AZ vs. CA:21 California Exhibits, Vol. XXI; Nos. 4501-4597

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-15- It was reported to be navigable to the mouth of the Virgin River, about 75 miles north of the head of the Mojave Valley. Ft. Yuma, near the mouth of the Gila River had been established in 1850, and two small steam-boats had been in use since 1851, in bringing supplies to that place from the mouth of the Colorado. The boat carrying the Ives expedition was the first steam-boat to ascend the River above Yuma. It is probable that the first white man to visit the Mojave Valley was Cardenas, a Lieutenant of Coronado's. In 1540, with a small party of Spaniards he crossed what is now northern Arizona, and discovered the Grand Canyon, which he described, and later descended the river. The name Colorado was first used in describing the River in 1604, by Onate. About 1825, a few roving trappers and hunters appeared along the Colorado. In 1826, Jedekiah S. Smith crossed the river near the present site of Needles. He was the first American to reach California by the overland route. In 1851, Major Sitgreaves, U. S. A., in his explorations for a railway route to the Pacific Coast, crossed the Mojave Valley. He describes the appearance of the Mojave Indians as "striking and impressive because of their unusual stature, the men averaging 6 feet in height with stalwart and athletic figures." It should be remembered, however, that Major Sitgreaves and his company-were not received with open-handed friendship by the Mojaves, and it may be that his somewhat exaggerated idea regarding their stature was due to their unfriendly demonstrations. The surgeon accompanying the expedi-