162 FORT YUMA 
visible. At the time of our visit these had been 
removed, and used for-building the barracks. There 
were two hundred soldiers, artillery and infantry, 
here, under the command of Major Heintzelman. The 
officers and men were living in tents, covered with 
sheds made of branches to protect them from the sun. 
The post was established the year previous, but, not 
receiving the usual supply of provisions, had been 
abandoned for several months. The command was as 
comfortably situated as the nature of the place and its 
inaccessibility would allow; but long deprivation of 
fresh provisions and vegetables had engendered the 
scurvy among the soldiers. 
The fort had heretofore been supplied by land 
from San Diego, at an enormous expense; but a par 
tially successful attempt had just been made to supply 
the place by water. A vessel loaded with stores was 
sent up the Gulf of California, and succeeded in getting 
some distance, up the river; but owing to the strong 
current she could not reach the fort. Wagons and 
scows were therefore sent down to bring up the pro 
visions, a labor attended with nearly as much risk 
and expense as bringing them all the way by land 
from the coast. It was in contemplation to procure ® 
small steamer for fetching the supplies from the head 
of the gulf. Such a vessel could meet with little oF 
no difficulty in getting up, and could also be used to 
advantage in exploring the Colorado above the fort. 
In connection with the survey of the river Gila, 3 
was my earnest desire to explore and survey that po” 
tion of the river Colorado which extends from the 
point where it receives the Gila to the Gulf of Califor- 
