152 
The Colorado River 
blanket thrown gracefully around him, and a magnificent head-dress 
of black plumage covering his head and shoulders, and hanging 
down his back in a streamer, nearly to the ground. His pace was 
slow, his eyes cast downward, and his whole demeanour expressive 
of formal solemnity. Upon his right hand was the interpreter, upon 
his left a boy acting as page, and following was a long procession of 
his warriors, attended by a crowd of men, women, and children.” 
Compliments and presents were exchanged and all was well. 
Meanwhile the men who had been capsized with the boat were 
struggling to disentangle themselves from the waggon-box, and 
when freed they gained support on the rope till the entire com¬ 
bination was pulled back to the shore. The whole party were 
finally on the island and then used the same tactics in crossing 
the other deeper channel. Here they upset the ferry three 
times and two persons came near being drowned. The Mo=- 
haves, who are good swimmers, rendered prompt and elificient 
assistance in saving the floating wreckage. They were also 
supplied with their kind of raft, made of bundles of rushes tied 
together with willow twigs (see cut on page 30), which they 
handled dexterously. Such rafts were and are in use all the 
way from here to the gulf. By night the expedition was safe 
on the western bank, the mules having swum over, and the 
flock of sheep being ferried in the boat. Several sheep were 
drowned, and these, with two live ones and a couple of blan¬ 
kets, were conferred on those Mohaves who had helped in 
the crossing. The landing-place was a field of young wheat, 
which was much damaged. The lieutenant willingly paid the 
moderate charge the owner made for this, and there was no 
trouble; all the intercourse was perfectly amicable. But had 
he been imbued with the trapper spirit he would probably have 
answered the request for payment with a fatal bullet, and then 
would have followed a stampede of the stock, ambush, and all 
the rest which embroiders the history of the trappers with such 
violently romantic colour. 
Two or three years after the Whipple expedition, a waggon- 
road was surveyed (1857) along the 35th parallel by E. F. 
Beale. He returned to the Colorado January 23, 1858, about 
