Following his return to Albuquerque, Aubry gave a report of his journey to New Mexico Territorial Governor David Meriwether, writing, I am satisfied that a railroad may be run almost mathematically direct from Zuñi to Colorado [the river], and from thence to the Tejon pass in California. He also spoke to Lt. Amiel W. Whipple who was preparing an exploration of the area through which Aubry had just traveled as part of the Pacific Railroad Surveys. Aubry's journey also discovered the presence of gold in what is now northern Arizona when he discovered the metal first near the Colorado River and claimed that it was being used by Indians for the manufacture of bullets. It was not however evident as to whether the Indians obtained their gold locally or if it was acquired from a different area and brought to the region.