In 1891, William Daugherty embarked on a memorable journey that brought him face-to-face with the stark beauty and formidable desolation of the Mojave Desert, an experience he vividly chronicled for the Reno Evening Gazette. His account, titled Cactus and Coyotes, offers a captivating glimpse into the challenges and eerie enchantment of this untamed landscape, highlighting the striking contrast from the fertile lands of California’s Sierras. This narrative explores the unique ecosystem and the unsettling encounters that shaped a traveler’s perception of the vast, silent wilderness.
Entering the Mojave: A World Transformed
Daugherty’s initial encounter with the Mojave Desert, viewed from the eastern outlet of Walker’s Pass, presented an immediate and striking contrast to the lush, productive lands of the Sierras he had just traversed. The transition was so profound that he meticulously recorded the shift in his travel diary, recalling the solitary ride through a landscape utterly alien. As he neared the canyon’s mouth on the eastern slope, the very air, climate, roads, and surroundings underwent a dramatic change; it no longer felt like the familiar California.
The giant oaks of the western slope, with their accompanying meadows of rushes and grasses, gave way to a panorama of bare hills and stunted sagebrush. Instead, the eye was drawn to occasional, grim specimens of the bayonet cactus, standing as silent sentinels. The crystalline rills and lively rivulets vanished, replaced by dry, sandy washes where slate pebbles shimmered like bleached bones under the relentless sun. The road itself transformed from a springy, alluvial bed to a grating, rasping expanse of sand, appearing as if nature had left it unfinished for centuries. This immediate immersion into the sterile desolation of the Mojave Desert stretched away into a hazy distance, hinting at the Colorado River—a land historically associated with cactus and coyotes, luring lost wanderers to an unknown fate. It was a landscape that seemed to echo Dante’s inscription: “Who enters here leaves hope behind.”
A Spectral Desert Night
As the moon ascended through a misty haze directly ahead, the desert presented an even more surreal spectacle. Specter-like shadows of distant mountains elongated into wavering lines across the gray surface, creating a startling imitation of gently rippling water. Daugherty noted this as a moment of vivid “still life,” an enchanting yet unsettling sight. Amidst this captivating scene, an army of grim sentinels suddenly materialized, resembling “headless men with outstretched arms,” rising in rigid silence from the earth all around and beyond the travelers. It was a vision as weird and ghostly as any ever witnessed, demanding a closer approach to unravel its mysterious nature.
The Eerie Bayonet Cactus Forest
Having emerged from the canyon just as the moon was rising, Daugherty and his companions found themselves in the heart of a vast forest of bayonet cactus. These peculiar plants grew uniformly in size from root to the tips of their few branches, which extended from the main trunk like the arms of gibbets. In the ethereal moonlight, this formation gave them the appearance of “hideous, headless monsters,” creating a truly Plutonian scene of deviltry. The already unsettling atmosphere was intensified by the shadowy, silent movements of vagabond coyotes, gliding stealthily through this ghostly, moonlit forest.
Shadows and Suspense: Coyotes and Bandits
Adding to the palpable tension of the night, Daugherty was informed that this very section of the desert was a favored rendezvous for the infamous Mexican bandit, Chavez, and his gang. These outlaws were known to roam from this region towards Elizabeth Lake and Los Angeles, injecting a chilling element of human danger into the natural wilderness. This revelation significantly quickened the pulse and effectively banished sleep for the remainder of that night’s ride, transforming a scenic wonder into a place of profound apprehension. The presence of both the eerie cactus formations and the elusive coyotes underscored the wild, untamed nature of the desert, where natural wonders coexisted with very real threats.
From Wild Frontier to Modern Use
Daugherty’s 1891 account not only captures the raw, untamed essence of the Mojave but also subtly hints at its future transformation. He notes that the very cactus forest that appeared so weird and romantic was, even then, being considered for conversion into paper. What once seemed a spot of wild, mysterious romance was poised to be converted into a “prosy fact,” signaling the encroaching utilitarian gaze upon even the most remote wildernesses. This foresight adds another layer to his observations, showing the desert as a place of both enduring mystery and evolving human interaction.
Conclusion: The Enduring Allure of the Mojave
William Daugherty’s journey through the Mojave Desert in 1891 remains a powerful testament to the region’s unique character, vividly describing a landscape that both fascinates and intimidates. His narrative of cactus and coyotes paints an indelible picture of a desert frontier where stark beauty, spectral flora, and the lurking presence of wildlife and outlaws converged. From the stark geological contrasts to the eerie moonlit encounters with the bayonet cactus and the stealthy coyotes, Daugherty’s recollections provide invaluable insights into the American West at the close of the 19th century. His work for the Reno Evening Gazette ensured that the strange allure of the Mojave, with its unforgettable imagery of forbidding nature, would be preserved for future generations, reminding us of the wild heart that still beats within these vast, silent lands.
