Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-01-29

imusket ball discharged, occupied nearly half q
minute in reaching the bottom ut its shallowest
point. This was proved by frequent expert
ments. Its width was so great, that musket
ball, discharged horizontally, fell about quar-
ter of the way across. This chasm appears to
be vast sink in tho general level of the coun-
| try, the result of some ancient volcanic con-
vulsion. They descended to the bottom and
explored it to Its mouth. In it they discover
ed the Indian trail to the Mojaye villages.
EXTRAORDINARY NATURAL FEATURES
Some peculiar characteristics in the feature
of this section of country are worthy ofremark.
The road extending over mesas resenlbled more
work of art, like the roads constructed by
the Roman Generals aud Napoleon, than natu-
raj formations. The palisade formations, on
all hands, loomed up like gigantic Notifications.
Singular to say, the volcanic rock was carpeted
with the most luxuriant blue gramma grass, af-
! fording food for animals as nutritious as oats.
| Only thin stratum Of soil laid between this
and the rock. Specimens of petrifactions of
the most wonderful description, presented them
selves. And there, on the western bank of the
Rio dc la Kara, they found rock, about twen-
ty-fve feet square, in the heart of which was a
large petri6ed tree. The fragment was de-
tached from the main body, in which the boughs
we're distinctly visible. They also found, in
the beginning of their new route, inscriptions
on the rocks, evinciug the progression of the
writer's from the Ibeagraphic 20 the Phonetic
character. This argues very high degree of
cultivation among the ancient inhabitants of
these regions, as do their Notifications.
ARRIVAL AT THE COLORADO RIVER.
The guides having proved unworthy Of trust
the expedition was preceded by parties detaeh
ed in search of water, which was invariably
found, showing that, up TO this point, the route
is in every way available for emigrant trains, it
being scarcely necessary to double teams 10
single instance. Nothing OF consequence oe-
CURED from his point until the arrival of the
expedition at the Colorado river,i which they
gained without difficulty, camping on its banks,
for the first time, on the 18th of October, fav-
ing ridden over the country on either side OF
The route for q considerable distance.
SWIMMING THE cAMELs.
At this place, the canels themselves refuted
some assertions which have been confidently
made Of thonl--tha, they are unable TO SWIM
Father Hue, in his work, describes his dsten-
ton upon the Yellow river, in China, ON ac-
count of the difficulty of crossing his camelS,
for, lie says, s'the animal cannot SWIM" The
opinion has also been supported by many wri-
ters.
On this occasion, Lieut.. Beale's determining
to Try the experiment, led one Of the large tou-
lus to the bank Of the river, aud had him driv-
en- into the water. As soon as he found him
self out OF bis depth, he struck of withou, hes
ltation for the opposite shore, swimming high
znd with perfect case. The rest of the train
we're crossed in patches OF ive aud six, uotone
of them, apparently, had the slightest difficulty
in the passage.
PORTION OF TIE GREAT DESERT
Here the travellers found the first sandy coun-
hin, aud water at longer intervals iAan they
had yet found it. They were enabled, lfowev-
er. 10 procure sufficient supply, without auy
suffering, aad continues their course due west,
until they struck the Mojave Fiver--a distauee
If about eighty niileS-that is TO where water
appears flowing in the bed of the river. This
is a northern continuation of the great Ameri-
can Desert OF New Mexico, but presents less
Of the sterile and desoate features OF the SOUTH
ern or main body of the desert, and is infuite
y preferable to travel over
ARRIVAL AT LOS ANGLES.
The route now followed the Moj4ve on its
eastern bank until the party reached the Nor
mon road, which they kept crossing the San
Bernardiuo Mountains at the Cajon Pass, and
continued the journey over the we'll known road
from San BerEarding to Los Angles, where
they arrived on the 20th of November.
SUCCESS OF THE CAMEL ExPE-
RIMENT.
The experiment of the eamels and dromeda-
ries has proved triumphant success. In op-
position to the opinious of many United States
officers, they have shown themselves admirably
adapted for traversing the wastes of Western
America. In some instances these wonderful
an mails went a week, and ia one, ten days, s,wth-
out water-not because it did not exist on the
route, but from the lack of desire for it, and ON
the tenth day the animal drank with compara-
tive Indifference. They could go, if required,
over two weeks without tasting water. Their
food is of the simplest and coarsest description;
they cat, as they progress, whatever grows on
the waysile. bending their long necks and
thruseing their heads alike into the narrowesi
ere vices for the cactus, or the stunted verdure.
or cropping the leaves from the boughs of the
trees, without in the least retarding their speed.
Truly they may be called the ships of the des-
ert, 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.