The marvellous country, or, Three years in Arizona and New Mexico.: Containing an authentic history of this wonderful country and its ancient civilization ... together with a full and complete history of the Apache tribe of Indians .../ By Samuel Woodworth Cozzens. Illustrated by more than one hundred engravings.

ARTIFICIAL WELLS.
Our mules were soon enjoying the sweetness of the grass
around us. Our supper had been eaten, and we were ready
for our blankets, when I chanced to think that I had been
annoyed all day by the rattling of the spokes in the wheels
of our wagon. Knowing that the hot sun and excessively
dry weather had caused the wood to shrink, I called Jimmy,
and told him to go down into the bed of the aroya, and dig
some holes in the sand, which would soon fill with water;
and after watering the animals, to bring some up and wet
the wheels thoroughly, and keep them wet for an hour or
so, or until they were sufficiently swollen to become tight
again. This he promised to do; and about half-past eight
o'clock the doctor and myself "turned in," leaving Jimmy
to attend to the wagon before retiring. I soon fell into a
sound sleep, and must have slept some hours, when I was
awakened by what seemed to be the roar of a mighty
torrent.
Hastily rising, I proceeded to the bank of the aroya,
where a sight met my gaze that for a moment astounded
me. The aroya, which but a few hours before was parched
and dry, was now filled nearly to the top of its banks with
a torrent of dark, muddy water, rushing along at the rate
of ten miles an hour, overturning immense rocks, and bearing upon its black and seething bosom trees, bushes, and
stumps without number.
A moment's reflection convinced me that this aroya must
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