'54 
The Colorado River 
twelve miles north of Whipple’s Crossing. One peculiarity 
about Beale’s expedition was the use of camels instead of mules 
for transportation of the supplies. A steamer had come up the 
river from Yuma to ferry him across; gladly its services were 
now utilised, as he desired to go east by his own road. This 
steamer is said to have 
been the General Jesup, 
though the Jesup had 
exploded, according to 
report, in August, 1854. 
This voyage, according 
to Beale, was Captain 
Johnson’s individual en¬ 
terprise. Lieut. White 
and fifteen soldiers 
were on board. On 
December i, 1857, 
Lieutenant Ives, com¬ 
missioned to explore 
the Colorado to the 
head of navigation, 
arrived at Robinson’s 
Landing, at the mouth 
of the river, in the 
schooner Monterey y 
bringing an iron steam¬ 
er in sections. Johnson 
was sent down from 
the fort to transport 
the garrison - supplies 
the schooner brought, 
and he reached the 
landing with two steamers on December 17th. He was, 
therefore, acquainted with the design of the expedition, and 
when he went up to Beale’s intended crossing to ferry him 
over, he did not stop at that point, but hurried on up as 
far as he could, pushing with his powerful boat clear through 
Black Canyon to the highest point attainable by steamers, 
The Queen. 
Pinnacle 200 feet high on Vermilion Creek. 
Photograph by E. O. Beaman, U. S. Colo. Riv. Exp. 
