Getting History Right And The Exciting Prospect of Doing Features On Range Grass

 January 14, 2026

   Oh, man, some of you are damn funny. Here's a good example: this is one of the replies to the Negative Naybob letter about True West needing to find new subject matter (see January 13th blog post):

"How about a special issue devoted to the endlessly fascinating subject of range grass. It was everywhere in the Old West, and yet True West ignores it!!!!!"

—Unknown

   At this stage of my life, there is one thing I can do and I intend to practice it every day.

   Be present. Be kind.

Getting History Right

   Here is the rub: the late Larry Martin ends his narrative of our cover story at the Colorado River, but obviously the Beale expedition still had 300+ miles to go to El Tejon, north of LA.

   In one version (the one I have heard over and over while growing up in Kingman), the steamer General Jesup just happens to be at the site when Beale shows up and the captain ferries the whole crew and animals across. This is why the artist, Bill Ahrendt portrayal of the event shows the steamboat in the picture:

Bill Ahrendt's "Camel Crossing" done for the Arizona Centennial, so obviously with some "official" history on his side.

   But, in two other narratives I have found, the legendary Hi Jolly sings to the camels and they swim across, while two horses and ten mules drown. I have found another account that on the return trip, the Jesup was there on the Colorado and ferried everyone across. So, which is correct?

Daily Revised Whip Out: "Old Vaquero New"

"The only thing new in this world is the history you don't know."

—Harry Truman