AND THE ADJACENT COUNTRY. 175 
the rocky spur before alluded to; upon which, directly 
on the bank of the river, they built a rude fort wherein 
they could defend themselves. This, in contempt for 
the natives whom they had dispossessed of their rights, 
they ealled Fort Defiance. 
The party which originally established the ferry 
was fitted out by J. P. Brodie, Hsq., a gentleman living 
at Hermosillo, in Sonora, of whom I have before spoken: 
he advanced the money for the purpose, and retained 
an interest init. While this gentleman had the direc- 
tion of affairs, no further offence was given to the In- 
dians, and emigrants were always treated well and fairly 
dealt with. Not long after, however, a man named 
Gallantin was employed by Dr. Langdon, or in some 
other way became interested in the ferry. He turned 
out to be a bad fellow, and was supposed to be a fugi- 
tive from justice. He treated the Indians most brutally, 
and practised all sorts of impositions upon the passing 
emigrants, charging about four dollars a head for every 
one who crossed the river. He also extorted large 
sums from the Sonorians when returning to their homes 
from the mines, when he found or believed they had 
any considerable amount of gold with them. 
When Dr. Langdon found out the character of Gal- 
lantin, he endeavored to get rid of him, but found him- 
self unable to do so. About this time Gallantin took 
occasion to visit San Diego; and there his party got 
into a fight, in which a soldier was killed. Gallantin 
_ was arrested and imprisoned, but made his escape back 
to the Colorado with a supply of liquor. The men 
having fallen asleep, either from the effects of liquor or 
of fatigue, the Yumas, who had watched their oppor- 
