secretly, cover more ground, move with celerity, emulate to do better than all others, and in the end either destroy or worry the Indians into submission. It is very fortunate that the Navajo was is at that point toward a final ending as to give but little further uneasiness. If, by the help of Providence, we can have the same fortune in our demonstrations against the Apaches of Arizona, the great drain upon the Treasury which has been kept up by these Indian wars will forever cease.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

PERSONAL.] TUCSON, ARIZ. TER., April 4, 1864.

DEAR GENERAL: Instead of a lengthy official letter I have only time to write you a brief note. I intended to give you a description of our trip to the Verde and Salinas, but on my return found the people so much excited about the Indian difficulties that my time has been constantly occupied until I left with Colonel Davis to come here. I found a visit here very necessary at this time for many reasons. I shall remain here a short time and then return to Fort Whipple.

We explored very fully the Verde River, passing through the upper and lower valley. Each valley contains considerable arable land, and the lower valley is the better of the two. There is no timber other than cottonwood very near to either of them. There are indications that a great flood of water has within a few years passed over the whole course of the river, washing sand upon the soil, breaking down the cotton trees, and changing the course of the river. Captain Walker said that he should not recognize it as the same river he passed up some years ago. I think this freshest occurred two or three years ago, when California suffered so much. There is one point in the lower valley that has not suffered so much from the overflow of the revere that would make a good site for a post or town. The Verde is not a mineral country. A great wave of lava appears to have flowed down from the region of the San Francisco Mountain and covered and burnt up all the rock and mineral. Where the lava disappears the minerals are seen. We found indications of gold on the eastern and western tributaries of the Verde, but none very near the river. I think the waters of the river cannot be used for mining. We twice attempted to pass over to the waters of the Salinas, but could not follow the trail, even with pack animals. The farther east we went the better we found the country to be, but having rations for thirty days only, and our animals being very weak, we reluctantly abandoned the attempt.

We first went to Woolsey's ranch, which is on a tributary of the Aqua Fria, then crossing the divide to the upper valley of the San Francisco, reaching the river about 5 miles below the valley, passed up the valley on the west side of the river, crossed the river, passed down the valley on the east side to a broad trail, which the guides supposed would take us to the Salinas, and which we followed as long as it was practicable, then went back, took another trail, which they advised us to take, and which led us to the banks of an affluent of the Verde, passing through a deep canon; from this point we could extricate ourselves in two ways - return by the way we came, or