. Elementary physical geography;. eaks its con-fining bank and temporarily flows out into the desert. At the time of the filling of the basin in 1891, the water was extremelysalt, and its temperature was nearly 120° F. At several times therehave been propositions to turn the river into the sink and thus makean inland sea. Evaporation is so great, however, that the entirevolume of the Colorado would fill but a small part of the basin. The climate of the Basin is one of great extremes, andthe southern part is one of intense summer heat. In places 366 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY it is a region of dunes sw
. Elementary physical geography;. eaks its con-fining bank and temporarily flows out into the desert. At the time of the filling of the basin in 1891, the water was extremelysalt, and its temperature was nearly 120° F. At several times therehave been propositions to turn the river into the sink and thus makean inland sea. Evaporation is so great, however, that the entirevolume of the Colorado would fill but a small part of the basin. The climate of the Basin is one of great extremes, andthe southern part is one of intense summer heat. In places 366 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY it is a region of dunes swept by simoons, and occasionallydeluged by cloud-bursts. To the latter arc mainly due the? sinks and washes of the region. Yuccas, cacti, mezquit(a species of acacia), and a coarse grass resembling thespinifex of Australia, are the prevailing vegetation of thesouthern part; sage-brush, a kind of wormwood, is char-acteristic of the northern region. Wherever irrigation ispossible the soil of the river flood plains is highly pro-. MOUNT RAINIERIt is the cinder-cone o] an extinct volcano. ductive. In the southern part several species of lizard,among them the horned toad, abound. A large species,popularly known as the Gila monster, inhabits the GilaRiver and is peculiar to this river valley. The conditions of both climate and topography will notpermit the Western Highlands to become a thickly peopledregion. The rainfall is insufficient for the production ofany great amount of food-stuffs, and the latter must de- INDUSTRIAL REGIONS OF UNITED STATES 367 pend upon irrigation wherever they are grown. The rug-ged surface is intensified by deep canons, and these aresuch obstacles that commerce is carried on at an enormousexpense. In one or two instances a canon half a mile inwidth forces traffic to make a detour of several hundredmiles around. The mining of the precious metals, copper,and lead, is the chief industry. The Pacific Coast Region.—This region includes thewestern foot-hills
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