The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-09-01
THE COLORADO EXPEDITION

The report Of Lieut.. Bcale of his recent cypedi
ton across the continent to survey the route for
wagon road from Fort Defiance to the Colorado
river, has been printed Only fortv-eioht DAYS
were occupied in completing the survey and tbe
camels were found to be admirably adapted to the
journey. In the following paragraphs Lieut.. Beale
gives an interesting synopsis of his report:
"a year in the wilderness ended During this
time have conducted my party from the Gulf of
Mexico to the shores of the Pacific Ocean and hack
again to the Eastern terminus of the road THROUGH
a country for great part entirely unknown and
inhabited by hostile Indians, without the loss of
man. l have tested the value of the cames mark
ed Il new road to the Pacific, and travelled four
thousand miles without accident. 1t is the
shortest route from our Western frontier by three
hundred miles, being nearly directly west It is
the most level, our wagons only double tpaminu
once in the entire distance, and that n short
hill, and over surface heretofore unbroken Inv
wheels or trail OF any kind. 1t is well watered;
our greatest distance without water at any time
being twenty miles 1t is well timbcred and in
many places the growth is far beyond that of any
part of the world have ever seen 1t is tpmperafn
In climate passing, for the most part, over an ee-
waited region 1t is saubrious not one of our marty
requiring the slightest medical attendance from the
time OF our leaving to our arrival 1t well erased
my command never having made bad GRASS c,mn
during the entire distance until near the Colorado
1t crosses the great desert (Which must be crossed
by any road to California; at its narrovcst ,oirt
| passed through country aboundinr in rama and
but little infested with Indians. On the entire road
notice in all over Il dozen Indians and those of n
tlmld and inotfensve character. At the crossing of
the Colorado, grain, vegetables and hreadstuls NAV
be obtained in any quantity from the Indians who
cultivate extensively, though rudely, the fertile
bottom lands of the Colorado. 1t is passable alike
in winter and summer These are the advantages
which claim for the road which we have discover
ed, marked and explored from New Mexico to this
State.
''From the Colorado end to the settlements, the
country has been surveyed and mapped by the
United States Surveyor of this State, which, apart
from the fact that it does not come within my in
structons, leaves me but little to say in relation to
it. shall mention, then, only one important fact
that 1T leaves to the option of the emigrant the choice
OF entering California either at the city of Los An
geles, by the regular travelled road, in the most
fertile part of the southern portion of the State, or
turning off from that river, and by an easy road.
frequently travelled, coming into the head of the
great Tulare Valley, and by good road through
settlements all the way extending to Stockton,
Sacramento, and the more northern parts of the
State"
Lieut. Beale is preparing to leave with second
party for the opening of the road of which he has
surveyed the route.