88 BLACK CANON TO GREAT BEND —MORMON SCOUTING PARTY. 
mence the descent of the river as soon as possible; for even the stock of corn and beans was 
found to be running very low. To-day we have been getting everything in readiness for the 
move, and are going to start to-morrow morning. 
At sunset a halloo was heard from the opposite bank, and a couple of Indians were seen 
making signs for the skiff to be sent to them. Ireteba, who had come to the edge of the water 
when he heard the shout, informed me that one of the Indians was the Mojave runner that I 
had last sent with letters to Fort Yuma. The skiff was at once despatched to bring him over, 
and as he landed he handed me a large package of letters and newspapers. He told me that 
he had passed the pack-train in the mountains, below the mouth of Bill Williams’s Fork. He 
bore a note from Lieutenant Tipton, dated on the 5th of March, from that locality, informing 
‘me that the country along the river had been very difficult to travel, and that the progress of 
the train had been slow, but that he should push on as fast as possible to join us, Unless some 
accident occurs we are likely to meet him before we reach the Mojave valley. 
The news from the train, the receipt of letters and papers from home, and the prospect of a 
speedy change of diet, have occasioned much hilarity in camp, and our Mojave messenger 
finds that he can get from almost any of the party pretty much what he chooses to ask for— 
a circumstance of which I observe he is not slow in taking advantage. 
Camp 52, Oottonwood valley, March 16.—Thirty miles of the descent have been easily accom- 
plished. A pelting storm of rain, accompanied with violent gusts of wind, compelled us to lie 
over for a day, but had the good effect of raising the river a few inches, and enabled the 
steamer to glide down the rapids without delay or danger. During the night of the storm a 
party of Pai-utes came to the opposite side of the river. A large number of Indian tracks 
were found that had been made subsequently to the fall of rain. 
The Mojave who brought the letters was so delighted with the reception bigs services received 
that he volunteered to go again to Fort Yuma. His offer was closed with at once, and a 
package was prepared, with which he trotted off an hour or two before the departure of the 
boat. I had to send an order to the fort for his payment, and a direction not to give him any- 
thing to bring to our party. We hope to be far distant from this portion of the river by the 
time he would be able to return. 
While steaming around the base of Mount Davis we overtook the expressman, who called 
out to us that there were fresh tracks of horses and mules on the west bank, leading down the 
river, that had been made only a few hours before. At the first wooding place the trail was 
searched for and examined. There appeared to be four persons; and we concluded that they 
were Mormons, from the Vegas, who had come to look after our movements. 
This evening an individual called to us from across the river to send a boat over. As soon 
as the visitor made his appearance we perceived that he was a Mormon. A member of my 
party who had been in Utah said that he recognized him as one of their bishops. For some 
reason he chose to make a mystery of his personality, a and told a clumsily contrived and im- 
possible story; representing himself and companions as California emigrants en route to Los 
Angelos. He said they had taken this detour of a couple of hundred miles to avoid meeting 
Indians; and, according to his own account, they had already passed all of the Indians that 
were to be encountered on the regular trail, and by coming to the Colorado would be obliged 
to run the gauntlet of one or two thousand more. This and several similar discrepancies did 
‘not argue well for the bishop’s sanctity; but we gave him a night’s lodging—that is, a pair of 
blankets to sleep upon—and entertained him as well as the corn and beans would permit. An 
old Indian had, a few hours before, brought some beautiful crystals of rock salt to trade for 
beads If he had known the market value of salt in our camp he could have enriched himself; 
_ there was not a man who would not have given half his wardrobe, if janes ead for a 
lump of it. 
- The | eho veheipadtnd wished: dawn to join his companions, first extracting all the informa- 
Leo eee Sa 
