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 (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.