The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-14
DESERTS OF THE FAR WEST.
Travellers Who Cross Them Take The
Lives In Their Hands.

Travellers Who Cross Them Take Their
Lives In Their Hands.
San Francisco Examiner.
1.-The fate of the Breedlove party on the
desert brings to my mind an experience of
fifteen years or more in the Same locality"
said Grove A. johnson, an old pioneer.
''Since1S77 the old trails have been super
seeded by the Southern Pacific railroad.
But three or four years ago Drospectors
again began tocking into the country. and
my experience may DO Of use to some of
them.
"Forty-tw two years ago last May / crossed
the desert with party TO build ferry at
the junction of the ella and Colorado
rivers. We left San Diego in the latter
part OF May. our party consisting OF fifteen
men, with OK teams and wagons. carrying
In addition to water and provisions, every
thing necessary to build and equip the
boats. l crossed the desert four or five
times that year during the hottest months,
latter part OF November Major Heintzleman
arrived to establish Fort Yuma. After de-
termining that the river was navigable for
hat-bottomed boats began their construc-
ton. and for the next fifteen or twenty
years was acting as superintendcnt and
manager of the line of steam boats on the
the Colorado. During that time crossed
tho deeert four or five times each year.
MY experience has been this: Never
travel in the day time. Lay by at the water
holes during the hottest part of the day.
and when the sun begins to lose its power
leave for the next watering-Dl place.
The next thing 10 the care of water. /
used leather bottles, the leather naturally
dressed. like buckskIn. being the best for
the purpose. az it Is sufficiently porous to
permit OF evaporation and thus keeps the
contents COOL If the bottles fall they DO
not break. If Obliged to canteeu,
cover 1t with canvas lined with raw wool,
and thoroughly soak il when filled. The
blanket covering is all right If yOu have
sufficient water to keep it yet.
THE next consideration 10 provisions.
Take a quart bag and ill it with pinole.
This is made of parched corn or wheat,
ground very fine. Put pound of sugar in
q separate bag and tie both TO your saddle
horn. When thirsty take n pint cup of
water. add tablespoonful of sugar and
enough of the pinole TO thicken it to the
consistency of SOUP.
Never drink water in the desert except
in this way. as il not only acts as q food
but neutralizes the effect of the alkali in
the water. and the water will go four times
as far. The water on the desert 10 alkali.
and taken in it's native state only increases
thirst.
1.-THE remainder of your provisions should
consist of ten or coffee and pilot bread
Three or four days before starting cut
some fresh beef into strips two or three
inches wide and three-quarters of an inch
thick. Rub In very little salt and hang
in the sun to cure. Take no salt or fat
meats of any kin,i. and, above all. take no
stimulants Your ierked beef, thrown on
the Goals, does away with n frying-pan.
and the qusrtcup in which you boil your
coffee Is ALI the cooking utensil you will
need.
Avoid travelling on wheels. For the
legitimate prospector burro Is ample to
pack all supplies, 10 patient, faithful. never
strays outside of camp. and can live on n
grease bush. A man that cannot ride q
mule or walk behind q burro has no busi-
ness on the desert"