The Oatman Massacre 145 
if Hobbs is not mistaken about the first steamboat being on 
the river in 1851, it was probably brought by him at this time. 
Many of the emigrants, dreaming of ease and prosperity as 
they trudged their long course across the desolation of the 
South-west, never lived to touch the golden sands of wonderful 
California, but expired by the way, often at the hands of the 
On the Yuma Desert 
Photograph by Delancy Gill. 
Apache or of some other cutthroat tribe. One of the saddest 
cases was that of Royse Oatman, who, en route with his large 
family, was massacred (1851) on the spot now known as Oat- 
man’s Flat, not far below the great bend of the Gila. His son, 
left for dead, revived and escaped. Two daughters were car¬ 
ried off and afterwards sold to the Mohaves, among whom one 
died and the other was restored by purchase to freedom (1856) 
