EXPLORATIONS FROM A, D. 1852 To A. D. 1857. 81 
Lieutenant Parke's instructions requiring him to examine the sink of the Mojave and Soda 
lakes, he proceeded to a favorable point near the Cajon Pass, where he formed a depot camp, 
whence, with pack mules, he made the examinations required, and then proceeded with all his 
party to San Diego, reaching it in April, 1854. 
About the 26th of May they started for the Pimas villages, upon reaching which the survey 
for a Pacific railroad was recommenced. One party, under Mr. Campbell, (with the wagons, ) 
proceeded to Tucson over the usual Emigrant road, while Lieutenant Parke, with the pack 
mules, continued up the Gila to the mouth of the San Pedro river, up which he travelled until 
he crossed his route of the preceding year. Here the parties were reunited, and explorations 
made of the various passes eastward through the mountains bordering the San Pedro and 
separating it from the Playa de las Pimas. The command then proceeded east to the Playa de 
las Pimas, when they again divided; the main train proceeding through the Chiricahui 
mountains by the Puerto del Dado, whilst Lieutenant Parke, with a small party and two 
wagons, made a reconnaissance around the northern end of those mountains, discovering an 
easy and practicable railroad route. The parties united in the Valle de Sauz. They then 
crossed the Peloncillo range near a peak of that name, travelled across the Valle de las Playas, 
and passed around the northern end of Pyramid range. About forty miles east of El Peloncillo 
they struck the wagon road near the Ojo de Inez, which the train now followed to Fort 
Fillmore. From Ojo de Inez examinations were made south of the wagon road along a proposed 
route for the railway, crossing the Mimbres twenty miles south of the road, and passing the 
mountains by the Florida Pass, twenty miles south of the Picacho de los Mimbres. At Fort 
Fillmore the field operations terminated. 
EXPLORATION AND SURVEY FOR A RAILROAD ROUTE FROM THE SACRAMENTO RIVER TO THE COLUMBIA 
RIVER, BY LIEUTENANT R. 8. WILLIAMSON, TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS. 
The report of this expedition, owing to the illness of Lieutenant Williamson, was written by 
Second Lieutenant H. L. Abbot, Topographical Engineers. It forms Volume VI of the quarto 
edition of the Pacific Railroad Reports, and is accompanied by a topographical map, in two 
sheets, on a scale of 12 miles to an inch, and two sheets of profiles, on the same horizontal 
scale, but with the vertical scale 50 times greater. 
The party consisted of Lieutenant R. S. Williamson, Topographical Engineers, assisted by 
Lieutenant H. L. Abbot, Topographical Engineers, with Dr. J. S. Newberry, as as geologist; Dr. 
E. Sterling, as physician and naturalist; Mr. H. C. Fillebrown, as assistant engineer; Mr. C. D. 
Anderson as computer; and Mr. John Young, as draughtsman. A light cart was taken for the 
instruments, but everything else was transported by pack mules. The party was supplied 
with sextants and chronometers, odometers, compasses, and barometers. 
The expedition left Benicia, California, on July 10, 1855, and proceeded up the Sacramento 
Valley to Fort Reading, crossing the river at Frémont. At the fort it was joined by the escort, 
consisting of Lieutenant H. G. Gibson, 3d artillery; Lieutenant G. Crook, 4th infantry; 
Lieutenant J. B. Hood, 2d cavalry, and one hundred soldiers. 
From Fort Reading the route led westward over the western chain of the Sierra Nevada, 
which was crossed by Noble’s Pass. The valley of Canoe creek was then followed to Pit river. 
Here Lieutenant Hood was overtaken and relieved by Lieutenant P. H. Sheridan, 4th infantry. 
The party then proceeded up Pit river to the head of Round valley, struck across to Wright 
11 
