TUQUISON CAMP

Today, with readily available bottled and municipal water, it is difficult to imagine the concern Anza had in finding enough potable water for his Expedition of about 200 people and 1,000 animals. At the Tuquison campsite Anza was still approximately 100 miles from the Gila River, too far to travel without water. Initially he had heard that no water was available, but this proved to be inaccurate, and the Expedition was able to continue its journey northward along the course of the Santa Cruz River.

On October 26, 1775, Anza made the following entry in his diary:
"I was joined by four soldiers whom on the preceding 23rd of the month I had sent out to explore the country between this pueblo [Tucson] and the Gila River, to see if there was water on the way, the [previous] report being that there was none, and that the stretch from this pueblo to the Gila River … would be impassable. But from this care we were freed by the favorable report which these explorers brought back to the effect that there was sufficient water."