The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-24
cultivation among the ancient inhabitants Of these re-.

water winch was invariably found, showing that, up to
TINS point the route is in every way available for emil
stSn' .rains' IL oelng scarcely necessary to double teams
IN q single instance. Nothing Of consequence occurred
from this point until the arrival Of the expedition to the
Colorado river, which they gained without difficulty.
camping on Its banks, for the first time, on the 10th of
October, having ridden over the country on either side
OF the route for a considerable distance.
They encamped in q grove of cottonwood. on the east
srn bank, in the immediate vicinity of the Moiave vii.
lagos. vi course the camp was filled with the Indians,
who were ready to trade in corn, which is plentiful in
the valley, and exchanged by the saysges for blankets,
beads and trinkets. The passage of the Colorado was
maze without any h%ostiiities, and in the same place by
which Lieut.. Whipple's expedition passed.
The baggage was conveyed over in an India rubber
BOAT, brought from New York for the purpose. The
river is here about 200 yards broad, but has several bars
IN its bed, which enable animals to rest. The current
runs about four miles an hour. 1t is only necessary to
swim the animals for a short distance on the eastern
side.
At this place, the camels themselves refuted some as.
sertlons which have been confidently made of them
that they are unable to swim. Father Hook, in his
work describes his detention upon the Yellow river, in
Chlna, on accounto OF the difficulty of crossing his camels,
for, he says, the animal cannot SWIM The opinion
has also been supported by many writer's. On this &C.
casion, Lieut.. Beaie, determined to try the experiment,
led one OF the large toulus to the bank of the river, aud
had driven into the water. AS soon as he found him.
self out OF his depth, he struck off without hesitation
Tor the opposite shore, swimming high and with perfect
ease. The rest OF the train were crossed in patches Of
i've and six; not one of them, apparently, had the
slightest dif6ulty in the passage.
Here the travellers found the first sandy country on
their route. The grass was poor and thin, and water a.
longer intervals than they had yet found it. They were
any suffering, and continued their course due west, until
they struck the Mojave river-a distance Of about eighty
mlles-that is to where water appears flowing in the
bed of the river. This is northern continuation Of
the great Americant Desert of New Mexico, but pre-.
sents less of the sterile and desolate features of tho
southern or main body of the desert, and is infinitely
preferable to travel over.
Hitherto the ella, and the consequent tcrrors of the
desert, have been encountered for this purpose. From
this time there is no cause for the use of that route, for
sheep may be driven, IN any number, from New Mexico
into the Southern country, in good condition, with
plenty Of feed the entire way, without fear of Indians.
Yhe experiment of the camels and dromedaries has
proved 4 triumphant success. In opposition to the
opinions of many United States officers, they have shown
themselves admirably adapted for travcrsing the wastes
OF Western America. In some instances these wonder
Iul animals went a week, and IN one, ten days, without
water-not because it did not exist on the route, but
from q lack of desire for it and on the tenth day the
animal drank with comparative Indifference. They
could 60, if required, over two weeks without tasting
water. Their food is Of the simplest and coarsest de-
scription they cat, as they progress, whatever grows
on the w~ayside, bending their long necks and thrusting
their heads alike into the narrowest crevices for the
cactus, or the stunted verdure, or cropping the leaves
from the boughs of the trees, without in the least re-
tarding their speed. Truly they may be called the ships
Of the desert, and, when taken in comparison with
mules, horses or cattle, which require food almost as
regularly as man, they seem adapted by nature to the
novel task to which our government has now devoted
them.
A resume of the distances between the principal stop
ping places on the route from San Antonio to the Colo
RADIO river, as compiled from Mr.. Porter's notebook,
kill hn harnaftpr q " !uahla p;aoo of rnforonoo for Tho
emigrant, as some time may elapse before the pubica-
ton of Lieut.. Beale's report.
Foreign News
The Steamship Kangaroo, which sailed from Liver
pool en- Wednesday, the oath of February, arrived at
New York on the 18th inst, bringing the announce
ment of the resignation of Lord Palmerston, the &C.
~ccptation of the Office by the Earl of Derby, and the
formation of a new Ministry.
The trial of the conspirators against the life of EN-
peror Napoleon, resulted in the conviction Of Orsini
and Pierri, who had been sentenced to death, and of
Coils, who had been condemned to the penal service for
life.
4 prosecution had been commenced by the English
Government against a London Bookseller named Truelor
for publishing a libellous pamphlet concerning the En-
peror Of the French with a view to incite divers persons
to assassinatc his said majesty of France.
1t is stated that the camp at Chalons next spring will
number SO, 900 men or double the force of last year.
There was some talk in Paris of Count Walleskis
probable retirement for having exceeding the Emperor's
instructions in regard to a despatch to the English Gov
eminent from Geneva. 1t is reported that an English
man has been arrested in that city charged with being
implicated in the attempt on the life Of the Emperor
Napoleon.
Russia calls for the expulsion from England of the
Refugees convicted or suspected Of being mixed up in
the late conspiracy.
The British Ministry is composed as follows -
Premier, Earl Derby Chancellor of Exchequer,
Benjamin DIsraeli; Lord Chancellor, Sir F. Thessiger;
President of the Council, Earl of Salisbury Lord Of
the Privy Seal, Earl Hardwick; Home Department,
Colonial, Sir Edward Bulwcr Lytton Minister of War,
General Peel; First Lord of Admiralty, Sir G. Pack
ington Postmaster General, Lord Colchester; Board
Of Trade, Mr.. Henley Board of Control, Lord Ellen
borough; Board of Public Works, Lord John Manners !;
Attorney General, Sir S. Kelly; Viceroy of Ireland,
Earl Of Eglinton Irish Chancellor, Justice Blackburn ;
Chief Secretary, Lord Mas.
The China mail had reached England. The Cantons
submitted and evacuated the city on the Both of De-
cember. Commissioner Yeh, the Governor of Canton
and the Tartar General were taken prisoners. Tho
Governor was subsequently, installed as Vice Governor,
with powers similar to those previously welded by Yeh.
The allies would continue the protectoratc until salts.
factory terms were made with the government at Pekin.
At the departure of the mail oil was quiet, and there
was a prospect of a revival Of trade within a week. In
the assault upon Canton the British lost 100, and the
French 80 killed and wounded.
The India news is of no importance. The relief Of
sumblepone had been accomplished. Sir Colin Camp
bell was gathering his strength for the entry into Dude,
where the final struggle and q determined resistance
was anticipated.
Letters from Paris report no better feeling with re-
gard to relations with England. An immense number
Of arrests of Republicans had recently been made in
Paris.
It is said that a determined crusade is to be carried
on by the Projects Of Departments against all persons
entertaining Republican opinions:
\ notice from the British Foreign Office says that no
person is ~henceforth to be permitted to land in France
without 8 passport.
The new Penal law had been reported to the Legisla-
tive Body by Count de Morny with sundry slight modi-
iications, among others one fixing the duration of the
measure at seven years.
There is a rumor of an intended meeting between
The Ennerors of France and Austria early in the Snrino.