The Arizona sentinel., 1896-08-01
Deserts of the Far " est.

The fate of the Breedlove party
 on the desert a couple of years ago
 brings to my mind an expeaience of fifteen years or more in the same
 locality" said Grove A. Johnson, an old pioneer. Since 1877 the old trails have been superseded by the Southern Pacific railroad. But four or five years ago prospectors again began focking into the country, and my experience may be of use to some of them.
 "Forty-three years ago last May I crossed the desert with party to build ferry at the junction of the G1Ia and Colorado rivers. We left San Diego in the latter part of May, our party consisting of fifteen men, with OK teams and wagons, carry Ing, in addition to water and pro visions, everything necessary to build and equip the boats. 1 cross ed the desert four or five times that year during the hottiest months, June, July, August and September. In the latter part of November Major Heintzleman arrived to es- ia blish Fort Yuma. After de termining that the river was navig- able for flat bottomed boats 1 began their construction, and for the next fifteen or twenty years I was acting as superintendent and manager of the line of steamboats on the Colo rado. During that time l crossed the desert four CT five times each year.
 My experience has been this: Never travel in the daytime. 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 place.
 "The next thing is the care of water. I used leather bottles, the leather naturally dressed, like buck skin, being the best for the pur- pose, as 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 use a canteen cover 1t with canvas lined with raw wool and thoroughly soak 1t when filled. The blanket covering is all right if you have sufficient water to keep it wet,
 'The next consideration is pro- visions. Take a quart bag and fill it with pinole, This is made Of parched corn or wheat. ground very fine. Put a pound of sugar in a seperate bag and tie both to your saddle-horn. When thirsty take a pint cup of water, and tablespoon ful of sugar and enough of the pinole to thicken it to the cOnsisten- cy of soup.
 "Never drink water in the desert except in this way, as it not only acts as a 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 is alkali, and taken in it's native state only increase thirst.
 "The remainder of your provl- sions should consist of tea 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 a very little salt and hang in the sun to cure. Take no salt or fat meats of any kind, and above all take TO stimulants. Your jerked beef thrown on the coals does away with the frying pan, and Quart-cu in which to boil your coffee is all the cooking utensils you will need.
 "Avoid travelling on wheels. For the legitimate prospector burro is ample to pack all supplies, is pa tient, faithful never strays outside of camp and can live on 6 grease bush. A man that can not rlde Q mule or walk behind a burro has no business on the desert. ."-Soa Fra'.-