The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-08-28
The Rio Colorado of the West.

| The following letter TO Major EMORY gives
what is believed to be the first authentic ac-
count of the navigation and exploration of this
river, from the junction of the ella and Colo
RADIO to its debouche into the Gulf of California,
or the Sea Of Cortez, derived from the recon-
Nuisance made jointly by Lieutenant DERBY,
of the corps of Typographical Engineers, and
Major S. P. HEINTzELMAN, OF Cd United States
Infantry, the writer of the letter.
Lieutenant HARDY, of the British navy,
while engaged in the pearl fishing business,
ascend this river; but it is now ascertained he
did not reach the junction, having mistaken a
sh,he of the Colorado for the ella, as will be
seen by comparison of his account with that
now presented.
The boundary line established under the
direction of Major EMORY, under the treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo, and accepted by the joint
commission cuts the Rio Colorado about seven
miles below the junction, and consequently all
below that point lies in Mexican territory; yet,
by the sixth article of the treaty with Mexico,
we have the right to navigate it and the Gulf
of California.
Apart, therefore, from the geographical inte-
rest it possesses, the information is of value,
showing as it does the character of the only
natural outlet open to us of those vast terrific
ries now within our limits drained by the Colo
RADIO and ella rivers:
CANT NEAR SAN ISABEL, July Is.
DEAR MAJOR: An Indian brought letter
from Lieutenant DERBY, informing me that the
United States transport schooner Invincible at
anchor in tho Colorado, thirty miles above the
mouth.
loft our camp at the junction in surf boat,
with five men, on the 18th January, and met the
ships boat on the morning of the 18th twenty
seven miles from the vessel. They having started
four hours earlier from her than did from camp,
you may judge the difficulty in ascending the
river; they turned back, and in five hours
on board.
From the junction to Fort Defiance the river is
from two hundred to two hundred and fifty yards
wide; below it varies from half mile TO mile and
quarter between the banks-generally lees than
a mile. AT the low stage, the water seldom covers
more than half this space, and frequently not two
hundred yards, tho channel crossing and recross-
ing the bed in the most capricious manners the
whole width being filled with shifting sand There
are but few snags.
Below the junction, ut the lowest stage, / found
nowhere in the channel lees than four feet; but is
narrow and crooked, and the water rapid The tide
rises from twelve To fifteen feet, and flows with
great velocity; there is sackwater at the end of
the ebb, and the spri"g tide comes in with a wave
two or three feet high breaking and foaming, and
in four hours Gibbs again.
The river bottom is several miles wide, and Gov
cred with three kinds of willow, cotton wood, and
4
The highest water is in June and July, and the
banks generally overlow@s. This year, owing to
the little rain and west of the dividing ridges
between the Rio Grandc and Colorado and its tri-
butaries the annual rise will be great Us usual
by several feet.
The Invincible landed few stores for us ut How
ards Point, and had them wagoned to the post.
The road is about seventy five miles, and the sand
deep, with some grass and plenty of water. The
desert touches the river at Ogdcn's landing.
The sketch from the junction to the figures SO,
few miles above the point called by Lieut.. Derby
g Heintzelmans Point" is from my notes.-the
lower part from Lieut. Derby's. My reconnaissance
is necessarily very imperfect, had also TO steer
the boat. The whole distance from the junction
to the mouth is about ] so miles
The junction is important point-a military
post there can be supplied by the river, either by
anchoring storeship in the mouth and running
small stern wheel steamer, not drawing more than
two and half or three feet water; or in June and
July, when a boat drawing six eight feet water
can ascend without difficulty. The road across the
Desert is entirely too expensive.
remain, very truly, yours &C.,
S. P. HEINTZELMAN
To Major WIN. H. EMosY, U. S. Top. Engineers,
Washington, d. c.