"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, cattle, sheep, etc., but it has been many years since. It is a fine grazing region, with wild cattle and mustangs constantly seen roaming over the plains. The district from San Pedro to Santa Cruz valley, nearly due west from our present crossing (latitude 31 degrees 34 minutes), will be to the Pacific slope what the region of Fort Chadbourne, in Texas, will be to the Atlantic. The mountains and hills are covered with splendid timber of the largest size, and for all purposes; and the valleys are full of springs, and the finest grass. To Tubac, a town in the valley of Santa Cruz, it is 69 miles. This is by following the San Pedro about a league, passing over a few insignificant spurs, and ascending the Rio Babacomeri; thence continuing westward by a gradual rise over delightful plains to the divide between that and the Sonoita or Clover creek, and along the latter, until it loses itself in the porous earth, a mile from the Santa Cruz river, and by the broad valley of that stream to Tubac." * * * * * * * * Of the line of Gray's exploration from the Rio San Pedro, he says: "It passes through the most desirable region, with the hills and mountains for forty miles, containing inexhaustible quantities of timber. We noticed tall cedar and oaks of every description; one kind more interesting than the others, being a white oak from twenty to forty feet in the body. Pine and spruce, with superior white ash and walnut, were found, and the most gigantic cotton-woods, particularly on the Sonoita. * * * * "The mountains in the neighborhood are filled with minerals, and the precious metals are said to abound. The famous Planchas de Plata and Arizona silver mines, which the Count Raouset de Boulbon attempted to take possession of, are in this section of country, not many miles below the present limits, and at several of the old ranchos and deserted mining villages which we visited, were found the argentiferous galena ore and gold. The Sierra Santa Rita runs along to the east of the Santa Cruz valley, and forms a part of this interesting region. It is very high and bold, filled with fertile valleys and flowing rivulets, and covered with a dense growth of timber. I saw much of this district, when here in 1851, on the survey of the boundary." * * * * * * * * The country bordering immediately the head of the Gulf of California, through which Gray was probably the first to penetrate, lies adjacent to the proposed Arizona Territory, but not a part of the same, being a portion of the State of Sonora. He thus describes that section: