Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1856 edition. Excerpt:...and the Mojave, may be mentioned. The most important of these localities are the mountains called San Mateo, San Francisco, Bill Williams', and Cygnus mountain. Observations on these volcanoes have already been made in the chapters devoted to the description of the geology of the route, and some general remarks only need to be added. The outpourings of lava from San Mateo and San Francisco appear to have proceeded from a number of side cones or vents much below the principal crater. At San Mateo there is a cone or crater several miles west and a little north, directly on the east border of the branch of the San Joseriver, which heads in Campbell's Pass. This crater, although much lower than San Mateo, and hardly visible a few miles distant, furnished a stream of lava which coursed down the valley of the river until it mingled with the streams from the great cone, and perhaps extended beyond them to Covero and Laguna. This crater may perhaps be regarded as entirely distinct from San Mateo, as it is about twenty miles distant from the peak. The eastern flank of San Francisco volcano appears to be sprinkled with cones of various sizes, from which lava has poured out and flowed down the slope to the east. These cones were seen all along the route from a short distance west of the Colorado Chiquito to the base of the principal peak. Beyond the peak no cones appear to have been seen--they are confined to the eastern and southern slope of the mountain. Mr. Marcou mentions seeing some basaltic buttes on the east bank of the river. These are in the line of prolongation from the principal crater eastward through the lesser vents. Secondary cones do not appear to have been found around Bill Williams' or Cygnus mountain. Theprobable volcanic...