd
Sess.

I quote the following language of Gray, from subsequent
explorations made by him, three years after his first expedition,
and contained in his report to the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company. It was chiefly from the discoveries made by Gray, in
this adventurous expedition, through regions unknown for many
years past, between the Rio Grande and Gulf of California,
together with the Gadsden Treaty, that induced parties at great
expense to emigrate there, and commence working the vast mineral
deposites, such as the Arabac silver mines, the Ajo copper
mountain, and others, but which, through lack of proper
protection and means of communication, have been greatly retarded
in their development.

After crossing the dividing ridge of the continent west of the
Rio Grande, Gray thus alludes to the country:

"There were large haciendas and fine cattle ranches in this
neighborhood, until a war of extermination was declared by the
Apaches against the Mexicans. Remains of the old San Pedro ranch
are seen at this day; also the "Tres Alamos;" and the ruins of
the hacienda of Babacomeri, whose walls and towers are still
standing. These were among the wealthiest of Sonora in horses,