[1]: 14, 16–23, 162 After inquiring about the cost of chartering one of the Colorado River steamboats of George Alonzo Johnson and finding their rates too high, Lt. Ives ordered a steamboat built in 1857: After being transported by the Panama Railroad across the Isthmus to the Pacific Ocean, the Explorer was shipped again by steamship from Panama City up to San Francisco.
From there expedition sailed with the parts of the steamboat on the deck of the schooner Monterey to the Colorado River Delta where it arrived November 30.
David C. Robinson, owner of the landing and a pilot for George Alonzo Johnson, was made captain of the boat.
[1] : 14, 16–17, 162 [2]: 21–37 After Ives used the Explorer to ascend the Colorado River, he sent it back to Fort Yuma with Richardson.
A mere skeleton remained, its iron plates long ago removed to make comales for baking tortillas.