AND THE ADJACENT COUNTRY. 181 
emigrants, nor maltreated them in any way; but the © 
Indians higher up, and near the mouth of the Gila, they 
represented as being a desperate set of rascals.” Lieut. 
Whipple afterwards met the head: chief, Pablo, who 
wore a scarlet coat trimmed with gold lace, with epau- 
lettes of silver wire, and, to crown all, green goggles. 
His legs and feet were bare, but he did not allow that 
to detract from the dignity of his manner. At this 
time the Yumas had extensive fields of maize, and © 
patches of melons and squashes. 
When the party under Dr. Webb crossed the Colo- 
rado, in January, the good feelings of these Indians 
towards the Americans had changed. They had 
already murdered the party of Dr. Langdon and Gal- 
Janton, and had had difficulties with several parties of © 
emigrants. Dr. Webb and his companions, therefore, 
held but little intercourse with them. The Indians — 
ferried them across the river, taking the opportunity to 
drown a mule or two, which they afterwards secured 
and ate. At the same time Mr. Pratt took some sketches 
and portraits of them, and Dr. Webb obtained a com- 
plete vocabulary of their language. 
I have before stated that Fernando Alarchon dis- 
covered and entered the Colorado in the year 1542. 
The narrative of his remarkable voyage at this early 
period shows that the zeal for adventure and discovery — 
Was quite as great at that period as now. He states 
that he went up the river eighty-five leagues, which is 
quite probable ; when his further progress was arrest¢ 
by lofty mountains, through which the river ran, 
Where it was impossible to draw their boats. This 
Was unquestionably the ort cafion, ssa the moun- 
