Vanished Arizona: Recollections of the Army Life by a New England WomanSummerhayes, Martha
History
Vanished Arizona: Recollections of the Army Life by a New England Woman
Summerhayes, Martha
Arizona -- Biography; Arizona -- Description and travel; Summerhayes, Martha, 1844-1926; United States. Army -- Military life
Willow Grove Springs was reached at four o'clock and the small cluster
of willow trees was most refreshing to our tired eyes. The next day's
march was over a rolling country. We began to see grass, and to feel
that, at last, we were out of the desert. The wonderful mountain still
loomed up large and clear on our left. I thought of the old Spanish
explorers and wondered if they came so far as this, when they journeyed
through that part of our country three hundred years before. I wondered
what beautiful and high-sounding name they might have given it. I
wondered a good deal about that bare and isolated mountain, rising out
of what seemed an endless waste of sand. I asked the driver if he knew
the name of it: "That is Bill Williams' mountain, ma'am," he replied,
and relapsed into his customary silence, which was unbroken except by an
occasional remark to the wheelers or the leaders.
I thought of the Harz Mountains, which I had so recently tramped over,
and the romantic names and legends connected with them, and I sighed to
think such an imposing landmark as this should have such a prosaic name.
I realized that Arizona was not a land of romance; and when Jack came
to the ambulance, I said, "Don't you think it a pity that such monstrous
things are allowed in America, as to call that great fine mountain 'Bill
Williams' mountain'?"
"Why no," he said; "I suppose he discovered it, and I dare say he had a
hard enough time before he got to it."
We camped at Fort Rock, and Lieutenant Bailey shot an antelope. It was
the first game we had seen; our spirits revived a bit; the sight of
green grass and trees brought new life to us.
Anvil Rock and old Camp Hualapais were our next two stopping places.
We drove through groves of oaks, cedars and pines, and the days began
hopefully and ended pleasantly. To be sure, the roads were very rough
and our bones ached after a long day's travelling. But our tents were
now pitched under tall pine trees and looked inviting. Soldiers have a
knack of making a tent attractive.
"Madame, the Lieutenant's compliments, and your tent is ready."
I then alighted and found my little home awaiting me. The tent-flaps
tied open, the mattresses laid, the blankets turned back, the camp-table
with candle-stick upon it, and a couple of camp-chairs at the door of
the tent. Surely it is good to be in the army I then thought; and after
a supper consisting of soldiers' hot biscuit, antelope steak broiled
over the coals, and a large cup of black coffee, I went to rest,
listening to the soughing of the pines.
My mattress was spread always upon the ground, with a buffalo robe under
it and a hair lariat around it, to keep off the snakes; as it is said
they do not like to cross them. I found the ground more comfortable than
the camp cots which were used by some of the officers, and most of the
women.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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