3.
Along the base of the mesa are examples of the predominant types of trees found in the Southwest. From left to right these are:
(1) One-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma), which can be used for fenceposts and fuel.
(2) Pinyon pine (Pinus edulis), noted for its edible nuts which are harvested in the fall.
(3) Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), which provides excellent wood for construction and building purposes.
Watch for black sage (Artemisia tridentata) along the right side of the trail. This is the purple sage of western fiction and is recognized by the silvery down on the leaves and the purplish color of the shaggy bark. The strong aromatic odor of sagebrush is especially noticeable after a rain.
4.
In the desert varnish, the darker colored rock, note particularly a sequence showing hand prints, foot prints and a zig-zag trail going to a hole in the cliff. This could mean, “Follow the hand and foot trail to the pool of water.”
The signature of Mr. Long is the most impressive one on the rock. It appears to have been carved between 1850 and 1862, probably with a knife after being sketched. Just to your right around the corner, note “Mr. Engle” in block print and “Mr. Bryn” in script. Engle was Beale’s second-in-command and Long and Bryn were members of Beale’s company.
5.
There is a good account of Mr. P. (Peachy) Gilmer Breckinridge from the Virginia Historical Society. He graduated from Virginia Military Institute, and as a young man rode across the continent to California.
In 1857 Lt. Edward Beale was in charge of an expedition testing camels for use in the American deserts. Breckinridge was in charge of the 25 camels used by Beale when they passed El Morro.