MOQUIS TO FORT DEFIANCE—VOYAGE TO NEW YORK. 131 
of the sentinel, and succeeded in abstracting from the camp a trunk containing a portion of the 
field-notes; but the energetic measures at once taken by Major Brooke, commanding the post, 
led to the recovery of the property, and the only result was a slight detention. 
The Navajoes at this time began to exhibt symptoms of disaffection. Our arrival at Fort 
Defiance was none too soon. Only a fortnight afterwards hostilities broke out between the 
tribe and the United States troops, which would have seriously imperilled our safety had 
they commenced while we were passing through the Navajo territory. At it was, we 
reached the settlements upon the Rio Grande without interruption. 
All of the party, excepting myself, continued on towards the east, crossing the plains from 
Santa Fé to Fort Leavenworth, and repairing thence to the seaboard. It was necessary for 
me to dispose of the steamer and certain property at Fort Yuma, and to settle the accounts of 
some members of the expedition who had gone back in the boat, and I accordingly took the 
stage from Santa Fé to El Paso, and from that place followed the southern overland mail route 
to San Diego. 
Stopping for a day or two at Fort Yuma, I found Captain Robinson still in charge of the 
Explorer, and learned from him that the trip down the river had been accomplished without 
accident or any molestation from the Indians. In order not to run any risk of losing the col- 
lections and the field-notes, the descent had been made slowly and with great caution. Fort 
Yuma was reached on the 16th of April, twenty-five days from the time of starting. 
After disposing of the little boat that had done us such good service to the transportation 
company at the fort, I bid farewell to Captain Robinson and the Colorado, and proceeding to 
San Francisco took the first steamer for New York. 
