19 



this, strong stemwLeel steamers, of light draught, with heavy power^ will need to bo used, while 

 all the merchandise will have to be placed on barges. 



The local necessities for navigation, even this far, seem, at the present moiiuMit, to be very few. 

 Scarcely any mines exist in close proximity to the river, and of those above Mojave the only ones 

 known are at El Dorado CaiJou. There is no agricultural land of any moment above the eame 

 point, and there are no roads for conimnnication to the ii>terior any higher up, except to the Mor- 

 mon settlements on the Muddy, and these tind, at the present prices, the Central Pacific llailroad 

 having been built, that it is better and cheaper to receive supplies via Salt Lake. Steamers run up 

 now as far as .Mojave with (iovernment freight — occasionally as far as El Dorado Canon, where a 

 small mining enterprise is being carried on. 



The proposition stands thus, so far as present means of information, which for all practicable 

 uses are autheutic, tint in case any developmoats of the country call for it, the Colorado Itiver can 

 be liavigateil by steamers as far as the old Indian crossing, about one and one-half miles below the 

 foot of the Grand Canon; but that beyoiul it its waters can serve no beueQt to the internal com- 

 munication or the gradual develoimuMit of its surrounding country except for purposes of irrigation. 



The reaching of the month of tlie Virgin has brought ns to the extreme southern end of the 

 main line of the reconnaissance. The further continuance had to be controlled by the force at dis- 

 posal, and the desire to gain all possible information while upon the ground, not alone for the sake 

 of information and the full performance of dnty, but connected with it a lingering regard for the 

 misfortunes of another, who possibly might be sent to examine this wild and desolate region, pro- 

 vided this reconnaissance did not complete the required end. 



It appears that a renegade band of Navajo Indians have been in the habit of crossing the Col- 

 orado at both La Paria and Ute Crossings, making raids upon the Mormon stock near St. George, 

 and retreating by the same route. 



Provided the future develoi)ment of Southern Nevada calls for the establishment of a military 

 l)ost, or posts, there are but few points at which this can be done. The direct lines through, as is 

 shown, are but two in number. Upon one or the other of these such post, or posts, must be estab- 

 lished, except further knowledge shows that some one point calls, on account of local, political, or 

 strategic imi)ortance, for a post in its immediate vicinity. At Jleadow Valley, all that is rer|uired 

 for the erection and sustenance of a post can be found. It is ((uite outside of the north and south 

 lines of travel. On the line from Toano to the mouth of the Virgiu, there are really but four eligi- 

 ble points— at Murray's Creek, Cave Camp, Pahranagat Valley, and the Muddy. Tiie finest of these 

 positions, as regards central location and surrounding necessities, is Pahranagat. 



Although when we had reached the Colorado a great sense of relief came over us, that our recon- 

 naissance line had been so far extended, yet it was well known by every one of the little party that 

 the greater part of one of the hardest trips was yet before us. 



On the morning of the lid October we leave the mouth of the Virgin to thread our way, hugging 

 the river as closely as possible, intending to follow this programui3 as far as El Djral > Canon, 

 should circumstances permit. 



The first day out i)roveil a very disastrous and fatiguing one, and the night coming on found us 

 in three parties, each in a sandy wash leading down to the river near Callvillc — some without water 

 and with rations, others with water and no rations, and others again without either. We succeeded in 

 getting together and reaching Callville by 1 ]). m. of the next day, with only the consolation of look- 

 ing back and seeing that great ditliculties had been passed, while, turning to the other hand, as 

 great ones stared ns in the face. 



OALLVILLE. 



This was originally started as a little Mormon landing, from whence stores coming to the river 

 could be shipped to the settlements of Southern Utah, (^uite a large store-house and several stone 

 shanties had been erected ; all were abandoned at the date of our arrival, adding desolation to ster- 

 ility. There is no possible reason for regenerating the place, and whenever a stray traveler reaches 

 these solitudes he will only see, as we have seen, the deserted store-houses and surrounding shanties. 



Here news from the party at Las Vegas ranch met us, ami also the intelligence that some grain 

 had arrived at the mouth of Vegas wash — good news, since that purchased at St. Thomas had 



