it 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 (1837) along the 35th parallel by E. F. Beale. He returned to
the Colorado January 23, 1858, about twelve miles north of Whipple's
Crossing. He had camped, several miles back from the Colorado, and
starting early met his clerk F. E. Kerlin returning from the river
whither he had been sent to prepare the boat. The clerk had a "joyful
surprise" in news that the steamboat General Jesup, Captain George A.
Johnson, was at the crossing and waiting to convey the party across.
Soon after the arrival of Beale's party the steamboat came up to the
bank, and taking on the men, baggage, and camels landed them on the
opposite or eastern side.* The mules were compelled to swim over. Then
the General Jesup continued down stream "towards Fort Yuma, 350 miles
below." Johnson had with him Lieut. James White, 3d U. S. Artillery,
fifteen soldiers and "as many rugged mountain men" as escort. He had
succeeded in navigating with the General Jesup as far up the river as
El Dorado Canyon, about sixty-eight miles below the mouth of the
Virgin--that is, he had gone clear through Black Canyon and thus holds
the record for the first ascent of the Colorado with a steamboat to the
limit of steamboat navigation. This feat he executed with the avowed
purpose of "getting ahead" of Lieutenant Ives who had arrived December
1, 1857, at Robinson's Landing at the mouth of the river, bringing an
iron steamboat (as described in the next chapter) under orders from the
War Department to explore the Colorado as far as possible.

* Beale used camels on this expedition and considered them a success.

Johnson had been aware of his presence and intentions having been sent
down from Fort Yuma with two steamboats to transport certain supplies
from the vessel which brought Lieutenant Ives. He had reached the
schooner December 17th. On January 2, 1858, he left Fort Yuma on his
northward run knowing that Ives could not follow him until the steamboat
brought in sections could be completed.

Ives had entirely ignored Johnson, as well as Johnson's skill
in navigating this river, and also his powerful steamboats. The
appropriation under which Ives was wo