FORT YUMA TO MOJAVE CANON—~SHORT SUPPLY OF PROVISIONS. 61 
number of the Chemehuevis appeared, earnestly gesticulating and making signs to us to stop. 
They displayed so much anxiety and eagerness that I asked Captain Robinson to head for the 
bank. It turned out that a little Chemehuevis chief, who had been a good deal in Lieutenant 
Whipple’s camp, had taken this cool method of calling himself to our attention, thereby bring- 
ing upon himself some reflections from the pilot, which were not complimentary. Having no 
time to stop, I asked him to step on board, and before he was aware of the manceuvre he found 
shimself a passenger and rapidly leaving his tribe and home behind. Happily both he and his 
followers looked upon the proceeding as a high compliment. 
We have now been absent from Fort Yuma for four weeks and have but two weeks rations 
left. Should the pack train meet with detention we should be on short allowance, and, unlike 
a land party, have no mules to fall back upon. I have been anxious for some time to increase 
the stock of provisions by trading with the Indians, and took advantage of the chief’s presence 
to open negotiations upon the subject. He promised before he left that evening that his people 
should bring some beans and corn to trade for manta and beads. Our camp is at the head- 
quarters of the Chemehuevis nation, and great numbers of all ages and both sexes have visited 
it to-day. They have been perfectly friendly, and considering their knavish character and 
restless inquisitive dispositions, have behaved very well and given little trouble. The amount 
of cultivable land in their valley is so inconsiderable, and they themselves so inclined to 
vagrancy, that I could not expect to find them with much provision to spare, but last evening 
about two dozen brought baskets and earthen bowls of corn and beans. I saw that they had 
come prepared for a long haggling, and I made them place their burdens in a row on some 
boards that were laid out for the purpose; asking each in turn whether he preferred beads or 
manta, I placed what I thought a fair amount of the desired article opposite to the proper 
