Washington sentinel., 1853-10-18
karee river. This stream is not nut down upon

karee river. This stream is not put down upon
any map. 1t is large, deep, and rapid river,
too rapid to raft and as wide as the Missouri at
| Kansas. Here boat was made of bull hides.
| A hide boat, you must know, is the safest boat
| that can be made and it is also very easily con-
! structed Two hides are fastened together at
the ends, and then stretched over willow frame
shaped to the purpose required While wood
! en- boat would have a hole knocked through by
the first stone it struck, a hide boat might
pound upon the rocks for q long time without
| injury. A canoe is easily upset, but it is very
| difficult to upset one of these boats. The frame
| work being woven basket fashion, gives stiff
ness to the boat and symmetrical form, with
| the precise proportion desired. All the equip
age was safely passed over the Avonkaree, and
here Mr. Beale found a party of Mexicans III
perfect despair as to how they should proceed
| They had been waiting twenty-one days for the
waters to subside. They dared not turn back,
for in crossing Green river they had lost two OF
| their men, and they could not go forward. Their
prospect seemed gloomy enough, until the ap-
| pearance of Mr.. Beale, who conveyed them
| across the river, and sent them on their way re-
| joicing. The superintendent then proceeded to
| Green river, which was crossed IN similar
| manner as the Avonkaree, and with the same
hides, which had been packed upon mule. y
The expedition then pushed on rapidly to
Little Salt Lake. where is a fourishing Mormon
settlement. Here the people were found to be
| in a state of great alarm. Walker, the Utah
! chief had made war upon the Mormons, had
killed several men, and driven off upwards OF
| three hundred head of cattle He had sent
| them word that the war was to continue four
| years, and that he was determined to capture
| all their horses and cattle. The Mormons had
abandoned Paraguna, a beautiful little town,
| leaving their houses and grain fields in the
/ II 1,l, haH n
wana, q larger settlement, about six miles dis
| tant, in order to give it greater strength.
| Walker is a remarkable Indian. He is not q
| chief by hereditary right, but has risen to his
| present position as supreme chief OF the Utahs
solely by his own energies. He makes annual
incursions into this country; and it is estl-
mated that within the last four years he has
driven off not less than two thousand horses.
Leaving the Mormon settlements, MIR. Beale
passed through the Vegas Santa Clara, beau
tiful mountain meadows, covered with tne
grass and containing numerous springs of
excellent water, and came down the Santa
Clara river to a village of Pah-Utahs. These
Indians are the declared enemies of the white
race, and Mr. Beale, knowing it was of no use
/ to marley with them, marched boldly to the
| chief and demanded that he should guard his
horses for the night. Strange as it may ap-
pear the Indians took the superintendent
animals to good grass watched them during
the night and returned them safely the next
morning. l suspect this is the first instance
wherein Pah-Utah has neglected to steal
horse when he had the opportunity.
From the Santa Clara to the Muddy river,
| every night the PahU Utahs were lowering
about but they committed no depredations.
At the Muddy great number of Indians had
assembled, but not more than twelve were per-
mitted to come into the camp at one time, the
rest being kept at respectful distance One
of these Indians-Pah- Utahs-said that he
, wanted to see more of the Americans, and
begged Mr.. Beale to take him along. Sup
posing he would speedily turn back, the super.
intendent told him he could go on to California
if he would travel on foot; and thereupon the
Indian joined the expedition. .-
Leaving the Muddy river, Mr.. Beale marched
rapidly to the first jornada days march) over
the desert. Upon the first jornada the parties
started at three o'clock in the evening, and,
having travelled as fast as they could, at seven
o'clock the next morning reached the Vegas
Eretana, pretty meadow, with a fine stream
of water. Two days more brought them to the
second jorndda, a stretch of sandy desert, ex-
tending from the Amogosa to the Tiokesa
Spring, about sixty miles. The Amogosa was
left at two o'clock in the evening, and at four
o'clock the next morning every riding animal
was SO much fatigued that it was necessary for
the riders to take to foot. After travelling six
hours on foot, from six o'clock until ten, the
Tio Mesa was reached. 1'io Mesa is the name
of spring Of bitter water, with but little grass
about it, and situated in the midst of a fright
fully barren country. During all this time the
Pah Utah had kept up with the animals and
came to the Tio Mesa as fresh as any of the
partv and there drank full gallon OF the bitter
water with evident gusto. There are many
melancholy legends connected with the Tio
Mesa, but, as have already extended this let
ter to a greater length than at first intended,
| will reserve mention of them for n future
communications .....
From the Tio Mesa to the Mohave and from
thence to Los Angeles the expedition met with
no remarkable incident. As the dried beef had
become spoiled, the party was compelled to
subsist upon game; but this SO frequently hap
pens to explorers as to be scarcely worth men
tioning. Mr.. Beale examined the country
about the Mohave, with reference to its adap-
tation to an Indian reservation; but, although
many good camping places were found, no
spots of good land were discovered of sufficient
extent for the purpose in view
| The animals appear in better order than
would be. supposed after so fatiguing journey.
While Mr.. Beale was delayed at Grand river
the animals were despatched to Taos and back,
distance of nearly eight hundred miles, which
was accomplished in sixteen days, and this dis
tance must be added to that travelled on the
route from Westport to this place
/ take pleasure in stating that Mr.. Beale and
all his party are in excellent health and spirits.
The trip has been accomplished in a remarka-
bly, short space of time, when the circumstances
which occasioned the delay are taken into con-
sideration Deductng the detention at Fort
Atkinson, Fort Massachusetts,, and at Grand
river the trip has consumed but forty-nine days,
which must be set down one of the shortest
on record. These delays were not at all incl
dent to the route, but were altogether extraor
dinary; and be it remembered, that for nearly
the whole distance, the expedition was without
guide. When the history of this expedition
is fully written out, it will be found to form a