The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-14
Lieut.. Beale's Overland Trip TO CaliA>'rnls'
The following letter sent for publication BY non
Thomas IL Benton to the Washington I1teyltQsnccrs--

A<sc0ts ncale'B Ov0fl0nU Trip 10
The following letter sent for publication, BY Hon
Thomas IL Benton, to the Washington IalsIli9encer-
Los ANGELES, August 26 1858.
We arrived here the 22d inst forty nine travelling
days from Missouri Our course after crossing Green
river, through the Toshsatch Mountains to SEWER
river which followed to the junction of the San Pas
quail where we left It, crossed intervening chain of
hills and decended into the plains the Little Salt
lake 90 10 d. San JOSE where found several -four
ishipg Mormon settlements Here followed the old
Spanish trail rather the wagon road opened by th
the old trail This portion our route has been already
explored and described (by FremonD; that from New
Sewer river is less known, and has been explored and
described think, by any party will not undertake at
G notes Of each travel and as reach san
Francisco will write them out and send them to YOU to-
gether with my sketches
Circumstances which ii impossible for to foresee
have prolonged our journey much beyond the time we
had calculated would be sufficient reach our destina.
ton wrote you fully from Taos early in July detailing
these circumstances After reoning Beale at his camp
the Savoya fifty miles from Ora nd river least fork Of
Great Colorado we Immediately proceeded on our Jour
ney We fell in with very large bands of Utahs Grand
river, of whom We're very friendly whilst others
gave some trouble. We crossed the Avoonkaria,
broad rapid stream coming out Of the Pareamoot noun
tans, and heading the sources of the Arkansas
Our means Of crossing was bull hide b at We here
found party of Mexcans coming from Utah, unable to
pass over who had been waiting twenty days for the
waters to fall in few hours crossed them and their
packs They had lost two of their companions by
drowning in crossing Green river, Upper Coorado)
wrote to you by them We crossed Green river in the
manner as did the Avoonkaria.
At point route have found any obstacles
for railroad which cannot be easily overcome and gene
rAy found ii remarkably level Excellent passes
list through all the mountains which crossed and
which we found without deyiating much from direct
curse.
1t of the greatest regret and disappont-
men to Beae and myself that after having followed the
route traced out for from Westpor to the Mohave
we compelled to abandon intention of entering
California through Walker PasG On reaching the Mo-
have our animals completely broken down. and many
of the foot Our main reliance for subsistence
was the game able to KILL which consisted
of occasional sage rabbit Our only remaining pro-
vision Pinoe whch reduced to few spoonfuls
have followed out your plan to the end but their condi-
tion rendered this impossible.
We shall leave here in few days, and visit the Tuare
valley, entering it through the TETON (Tayhone) Pass
which also affords convenient pass into the valley from
the east We entered the valley Of Los Angeles through
the Cahen, or Cjon, Caseon (Cahone) Pass at the
head of the Santa Anna
There two equally good passes through the
tans into the great Tulare valley, viz Walkers Pass
trance into the valley somewhat to the norhward of its
upper or southern extremity and the TETON ayhone)
Pass which lies at the point of junction of the Sierra
Nevada and coast range This is the pass through which
the valley is usually entered either from the Great Salt
Lake desert from the valley of Los Angeles 1t has
frequently been called Walkers Pass and most people
make this mistake. Lake Buenavista, Kern Lake, is
about fifteen miles to the northward of this pass and it
is emphatcally at the head Of the Tulare valley.
Walkers Pass is little known here. Leroux evidently
meant the TETON Gay hone) Pass when he spoke Of
Walkers.
THANKSGIVING. Governor Manning, of South