BLACK CANON TO GREAT BEND—RETURN TO STEAMER. 87 
range to the north, and we could trace the course of the river as it wound towards the east, 
forming the Great Bend. In the direction of the Mormon road to Utah, which is but twenty 
miles distant, the country looked less broken, and it was evident that there would be no 
difficulty in opening a wagon communication between the road and the river. We tried to 
discover the valley of the Virgen, but could see no indication of any stream coming in from the 
northwest. The view in that direction was partially obstructed by another summit of Fortifica- 
tion rock. ' 
Not a trace of vegetation could be discovered, but the glaring monotony of the rocks was 
somewhat relieved by grotesque and fanciful varieties of coloring. The great towers that 
formed the northern gateway of the cafion were striped with crimson and yellow bands; the 
gravel bluffs bordering the river exhibited brilliant alternations of the same hues, and not far 
to the east, mingled with the gray summits, were two or three hills, altogether of a blood-red 
color, that imparted a peculiarly ghastly air to the scene. 
The approach of darkness stopped further observations, and we descended to camp, having 
first taken a good look, in every direction, for the smoke of Indian camp-fires, but without 
discovering any. In making the sixteen miles from last night’s bivonac, we have had to labor 
ha d for thirteen hours, stemming the strong current, and crossing the numerous rapids, and 
being thoroughly exhausted, depend for security to-night more upon our concealed position 
than upon any vigilance that is likely to be exhibited. 
Camp 51, foot of Black caiion, March 12.—Skirting the base of Fortification rock, we ascended 
the river a couple of miles, and came to the mouth of a stream about the size of Bill Williams's 
Fork, as the latter was when we passed it. We disembarked, and followed for some distance 
along its border. The appearance of the bed and the banks indicated the existence, during 
some seasons, of a wide and deep river. ‘It was now but a few inches deep. The water was 
clear, and had a strong brackish taste. This fact, and its position, led me to suppose that we 
were at the mouth of the Virgen, but I could scarcely believe that that river could ever present 
80 insignificant an appearance. 
I now determined not to try to ascend the Colorado any further. The water above the 
Black caiion had been shoal, and the current swift. Rapids had occurred in such quick succes- 
sion as to make navigation almost impossible, and there would be no object in proceeding 
beyond the Great Bend. The difficulties encountered in the cafion were of a character to 
prevent a steamboat from attempting to traverse it at low water, and we had seen drift-wood 
lodged in clefts fifty feet above the river, betokening a condition of things during the summer 
freshet that would render navigation more hazardous at that season than now. It appeared, 
therefore, that the foot of the Black cafion should be considered the practical head of naviga- 
tion, and I concluded to have a reconnaissance made to connect that point with the Mormon 
‘road, and to let this finish the exploration of the navigable portion of the Colorado. 
As we were going back to the boat we saw fresh Indian tracks in the sand, and hastened to 
Set possession of the skiff, not knowing in how close proximity our unpleasant neighbors might 
be. A bright lookout was kept upon the nearest bank as we sailed down stream towards the 
caiion, which was reached, however, without accident or molestation. 
The descent of the river was a much easier and pleasanter operation than going up, and the 
rapidity of the progress added an additional charm to the scenery. One or two of the rapids 
had to be passed with caution, but down most of them we shot with exhilarating velocity. It 
Was nearly ten o’clock when we started to return; but we had accomplished the thirty miles to 
the steamboat camp by four or five in the evening. : at 
The first question asked was, if any news had been received from the pack-train; and the 
reply was not favorable. Ireteba had returned from the Cottonwood valley, and brought the 
unwelcome tidings from the Mojaves who live there that neither they nor their friends in the 
valley below had heard anything in regard to its approach. It behooved us, therefore, to com- 
