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 Gulfof 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,
some twenty years since, made an attempt to
ascend this river; but it is now ascertained he
did not reach the junction, having mistaken a
shute 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 mo that the
United States transport schooner Invincible at
anchor in the Colorado, thirty miles above the
| mouth.
| left our camp at the junction in surf boat,
with five men, on the 18th January, and met the
ships boat the morning of the l4th twenty
| seven miles from the ,ssel 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 we were
| 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
a 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, the channel crossing and recross-
/ ing the bed in the most capricious manner; the
whole width being filled with shifting sand. There
| are but few snags.
| Below tho junction, at the lowest stage, ! found
nowhere in the channel less than four feet; but it is
narrow and crooked, and the water rapid. The tide
rises from twelve to fifteen feet, and flows with
great velocity; there slack water at the end of
the ebb, and the sprirg tide comes in with wave
two or three feet high, breaking and foamng, and
in four hours GIBBS again.
The river bottom is several idiles wide. and Gov
cred with three kinds of willow, cotton wood, and
4 Al l. 4
| The highest water is in June and July, and the
banks generally overhow@. This year, owing to
the little rain and west of the dividing ridges
between the Rio Grandc and Colorado and it's tri
butares the annual rise will not be great usual
by several feet.
| The Invincible landed a few stores for at 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 Ogdens landing
The sketch from the junction to the figures SO,
few miles above the point called by Lieut.. Derby
| - Heintzelman's Point is from my notes.-the
lower part from Lieut.. Dcrby's. My reconnaissance
is necessarily very imperfect, had also TO steer
the boat. The whole distance from the junction
to the mouth lie about so mles.
The junction is important pont-a military
post there be supplied by the river, either by
anchoring storeship in the mouth and running a
small stern wheel steamer, not drawing than
two and half three feet water; in June and
July, when 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. EMoRr, U. S. Top. Engineers,
Washington, D, E.