186 FORT YUMA 
and at four o’clock, p. m., crossed the river to our camp 
on the opposite shore, accompanied by Major Heintz- 
elman. The mercury at noon to-day stood at 100° 
Fahrenheit. 
June 18th. We took our departure at five o’clock 
in the morning. As Lieutenant Whipple was actively 
employed in completing the survey of the Gila, my 
own party was reduced to Dr. Webb, Messrs. G. Thur- 
ber, H. C. Pratt, and M. Seaton, which last was return- 
ing to rejoin his party on the Rio Grande. We had 
also, of course, the necessary attendants in servants, 
cooks, arrieros, and herders; and were accompanied by 
Lieutenant Paige, with fifteen soldiers. Lieutenant 
Whipple retained the remaining men of Colonel Craig’s 
command, and twelve of those furnished by Major 
Heintzelman. Our provisions, baggage, and camp 
equipage were carried partly in wagons and partly on 
pack-mules. 
We took the travelled road, which we followed for 
two or three hours along the bottom-land on the 
south bank of the Gila, and then turned off and fol- 
lowed the trail of Lieutenant Whipple, which led to 
the river. After pursuing this route a couple of miles, 
we got entangled in so dense an undergrowth, inter 
spersed with little hillocks and dead trees, that our 
progress was completely stopped. Fearing that our 
wagons would be broken if we proceeded, wé turned 
back and attempted to regain the road; but in this 
direction the same impediments presented themselves. 
Being thus brought to a stand, I sent men out to find 
_ the river, as we had already been so long tugging 
through the bottom that our mules showed mich 
