The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1858-02-11
JNisrsllanruls Kraaiuq.
From the Ataealifornian (san Francisco Dec. IL
Narrative Of Lieut. Beale's Wagon Road
Expedition from Fort Defiance to the
Colorado River. :.

hOaQ
Expedition from Fort Defiance to the
Colorado River. .-a1
We present our readers. this morning.
with an outline narrative Of Lieut.. Beale's
exploration Of tine Southern wagon route,
taken from the note hook of Mr.. j. II. Por.
ter, attached 10 the scientific corps Of tho ex.
pedi,ion. Lieut.. Beaie arrived here on
Thursday, from Los Angeles. The object
Of the expedition (which is Just completed.
as specified in the written instructions Of
the Secretary Of War, was to proceed from
Philadelphia to mdianola, Texas, where the
camels had been landed from the store shin
Supply, Lieut. David Porter, and fom
thence TO proceed TO Fort Defiance, in New
Mexico, near Santa Fe, and from that place
10 commence the survey Of the wagon road
through to Colorado River, near the suppos
ed mouth Of the Mojave.
Lieut.. +. r. Beaie and his party arrived
at San Antonio on the 10Th Of June. From
San Antonio they proceeded to Camp Yer.
de, on the Verde River, where the cam.ls
bad been conveyed. TO await his requisi,icn
and that Of Capt. Pope, Of the United States
Typographical Engineers, who had been de,
Puted by Government to construc. artesian
wells upon the Pecas, in Texas. He select.
ed twenty three ont Of the ninety cameis n,
tha, place and three dromedaries. Togeth
er with the animals were two Greeks, Turk
and two Arabs, who left him at San Anto-
MO, being desirous Of returning home.
TnR SrARr.-The party left San Antonio
on the 25th of June, the camels packed with
a large portion Of the grain for ten teams of
mules. The touus, or regular pack camels,
OF which there were seven, are capable Of
carrying a load Of one thousand pounds
They passed over the old wagon road. ex.
tending some seven hundred miles between
San Antonio aud FL Paso, and reached AL.
berquerque on the 10th of August.
THE RoUrE TnRoueH New MEXICO
Leaving some of the wagons which had be.
come unnecessary to trasport the baggage.
the expedition crossed the Rio Grande. and
turned towards the Colorado. They crossed
the dry bed of the little Puerto and rro.
ceeded on the road lying within sight of the
river, and among the mountain spurs ex.
lending through New Mexico. They pass
ed tlIrougl, the pueblo Of Laguna, Inhabited
by mixed population of Indians and New
Mexicans. They were now travelling upon
Coronado's route-who, in 1880. passed
through this country, the first explorer of
New Mexico. Continuing upon the road, to
the new town of Zuni, situated about eight
miles from the aboriginal ruins of that name.
they passed the Rio Fiio. running through
:ernarable volcanic basin, of ancient for.
nation. They waited, upon the piscado,
the arrival of Col. Loring, who was return
ing with his command from the Gia.-
While the expedition was proceeding to
ZuLi, Lieut.. Beale, in company with Col.
Loring, made q detour towards ihe north
ward, in the Navajo country. to Fort Def
ance, distance of ninety miles, TO procure
an escorte of United States troops, for
which he had an order from the Secretary
Of War;.
TuE INscRIPTIoY RocK.-Passing over
this country, which Mr.. Porter considers the
most beautiful he ever trayersed. and cover
ed with almost interm:Bable forests Of noble
and lofty pine trees, they arrived, on the
oath Of August, at FL Moro, or the Inscrip.
ton Rock. This remarkable natural forma-
ton merits a particular description. Emerg.
ing from the forest which skirts the ba-
ses Of the back bone of the Western Cont
nent without any previous indication of its
existence, and in the midst Of an almost ex.
clusvely volcanic country, smooth wall of
white sandstone rises from the grassy plain
which spreads away from its base, to an nj.
titude Of 1000 feet.
At its southeastern base is the spring
known as El Moro. Il is wedge shaped,
and its summit is crowned by an ancient
aboriginal fortress, evidently the work Of
the same artisans, whose tumnli are visible
from Peru 30 Wisconsin. SlopiDg from the
southwest is an artificial plateau, leading to
the western entrance Of the mountain whicl,
forms q natural corral, capable Of holding at
least i've Thousand head of animals, and en-.
tirely impregnabie except By a very marrow
passage, easily defended end partially forti.
fed. In this corral grow tie loiiest pine
trees, whose heads are Car below the crest Of
| inc Tock wh.:sk towers above them. The
party from this point proceeded to within
twelve miles Of Zuni, where they encamped
aud awaited Mr.. Beale's arrival from Fort
Defiance. %
The RoUTE yRoM EL MoRo.--IIe arrived
on the 28th, with his escort, and after treat.
ling with the Indians for corn, they started
upon Whipples trail, and encamped upon
. plain covered with splendid gramma grass
The expedition from this camping place
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