The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-08-15
From the Journal Of Commerce Of Saturday.
Mexican Boundary Survey.


The Commissioners appointed by Gov
ernment to determine the boundary line
! of Mexico and California, leave US thisa
ternoon IN the steamship Galveston. for
| Port Lavacca, in Texas. On account Of
/ the sickness of the coast, il is their inten-
/ ton TO go into the interior, at the earliest
pracIicableImoment after their arrival
! The party consists of about one hundred
and five men, including officers, engineers
surveyors, artisans, and luborers. They
are accompanied by military escort Of L.
| S. Infantry, numbering between one
hundred and forty and one hundred and
eighty men. The military officers are
Colonel MCCLELLAN, of the United States
Topogra2 2hical Engineers, and Lieutenan:
STRAIN, of the Navy. Under the treaty
of Guadalupe HidaIgo, the reconnaissance
of two roads, one on each side of the boun
dary line, is provided for. The party
viii in consequence be divided into three
divisions; and as the country is inhabited
by warlIlIe trIoes cf Indians, of whom the
most formidable are the Navajoes, Apa-
ches, and the Camanches, the necessity
OF strong military force, as an escort, IS
apparent
Mr.. ]. R. BARTLETT, well known "a
this city for his scientific and literary ac-
quirements, is the Commissioner, aul j,
may be reasonably expected that valua-
bic results Will flow from his labors. other
than the specific duty assigned him
The Astronomer IS Brevet Lieutenant
Colonel MCCLELLAN, Of the TOpograPa.>
cal Engineers, and he viii have Captain
HARDcAsTLE aud Lieutenant WBIPPLE,
and others Of the same corps, for assist
ants. Brevet Captain SUTHERLAND, Of
the United States Marines, also accom-
panies the expedition in the commissary
department. MIR. GRAY is the Chief Sur
veyor of the boundary commission. He
will be aided by numerous assistants.
The equipm mt Of slch an exp p.dton
is necessarily attended with great expense
There have been provided galvanized
iron boats, built in sections for land trans
porlalion; forty.six capacious tents, and
twenty-seven wagons; also, stores, arms
and implements sufficient for years ser
vice a variety of trinkets and goods
have been procured for distribution
among the indians, as conciliatOry- -mea-
sure.
An excellent opportunity IS now attoE-
ded, in connection with the survey, for
the exploration of the River Colorado and
the adjacent counry, alluded to by Mr..
THOMAS BUTEER KING, in his recent re-
port on California, and supposed by some
to be a fertile and promising section.
OF this tract of country very little IS
actually known. If time would olIOwrit
might also be advisable to examine the
head ofthe Gulf Of California, at the en-
bouchure of the Colorado. This IS almost
a terra incognita. Recent explorations
have, however. proved that former re-
ports are essentially iLcorrect. Should
future investigations show that the hy-
geographic basin of the Colorado has
fertile soil and salubrious climate, THIS,
lis only actual outlet, must ultimately
bee ONE Of great importance.
Those of the young men attached TO
this commission whom we have seem
are vigorous, tull Of youthful enthusiasm,
and are appa rently we'll capable of en-
during the hardship incident to the ser
vice IN which they are engaged Tney
nave our best wishes.
MIR. ]. r. BARTLETT viii delay his de-
pa rture (probably) until the 18th instant,
for the reason that at present there is no
Secretary of the Interior TO give him his
final official instructions. In that case he
will set out with the expectation OF
Joining the main body at San Antonio.
i At saA he