Whipple's Crossing 151 
had been awarded the contract for transporting the supplies 
from the mouth to the fort. His new boat, however, exploded 
seven months later, and it seemed as if the Fates had joined with 
the treacherous river to prevent successful steam navigation 
here. But Johnson would not give up. Before twelve months 
had passed he was stemming the turbulent flood with another 
steamer, the Colorado^ a stern-wheeler, 120 feet long. As if 
propitiated by the compliment of having its name bestowed on 
this craft, the river treated it fairly well, and it seems to have 
survived to a good old age. 
The northern part of Arizona was crossed by Captain Sit- 
greaves, in 1851, about on the trail of Garces, reaching the 
Colorado in the Mohave Valley, and following the river down 
to Fort Yuma. In 1854, another government expedition 
under Lieutenant Whipple, with Lieutenant Ives as chief assist¬ 
ant, explored along the 35th parallel for a railway route, and 
when they arrived on the Colorado at the mouth of Bill Wil¬ 
liams Fork, they followed up the river, through the beautiful 
Mohave Valley to a point some eight miles above the present 
railway (A. & P.) bridge, where they crossed. Their experi¬ 
ence was interesting. Lieutenant Ives directed the operations, 
using for a ferry-boat a singular combination: an old rubber 
pontoon, with the box from a spring waggon attached to the 
top of it for a receptacle for the goods. This was arranged at 
night. In the morning the pontoon was found in a state of 
collapse and the waggon-box filled with water, but the concern 
was resuscitated by the skill of Ives, and soon all was ready for 
crossing. Swimmers carried a long rope to an island midway, 
while another was retained on the shore. By means of these 
the boat was pulled back and forth. The first trip was entirely 
successful, but on the second attempt the affair was, by the 
weight of the ropes, upset in midstream. 
“ During the excitement attending this misfortune, we were ad¬ 
vised by an Indian messenger that another great chief was about to 
pay us a visit. Turning around, we beheld quite an interesting 
spectacle. Approaching was the dignitary referred to, lance in 
hand, and apparelled in official robes. The latter consisted of a 
