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diff --git a/old/20667-8.txt b/old/20667-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..19b14cf --- /dev/null +++ b/old/20667-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12084 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Canyon Voyage, by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Canyon Voyage + The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition down the + Green-Colorado River from Wyoming, and the Explorations + on Land, in the Years 1871 and 1872 + +Author: Frederick S. Dellenbaugh + +Release Date: February 25, 2007 [EBook #20667] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CANYON VOYAGE *** + + + + +Produced by Audrey Longhurst and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +By F. S. DELLENBAUGH + + +The North-Americans of Yesterday + + A Comparative Study of North-American Indian Life, Customs, + and Products, on the Theory of the Ethnic Unity of the Race. + 8º. Fully illustrated. net, $4.00 + + +The Romance of the Colorado River + + A Complete Account of the Discovery and of the Explorations + from 1540 to the Present Time, with Particular Reference to + the Two Voyages of Powell through the Line of the Great + Canyons. + + 8º. Fully illustrated. net, $3.50 + + +Breaking the Wilderness + + The Story of the Conquest of the Far West, from the Wanderings + of Cabeza de Vaca to the First Descent of the Colorado by + Powell, and the Completion of the Union Pacific Railway, with + Particular Account of the Exploits of Trappers and Traders. + + 8º. Fully illustrated. net, $3.50 + + +A Canyon Voyage + + The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition down the + Green-Colorado River from Wyoming, and the Explorations on + Land in the Years 1871 and 1872. + + 8º. Fully illustrated. net, $3.50 + + +G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS +NEW YORK LONDON + + + + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon + +Looking south from the Kaibab Plateau, North Rim, near the head of +Bright Angel Creek, the canyon of which is seen in the foreground. The +San Francisco Mountains are in the distance. On the South Rim to the +right, out of the picture, is the location of the Hotel Tovar. The +width of the canyon at the top in this region is about twelve miles, +with a depth of near 6000 feet on the north side, and over 5000 on the +south. Total length, including Marble Canyon division, 283 miles. + +Sketch made in colour on the spot by F. S. Dellenbaugh, June 4, 1903.] + + + + + A Canyon Voyage + +The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition down the Green-Colorado + River from Wyoming, and the Explorations on + Land, in the Years 1871 and 1872 + + + By + + Frederick S. Dellenbaugh + Artist and Assistant Topographer of the Expedition + + + "Come on, sir; here's the place. Stand still. How fearful + And dizzy 't is to cast one's eyes so low!" + _King Lear._ + + + With Fifty Illustrations + + + G. P. Putnam's Sons + New York and London + The Knickerbocker Press + 1908 + + + + +Copyright, 1908 +by +FREDERICK S. DELLENBAUGH + + +The Knickerbocker Press, New York + + + + +TO +H. O. D. +MY COMPANION +ON THE +VOYAGE OF LIFE. + + + + +PREFACE + + +This volume presents the narrative, from my point of view, of an +important government expedition of nearly forty years ago: an expedition +which, strangely enough, never before has been fully treated. In fact in +all these years it never has been written about by any one besides +myself, barring a few letters in 1871 from Clement Powell, through his +brother, to the Chicago _Tribune_, and an extremely brief mention by +Major Powell, its organiser and leader, in a pamphlet entitled _Report +of Explorations in 1873 of the Colorado of the West and its +Tributaries_ (Government Printing Office, 1874). In my history, _The +Romance of the Colorado River_, of which this is practically volume two, +I gave a synopsis, and in several other places I have written in +condensed form concerning it; but the present work for the first time +gives the full story. + +In 1869, Major Powell made his famous first descent of the +Green-Colorado River from the Union Pacific Railway in Wyoming to the +mouth of the Virgin River in Nevada, a feat of exploration unsurpassed, +perhaps unequalled, on this continent. Several of the upper canyons had +been before penetrated, but a vague mystery hung over even these, and +there was no recorded, or even oral, knowledge on the subject when +Powell turned his attention to it. There was a tale that a man named +James White had previously descended through the great canyons, but Mr. +Robert Brewster Stanton has thoroughly investigated this and definitely +proven it to be incorrect. Powell's first expedition was designed as an +exploration to cover ten months, part of which was to be in winter +quarters; circumstances reduced the time to three. It was also more or +less of a private venture with which the Government of the United States +had nothing to do. It became necessary to supplement it then by a second +expedition, herein described, which Congress supported, with, of course, +Major Powell in charge, and nominally under the direction of the +Smithsonian Institution, of which Professor Henry was then Secretary and +Professor Baird his able coadjutor, the latter taking the deeper +interest in this venture. Powell reported through the Smithsonian; that +was about all there was in the way of control. + +The material collected by this expedition was utilised in preparing the +well-known report by Major Powell, _Exploration of the Colorado River of +the West, 1869-1872_, the second party having continued the work +inaugurated by the first and enlarged upon it, but receiving no credit +in that or any other government publication. + +As pointed out in the text of this work, a vast portion of the basin of +the Colorado was a complete blank on the maps until our party +accomplished its end; even some of the most general features were before +that not understood. No canyon above the Virgin had been recorded +topographically, and the physiography was unknown. The record of the +first expedition is one of heroic daring, and it demonstrated that the +river could be descended throughout in boats, but unforeseen obstacles +prevented the acquisition of scientific data which ours was specially +planned to secure in the light of the former developments. The map, the +hypsometric and hydrographic data, the geologic sections and geologic +data, the photographs, ethnography, and indeed about all the first +information concerning the drainage area in question were the results of +the labours of the second expedition. Owing, perhaps, to Major Powell's +considering our work merely in the line of routine survey, no special +record, as mentioned above, was ever made of the second expedition. We +inherited from the first a plat of the river itself down to the mouth of +the Paria, which, according to Professor Thompson, was fairly good, but +we did not rely on it; from the mouth of the Paria to Catastrophe Rapid, +the point below Diamond Creek where the Howlands and Dunn separated from +the boat party, a plat that was broken in places. This was approximately +correct as far as Kanab Canyon, though not so good as above the Paria. +From the Kanab Canyon, where we ended our work with the boats, to the +mouth of the Virgin we received fragments of the course owing to the +mistake made in dividing the notes at the time of the separation; a +division decided on because each group thought the other doomed to +destruction. Thus Howland took out with him parts of both copies which +were destroyed by the Shewits when they killed the men. After Howland's +departure, the Major ran in the course to the mouth of the Virgin. +Professor Thompson was confident that our plat of the course, which is +the basis of all maps to-day, is accurate from the Union Pacific Railway +in Wyoming to Catastrophe Rapid, for though we left the river at the +Kanab Canyon, we were able by our previous and subsequent work on land +to verify the data of the first party and to fill in the blanks, but he +felt ready to accept corrections below Catastrophe Rapid to the Virgin. + +For a list of the canyons, height of walls, etc., I must refer to the +appendix in my previous volume. While two names cover the canyon from +the Paria to the Grand Wash, the gorge is practically one with a total +length of 283 miles. I have not tried to give geological data for these +are easily obtainable in the reports of Powell, Dutton, Gilbert, +Walcott, and others, and I lacked space to introduce them properly. In +fact I have endeavored to avoid a mere perfunctory record, full of data +well stated elsewhere. While trying to give our daily experiences and +actual camp life in a readable way, I have adhered to accuracy of +statement. I believe that any one who wishes to do so can use this book +as a guide for navigating the river as far as Kanab Canyon. I have not +relied on memory but have kept for continual reference at my elbow not +only my own careful diary of the journey, but also the manuscript diary +of Professor Thompson, and a typewritten copy of the diary of John F. +Steward as far as the day of his departure from our camp. I have also +consulted letters that I wrote home at the time and to the Buffalo +_Express_, and a detailed draft of events up to the autumn of 1871 which +I prepared in 1877 when all was still vividly fresh in mind. In +addition, I possess a great many letters which Professor Thompson wrote +me up to within a few weeks of his death (July, 1906), often in reply to +questions I raised on various points that were not clear to me. Each +member of the party I have called by the name familiarly used on the +expedition, for naturally there was no "Mistering" on a trip of this +kind. Powell was known throughout the length and breadth of the Rocky +Mountain Region as "the Major," while Thompson was quite as widely known +as "Prof." Some of the geographic terms, like Dirty Devil River, Unknown +Mountains, etc., were those employed before permanent names were +adopted. In my other books I have used the term Amerind for American +Indian, and I intend to continue its use, but in the pages of this +volume, being a narrative, and the word not having been used or known to +us at that time, it did not seem exactly appropriate. + +Some readers may wish to provide themselves with full maps of the course +of the river, and I will state that the U. S. Geological Survey has +published map-sheets each 20 by 16-1/2 inches, of the whole course of +the Green-Colorado. These sheets are sent to any person desiring them +who remits the price, five cents the sheet, by post-office money order +addressed: "Director U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, D. C.," with +the names of the sheets wanted. The names of the seventeen sheets +covering the canyoned part are: Green River(?), Ashley, Yampa,(?) Price +River, East Tavaputs, San Rafael, La Sal, Henry Mountains, Escalante, +Echo Cliffs, San Francisco Mountains, Kaibab, Mount Trumbull, Chino, +Diamond Creek, St. Thomas, and Camp Mohave. + +Several parties have tried the descent through the canyons since our +voyage. Some have been successful, some sadly disastrous. The river is +always a new problem in its details, though the general conditions +remain the same. + +Major Powell was a man of prompt decision, with a cool, comprehensive, +far-reaching mind. He was genial, kind, never despondent, always +resolute, resourceful, masterful, determined to overcome every obstacle. +To him alone belongs the credit for solving the problem of the great +canyons, and to Professor Thompson that for conducting most successfully +the geographic side of the work under difficulties that can hardly be +appreciated in these days when survey work is an accepted item of +government expenditure and Congress treats it with an open hand. + +I am indebted to Mr. Robert Brewster Stanton, who completed the Brown +Expedition triumphantly, for valuable information and photographs and +for many interesting conversations comparing his experiences with ours; +to the Geological Survey for maps and for the privilege of using +photographs from negatives in the possession of the Survey; and to Mr. +John K. Hillers for making most of the prints used in illustrating this +book. My thanks are due to Brigadier-General Mackenzie, U. S. Engineers, +for copies of rare early maps of the region embraced in our operations, +now nearly impossible to obtain. + +In 1902 when I informed Major Powell that I was preparing my history of +the Colorado River, he said he hoped that I would put on record the +second trip and the men who were members of that expedition, which I +accordingly did. He never ceased to take a lively interest in my +affairs, and the year before he wrote me: "I always delight in your +successes and your prosperity, and I ever cherish the memory of those +days when we were on the great river together." Professor Thompson only +a month before he died sent me a letter in which he said: "You are heir +to all the Colorado material and I am getting what I have together." +These sentiments cause me to feel like an authorised and rightful +historian of the expedition with which I was so intimately connected, +and I sincerely hope that I have performed my task in a way that would +meet the approval of my old leader and his colleague, as well as of my +other comrades. One learns microscopically the inner nature of his +companions on a trip of this kind, and I am happy to avow that a finer +set of men could not have been selected for the trying work which they +accomplished with unremitting good-nature and devotion, without +pecuniary reward. Professor Thompson possessed invaluable qualities for +this expedition: rare balance of mind, great cheerfulness, and a sunny +way of looking on difficulties and obstacles as if they were mere +problems in chess. His foresight and resourcefulness were phenomenal, +and no threatening situation found him without some good remedy. + +Some of the illustrations in Powell's _Report_ are misleading, and I +feel it my duty to specially note three of them. The one opposite page 8 +shows boats of the type we used on the second voyage with a middle +cabin. The boats of the first expedition had cabins only at the bow and +stern. The picture of the wreck at Disaster Falls, opposite page 27, is +nothing like the place, and the one opposite page 82 gives boats in +impossible positions, steered by rudders. A rudder is useless on such a +river. Long steering sweeps were used. + +Time's changes have come to pass. You may now go by a luxurious Santa Fé +train direct to the south rim of the greatest chasm of the series, the +Grand Canyon, and stop there in a beautiful hotel surrounded by every +comfort, yet when we were making the first map no railway short of +Denver existed and there was but one line across the Rocky Mountains. +Perhaps before many more years are gone we will see Mr. Stanton's +Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railway accomplished through the +canyons, and if I then have not "crossed to Killiloo" I will surely +claim a free pass over the entire length in defiance of all +commerce-regulating laws. + +Frederick S. Dellenbaugh. +Cragsmoor, +August, 1908 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I + + A River Entrapped--Acquaintance not Desired--Ives Explores the + Lower Reaches--Powell the Conqueror--Reason for a Second + Descent--Congressional Appropriation--Preparation--The Three + Boats--The Mighty Wilderness--Ready for the Start 1 + +CHAPTER II + + Into the Wilderness--The Order of Sailing--Tobacco for the + Indians Comes Handy--A Lone Fisherman and Some Trappers--Jack + Catches Strange Fish--The Snow-clad Uintas in View--A Larder + Full of Venison--Entrance into Flaming Gorge 9 + + +CHAPTER III + + The First Rapid--Horseshoe and Kingfisher Canyons--A Rough + Entrance into Red Canyon--Capsize of the _Nell_--The Grave of + a Bold Navigator--Discovery of a White Man's Camp--Good-bye to + Frank--At the Gate of Lodore 19 + + +CHAPTER IV + + Locked in the Chasm of Lodore--Rapids with Railway Speed--A + Treacherous Approach to Falls of Disaster--Numerous Loadings + and Unloadings--Over the Rocks with Cargoes--Library Increased + by _Putnam's Magazine_--Triplet Falls and Hell's Half + Mile--Fire in Camp--Exit from Turmoil to Peace 34 + + +CHAPTER V + + A Remarkable Echo--Up the Canyon of the Yampa--Steward and + Clem Try a Moonlight Swim--Whirlpool Canyon and Mountain + Sheep--A Grand Fourth-of-July Dinner--A Rainbow-Coloured + Valley--The Major Proceeds in Advance--A Split Mountain with + Rapids a Plenty--Enter a Big Valley at Last 49 + +CHAPTER VI + + A Lookout for Redskins--The River a Sluggard--A + Gunshot!--Someone Comes!--The Tale of a Mysterious Light--How, + How! from Douglas Boy--At the Mouth of the Uinta--A Tramp to + Goblin City and a Trip down White River on a Raft--A + Waggon-load of Supplies from Salt Lake by Way of Uinta + Agency--The Major Goes Out to Find a Way In 61 + + +CHAPTER VII + + On to Battle--A Concert Repertory--Good-bye to Douglas + Boy--The Busy, Busy Beaver--In the Embrace of the Rocks Once + More--A Relic of the Cliff-Dwellers--Low Water and Hard + Work--A Canyon of Desolation--Log-cabin Cliff--Rapids and + Rapids and Rapids--A Horse, whose Horse?--Through Gray Canyon + to the Rendezvous 72 + + +CHAPTER VIII + + Return of the Major--Some Mormon Friends--No Rations at the + Elusive Dirty Devil--Captain Gunnison's Crossing--An All-night + Vigil for Cap. and Clem--The Land of a Thousand Cascades--A + Bend Like a Bow-knot and a Canyon Labyrinthian--Cleaving an + Unknown World--Signs of the Oldest Inhabitant--Through the + Canyon of Stillwater to the Jaws of the Colorado 94 + + +CHAPTER IX + + A Wonderland of Crags and Pinnacles--Poverty Rations--Fast and + Furious Plunging Waters--Boulders Boom along the + Bottom--Chilly Days and Shivering--A Wild Tumultuous Chasm--A + Bad Passage by Twilight and a Tornado With a Picture + Moonrise--Out of One Canyon into Another--At the Mouth of the + Dirty Devil at Last 115 + + +CHAPTER X + + The _Cañonita_ Left Behind--Shinumo Ruins--Troublesome Ledges + in the River--Alcoves and Amphitheatres--The Mouth of the San + Juan--Starvation Days and a Lookout for Rations--El Vado de + Los Padres--White Men Again--Given up for Lost--Navajo + Visitors--Peaks with a Great Echo--At the Mouth of the Paria + 135 + + +CHAPTER XI + + More Navajos Arrive with Old Jacob--The Lost Pack-train and a + Famished Guide--From Boat to Broncho--On to Kanab--Winter + Arrives--Wolf Neighbours too Intimate--Preparing for Geodetic + Work--Over the Kaibab to Eight-mile Spring--A Frontier + Town--Camp below Kanab--A Mormon Christmas Dance 152 + + +CHAPTER XII + + Reconnoitring and Triangulating--A Pai Ute New Year's + Dance--The Major Goes to Salt Lake--Snowy Days on the + Kaibab--At Pipe Spring--Gold Hunters to the Colorado--Visits + to the Uinkaret County--Craters and Lava--Finding the + Hurricane Ledge--An Interview with a Cougar--Back to Kanab + 174 + + +CHAPTER XIII + + Off for the Unknown Country--A Lonely Grave--Climbing a + Hog-back to a Green Grassy Valley--Surprising a Ute + Camp--Towich-a-tick-a-boo--Following a Blind Trail--The + Unknown Mountains Become Known--Down a Deep Canyon--To the + Paria with the _Cañonita_--John D. Lee and Lonely Dell 195 + + +CHAPTER XIV + + A Company of Seven--The _Nellie Powell_ Abandoned--Into Marble + Canyon--Vasey's Paradise--A Furious Descent to the Little + Colorado--A Mighty Fall in the Dismal Granite Gorge--Caught in + a Trap--Upside Down--A Deep Plunge and a Predicament--At the + Mouth of the Kanab 215 + + +CHAPTER XV + + A New Departure--Farewell to the Boats--Out to the World + Through Kanab Canyon--A Midnight Ride--At the Innupin + Picavu--Prof. Reconnoitres the Shewits Country--Winter + Quarters in Kanab--Making the Preliminary Map--Another New + Year--Across a High Divide in a Snow-storm--Down the Sevier in + Winter--The Last Summons 242 + + +Index 269 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + FACING + PAGE + + +The Grand Canyon _Frontispiece_ + + Looking south from the Kaibab Plateau, North Rim, near the + head of Bright Angel Creek, the canyon of which is seen in the + foreground. The San Francisco Mountains are in the distance. + On the South Rim to the right, out of the picture, is the + location of the Hotel Tovar. The width of the canyon at top in + this region is about twelve miles, with a depth of near 6000 + feet on the north side, and over 5000 on the south. Total + length, including Marble Canyon division, 283 miles. + + Sketch made in colour on the spot by F. S. Dellenbaugh, June + 4, 1903. + + +The Toll 1 + + Unidentified skeleton found April, 1906, by C. C. Spaulding in + the Grand Canyon 300 feet above the river, some miles below + Bright Angel trail. There were daily papers in the pocket of + the clothes of the early spring of 1900. + + Photograph by Kolb Bros. 1906, Grand Canyon, Arizona. + + +Red Canyon 6 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Before the Start at Green River City, Wyoming 9 + + The dark box open. Andy, Clem, Beaman, Prof. Steward, Cap., + Frank, Jones, Jack, the Major, Fred, _Cañonita_, _Emma Dean_, + _Nellie Powell_. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Flaming Gorge 17 + + The beginning of the Colorado River Canyons, N. E. Utah. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Horseshoe Canyon 21 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Red Canyon 25 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Red Canyon 28 + + Ashley Falls from below. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +In Red Canyon Park 29 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +The Head of the Canyon of Lodore 34 + + Just inside the gate. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Canyon of Lodore 37 + + Low water. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1874. + + +The Heart of Lodore 40 + + F. S. Dellenbaugh. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Canyon of Lodore--Dunn's Cliff 43 + + 2800 feet above river. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Canyon of Lodore 44 + + Jones, Hillers, Dellenbaugh. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Echo Park 49 + + Mouth of Yampa River in foreground, Green River on right. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Whirlpool Canyon 54 + + Mouth of Bishop Creek--Fourth of July camp. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Split Mountain Canyon 59 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Canyon of Desolation 81 + + Steward. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Colorado River White Salmon 98 + + Photograph by the Denver, Colorado Canyon and Pacific Railway + Survey under Robert Brewster Stanton, 1889. + + +Dellenbaugh Butte 102 + + Near mouth of San Rafael. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Labyrinth Canyon--Bowknot Bend 108 + + The great loop is behind the spectator. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Stillwater Canyon 110 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Cataract Canyon 119 + + Clement Powell. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Cataract Canyon 128 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Narrow Canyon 133 + + Photograph by Best Expedition, 1891. + + +Mouth of the Fremont River (Dirty Devil) 135 + + Photograph by the Brown Expedition, 1889. + + +Glen Canyon 140 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Looking Down Upon Glen Canyon 142 + + Cut through homogeneous sandstone. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, U. S. Colo. Riv. Exp. + + +Tom 147 + + A typical Navajo. Tom became educated and no longer looked + like an Indian. + + Photograph by Wittick. + + +Glen Canyon 149 + + Sentinel Rock--about 300 feet high. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +The Grand Canyon 162 + + From Havasupai Point, South Rim, showing Inner Gorge. + + From a sketch in colour by F. S. Dellenbaugh, 1907. + + +The Grand Canyon 168 + + From South Rim near Bright Angel Creek. + + +The Grand Canyon 174 + + From part way down south side above Bright Angel Creek. + + +Winsor Castle, the Defensive House at Pipe Springs 186 + + Photograph by H. Arthur Pomroy, 1903. + + +Little Zion Valley, or the Mookoontoweap, Upper Virgin River 186 + + Photograph by H. Arthur Pomroy, 1903. + + +In the Unknown Country 195 + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872. + + +Navajo Mountain From Near Kaiparowits Peak 201 + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872. + + +Tantalus Creek 206 + + Tributary of Fremont River. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers. + + +Example of Lakes on the Aquarius Plateau 211 + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers. + + +The Grand Canyon 215 + + Near mouth of Shinumo Creek. The river is in flood and the + water is "colorado." + + Sketch made in colour on the spot by F. S. Dellenbaugh, July + 26, 1907. + + +Marble Canyon 219 + + Thompson. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872. + + +Canyon of the Little Colorado 222 + + Photograph by C. Barthelmess. + + +The Grand Canyon 224 + + From just below the Little Colorado. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872. + + +The Grand Canyon 227 + + Running the Sockdologer. + + From a sketch afterwards by F. S. Dellenbaugh. + + +The Grand Canyon 232 + + From top of Granite, south side near Bright Angel Creek. + + +The Grand Canyon 238 + + Character of river in rapids. + + Photograph by F. S. Dellenbaugh, 1907. + + +The Grand Canyon 242 + + At a rapid--low water. + + +The Grand Canyon 248 + + At the bottom near foot of Bass Trail. + + +The Grand Canyon 254 + + From north side near foot of Toroweap Valley, Uinkaret + District. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers. + + +The Grand Canyon 258 + + Storm effect from South Rim. + + + + +MAPS + + +A. + Map by the U. S. War Department, 1868. Supplied by the + courtesy of General Mackenzie, U. S. A., showing the knowledge + of the Colorado River basin just before Major Powell began + operations. The topography above the junction of the Green and + Grand is largely pictorial and approximate. The white space + from the San Rafael to the mouth of the Virgin is the unknown + country referred to in this volume which was investigated in + 1871-72-73. Preliminary maps B, C, and D at pages 244-46, and + 207 respectively, partly give the results of the work which + filled in this area. 95 + +B. + Preliminary map of a portion of the southern part of the + unknown country indicated by blank space on Map A, at page 95, + showing the Hurricane Ledge, Uinkaret and Shewits Mountains + and the course of the Grand Canyon from the mouth of Kanab + Canyon to the Grand Wash. The Howlands and Dunn left the first + expedition at Catastrophe Rapid at the sharp bend a few miles + below the intersection of the river and longitude 113° 30', + climbed out to the north and were killed near Mt. Dellenbaugh. + 244 + +C. + Preliminary map of a portion of the central part of the + unknown country indicated by the blank space on Map A, at page + 95, showing the Kaibab Plateau, mouth of the Paria, Echo + Peaks, House Rock Valley and the course of part of Glen Canyon + and of Marble Canyon and the Grand Canyon to the mouth of the + Kanab Canyon. El Vado is at the western intersection of the + 37th parallel and the Colorado River, and Kanab is in the + upper left-hand corner of the map--just above the 37th + parallel which is the boundary between Utah and Arizona. The + words "Old Spanish Trail from Santa Fé to Los Angeles" near El + Vado were added in Washington and are incorrect. The old + Spanish trail crossed at Gunnison Crossing far north of this + point which was barely known before 1858. 246 + +D. + Preliminary map of a portion of the northern part of the + unknown country indicated by the blank space on Map A, at page + 95, showing the course of part of Glen Canyon, the mouth of + the Fremont (Dirty Devil) River, the Henry (Unknown) + Mountains, and the trail of the first known party of white men + to cross this area. The Escalante River which was mistaken for + the Dirty Devil enters the Colorado just above the first + letter "o" of Colorado at the bottom of the map. The Dirty + Devil enters from the north at the upper right-hand side. + 207 + +E. + Showing results of recent re-survey of part of the Grand + Canyon near Bright Angel Creek by the Geological Survey with + ample time for detail. Compare with Map C at page 246--the + south end of Kaibab Plateau. 250 + + + + +A CANYON VOYAGE + + + + +CHAPTER I + + A River Entrapped--Acquaintance not Desired--Ives Explores the + Lower Reaches--Powell the Conqueror--Reason for a Second + Descent--Congressional Appropriation--Preparation--The Three + Boats--The Mighty Wilderness--Ready for the Start. + + +The upper continuation of the Colorado River of the West is Green River +which heads in the Wind River Mountains at Frémont Peak. From this range +southward to the Uinta Mountains, on the southern boundary of Wyoming, +the river flows through an open country celebrated in the early days of +Western exploration and fur trading as "Green River Valley," and at that +period the meeting ground and "rendezvous" of the various companies and +organisations, and of free trappers. By the year 1840 the vast region +west of the Missouri had been completely investigated by the trappers +and fur-hunters in the pursuit of trade, with the exception of the +Green-and-Colorado River from the foot of Green River Valley to the +termination of the now famous Grand Canyon of Arizona. The reason for +this exception was that at the southern extremity of Green River Valley +the solid obstacle of the Uinta Range was thrown in an easterly and +westerly trend directly across the course of the river, which, finding +no alternative, had carved its way, in the course of a long geological +epoch, through the foundations of the mountains in a series of gorges +with extremely precipitous sides; continuous parallel cliffs between +whose forbidding precipices dashed the torrent towards the sea. Having +thus entrapped itself, the turbulent stream, by the configuration of the +succeeding region, was forced to continue its assault on the rocks, to +reach the Gulf, and ground its fierce progress through canyon after +canyon, with scarcely an intermission of open country, for a full +thousand miles from the beginning of its entombment, the entrance of +Flaming Gorge, at the foot of the historical Green River Valley. Some +few attempts had been made to fathom the mystery of this long series of +chasms, but with such small success that the exploration of the river +was given up as too difficult and too dangerous. Ashley had gone through +Red Canyon in 1825 and in one of the succeeding winters of that period a +party had passed through Lodore on the ice. These trips proved that the +canyons were not the haunt of beaver, that the navigation of them was +vastly difficult, and that no man could tell what might befall in those +gorges further down, that were deeper, longer, and still more remote +from any touch with the outer world. Indeed it was even reported that +there were places where the whole river disappeared underground. The +Indians, as a rule, kept away from the canyons, for there was little to +attract them. One bold Ute who attempted to shorten his trail by means +of the river, shortened it to the Happy Hunting Grounds immediately, and +there was nothing in his fate to inspire emulation. + +The years then wore on and the Colorado remained unknown through its +canyon division. Ives had come up to near the mouth of the Virgin from +the Gulf of California in 1858, and the portion above Flaming Gorge, +from the foot of Green River Valley, was fairly well known, with the +Union Pacific Railway finally bridging it in Wyoming. One James White +was picked up (1867) at a point below the mouth of the Virgin in an +exhausted state, and it was assumed that he had made a large part of the +terrible voyage on a raft, but this was not the case, and the Colorado +River Canyons still waited for a conqueror. He came in 1869 in the +person of John Wesley Powell, a late Major[1] in the Civil War, whose +scientific studies had led him to the then territory of Colorado where +his mind became fired with the intention of exploring the canyons. The +idea was carried out, and the river was descended from the Union Pacific +Railway crossing to the mouth of the Virgin, and two of the men went on +to the sea. Thus the great feat was accomplished--one of the greatest +feats of exploration ever executed on this continent.[2] + +[Illustration: The Toll. + +Unidentified skeleton found April 1906 by C. C. Spaulding in the Grand +Canyon 300 feet above the river, some miles below Bright Angel trail. +There were daily papers of the early spring of 1900 in the pocket of the +clothes. Photograph 1906 by Kolb Bros.] + +Circumstances had rendered the data collected both insufficient and +incomplete. A second expedition was projected to supply deficiencies and +to extend the work; an expedition so well equipped and planned that time +could be taken for the purely scientific side of the venture. This +expedition was the first one under the government, the former expedition +having been a more or less private enterprise. Congress made +appropriations and the party were to start in 1870. This was found to be +inexpedient for several reasons, among which was the necessity of +exploring a route by which rations could be brought in to them at the +mouth of what we called Dirty Devil River--a euphonious title applied by +the men of the first expedition. This stream entered the Colorado at the +foot of what is now known as Narrow Canyon, a little below the 38th +parallel,--the Frémont River of the present geographies. Arrangements +for supplies to be brought in to the second expedition at this place +were made by the Major during a special visit to southern Utah for the +purpose. + +By great good fortune I became a member of the second expedition. Scores +of men were turned away, disappointed. The party was a small one, and it +was full. We were to begin our voyage through the chain of great +canyons, at the same point where the first expedition started, the point +where the recently completed Union Pacific Railway crossed Green River +in Wyoming, and we arrived there from the East early on the morning of +April 29, 1871. We were all ravenous after the long night on the train +and breakfast was the first consideration, but when this had +re-established our energy we went to look for the flat car with our +boats which had been sent ahead from Chicago. The car was soon found on +a siding and with the help of some railroad employés we pushed it along +to the eastern end of the bridge over Green River and there, on the +down side, put the boats into the waters against whose onslaughts they +were to be our salvation. It was lucky perhaps that we did not pause to +ponder on the importance of these little craft; on how much depended on +their staunchness and stability; and on our possible success in +preventing their destruction. The river was high from melting snows and +the current was swift though ordinarily it is not a large river at this +point. This season had been selected for the start because of the high +water, which would tide us over the rocks till tributary streams should +swell the normal volume; for our boats were to be well loaded, there +being no chance to get supplies after leaving. We had some trouble in +making a landing where we wanted to, in a little cove on the east side +about half a mile down, which had been selected as a good place for our +preparatory operations. Here the three boats were hauled out to receive +the final touches. They were named _Emma Dean_, _Nellie Powell_, and +_Cañonita_. A space was cleared in the thick willows for our general +camp over which Andy was to be master of ceremonies, at least so far as +the banqueting division was concerned, and here he became initiated into +the chemistry necessary to transform raw materials into comparatively +edible food. But it was not so hard a task, for our supplies were flour, +beans, bacon, dried apples, and dried peaches, tea and coffee, with, of +course, plenty of sugar. Canned goods at that time were not common, and +besides, would have been too heavy. Bread must be baked three times a +day in the Dutch oven, a sort of skillet of cast iron, about three +inches deep, ten or twelve inches in diameter, with short legs, and a +cast-iron cover with a turned-up rim that would hold hot coals. We had +no other bread than was made in this oven, or in a frying-pan, with +saleratus and cream of tartar to raise it. It was Andy's first +experience as a cook, though he had been a soldier in the Civil War, as +had almost every member of the party except the youngest three, Clem, +Frank, and myself, I being the youngest of all. + +For sleeping quarters we were disposed in two vacant wooden shanties +about two hundred yards apart and a somewhat greater distance from the +cook-camp. These shanties were mansions left over, like a group of +roofless adobe ruins near by, from the opulent days of a year or two +back when this place had been the terminus of the line during building +operations. Little remained of its whilom grandeur; a section house, a +railway station, a number of canvas-roofed domiciles, Field's +"Outfitting Store," and the aforesaid shanties in which we secured +refuge, being about all there was of the place. The region round about +suggested the strangeness of the wild country below, through the midst +of which led our trail. Arid and gravelly hills met the eye on all +sides, accentuated by huge buttes and cliffs of brilliant colours, +which in their turn were intensified by a clear sky of deep azure. In +the midst of our operations, we found time to note the passing of the +single express train each way daily. These trains seemed very friendly +and the passengers gazed wonderingly from the windows at us and waved +handkerchiefs. They perceived what we were about by the sign which I +painted on cloth and fastened across the front of our house, which was +near the track: "Powell's Colorado River Exploring Expedition." Above +this was flying our general flag, the Stars and Stripes. + +The white boats were thoroughly gone over with caulking-iron and paint. +Upon the decks of the cabins, canvas, painted green, was stretched in +such a way that it could be unbuttoned at the edges on three sides and +thrown back when we wanted to take off the hatches. When in place this +canvas kept the water, perfectly, out of the hatch joints. Each boat had +three compartments, the middle one being about four feet long, about +one-fifth the length of the boat, which was twenty-two feet over the +top. Two places were left for the rowers, before and abaft the middle +compartment, while the steersman with his long oar thrust behind was to +sit on the deck of the after-cabin, all the decks being flush with the +gunwale, except that of the forward cabin the deck of which was carried +back in a straighter line than the sheer of the boat and thus formed a +nose to help throw off the waves. It was believed that when the hatches +were firmly in place and the canvases drawn taut over the decks, even if +a boat turned over, as was expected sometimes might be the case, the +contents of these cabins would remain intact and dry. As so much +depended on keeping our goods dry, and as we knew from Powell's previous +experience that the voyage would be a wet one, everything was carefully +put in rubber sacks, each having a soft mouth inside a double lip with a +row of eyelets in each lip through which ran a strong cord. When the +soft mouth was rolled up and the bag squeezed, the air was forced out, +and the lips could be drawn to a bunch by means of the cord. When in +this condition the bag could be soaked a long time in water without +wetting the contents. Each rubber bag was encased in a heavy cotton one +to protect it; in short, we spared no effort to render our provisions +proof against the destroying elements. At first we put the bacon into +rubber, but it spoiled the rubber and then we saw that bacon can take +care of itself, nothing can hurt it anyhow, and a gunny-sack was all +that was necessary. Though the boats were five feet in the beam and +about twenty-four inches in depth, their capacity was limited and the +supplies we could take must correspond. Each man was restricted to one +hundred pounds of baggage, including his blankets. He had one rubber bag +for the latter and another for his clothing and personal effects. In the +provision line we had twenty-two sacks of flour of fifty pounds each. +There was no whiskey, so far as I ever knew, except a small flask +containing about one gill which I had been given with a ditty-bag for +the journey. This flask was never drawn upon and was intact till needed +as medicine in October. Smoking was abandoned, though a case of smoking +tobacco was taken for any Indians we might meet. Our photographic outfit +was extremely bulky and heavy, for the dry plate had not been invented. +We had to carry a large amount of glass and chemicals, as well as +apparatus. + +The numerous scientific instruments also were bulky, as they had to be +fitted into wooden cases that were covered with canvas and then with +rubber. Rations in quantity were not obtainable short of Salt Lake or +Fort Bridger, and we had Congressional authority to draw on the military +posts for supplies. The Major and his colleague, Professor Thompson, +went to Fort Bridger and to Salt Lake to secure what was necessary, and +to make further arrangements for the supplies which were to be brought +in to us at the three established points: the mouth of the Uinta, by way +of the Uinta Indian Agency; the mouth of the Dirty Devil; and the place +where Escalante had succeeded in crossing the Colorado in 1776, known as +the Crossing of the Fathers, about on the line between Utah and Arizona. + +[Illustration: Red Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Powell, who had come out on the same train with +us, had gone on to Salt Lake, where they were to wait for news from the +expedition, when we should get in touch with the Uinta Agency at the +mouth of the Uinta River, something over two hundred miles further down. +At length all was provided for and the Major and Prof. returned to our +camp from Salt Lake bringing a new member of the party, Jack Hillers, to +take the place of Jack Sumner of the former party who was unable to get +to us on account of the deep snows in the mountains which surrounded the +retreat where he had spent the winter trapping. Prof. brought back also +an American flag for each boat with the name of the boat embroidered in +the field of blue on one side while the stars were on the other. We all +admired these flags greatly, especially as they had been made by Mrs. +Thompson's own hands. + +We had with us a diary which Jack Sumner had kept on the former voyage, +and the casual way in which he repeatedly referred to running through a +"hell of foam" gave us an inkling, if nothing more, of what was coming. +Our careful preparations gave us a feeling of security against disaster, +or, at least, induced us to expect some degree of liberality from +Fortune. We had done our best to insure success and could go forward in +some confidence. A delay was caused by the non-arrival of some extra +heavy oars ordered from Chicago, but at length they came, and it was +well we waited, for the lighter ones were quickly found to be too frail. +Our preparations had taken three weeks. Considering that we were obliged +to provide against every contingency that might occur in descending this +torrent so completely locked in from assistance and supplies, the time +was not too long. Below Green River City, Wyoming, where we were to +start, there was not a single settler, nor a settlement of any kind, on +or near the river for a distance of more than a thousand miles. From the +river out, a hundred miles in an air line westward, across a practically +trackless region, would be required to measure the distance to the +nearest Mormon settlements on the Sevier, while eastward it was more +than twice as far to the few pioneers who had crossed the Backbone of +the Continent. The Uinta Indian Agency was the nearest establishment to +Green River. It was forty miles west of the mouth of the Uinta. In +southern Utah the newly formed Mormon settlement of Kanab offered the +next haven, but no one understood exactly its relationship to the +topography of the Colorado, except from the vicinity of the Crossing of +the Fathers. Thus the country through which we were to pass was then a +real wilderness, while the river itself was walled in for almost the +entire way by more or less unscalable cliffs of great height. + +Finally all of our preparations were completed to the last detail. The +cabins of the boats were packed as one packs a trunk. A wooden arm-chair +was obtained from Field and fastened to the middle deck of our boat by +straps, as a seat for the Major, and to the left side of it--he had no +right arm--his rubber life-preserver was attached. Each man had a +similar life-preserver in a convenient place, and he was to keep this +always ready to put on when we reached particularly dangerous rapids. On +the evening of the 21st of May nothing more remained to be done. The +Second Powell Expedition was ready to start. + +[Illustration: Before the Start at Green River City, Wyoming. + +The dark box open. _Cañonita_; Andy, Clem, Beaman. _Emma Dean_; Jones, +Jack, the Major, Fred. _Nellie Powell_; Prof., Steward, Cap., Frank. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 1: Powell had received an appointment as Colonel before he +left the Volunteer Service, but he was always called Major.] + +[Footnote 2: For the history of the Colorado River the reader is +referred to _The Romance of the Colorado River_, by F. S. Dellenbaugh.] + + + + +CHAPTER II + + Into the Wilderness--The Order of Sailing--Tobacco for the + Indians Comes Handy--A Lone Fisherman and Some Trappers--Jack + Catches Strange Fish--The Snow-clad Uintas in View--A Larder + Full of Venison--Entrance into Flaming Gorge. + + +The 22d of May, 1871, gave us a brilliant sun and a sky of sapphire with +a sparkling atmosphere characteristic of the Rocky Mountain Region. The +great buttes near the station, which Moran has since made famous, shone +with a splendour that was inspiring. To enable us to pick up the last +ends more easily and to make our departure in general more convenient, +we had breakfast that morning at Field's outfitting place, and an +excellent breakfast it was. It was further distinguished by being the +last meal that we should eat at a table for many a month. We were +followed to the cove, where our loaded boats were moored, by a number of +people; about the whole population in fact, and that did not make a +crowd. None of the Chinamen came down, and there were no Indians in town +that day. The only unpleasant circumstance was the persistent repetition +by a deaf-mute of a pantomimic representation of the disaster that he +believed was to overwhelm us. "Dummy," as we called him, showed us that +we would be upset, and, unable to scale the cliffs, would surely all be +drowned. This picture, as vividly presented as possible, seemed to give +him and his brother great satisfaction. We laughed at his prophecy, but +his efforts to talk were distressing. It may be said in excuse for him, +that in some paddling up the river from that point, he had arrived at +perhaps an honest conviction of what would happen to any one going +below; and also, that other wise men of the town predicted that we would +never see "Brown's Hole," at the end of Red Canyon. + +At ten o'clock we pushed out into the current. There were "Good-bye and +God-speed" from the shore with a cheer, and we responded with three and +then we passed out of sight. The settlement, the railway, the people, +were gone; the magnificent wilderness was ours. We swept down with a +four-mile current between rather low banks, using the oars mainly for +guidance, and meeting no difficulty worse than a shoal, on which the +boats all grounded for a few moments, and the breaking of his oar by +Jones who steered our boat. About noon having run three miles, a landing +was made on a broad gravelly island, to enable Andy to concoct a dinner. +A heavy gale was tearing fiercely across the bleak spot. The sand flew +in stinging clouds, but we got a fire started and then it burned like a +furnace. Andy made another sample of his biscuits, this time liberally +incorporated with sand, and he fried some bacon. The sand mainly settled +to the bottom of the frying pan, for this bacon was no fancy breakfast +table variety but was clear fat three or four inches thick. But how good +it was! And the grease poured on bread! And yet while at the railway I +had scorned it; in fact I had even declared that I would never touch it, +whereat the others only smiled a grim and confident smile. And now, at +the first noon camp, I was ready to pronounce it one of the greatest +delicacies I had ever tasted! They jeered at me, but their jeers were +kind, friendly jeers, and I recall them with pleasure. In warm-hearted +companionship no set of men that I have ever since been associated with +has been superior to these fellow voyageurs, and the Major's big way of +treating things has been a lesson all my life. We had all become fast +true friends at once. With the exception of the Major, whom I had first +met about two months before, and Frank whom I had known for a year or +two, I had been acquainted with them only since we had met on the train +on the way out. + +In the scant shelter of some greasewood bushes we devoured the repast +which the morning's exercise and the crisp air had made so welcome, and +each drank several cups of tea dipped from the camp-kettle wherein Andy +had boiled it. We had no formal table. When all was ready, the magic +words, "Well go fur it, boys," which Andy uttered stepping back from the +fire were ceremony enough. Each man took a tin plate and a cup and +served himself. Clem and Frank were sent back overland to the town for a +box of thermometers forgotten and for an extra steering oar left behind, +and the _Cañonita_ waited for their return. + +During the afternoon, as we glided on, the hills began to close in upon +us, and occasionally the river would cut into one making a high +precipitous wall, a forerunner of the character of the river banks +below. The order of going was, our boat, the _Emma Dean_, first, with +Major Powell on the deck of the middle cabin, or compartment, sitting in +his arm-chair, which was securely fastened there, but was easily +removable. S. V. Jones was at the steering oar, Jack Hillers pulled his +pair of oars in the after standing-room, while I was at the bow oars. +The second in line was the _Nellie Powell_, Professor A. H. Thompson +steering, J. F. Steward rowing aft, Captain F. M. Bishop forward, and +Frank Richardson sitting rather uncomfortably on the middle deck. The +third and last boat was the _Cañonita_, which E. O. Beaman, the +photographer steered, while Andrew Hattan, rowed aft, and Clement +Powell, assistant photographer, forward. This order was preserved, with +a few exceptions, throughout the first season's work. It was the duty of +Prof. and Jones to make a traverse (or meander) of the river as we +descended. They were to sight ahead at each bend with prismatic +compasses and make estimates of the length of each sight, height of +walls, width of stream, etc., and Cap was to put the results on paper. +The Major on his first boat, kept a general lookout and gave commands +according to circumstances. He remembered the general character of the +river from his former descent, but he had to be on the _qui-vive_ as to +details. Besides every stage of water makes a change in the nature of +the river at every point. In addition to this outlook, the Major kept an +eye on the geology, as he was chief geologist; and Steward, being +assistant geologist did the same. Richardson was assistant to Steward. +Jack was general assistant and afterwards photographer. I was artist, +and later, assistant topographer also. It was my duty to make any sketch +that the geologists might want, and of course, as in the case of +everybody, to help in the navigation or anything else that came along. +Each man had a rifle and some had also revolvers. Most of the rifles +were Winchesters.[3] We had plenty of ammunition, and the rifles were +generally kept where we could get at them quickly. + +In this order, and with these duties, we ran on down the Green, and so +far at least as I was concerned, feeling as if we had suddenly stepped +off into another world. Late in the afternoon we were astonished to +discover a solitary old man sitting on the right bank fishing. Who he +was we did not know but we gave him a cheer as we dashed by and were +carried beyond his surprised vision. As the sun began to reach the +horizon a lookout was kept for a good place for camp. I, for one, was +deeply interested, as I had never yet slept in the open. At length we +reached a spot where the hills were some distance back on the right +leaving quite a bottom where there were a number of cottonwood trees. A +deserted log cabin silently invited us to land and, as this was cordial +for the wilderness, we responded in the affirmative. The sky had a look +of storm about it and I was glad of even this excuse for a roof, though +the cabin was too small to shelter our whole party, except standing up, +and the beds were all put down on the ground outside. The night was very +cold and the fire which we made for Andy's operations was most +comforting. We had for supper another instalment of bacon, +saleratus-bread, and tea, which tasted just as good as had that prepared +at noon. Sitting on rocks and stumps we ate this meal, and presently the +raw air reminded some of the smokers that, while they had thrown their +tobacco away there was, in the boats, the quite large supply designed +for our Red friends, should we meet any. Of course we had more than was +absolutely necessary for them, and in a few minutes the pipes which had +been cast away at Green River appeared well filled and burning. Perhaps +we had pipes for the Indians too! I had not thrown my pipe away for it +was a beautifully carved meerschaum--a present. I knew just where it was +and lighted it up, though I was not a great smoker. The Indians did not +get as much of that tobacco as they might have wished. + +To make our blankets go farther we bunked together two and two, and +Jones and I were bed-fellows. It was some time before I could go to +sleep. I kept studying the sky; watching the stars through the ragged +breaks in the flying clouds. The night was silent after the gale. The +river flowed on with little noise. The fire flickered and flickered, and +the cottonwoods appeared dark and strange as I finally went to sleep. I +had not been long in that happy state before I saw some men trying to +steal our boats on which our lives depended and I immediately attacked +them, pinning one to the ground. It was only Jones I was holding down, +and his shouts and struggles to reach his pistol woke me, and startled +the camp. He believed a real enemy was on him. There was a laugh at my +expense, and then sleep ruled again till about daylight when I was +roused by rain falling on my face. All were soon up. The rain changed to +snow which fell so heavily that we were driven to the cabin where a +glorious fire was made on the hearth, and by it Andy got the bread and +bacon and coffee ready for breakfast, and also for dinner, for the snow +was so thick we could not venture on the river till it stopped, and that +was not till afternoon. + +The country through which we now passed was more broken. Cliffs, buttes, +mesas, were everywhere. Sometimes we were between high rocky banks, then +we saw a valley several miles wide, always without a sign of occupation +by white men, even though as yet we were not far from the railway in a +direct course. Very late in the afternoon we saw something moving in the +distance on the right. Our glasses made it out to be two or three men +on horseback. A signal was made which they saw, and consequently stopped +to await developments, and a bag of fossils, the Major had collected, +was sent out to them with a request to take it to Green River Station, +in which direction they were headed. They proved to be a party of +prospectors who agreed to deliver the fossils, and we went on our way. + +The mornings and evenings were very cold and frosty, but during the day +the temperature was perfectly comfortable, and this was gratifying, for +the river in places spread into several channels, so that no one of them +was everywhere deep enough for the boats which drew, so heavily laden, +sixteen or eighteen inches. The keels grated frequently on the bottom +and we had to jump overboard to lighten the boats and pull them off into +deep water. We found as we went on that we must be ready every moment, +in all kinds of water, to get over into the river, and it was necessary +to do so with our clothes on, including our shoes, for the reason that +the rocky bottom would bruise and cut our feet without the shoes, rocks +would do the same to our legs, and for the further reason that there was +no time to remove garments. In the rapids further on we always shipped +water and consequently we were wet from this cause most of the time +anyhow. We had two suits of clothes, one for wear on the river in the +day time, and the other for evening in camp, the latter being kept in a +rubber bag, so that we always managed to be dry and warm at night. On +making camp the day suit was spread out on rocks or on a branch of a +tree if one were near, or on a bush to dry, and it was generally, though +not always, comfortably so, in the morning when it was again put on for +the river work. Sometimes, being still damp, the sensation for a few +moments was not agreeable. + +We snapped several of the lighter oars in the cross currents, as the +boats were heavy and did not mind quickly, and to backwater suddenly on +one of the slender oars broke it like a reed. Some of the longer, +heavier oars were then cut down to eight feet and were found to be +entirely serviceable. The steering oars were cut down from eighteen to +sixteen feet. Extra oars were carried slung on each side of the boats +just under the gunwales, for the Major on the former journey had been +much hampered by being obliged to halt to search for timber suitable for +oars and then to make them. There was one thing about the boats which we +soon discovered was a mistake. This was the lack of iron on the keels. +The iron had been left off for the purpose of reducing the weight when +it should be necessary to carry the boats around bad places, but the +rocks and gravel cut the keels down alarmingly, till there was danger of +wearing out the bottoms in the long voyage to come.[4] + +Jack was a great fisherman, and it was not long before he tried his luck +in the waters of the Green. No one knew what kind of fish might be +taken--at least no one in our party--and he began his fishing with some +curiosity. It was rewarded by a species of fish none of us had ever +before seen, a fish about ten to sixteen inches long, slim, with fine +scales and large fins. Their heads came down with a sudden curve to the +mouth, and their bodies tapered off to a very small circumference just +before the tail spread out. They were good to eat, and formed a welcome +addition to our larder. We were all eager for something fresh, and when +we saw a couple of deer run across the bluffs just before we reached our +fourth camp, our hopes of venison were roused to a high degree. Camp +number four was opposite the mouth of Black's Fork at an altitude above +sea level of 5940 feet, a descent of 135 feet from the railway bridge. +After this the channel was steadier and the water deeper, Black's Fork +being one of the largest tributaries of the upper river. We now came in +view of the snowy line of the Uinta Range stretching east and west +across our route and adding a beautiful alpine note to the wide barren +array of cliffs and buttes. It was twenty or thirty miles off, but so +clear was the air that we seemed to be almost upon it. + +As we were drifting along with a swift current in the afternoon, the day +after passing Black's Fork, one of the party saw a deer on an island. A +rifle shot from our boat missed, and the animal dashing into the river +swam across and disappeared in the wide valley. But another was seen. A +landing was made immediately, and while some of the men held the boats +ready to pick up a prize, the others beat the island. I was assigned to +man our boat, and as we waited up against the bank under the bushes, we +could hear the rifles crack. Then all was still. Suddenly I heard a +crashing of bushes and a hundred yards above us a superb black-tail +sprang into the water and swam for the east bank. My sensation was +divided between a desire to see the deer escape, and a desire to +supplant the bacon with venison for a time. My cartridges were under the +hatches as it chanced, so I was unable to take action myself. With deep +interest I watched the animal swim and with regret that our fresh meat +was so fortunate, for it was two-thirds of the way across, before a +rifle cracked. The deer's efforts ceased instantly and she began to +drift down with the current. We ran our boat out and hauled the carcass +on board. At the same time as we were being carried down by the swift +current we got a view of the other side of the island where Cap. up to +his arms in the stream was trying to pull another deer ashore by the +horns. It looked as if both deer and Cap. would sail away and forever, +till another boat went to his rescue. Presently the third boat came down +bearing still another deer. The successful shots were from Prof., Andy, +and Steward. Our prospects for a feast were bright, and we had it. The +deer were speedily dressed, Frank displaying exceptional skill in this +line. Had we been able to stay in this region we would never have been +in want of fresh meat, but when we entered the canyons the conditions +were so different and the task of pursuing game so baffling and +exhausting that we never had such success again. The whole of the next +day we remained in a favourable spot at the foot of a strangely tilted +ledge, where we jerked the venison by the aid of sun and fire to +preserve it. Near this point as observations showed later we passed from +Wyoming into Utah. + +About dusk we were surprised to discover a small craft with a single +individual aboard coming down the river. Then we saw it was a raft. We +watched its approach with deep interest wondering who the stranger could +be, but he turned out to be Steward who had gone geologising and had +taken this easier means of coming back. He tried it again farther down +and met with an experience which taught him to trust to the land +thereafter. + +[Illustration: Flaming Gorge. + +The Beginning of the Colorado River Canyons, N. E. Utah. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The next day our boat was held back for some special work while the +others proceeded toward a high spur of the Uintas, directly in front of +us. We followed with a fierce and blinding gale sweeping the river and +filling our eyes with sharp sand. Nevertheless we could see high up +before us some bright red rocks marking the first canyon of the +wonderful series that separates this river from the common world. From +these bright rocks glowing in the sunlight like a flame above the +grey-green of the ridge, the Major had bestowed on this place the name +of Flaming Gorge. As we passed down towards the mountain it seemed that +the river surely must end there, but suddenly just below the mouth of +Henry's Fork it doubled to the left and we found ourselves between two +low cliffs, then in a moment we dashed to the right into the beautiful +canyon, with the cliffs whose summit we had seen, rising about 1300 feet +on the right, and a steep slope on the left at the base of which was a +small bottom covered with tall cottonwood trees, whose green shone +resplendent against the red rocks. The other boats were swinging at +their lines and the smoke of Andy's fire whirling on the wind was a +cheerful sight to the ever-hungry inner-man. Constant exercise in the +open air produces a constant appetite. As long as we could protect our +cargoes, and make our connections with our supplies as planned, we would +surely not have to go hungry, but we had to consider that there was room +for some variation or degree of success. There was at least one +comforting feature about the river work and that was we never suffered +for drinking water. It was only on side trips, away from the river that +we met this difficulty, so common in the Rocky Mountain Region and all +the South-west. + +When the barometrical observations were worked out we found we had now +descended 262 feet from our starting-point. That was four and a quarter +feet for each mile of the sixty-two we had put behind. We always +counted the miles put behind, for we knew they could not be retraced, +but it was ever the miles and the rapids ahead that we kept most in our +minds. We were now at the beginning of the real battle with the "Sunken +River." Henceforth, high and forbidding cliffs with few breaks, would +imprison the stream on both sides. + +A loss of our provisions would mean a journey on foot, after climbing +out of the canyon, to Green River (Wyoming) to Salt Lake City or to the +Uinta Indian Agency. There was a trail from Brown's Hole (now Brown's +Park) back to the railway, but the difficulty would be to reach it if we +should be wrecked in Red Canyon. We did not give these matters great +concern at the time, but I emphasise them now to indicate some of the +difficulties of the situation and the importance of preventing the wreck +of even one boat. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 3: Two were of the original Henry pattern.] + +[Footnote 4: For further description of these boats the reader is +referred to _The Romance of the Colorado River_, page 236, by F. S. +Dellenbaugh.] + + + + +CHAPTER III + + The First Rapid--Horseshoe and Kingfisher Canyons--A Rough + Entrance into Red Canyon--Capsize of the _Nell_--The Grave of + a Bold Navigator--Discovery of a White Man's Camp--Good-bye to + Frank--At the Gate of Lodore. + + +Prof. now took observations for time and latitude in order to fix with +accuracy the geographical location of the camp in Flaming Gorge, and to +check the estimates of the topographers as they sighted the various +stretches of the river. It has been found that estimates of this kind +are quite accurate and that the variation from exactness is generally +the same in[5] the same individual. Hence one man may underestimate and +another may overestimate, but each will always make the same error, and +this error can be readily corrected by frequent observations to +determine latitude and longitude. A series of barometrical observations +was kept going whether we were on the move or not. That is, a mercurial +barometer was read three times a day, regularly, at seven, at one, and +at nine. We had aneroid barometers for work away from the river and +these were constantly compared with and adjusted to the mercurials. The +tubes of mercury sometimes got broken, and then a new one had to be +boiled to replace it. I believe the boiling of tubes has since that time +been abandoned, as there is not enough air in the tube to interfere with +the action of the mercury, but at that time it was deemed necessary for +accuracy, and it gave Prof. endless trouble. The wind was always +blowing, and no tent we could contrive from blankets, and waggon sheets +(we had no regular tents), sufficed to keep the flame of the alcohol +lamp from flickering. Nevertheless, Prof. whose patience and dexterity +were unlimited, always succeeded. The mercurial barometers were of the +kind with a buckskin pocket at the bottom of the cistern with a screw +for adjusting the column of mercury to a fixed point. + +Most of the men climbed out in various directions and for various +objects. Prof. reached a high altitude whence he obtained a broad view +of the country, a grand sight with the quiet river below and snow-capped +mountains around, with rolling smoke and leaping flame, for there were +great mountain fires not far off. The Major and Steward went +geologising. Steward was rewarded by discovering a number of fossils, +among them the bones of an immense animal of the world's early day, with +a femur ten inches in diameter, and ribs two inches thick and six inches +wide. These bones were much exposed and could have been dug out, but we +had no means of transporting them. + +Flaming Gorge is an easy place to get in and out of, even with a horse, +and doubtless in the old beaver-hunting days it was a favourite resort +of trappers. I am inclined to think that the double turn of the swirling +river where it enters Flaming Gorge is the place known at that time as +the Green River Suck. Our camp under the cottonwoods was delightful. We +took advantage of the halt to write up notes, clean guns, mend clothes, +do our washing, and all the other little things incident to a breathing +spell on a voyage of this kind. It was Sunday too, and when possible we +stopped on that account, though, of course, progress could not be +deferred for that reason alone. + +Monday morning we left the pleasant camp in the grove and went on with +the tide. The river was rough from a heavy gale, but otherwise offered +no obstacle. At a sudden bend we cut to the left deeper into the +mountain till on both sides we were enclosed by almost perpendicular +precipices of carboniferous formation, limestone, about 1600 feet high. +The canyon was surprisingly beautiful and romantic. The river seemed to +change its mood here, and began to flow with an impetus it had exhibited +nowhere above. It swept on with a directness and a concentration of +purpose that had about it something ominous. And just here, at the foot +of the right hand wall which was perpendicular for 800 feet, with the +left more sloping, and clothed with cedar shrubs, we beheld our first +real rapid, gleaming like a jewel from its setting in the sunlight which +fell into the gorge, and it had as majestic a setting as could be +desired. For myself I can say that the place appeared the acme of the +romantic and picturesque. The rapid was small and swift, a mere chute, +and perhaps hardly worthy of mention had it not been the point where the +character of the river current changes making it distinguished because +of being the first of hundreds to come below. The river above had held a +continual descent accelerating here and retarding there with an average +current of two and a half miles an hour, but here began the quick drops +for which the canyons are now famous. There was one place where Prof. +noted a small rapid but it was not like this one, and I did not count it +at all. + +[Illustration: Horseshoe Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The gorge we ran into so suddenly was short and by dinner-time we had +emerged into a wider, more broken place, though we were still bound in +by tremendous heights. We saw that we had described a complete horseshoe +and this fact determined the canyon's name--number two of the series. +When we landed for dinner, an examination was made of the locality from +that base before we dropped down a little distance to the mouth of a +fine clear creek coming in from the right. This was a fascinating place. +The great slopes were clothed with verdure and trees, and the creek ran +through luxuriant vegetation. A halt of a day was made for observation +purposes. The air was full of kingfishers darting about and we +immediately called the creek by their name. + +I was sent with Steward on a geological expedition out over the right or +western cliffs. We consumed two hours in getting out, having to climb up +about 1000 feet over a difficult way. After a good deal of going up and +down across rough ridges, we finally worked our way around to the head +of Flaming Gorge. Here we reckoned up and found that eight steep ridges +intervened between us and camp by the way we had come, and we concluded +that we could get back easier through Flaming Gorge and thence by +climbing over the tongue or base of the horseshoe which was lower than +the end. Steward grew decidedly weary and I felt my legs getting heavy +too. Rain had fallen at intervals all day and we were wet as well as +tired and famished. We struck an old trail and followed it as long as it +went our way. Then it became too dark to see which way it went and we +climbed on as best we could. It was about half-past eight when we +reached our camp to find a splendid fire burning and a good supper +waiting for us. + +The new canyon which closed in the next day had walls about 1500 feet in +height, that being the general height of the spur of the Uintas through +which we were travelling. The changes from one canyon to another were +only changes in the character of the bounding mountain walls, for there +was no break into open country. The name of Kingfisher we gave to the +new gorge for the same reason we had called the creek at our camp by +that name, and so numerous were these birds at one rounded promontory +that there was no escape from calling it Beehive Point, the resemblance +to a gigantic hive being perfect. Kingfisher Canyon like its two +predecessors was short, all three making a distance by the river of only +about ten miles. Flaming Gorge is the gateway, Horseshoe the vestibule, +and Kingfisher the ante-chamber to the whole grand series. At the foot +of Kingfisher the rocks fell back a little and steep slopes took their +place. Where the rocks closed in again, we halted on the threshold of +the next gorge, in a fine grove of cottonwoods. A significant roar came +to us out of the gate to Red Canyon, rolling up on the air with a +steady, unvarying monotony that had a sinister meaning. It was plain +that we were nearing something that was no paltry gem like the rapid we +had so much admired in Horseshoe Canyon. + +The remainder of that day and all the next, which was June 1st, we +stayed at this camp completing records, investigating the surroundings, +and preparing for rough work ahead. On Friday morning the cabins were +packed carefully, the life preservers were inflated, and we pulled out +into the current. The cliffs shot up around us and rough water began at +once. The descent was almost continuous for a considerable distance, but +we divided it into three rapids in our notes, before we reached a sharp +turn to the right, and then one just as sharp to the left, with vertical +walls on both sides and a roaring torrent, broken by rocks, whirling +between. Our boat shot down with fierce rapidity and would have gone +through without a mishap had not the current dashed us so close to the +right-hand wall that Jack's starboard row-lock was ripped off by a +projection of the cliff as we were hurled along its rugged base. At the +same moment we saw the _Nell_ upsetting against some rocks on the left. +Then we swept out of view and I was obliged to pull with all my +strength, Jack's one oar being useless. We succeeded in gaining a little +cove on the left, and jumped out as soon as shallow enough, the Major +immediately climbing the cliffs to a high point where he could look down +on the unfortunate second boat. Prof., it seems, had misunderstood the +Major's signal and had done just what he did not think he ought to do. +He thought it meant to land on the left and he had tried to reach a +small strip of beach, but finding this was not possible he turned the +boat again into the current to retrieve his former position, but this +was not successful and the _Nell_ was thrown on some rocks projecting +from the left wall, in the midst of wild waters, striking hard enough to +crush some upper planks of the port side. She immediately rolled over, +and Frank slid under. Prof. clutched him and pulled him back while the +men all sprang for the rocks and saved themselves and the boat from +being washed away in this demoralised condition. With marvellous +celerity Cap. took a turn with a rope around a small tree which he +managed to reach, while Steward jumped to a position where he could +prevent the boat from pounding. In a minute she was righted and they got +her to the little beach where they had tried to land. Here they pulled +her out and, partially unloading, repaired her temporarily as well as +they could. This done they towed up to a point of vantage and made a +fresh start and cleared the rapid with no further incident. Meanwhile +the _Cañonita_ had come in to where we were lying, and both boats were +held ready to rescue the men of the other. After about three-quarters of +an hour the unfortunate came down, her crew being rather elated over the +experience and the distinction of having the first capsize. + +Setting out on the current again we passed two beautiful creeks entering +from the right, and they were immediately named respectively, Compass +and Kettle creeks, to commemorate the loss of these articles in the +capsize. At the mouth of Kettle Creek, about a mile and a half below the +capsize rapid, we stopped for dinner. Then running several small drops, +we arrived at a long descent that compelled careful action. We always +landed, where possible, to make an examination and learn the trend of +the main current. Our not being able to do this above was the cause of +the _Nell's_ trouble. We now saw that we had here landed on the wrong +side and would have to make a somewhat hazardous crossing to the +opposite, or right bank. Our boat tried it first. In spite of vigorous +pulling we were carried faster down towards the rapid than to the +objective landing. When we reached water about waist deep we all sprang +overboard, and I got to shore with the line as quickly as I could. We +were able to turn and catch the _Nell_ as she came in, but the +_Cañonita_ following ran too far down. We all dashed into the stream +almost at the head of the rapid, and there caught her in time. The load +was taken out of our boat and she was let down by lines over the worst +part. Loading again we lowered to another bad place where we went into +camp on the same spot where the Major had camped two years before. We +unloaded the other boats and got them down before dark, but we ate +supper by firelight. The river averaged about 250 feet wide, with a +current of not less than six miles an hour and waves in the rapids over +five feet in vertical height. These waves broke up stream as waves do in +a swift current, and as the boats cut into them at a high velocity we +shipped quantities of water and were constantly drenched, especially the +bow-oarsmen. The cliffs on each side, wonderfully picturesque, soon ran +up to 1200 or 1500 feet, and steadily increased their altitude. Owing to +the dip of the strata across the east and west trend of the canyon the +walls on the north were steeper than those on the south, but they seldom +rose vertically from the river. Masses of talus, and often alluvial +stretches with rocks and trees, were strung along their base, usually +offering numerous excellent landings and camping places. We were able to +stop about as we wished and had no trouble as to camps, though they were +frequently not just what we would have preferred. There was always +smooth sand to sleep on, and often plenty of willows to cut and lay in +rows for a mattress. It must not be imagined that these great canyons +are dark and gloomy in the daytime. They are no more so than an ordinary +city street flanked with very high buildings. Some lateral canyons are +narrow and so deep that the sun enters them but briefly, but even these +are only shady, not dark. + +[Illustration: Red Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +We remained on the Major's old camp ground a day so that Jones and Cap. +could climb to the top of the cliff to get the topography. The next +morning though it was Sunday was not to be one of rest. We began by +lowering the boats about forty rods farther and there pulled out into +the stream and were dashed along by a fierce current with rapid +following rapid closely. The descent was nearly continuous with greater +declivities thrown in here and there. As usual we took in a good deal of +water and were saturated. We were growing accustomed to this, and the +boats being built to float even when the open parts were full, we did +not mind sitting with our legs in cold water till opportunity came to +bail out with the camp kettle left in each open space for the purpose. +One rapid where Theodore Hook, of Cheyenne, was drowned in 1869, while +attempting to follow the first party, gave us no trouble. We sailed +through it easily. Hook had declared that if Powell could descend the +river he could too, and he headed a party to follow.[6] The motive I +believe was prospecting. I do not know how far they expected to go but +this was as far as they got. Their abandoned boats, flat-bottomed and +inadequate, still lay half buried in sand on the left-hand bank, and not +far off on a sandy knoll was the grave of the unfortunate leader marked +by a pine board set up, with his name painted on it. Old sacks, ropes, +oars, etc., emphasised the completeness of the disaster. + +Not far below this we made what we called a "line portage," that is, the +boats were worked along the edge of the rapid, one at a time, in and out +among the boulders with three or four men clinging to them to fend them +off the rocks and several more holding on to the hundred-foot hawser, so +that there was no possibility of one getting loose and smashing up, or +leaving us altogether. It was then noon and a camp was made for the +remainder of the day on the left bank in a very comfortable spot. We had +accomplished three and a half miles, with four distinct rapids run and +one "let-down." I went up from the camp along a sandy stretch and was +surprised to discover what I took to be the fresh print of the bare +foot of a man. Mentioning this when I returned, my companions laughed +and warned me to be cautious and give this strange man a wide berth +unless I had my rifle and plenty of ammunition. It was the track of a +grizzly bear. I saw many tracks on this expedition and on others +afterwards but I have never seen a bear yet, except in captivity. The +grizzly seemed to shun me; but I believe they will not often attack a +man unprovoked, and will lie perfectly still while one may pass within a +few feet of their hiding-place. + +Three or four deer were seen but with no opportunity to get a shot. All +through these upper canyons there was then a great abundance of game of +every description, and had our object been to kill for sport, we +undoubtedly could have made a pile of carcasses. One or two deer would +have been welcome but we had no time to pursue them. Steward came in +towards night from his geologising with a splendid bouquet of wild +flowers which was greatly admired. Prof. and the Major climbed west of +camp to a height of 1200 feet where they obtained a wide outlook and +secured valuable notes on the topography. The view was superb as it is +anywhere from a high point in this region. When they came back, the +Major entertained us by reading aloud _The Lay of the Last Minstrel_, +thus delightfully closing a beautiful Sunday which every man had +enjoyed. + +In the morning soon after leaving this camp a dull roar ahead told of +our approach to Ashley Falls, for which we were on the lookout. The left +bank was immediately hugged as closely as possible and we dropped +cautiously down to the head of the descent. An immense rock stuck up in +the middle of the river and the water divided on this and shot down on +each side in a sharp fall of about eight feet. Each was a clear chute +and not dangerous to look at, but the effect of so sudden a plunge on +one of our loaded boats was too much of a problem for trial. A portage +was decided on. The left bank where we were was a mass of enormous +broken rocks where it seemed next to impossible to haul a boat. A foot +trail was first built which led up some fifty feet above the river, and +over, under and around huge boulders to a place down below where it was +proposed to carry the boats on skids. The cargoes were first taken over +on our backs and when this was done we were about tired out. Our united +strength was required to work the _Dean_ down to the selected haven +without injury. This was such extremely hard work that the Major and +Prof. concluded to shoot the _Cañonita_ through, light, with no men in +her, but controlled by one of our hundred-foot hawsers attached to each +end. She was started down and went through well enough, but filling with +water and knocking on hidden rocks. Prudence condemned this method and +we resorted to sliding and carrying the _Nell_ over the rocks as we had +done with the _Dean_, certain that sleep and food would wipe out our +weariness, but not injury to the boats which must be avoided by all +means in our power. By the time we had placed the _Nell_ beside the +other boats at the bottom it was sunset and too late to do anything but +make a camp. Just above the head of the fall was a rather level place in +a clump of pines at the very edge of the river forming as picturesque a +camp-ground as I have ever seen. A brilliant moon hung over the canyon, +lighting up the foam of the water in strong contrast to the red fire +crackling its accompaniment to the roar of the rapid. A lunar rainbow +danced fairy-like in the mists rising from the turmoil of the river. The +night air was calm and mild. Prof. read aloud from _Hiawatha_ and it +seemed to fit the time and place admirably. We had few books with us; +poems of Longfellow, Whittier, Emerson, and Scott, are all I remember, +except a Bible my mother had given me. I suppose Cap. had a Bible also, +as he was very religious. + +The huge boulders which dammed the river had fallen from the cliffs on +the left within a comparatively recent time, transforming an ordinary +rapid into the fall; actually damming the water till it is smooth for +half a mile above. The largest block of stone is the one in the middle. +It is about twenty five feet square. The only white men on record to +reach this place except the Major's other party, was General Ashley, the +distinguished fur trader with a number of trappers. In his search for +fresh beaver grounds he led his party in rude buffalo-skin boats through +this canyon in 1825. They had a hard time and nearly starved to death as +they depended for food on finding beaver and other game, in which they +were disappointed. On one of my trips over the rocks with cargo I made a +slight detour on the return to see the boulder where the Major had +discovered Ashley's name with a date. The letters were in black, just +under a slight projection and were surprisingly distinct considering the +forty-six years of exposure. The "2" was illegible and looked like a +"3." None of our party seemed to know that it could have been only a "2" +for by the year 1835 Ashley had sold out and had given up the fur +business in the mountains. Considering his ability, his prominence, his +high character, and his identification with the early history of the +West, there ought to be greater recognition of him than there has been. + +[Illustration: Red Canyon. + +Ashley Falls from Below. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Below Ashley Falls the declivity of the river was very great with a +correspondingly swift current, in one rapid reaching a velocity of at +least fifteen miles an hour, and with waves that tossed our heavy boats +like feathers. These were the most violent rapids we had yet met, not +excepting the ones we had portaged. The cliffs, about 2500 feet high, of +red sandstone, were often almost perpendicular on both sides, or at +least they impressed us so at the time. There was much vegetation, pine, +spruce, willow-leaved cottonwood, aspens, alder, etc., which added to +the beauty and picturesqueness of the wild scenery. Beaman stopped each +day where possible and desirable to take photographs, and at these times +the others investigated the surroundings and climbed up side canyons +when they existed. Late in the afternoon we came out suddenly into a +small valley or park formerly called Little Brown's Hole, a noted +rendezvous for trappers, and which we rechristened Red Canyon Park. This +was a beautiful place bounded by round mountains, into which our great +cliffs had temporarily resolved themselves, particularly on the right, +the left side remaining pretty steep. Our camp was pitched under two +large pine trees and every one was prepared, in the intervals of other +duties, to take advantage of this respite to patch up clothing, shoes, +etc., as well as to do what laundering was necessary. The river ran so +quietly that we felt oppressed after the constant roaring since we had +entered Red Canyon. I remember climbing up at evening with one of my +companions, to a high altitude where the silence was deathlike and +overpowering. Prof. and some of the others climbed to greater heights +for topographical purposes, easily reaching an altitude of about 4000 +feet above the river in an air-line distance of about five miles. Here +they obtained a magnificent panorama in all directions, limited on the +west by the snowy chain of the Wasatch, and on the north by the Wind +River Range like white clouds on the horizon 200 miles away, and they +could trace the deep gorges of the river as they cleave the mountains +from distance to distance. + +Here we saw signs of abundant game, elk, deer, bear, etc., but we had no +time to go hunting as a business and the game refused to come to us. +Each man had his work to accomplish so that we could get on. It was +impracticable to go wandering over the mountains for game, much as we +would have enjoyed a change from our bacon and beans. One day, only, was +spent here for all purposes, geologising, topographic climbing, and +working out the notes from up the river, making repairs and all the +other needful things that crowded upon us. Here it was that I did my +first tailoring and performed a feat of which I have ever since been +proud; namely, transferring some coattails, from where they were of no +use, to the knees and seat of my trousers where they were invaluable. + +On June 8th, we left this "Camp Number 13" regretfully and plunged in +between the cliffs again for about eight miles, running five rapids, +when we emerged into a large valley known as Brown's Hole, where our +cliffs fell back for two or three miles on each side and became mountain +ranges. Pulling along for a couple of miles on a quiet river we were +surprised to discover on the left a white man's camp. Quickly landing we +learned that it was some cattlemen's temporary headquarters (Harrell +Brothers), and some of the men had been to Green River Station since our +departure from that place, the distance by trail not being half that by +river. They were expecting us and had brought some mail which was a glad +sight for our eyes. These men had wintered about 2000 head of Texas +cattle in this valley, noted for the salubrity of its winter climate +since the days of the fur-hunters, and were on their way to the Pacific +coast. We made a camp near by, with a cottonwood of a peculiar "Y" +shape, more stump than tree, to give what shade-comfort it could, and +enjoyed the relaxation which came with the feeling that we had put +twenty-five miles of hard canyon behind, and were again in touch, though +so briefly and at long range, with the outer world. As some of these men +were to go out to the railway the following Sunday and offered to carry +mail for us, we began to write letters to let our friends know how we +were faring on our peculiar voyage. This "Brown's Hole" was the place +selected by a man who pretended to have been with the former party, for +the scene of that party's destruction which he reported to the +newspapers. He thought as it was called a "hole" it must be one of the +worst places on this raging river, not knowing that in the old trapper +days when a man found a snug valley and dwelt there for a time it became +known as his "hole" in the nomenclature of the mountains. The Major did +not think this a satisfactory name and he changed it to "Brown's Park" +which it now bears. I met an "old timer" on a western train several +years afterward, who was greatly irritated because of this liberty which +the Major took with the cherished designation of the early days. Fort +Davy Crockett of the fur-trading period was located somewhere in this +valley. + +[Illustration: In Red Canyon Park. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The next morning after reaching Harrell's camp we were told that, as +Frank did not seem able to stand the voyage he was to leave us here, to +go over the mountains back to the railway, whence he would go home. We +were all sorry to hear this and doubly sorry when on Sunday the 11th he +mounted a mule and regretfully rode away with Mr. Harrell. The latter +was to telegraph to Salt Lake to Mrs. Powell, to send our mail back to +Green River Station so that it could be brought out to us on Mr. +Harrell's return. Meanwhile we dropped down the river, now tranquil as a +pond, with low banks covered with cottonwood groves. There were two +small canyons the first of which we called "Little" about one-half mile +long, and the second "Swallow," about two miles long. The cliffs were +red sandstone about three hundred feet high, often vertical on both +sides. Thousands of swallows swarmed there, and we did not resist giving +it an obvious name. Below this the water spread out more and was full of +islands. The current was sluggish, two miles an hour perhaps, and we +indulged in the novelty of rowing the boats, though we did not try to +make speed, for we had to wait for Mr. Harrell's return anyhow. The +boats had been lightened by trading to Harrell some of our flour, of +which we had an over abundance when it came to portages, for fresh beef, +of which we were very much in need. At a convenient place we landed +where there was a fine cottonwood grove and remained while Prof. made a +climb and to jerk the beef. It was cut into thin strips and hung on a +willow framework in the sun with a slow fire beneath. As the thermometer +now stood at ninety-nine in the shade the beef was fairly well cured by +the 13th and we went on, seeing one of the cattlemen and a Mexican boy +on the left bank. In this neighbourhood we passed from Utah into +Colorado. The river was six hundred feet broad and about six feet deep. +We had no trouble from shoals, and finally lashed the three boats side +by side and let them drift along in the slow current. The Major sitting +in his arm-chair on the middle boat read aloud selections from _The Lady +of the Lake_ which seemed to fit the scene well. Steward and Andy amused +themselves by swimming along with the boats and occasionally diving +under them. + +From our noon camp in a grove of cottonwoods opposite the mouth of +Vermilion River, we could plainly see the great portal a mile or two +away, the Gate of Lodore, where all this tranquillity would end, for the +river cuts straight into the heart of the mountains forming one of the +finest canyons of the series where the water comes down as Southey +described it at Lodore, and the Major gave it that name. Before night we +were at the very entrance and made our camp there in a grove of +box-elders. Every man was looking forward to this canyon with some dread +and before losing ourselves within its depths we expected to enjoy the +letters from home which Mr. Harrell was to bring back from the railway +for us. Myriads of mosquitoes gave us something else to think of, for +they were exceedingly ferocious and persistent, driving us to a high +bluff where a smudge was built to fight them off. We were nearly +devoured. I fared best, a friend having given me a net for my head, and +this, with buckskin gloves on my hands enabled me to exist with some +comfort. The mountains rose abruptly just beyond our camp, and the river +cleaved the solid mass at one stroke, forming the extraordinary and +magnificent portal we named the "Gate of Lodore," one of the most +striking entrances of a river into mountains to be found in all the +world. It is visible for miles. Prof. climbed the left side of the Gate +and also took observations for time. + +I was sent back to the valley to make some sketches and also to +accompany Steward on a geological tramp. We had an uncomfortable +experience because of the excessive heat and aridity. I learned several +things about mountaineering that I never forgot, one of which was to +always thoroughly note and mark a place where anything is left to be +picked up on a return, for, leaving our haversack under a cedar it +eluded all search till the next day, and meanwhile we were compelled to +go to the river two or three miles away for water. We had a rubber +poncho and a blanket. Using the rubber for a mattress and the blanket +for a covering we passed the night, starting early for the mountains, +where at last we found our food bag. After eating a biscuit we went back +to the river and made tea and toasted some beef on the end of a ramrod, +when we struck for the main camp, arriving at dinner-time. + +The Gate of Lodore seemed naturally the beginning of a new stage in our +voyage to which we turned with some anxiety, for it was in the gorge now +before us that on the first trip a boat had been irretrievably smashed. +We were now 130 miles by river from the Union Pacific Railway crossing, +and in this distance we had descended 700 feet in altitude, more than +400 feet of it in Red Canyon. Lodore was said to have an even greater +declivity. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 5: Three points on Green River below the Union Pacific +crossing had been determined by previous explorers, the mouth of Henry's +Fork, the mouth of the Uinta, and Gunnison Crossing.] + +[Footnote 6: I do not know the number of men composing this party.] + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + Locked in the Chasm of Lodore--Rapids with Railway Speed--A + Treacherous Approach to Falls of Disaster--Numerous Loadings + and Unloadings--Over the Rocks with Cargoes--Library + Increased by _Putnam's Magazine_--Triplet Falls and Hell's + Half Mile--Fire in Camp--Exit from Turmoil to Peace. + + +On Saturday the 17th of June, the member of the Harrell party who was to +travel overland from Green River Station with mail for us from Salt Lake +arrived with only two letters. The despatch had been too late to stop +the packet which already had been started for the Uinta Indian Agency, +whence it would reach us at the mouth of the Uinta River. It would be +another month, at least, before we could receive those longed for words +from home. There was nothing now to delay us further, and after dinner +the boats were prepared for canyon work again. Through Brown's Park we +had not been obliged to pay much attention to "ship-shape" arrangements, +but now the story was to be different. The cabins were packed with +unusual care, the life-preservers were inflated and put where they could +be quickly seized on the approach to a bad descent, and at four o'clock +we were afloat. The wide horizon vanished. The cliffs, red and majestic, +rose at one bound to a height of about 2000 feet on each side, the most +abrupt and magnificent gateway to a canyon imaginable. We entered +slowly, for the current in the beginning is not swift, and we watched +the mighty precipices while they appeared to fold themselves together +behind and shut us more than ever away from the surrounding wilderness. +For a short time the stream was quite tame. Then the murmur of distant +troubled waters reached us and we prepared for work. The first rapid was +not a bad one; we ran it without halting and ran three more in quick +succession, one of which was rather ugly. + +[Illustration: The Head of the Canyon of Lodore. + +Just inside the Gate. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +This success caused some of us prematurely to conclude that perhaps "the +way the water comes down at Lodore," was not so terrific as had been +anticipated. The Major said nothing. He kept his eyes directed ahead. +The river ran about 300 feet wide, with a current of 10 to 15 miles an +hour in the rapids. At every bend new vistas of beauty were exhibited, +and the cliffs impressed us more and more by their increasing height and +sublimity. Landing places were numerous. Presently there came to our +ears a roar with an undertone which spoke a language now familiar, and +we kept as close to the right bank as possible, so that a stop could be +instantly made at the proper moment. When this moment arrived a landing +was effected for examination, and it revealed a furious descent, studded +with large rocks, with a possibility of safely running through it if an +exact course could be held, but the hour being now late a camp was made +at the head and further investigation deferred till the next morning. + +This morning was Sunday, and the sun shone into the canyon with dazzling +brilliancy, all being tranquil except the foaming rapid. The locality +was so fascinating that we lingered to explore, finding especial +interest in a delightful grotto carved out of the red sandstone by the +waters of a small brook. The entrance was narrow, barely 20 feet, a mere +cleft in the beginning, but as one proceeded up it between walls 1500 +feet high, the cleft widened, till at 15 rods it ended in an +amphitheatre 100 feet in diameter, with a domed top. Clear, cold water +trickled and dropped in thousands of diamond-like globules from +everything. Mosses and ferns filled all the crevices adding a brilliant +green to the picture, while far up overhead a little ribbon of blue sky +could be seen; and, beyond the mouth, the yellow river. It was an +exquisite scene. At the request of Steward, it's discoverer, it was +named after his little daughter, "Winnie's Grotto." So charming was it +here that we did not get off till ten o'clock, Beaman meanwhile taking +several views. + +It was decided to run the rapid, for there was a comparatively straight +channel about ten feet wide, and it was only a question of steering +right. As our boat was to take it first the other crews came to a point +where they could watch us to advantage and profit by our experience. +Sticks, as usual, had been thrown in to determine the trend of the main +current which must always be considered in dealing with any rapid. If it +dashes against a cliff below, means must be found to cut across before +reaching that point. On the other hand, if the main current has a +comparatively clear chute, running through is not a difficult matter as +in the present case. We pulled up-stream a short distance before putting +out into the middle. Then we took the rapid as squarely as possible. We +saw that we would have to go sharply to the left to avoid one line of +rocks, and then to the right to clear another, both of which actions +were successfully accomplished. Then we waited below for the others. +They had no trouble either, and the three boats sped on and on into the +greater depths beyond where wilder waters were foaming. + +All rapids have "tails" of waves tapering out below, that is the waves +grow smaller as they increase the distance from the initial wave. These +waves are the reverse of sea waves, the form remaining in practically +one place while the water flies through. In many rapids there is an eddy +on each side of this tail in which a current runs up-river with great +force. If a boat is caught in this eddy it may be carried a second time +through a part of the rapid. We soon arrived at another rapid in which +this very thing happened to our boat. We were caught by the eddy and +carried up-stream to be launched directly into the path of the _Nell_, +which had started down. Prof. skilfully threw his boat to one side and +succeeded in avoiding a collision. Nothing could be done with our boat +but to let her go where she would for the moment. We then ran two other +rapids, rough ones too, but there was no trouble in them for any of the +boats. The velocity at this stage of water was astonishing, and the +opportunities to land in quiet water between the rapids now were few. + +[Illustration: Canyon of Lodore. + +Low water. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1874.] + +About dinner-time as we emerged at high speed from one rapid we saw +immediately below lying in ominous shadow, another. It had a forbidding +look. In Red Canyon owing to the east-and-west trend the sun fell to the +bottom for many more hours than in Lodore which has a north-and-south +trend. Hence here even at high noon, one side or the other might be in +deep shadow. In this particular case it was the left wall which came +down very straight to the river, the outside of a bend. Opposite was a +rocky, wooded point. Between these the rapid swept down. There was no +slack water separating the end of the rapid we left from the beginning +of this one so obscurely situated. Landing was no easy task at the speed +with which we were flying, but it would not do to try to run the rapid +without an examination. The only possible place to stop was on the right +where there was a cove with a little strip of beach, and we headed for +it instantly, pulling with every muscle. Yet we continued going on down +at railway speed. When at last we arrived within a few feet of the bank +the problem was how to stop. The water appeared shallow, though we could +not see bottom on account of its murky character, and there was only one +course, which was to jump out and make anchors of our legs. As we did so +we sank to our waists and were pulled along for a moment but our feet, +braced against the large rocks on the bottom, served the purpose and the +momentum was overcome. Once the velocity was gone it was easy to get the +boat to the beach, and she was tied there just in time to allow us to +rush to the help of the _Nell_.[7] Scarcely had the _Nell_ been tied up +than the _Cañonita_ came darting for the same spot like a locomotive. +With the force on hand she was easily controlled, and the fact that she +carried the cook outfit as well as the cook added to our joy at having +her so speedily on the beach. Andy went to work immediately to build a +fire and prepare dinner while the rest overhauled the boats, took +observations, plotted notes, or did other necessary things, and the +Major and Prof. went down to take a close look at the rapid which had +caused us such sudden and violent exertion. They reported a clear +channel in the middle, and when we continued after dinner, we went +through easily and safely, as of course we could have done in the first +place if the Major had been willing to take an unknown risk. But in the +shadow the fall might have been almost anything and it would have been +foolhardy to run it without examination, even though we found it so hard +to stop. Below the rapid that had halted us so abruptly there was +nothing for about a mile but easy running, when we stopped in a cove to +examine another rapid. Prof. here started up eleven mountain sheep, but +by the time he had come back to the boats for a gun they were beyond +reach. Though this rapid could be easily run, there was just below it +only a short distance the fall where the _No-Name_ was wrecked on the +first trip, and we would have to be cautious, for the approach to that +fall we knew was treacherous. + +The river comes at this point from the east, bends south, then west, and +it is just at the western bend that the steep rush of the big fall +begins and continues for three-quarters of a mile. On the right the +waters beat fiercely against the foot of the perpendicular wall, while +on the left they are confined by a rocky point, the end of which is +composed of enormous blocks. The space for the stream between this point +and the opposite cliff is narrow, while the river above it spreads +rather wide with a deep bay on the left where there is quiet water. This +bay is protected a quarter of a mile up by a jutting point, and is +merely back water. Just off the point the whole river suddenly becomes +saucer-like, and quite smooth, with all the currents drawing strongly in +from every direction and pouring toward and over the falls. An object +once within the grip of this "sag," as we called it, is obliged to pass +over the falls. The situation is peculiar and it occurs nowhere else on +the whole river. Not being understood on the first voyage one of the +boats, the _No-Name_, was trapped, driven over the falls, and broken to +fragments, though the men were rescued below. The disaster was the cause +of some unpleasantness on that voyage, the men blaming the Major for not +signalling properly and he blaming them for not landing quickly when he +signalled. + +We were on the lookout for it and the Major having the wreck to +emphasise the peculiarities of the "sag" desired to have every boat turn +the point at the correct moment. Ours ran through the preliminary rapid +easily and we dropped cautiously down upon our great enemy, hugging the +left bank as closely as we could to reach the jutting point around which +the boat must pass to arrive in the safe waters of the bay. We turned +the point with no difficulty, and proceeded a distance across the bay +where we landed on a beach to watch for the other boats, the steersmen +having been informed as to the precariousness of the locality. +Nevertheless it was so deceptive that when the _Nell_ came in sight she +was not close enough to the left shore for safety. The Major signalled +vigorously with his hat, and Prof. took the warning instantly and turned +in, but when the _Cañonita_ appeared we saw at once that she was +altogether too far out and for some seconds we stood almost petrified +while the Major again signalled with all his might. It seemed an even +chance; then she gained on the current and finally reached good water +whence she came to our position. Beaman had been a pilot on the Great +Lakes and was expert with a steering-oar, and probably for that reason +he was somewhat careless. There was hardly an excuse in this instance +for a boat not to take the proper course for the experience of the +_No-Name_ told the whole story, yet the place is so peculiar and unusual +that one even forewarned may fail. Across the bay pulling was safe and +we ran to a beach very close to the head of the falls where we made our +camp, the sun now being low and the huge cliffs casting a profound and +sombre shadow into the bottom. It was a wild, a fierce, an impressive +situation. The unending heavy roar of the tumbling river, the difficulty +if not impossibility of turning back even if such a thing had been +desired, the equal difficulty if not impossibility of scaling the walls +that stood more than 2000 feet above us, and the general sublimity of +the entire surroundings, rendered our position to my mind intensely +dramatic. Two years before, on this identical spot the Major had camped +with the loss of one of his boats bearing heavily on his mind, though +his magnificent will, his cheerful self-reliance, and his unconquerable +determination to dominate any situation gave him power and allied him to +the river itself. The place practically chose its own name, Disaster +Falls, and it was so recorded by the topographers. + +A hard portage was ahead of us and all turned in early to prepare by a +good sleep for the long work of the next day. No tent as a rule was +erected unless there was rain, and then a large canvas from each boat +was put up on oars or other sticks, the ends being left open. In a +driving storm a blanket would answer to fill in. As there was now no +indication of a storm our beds were placed on the sand as usual with the +sides of the canyon for chamber walls and the multitudinous stars for +roof. + +A short distance below the great rapid near which we were camped was a +second equally bad, the two together making up the three-quarter mile +descent of Disaster Falls. Between them the river became level for a +brief space and wider, and a deposit of boulders and gravel appeared +there in the middle above the surface at the present stage of water. It +was this island which had saved the occupants of the _No-Name_, and from +which they were rescued. + +We were up very early in the morning, and began to carry the cargoes by +a trail we made over and around the huge boulders to a place below the +bad water of the first fall. The temperature was in the 90's and it was +hot work climbing with a fifty-pound sack on one's back, but at last +after many trips back and forth every article was below. Then the empty +boats were taken one at a time, and by pulling, lifting, and sliding on +skids of driftwood, and by floating wherever practicable in the quieter +edges of the water, we got them successfully past the first fall. Here +the loads were replaced, and with our good long and strong lines an inch +thick, the boats were sent down several hundred yards in the rather +level water referred to intervening between the foot of the upper fall +and the head of the lower, to the beginning of the second descent. This +all occupied much time, for nothing could be done rapidly, and noon +came, in the midst of our work. Anticipating this event Andy had gone +ahead with his cook outfit and had baked the dinner bread in his Dutch +oven. With the usual fried bacon and coffee the inner man was speedily +fortified for another wrestle with the difficult and laborious +situation. The dinner bread was baked from flour taken out of a +hundred-pound sack that was found lying on top of an immense boulder far +above the river. This was flour that had been rescued by the former +party from the wreckage of the _No-Name_, but as they could not add it +to their remaining heavily laden boats, the Major had been compelled to +leave it lying here. They needed it badly enough towards the end. It was +still sweet and good, but we could not take it either. We were so much +better provisioned than the former party that it was, besides, not +necessary for us, and we also left it where it was. Our supplies were +not likely to fail us at the mouth of the Uinta, and beyond that there +was not yet need to worry. Although there were only two points below +Gunnison Crossing in a distance of nearly 600 miles where it was known +that the river could be reached, the Crossing of the Fathers and the +mouth of the Paria not far below it, we felt sure that those who had +been charged with the bringing of supplies to the mouth of the "Dirty +Devil" would be able to get there, and as we were to stop for the season +at the Paria, we would have time to plan for beyond. In any case our +boats were carrying now all they could, and without a regret we turned +our backs on the outcast flour. It was an ordinary sack of bolted wheat +flour, first in a cotton bag then in a gunny bag and had been lying +unbroken for two years. The outside for half an inch was hard, but +inside of that the flour was in excellent condition. Two oars were also +found. They were doubtless from the _No-Name_. + +[Illustration: F. S. Dellenbaugh + +The Heart of Lodore. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +After dinner we once more unloaded the boats and carried everything on +our backs up and across a long rocky hill, or point, down to a spot, +about a third of a mile altogether, where the goods were piled on a +smooth little beach at the margin of a quiet bay. It took many trips, +and it was exhausting work, but in addition to bringing the cargoes +down, we also by half past five got one of the boats there, by working +it over the rocks and along the edge. Here we camped and had supper as +soon as Andy could get it ready. It may be asked by some not familiar +with scientific work, how we always knew the time, but as we had the +necessary instruments for taking time astronomically, there was nothing +difficult about it. We also carried fine chronometers, and had a number +of watches. + +In the sand near the camp, which place at highest water might have +formed an eddy behind some huge rocks, a few old knives, forks, a rusty +bake oven, and other articles were found, the wreckage from some party +prior to that of the Major's first. He said they had not left anything +of that sort, and he had noticed the same things on the former trip. + +The total fall of the river here is about fifty feet, and no boat could +get through without smashing. + +The morning of June 20th found us early at work bringing down the two +boats we had left, and as soon as this was accomplished the cargoes were +put on once more, and we lowered the three one at a time, along the left +bank by means of our hundred-foot hawsers, with everything in them, +about a quarter of a mile to another bad place which we called Lower +Disaster Falls. Here we unloaded and made a short portage while Andy was +getting dinner. When we had disposed of this and reloaded, we pulled +into the river, which averaged about 350 feet wide, with a current in +places of 15 miles or more, and quickly arrived at three bad rapids in +succession, all of which we ran triumphantly, though the former party +made portages around them. In the third our boat took in so much water +that we made a landing in order to bail out. Continuing immediately we +reached another heavy rapid, but ran it without even stopping to +reconnoitre, as the way seemed perfectly clear. We took the next rapid +with equal success, though our boat got caught in an eddy and was turned +completely round, while the others ran past us. They landed to wait, and +there we all took a little breathing spell before attempting to run +another rapid just below which we made camp in a grove of cedars, at the +beginning of a descent that looked so ugly it was decided to make a +"let-down" on the following day. Everybody was wet to the skin and glad +to get on some dry clothes, as soon as we could pull out our bags. The +cliffs had now reached an altitude of at least 2500 feet, and they +appeared to be nearly perpendicular, but generally not from the water's +edge where there was usually a bank of some kind or the foot of a steep +talus. There were box-elder and cottonwood trees here and there, and +cedars up the cliffs wherever they could find a footing. On the heights +tall pine trees could be seen. The cliff just opposite camp was almost +vertical from the rapid at its foot to the brink 2500 feet above, and +flame red. + +After supper as we all sat in admiration and peering with some awe at +the narrow belt of sky, narrower than we had before seen it, the stars +slowly came out, and presently on the exact edge of the magnificent +precipice, set there like a diadem, appeared the Constellation of the +Harp. It was an impressive sight, and immediately the name was bestowed +"The Cliff of the Harp."[8] + +Prof. read _Marmion_ aloud, and Jack gave us a song or two, before we +went to sleep feeling well satisfied with our progress into the heart of +Lodore. + +This portion of the river has a very great declivity, the greatest as we +afterwards determined on the entire Green and Colorado with the +exception of a section of Cataract and a part of the First Granite Gorge +of the Grand Canyon, where the declivity is much the same, with Cataract +Canyon in the lead. A quarter-mile above our camp a fine little stream, +Cascade Creek, came in on the right. Beaman made some photographs in the +morning, and we began to work the boats down along the edge of the rapid +beside which we had camped. This took us till noon, and we had dinner +before venturing on. When we set forth we had good luck, and soon put +four rapids behind, running the first, letting down past two and running +the fourth which was a pretty bad one. Three-quarters of a mile of +smooth water then gave us a respite much appreciated, when we arrived at +a wild descent about as bad as Disaster Falls, though more safely +approached. This was called Triplet Falls by the first party. We went +into camp at the head of it on the left bank. This day we found a number +of fragments of the _No-Name_ here and there, besides an axe and a vise +abandoned by the first party, and a welcome addition to our library in a +copy of _Putnam's Magazine_. This was the first magazine ever to +penetrate to these extreme wilds. The river was from 300 to 400 feet +wide, and the walls ran along with little change, about 2500 feet high. +Opposite camp was Dunn's Cliff, the end of the Sierra Escalante, about +2800 feet high, named for one of the first party who was killed by the +Indians down in Arizona. We remained a day here to let the topographers +climb out if they could. They had little trouble in doing this, and +after a pleasant climb reached the top through a gulch at an altitude +above the river of 3200 feet. The view was extensive and their efforts +were rewarded by obtaining much topographical information. Late in the +day the sky grew dark, the thunder rolled, and just before supper we had +a good shower. + +[Illustration: Canyon of Lodore--Dunn's Cliff. + +2800 Feet above River. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +On the 23d progress was continued and every one felt well after the +cessation for a day of the knocking about amidst the foam and boulders. +It took us, with hard work, till two o'clock to get past Triplet Falls +by means of a double portage. About half a mile below this we were +confronted by one of the worst looking places we had yet seen, and at +the suggestion of Steward it received the significant name of "Hell's +Half Mile." The entire river for more than half a mile was one sheet of +white foam. There was not a quiet spot in the whole distance, and the +water plunged and pounded in its fierce descent and sent up a deafening +roar. The only way one could be heard was to yell with full lung power. +Landing at the head of it easily we there unloaded the _Dean_ and let +her down by line for some distance. In the worst place she capsized but +was not damaged. Then the water, near the shore we were on, though +turbulent in the extreme became so shallow on account of the great width +of the rapid here that when we had again loaded the _Dean_ there were +places where we were forced to walk alongside and lift her over rocks, +but several men at the same time always had a strong hold on the shore +end of the line. In this way we got her down as far as was practicable +by that method. At this point the river changed. The water became more +concentrated and consequently deeper. It was necessary to unload the +boat again and work her on down with a couple of men in her and the rest +holding the line on shore as we had done above. When the roughest part +was past in this manner, we made her fast and proceeded to carry her +cargo down to this spot which took some time. It was there put on board +again and the hatches firmly secured. The boat was held firmly behind a +huge sheltering rock and when all was ready her crew took their places. +With the Major clinging to the middle cabin, as his chair had been left +above and would be carried down later, we shoved out into the swift +current, here free from rocks, and literally bounded over the waves that +formed the end of the descent, to clear water where we landed on a snug +little beach and made the boat secure for the night. Picking our way +along shore back to the head of the rapid, camp was made there as the +darkness was falling and nothing more could be done that night. + +[Illustration: Jones, Hillers, F. S. Dellenbaugh + +Canyon of Lodore. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +It was next to impossible to converse, but every one being very tired it +was not long after supper before we took to the blankets and not a man +was kept awake by the noise. It seemed only a few moments before it was +time to go at it again. All hands were up early and the other two boats +were taken laboriously down in the same manner as the _Dean_ had been +engineered, but though we toiled steadily it was one o'clock by the time +we succeeded in placing them alongside that boat. Anticipating this, +Andy's utensils were taken down on the _Nell_, and while we were working +with the _Cañonita_, our good chef prepared the dinner and we stopped +long enough to fortify ourselves with it. Having to build a trail in +some places in order to carry the goods across ridges and boulders, it +was not alone the work on lowering the boats which delayed us. While we +were absorbed in these operations the camp-fire of the morning in some +way spread unperceived into the thick sage-brush and cedars which +covered the point, and we vacated the place none too soon, for the +flames were leaping high, and by the time we had finished our dinner at +the foot of the rapid, the point we had so recently left was a horrible +furnace. The fire was jumping and playing amidst dense smoke which +rolled a mighty column, a thousand feet it seemed to me above the top of +the canyon; that is over 3000 feet into the tranquil air. + +At two o'clock all three boats were again charging down on a stiff +current with rather bad conditions, though we ran two sharp rapids +without much trouble. In one the _Nell_ got on a smooth rock and came +near capsizing. The current at the spot happened to be not so swift and +she escaped with no damage. Then we were brought up by another rapid, a +very bad one. Evening was drawing on and every man was feeling somewhat +used up by the severe exertions of the day. Camp was therefore ordered +at the head of this rapid in the midst of scenery that has probably as +great beauty, picturesqueness, and grandeur as any to be found in the +whole West. I hardly know how to describe it. All day long the +surroundings had been supremely beautiful, majestic, but at this camp +everything was on a superlative scale and words seem colourless and +futile. The precipices on both sides, about 2200 feet high, conveyed the +impression of being almost vertical. Our camp was several hundred yards +from the rapid and we could talk with some comfort. After supper I +wandered alone down beside the furiously plunging waters and came upon a +brood of young magpies airing themselves on the sand. The roar of the +fall prevented their hearing and I walked among them, picked one up and +took it to camp to show their comicality, when I let it go back to the +rendezvous. I was censured especially by the Major, for cruelty to +animals. + +The next day was Sunday and it came with a radiance that further +enhanced the remarkable grandeur around us. Near by was a side canyon of +the most picturesque type, down which a clear little brook danced from +ledge to ledge and from pool to pool, twenty to thirty feet at a time. +We named it Leaping Brook. The rocks were mossy, and fir trees, pines, +cedars, and cottonwoods added the charm of foliage to the brilliant +colours of the rocks and the sheen of falling water, here and there lost +in the most profound shadows. Beaman made a number of views while the +rest of the men climbed for various purposes. Steward, Clem, and I by a +circuitous route arrived at a point high up on Leaping Brook where the +scene was beyond description. To save trouble on the return we descended +the brook as it was easy to slide down places that could not be climbed. +In this manner we succeeded in getting to the last descent near camp, to +discover that it was higher than we thought and almost vertical with +rough rocks at the bottom. As we could not go back and had no desire to +break a leg, we were in trouble. Then we spied Jack in the camp a short +distance away and called to him to put a tree up for us. Good-natured +Jack, always ready to help, assumed a gruff tone and pretended he would +never help us, but we knew better, and presently he threw up a long dead +pine which we could reach by a short slide, and thus got to the river +level. It was now noon, and as soon as dinner was over the boats were +lowered by lines past the rapid beside camp and once below this we shot +on our way with a fine current, soon arriving at two moderate rapids +close together, which we ran. This brought us to a third with an ugly +look, but on examination Prof. and the Major decided to run it. Getting +a good entrance all the boats went through without the slightest mishap. +A mile below this place we landed at the mouth of a pretty little stream +entering through a picturesque and narrow canyon on the left. We called +it Alcove Brook. + +Beaman took some negatives here. This was not the easy matter that the +dry-plate afterwards made it, for the dark tent had to be set up, the +glass plate flowed with collodion, then placed in the silver bath, and +exposed wet in the camera, to be immediately developed and washed and +placed in a special box for carriage. + +This would have been an ideal place for a hunter. Numerous fresh tracks +of grizzlies were noticed all around, but we did not have the good luck +to see any of the animals themselves. Happy grounds these canyons were +at that time for the bears, and they may still be enjoying the seclusion +the depths afford. The spot had an additional interest for us because it +was here that on the first trip the brush caught fire soon after the +party had landed, and they were forced to take to the boats so +unceremoniously that they lost part of their mess-kit and some clothing. + +On leaving Alcove Brook we ran a rapid and then another a little farther +on, but they were easy and the river was much calmer though the current +was still very swift. At the same time the walls to our satisfaction +began to give indications of breaking. They became less high, less +compact, and we ventured to hope that our battle with the waters of +Lodore was about over. The Major said that, as nearly as he could +remember, the end of the great gorge was not very far below. Though the +sky was beginning to show the evening tints we kept on and ever on, +swiftly but smoothly, looking up at the sky and at the splendid walls. +The sun went down. The chasm grew hazy with the soft light of evening +and the mystery of the bends deepened. There was no obstruction and in +about three miles from Alcove Brook we rather abruptly emerged into a +beautiful small opening, where the immediate walls were no more than six +hundred feet high. A river of considerable size flowed in on the left, +through a deep and narrow canyon. This was the Yampa, sometimes then +called Bear River. By seven o'clock we had moored the boats a few yards +up its mouth and we made a comfortable camp in a box-elder grove. We +had won the fight without disaster and we slept that night in peace. + +Lodore is wholly within the State of Colorado. It is 20-3/4 miles long +with a descent of 420 feet,[9] mostly concentrated between Disaster +Falls and Hell's Half-Mile, a distance of about 12 miles. The total +descent from the Union Pacific crossing was 975 feet in a distance, as +the river runs, of about 153 miles. + +[Illustration: Echo Park. + +Mouth of Yampa River in Foreground, Green River on Right. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 7: Professor Thompson's diary says he landed first after a +hard pull, "and then caught the other boats below, they not succeeding +in getting in."] + +[Footnote 8: In his report the Major ascribes the naming of this cliff +to an evening on the first voyage. The incident could hardly have +occurred twice even had the camps been in the same place.] + +[Footnote 9: In my _Romance of the Colorado River_ these figures were +changed to 275 because of barometrical data supplied me which was +supposed to be accurate. I have concluded that it was not.] + + + + +CHAPTER V + + A Remarkable Echo--Up the Canyon of the Yampa--Steward and + Clem Try a Moonlight Swim--Whirlpool Canyon and Mountain + Sheep--A Grand Fourth-of-July Dinner--A Rainbow-Coloured + Valley--The Major Proceeds in Advance--A Split Mountain with + Rapids a Plenty--Enter a Big Valley at Last. + + +The little opening between canyons we named Echo Park, first because +after the close quarters of Lodore it seemed very park-like, and second +because from the smooth bare cliff directly opposite our landing a +distinct echo of ten words was returned to the speaker. I had never +before, and have never since, heard so clear and perfect an echo with so +many words repeated. We were camped on the right bank of the Yampa as +the left was a bottom land covered with cedars and we preferred higher +ground. This bottom was an alluvial deposit triangular in shape about a +mile long and a quarter of a mile wide with the Yampa and Green on two +sides and a vertical sandstone wall on the third. Behind our camp the +rocks broke back in a rough, steep slope for perhaps a quarter of a +mile, and this with the bottom-land and the lack of height in the walls +near the river conveyed an impression of wide expanse when compared with +the narrow limits in which we had for eight days been confined. The +Green was here about 400 feet wide and was held in on the western side +of the park by the Echo Cliff which was a vertical wall some 600 feet +high composed of homogeneous sandstone, and consequently almost without +a crack from top to bottom where its smooth expanse dropped below the +surface of the water. It extended down river about three-fourths of a +mile, the river doubling around its southern end. + +The next day after arriving here most of us did not feel like doing any +climbing and remained around camp, mending clothes and other articles, +adjusting things that had become deranged by our rough work in the last +canyon, recording notes, and making entries in diaries. Prof. took +observations for latitude and longitude to establish the position of the +Yampa so that it could be properly placed on the map. The Major during +an exploring trip from the eastward in 1868 had reached the Yampa +Canyon, but he could not cross it. He now decided to go up with a boat +as far as possible in three days to supplement his former observations +as well as to study the canyon in general. He had estimated its length +at thirty miles, and this has proved to be correct. The _Dean_ was +unloaded, and with three days' rations the Major started with her in the +morning manned by Jack, Beaman, Jones, and Andy. Of course they were all +still tired from the strain of Lodore, and they were not enthusiastic +about seeing the Yampa. In such work as was common through Lodore, it is +as much the tension on the nerves, even though this is not realised at +the time, as it is the strain on the muscles in transporting the cargoes +and the boats, which makes one tired. I was entirely satisfied not to +go with the Yampa party and I believe all the others left behind felt +much the same. + +Steward with Clem, when the Yampa expedition had gone, started back over +the cliffs for Alcove Brook to geologise, leaving Prof. busy with +observation, Cap. plotting the topographical notes and making his map +thereby, and me with no special duty at the time. Every man who wants to +be efficient in the field must learn to cook. This was my opportunity as +Andy was absent and the others had their special work on hand, so I +turned my attention to the culinary realm. A few directions and an +example from Cap. who was a veteran gave me the method and I succeeded +as my first offering, in placing before my comrades some biscuits hot +from the Dutch oven, which compared favourably with those of Andy +himself. With the constant practice Andy by this time had become an +expert. The day wore away and at evening I got supper with more biscuits +of which I was proud, but Steward and Clem failed to come to partake of +them as we expected. Darkness fell and still there was dead silence +outside of our camp. Much concerned we then ate supper momentarily +expecting to hear their voices, but they did not come. Something had +happened, but we could not follow their trail till morning to find out +what it was. At ten o'clock we gave them up for the night deeply +troubled about them. I had been sitting alone by the fire keeping the +coffee hot and listening, when suddenly I heard a crackling of the +bushes between me and the river and in a second or two Clem, laughing as +over a joke, came to the fire with the water running off him in streams. +While I was trying to get an explanation Steward also appeared in the +same condition. At first they would not tell what had occurred but +finally they confessed on condition that I would keep the matter a +secret. They had made a long hard climb and late in the afternoon had +come to a place where Steward found it necessary to descend to the river +in examining the strata. They intended to climb back, but when the work +was done the sun had set and it was too late to venture up as they could +not climb in the dark. Rather than stay there all night they made a raft +of two little dead cedars and tying their shoes upon it, they waited for +the moon to rise. This was very soon and they slipped into the current +relying on the raft merely to keep their heads above water. They knew +there were no rapids between them and camp but they did not properly +estimate the velocity of the river and the eddies and whirlpools. They +kept near the left wall so as not to be carried past camp and in this +they made a great mistake for they were caught in a whirlpool caused by +a projection, and the raft was wrenched from them while they were +violently thrown around. Steward being a powerful swimmer succeeded +after nearly going under for good in regaining the raft which Clem +meanwhile had been losing and recovering quickly several times. He was +not a good swimmer. After this whirlpool was passed they reached the +locality of our camp with no further adventure. They were very desirous +that the story be kept from the rest of the party but they had hardly +finished telling me when Prof. came and insisted on knowing what had +occurred. Their punishment for this indiscretion was the hard climb back +again to where they had left a rifle and other things that must be +recovered. + +A delightful episode of this camp was a row which several of us made up +the Yampa in the moonlight. As far as we went the current was not swift +and we were able to pull gently along under the great cliffs in shadows +made luminous by the brilliancy of the moon. A song the Major was fond +of singing, _Softly and Sweetly it Comes from Afar_, almost +involuntarily, sprang from us all, though our great songster, Jack, was +not with us. Jack had an extensive repertory, an excellent voice, and a +hearty, exuberant spirit. He would sing _Write Me a Letter from Home_, +_The Colleen Bawn_, _The Lone Starry Hours_, _Beautiful Isle of the +Sea_, and many others in a way that brought tranquillity to our souls. +We missed him on this evening but nevertheless our song sounded well, +echoing from wall to wall, and we liked it. Somehow or other that night +remains one of the fairest pictures I have ever seen. + +Another day I went with Steward down across the triangular bottom to the +lower end of the park where we climbed out through the canyon of a +little brook to a sandy and desolate plateau. Currant bushes laden with +fruit abounded and there were tracks of grizzlies to be seen. Possibly +some may have been lying in the dense underbrush, but if so they kept +their lairs as these bears generally do unless directly disturbed. + +On the 30th of June Prof., Steward, and Cap. went for a climb. They +proceeded to the lower end of the park by boat and through the little +canyon that came in there, got out to the plateau where Steward and I +had before been, but there they went farther. After a very hard climb +they succeeded in reaching the crest where they had a broad view and +could see nearly all of the next canyon with its rapids which we would +have to pass through; the canyon the Major had called Whirlpool on his +first trip. They could also see the Yampa River for twenty miles and +discovered the _Dean_ coming back down that stream, their attention +being attracted by a gunshot in that direction, which they knew could be +only from our own men. In camp during the day I again experimented in +the culinary department, and produced two dried-apple pies, one of which +Clem and I ate with an indescribable zest, and the other we kept to +astonish the absentees with when they should reach camp. I have since +learned that my method of pie-making was original I soaked the dried +apples till they were soft then made a crust which had plenty of bacon +grease in it for shortening and put the apples with sugar between, +baking the production in the Dutch oven. + +About five o'clock the Yampa explorers came. They were ragged, tired, +and hungry having had nothing to eat all day, and not enough any day, as +the Major had not taken sufficient supplies in his desire to make the +boat light. They were all rather cross, the only time on the whole +expedition that such a state existed, but when they had eaten and rested +their genial spirits came back, they even liked my pie, and they told us +about their struggle up the canyon. + +We were all rather sorry to pull away from this comfortable camp at the +mouth of the Yampa on July 3d, but the rapids of Whirlpool were +challenging and we had to go and meet them. At the foot of Echo Park the +Green doubles directly back on itself for a mile as it turns Echo Rock, +the narrow peninsula of sandstone 600 feet high. The canyon became +suddenly very close and assumed a formidable appearance. We listened for +the roar of a rapid but for some time nothing was heard. The splendour +of the walls impressed us deeply rising 2000 feet, many coloured, +carved, and terraced elaborately. Our admiration was interrupted by a +suggestive roar approaching and suddenly a violent rapid appeared. There +was ample room and we got below it by a let-down, that is by lowering +the boats one at a time with their cargoes on board, along the margin, +working in and out of the side currents. Then we had dinner while +waiting for the _Cañonita_ which had remained behind for pictures. + +A part of my work was to make a continuous outline sketch of the left +wall for the use of the geologists and this I was able to do as we went +along. I had a pocket on the bulkhead in front of my seat in which I +kept a sole leather portfolio, which I could use quickly and replace in +the waterproof pocket. + +The walls of the canyon became more flaring as soon as the rapid was +passed at noon, but they lost none of their majesty. We now expected +very bad river and whirlpools from the experience of the first party, +but the river is never twice alike. Not only does its bottom shift, but +every variation in stage of water brings new problems or does away with +them entirely. It was an agreeable surprise to be able to run three +rapids with ease by four o'clock, when we saw on some rocks two hundred +feet above the stream a flock of mountain sheep. An immediate landing +was made with fresh mutton in prospect. Unluckily our guns in +anticipation of severe work had all been securely packed away, and it +was some moments before they could be brought out. By that time the +sheep had nimbly gone around a corner of the wall where a large side +canyon was now discovered bringing in a fine creek. It was useless to +follow the sheep though one or two made a brief trial, and camp was made +in a cottonwood grove at the mouth of the creek. Cottonwoods fringed the +stream as far as it could be seen from our position. Brush Creek we +called it believing it to be the mouth of a stream in the back country +known by that name. The next day, two or three miles up, a branch was +found to come from the south, and as this was thought to be Brush Creek, +the larger one was named after Cap., and "Bishop's Creek" was put on our +map. Doubtless there are plenty of trout in this creek and in others we +had passed, but we had no proper tackle for trout and besides seldom had +time for fishing when at these places. Jack, when not too tired, fished +in the Green and generally had good success. Our present locality would +have been a rare place for a month or two's sojourn had we been +sportsmen with time on our hands. Sheep, deer, and bear existed in +abundance as well as smaller game, but we had to forget it though none +of us cared about shooting for fun. Our minds were on other things. +Often we went out leaving rifles behind as they were heavy in a climb. + +[Illustration: Whirlpool Canyon. + +Mouth of Bishop Creek--Fourth of July Camp. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Scarcely had we settled ourselves in this beautiful camp when we +discovered that we ourselves were the hunted, and by an enemy that we +could not vanquish--ants. There was no place in the neighbourhood that +was out of their range. The best I could do was to make my bed two feet +from the nearest hill and let them have their way. Morning was hailed +with unusual delight for this reason and also because it was the +"glorious Fourth," a day that every American remembers wherever he may +be. We fired several rounds as a salute, and the Major concluded to keep +this camp till the next morning. To enable Andy to have a day off and a +climb out with a party to the open, I agreed to run the cook outfit, and +felt highly complimented that they were willing to trust me after the +pie episode. I immediately resolved to try my skill again in that +quarter and expected to astonish the camp. I succeeded. The bill of fare +which I evolved was ham, dried-apple pie, dried apples stewed, canned +peaches, sugar syrup, bread, coffee, and some candy from Gunther's in +Chicago. The candy had been presented to me at Green River Station by +some passing friends, and I had hidden it in my bag waiting for this +grand occasion. Ham was quite as much of a luxury as candy, for we had +started with but three or four, and only used them on special days. As +for the canned peaches, they were the only ones we had. The supper was a +memorable one; not a grumble was heard from anybody, indeed they all +praised it, and the only drawback, from my point of view, was that the +scouting party did not return early enough to taste it in its prime. The +Major threatened to expel the member who had smuggled in the candy as +all the men declared they would go no farther unless they could have a +plate of it for desert at every meal! + +The next morning we were on the river early, glad to get away from the +army of ants. The canyon walls ran along at about the same height as on +the previous day, about 2400 feet, and while the river was swift and +full of rapids everything seemed to favour us. Before halting for dinner +we had run five rapids, three rather ugly, as well as letting down past +one with lines. From where a stop was made for Andy's noonday +operations, a flock of sheep was seen on the opposite side, and several +went after them with no result but disappointment. When we started again +we ran a rapid at once, then let down past the next, and followed that +by running two more, the last the worst. The boats bumped occasionally +on hidden rocks, but no harm was done them. The whole canyon was +exceedingly beautiful, nevertheless we did not mourn when late in the +afternoon, just after running the last rapid, the magnificent cliffs +fell back and we saw more sky than at any time since leaving Brown's +Park. On the right the rocks melted away into beautiful rainbow-coloured +hills while on the left they remained steep, though retreating a mile or +so from the water. The stretch of sky seemed enormous. Breathing +appeared to be easier. The eye grows weary with the short range views, +and yearns for space in which to roam. + +The valley we were now in was not long; about four miles in a straight +line, with a width of two. In this space the river meanders nine miles, +one detour being very long. It spreads also amongst a number of islands, +and the numerous channels became shallow till our keels grated here and +there. Then they concentrated once more and we floated along on waters +deep and black and slow. The marvellous colouring in the surrounding +landscape impressed us, and the Major was for a time uncertain whether +to call this "Rainbow" or "Island" Park, the decision finally being +given to the latter. Shortly before sunset our meanderings terminated at +the foot of the valley where the river once more entered the rocks, in a +gateway as abrupt, though not as imposing as that of Lodore. A fine +grove of box-elders on the right just above this gate, offered an +attractive camping place, and there we stopped. + +We were now in Utah again, having crossed the boundary somewhere in +Whirlpool Canyon. The altitude was 4940 feet, showing a descent in +Whirlpool Canyon of 140 feet in a distance of 14-1/4 miles. The next day +I went with Beaman and Clem with a boat back to the foot of Whirlpool +Canyon, in order that Beaman might get some views. It was a hard pull, +and we discovered that what appears sluggish going down, is often the +reverse to a boat going up. We could make headway only by keeping very +close to the bank. It was supper-time when we again reached camp. The +Major now announced that he intended to take the _Dean_ and go on ahead, +without stopping anywhere, to the mouth of the Uinta River, leaving us +to follow as we could in doing the work. Cap. was to be taken in my +place because of his previous experience in the army and in the West. +That evening all was made ready. By break of day the camp was astir, +breakfast was disposed of as quickly as possible, the _Dean_ was manned, +the Major went to his place on the middle cabin, they cast off and +disappeared in the canyon gate. We then called this "Craggy Canyon," but +later it was changed to Split Mountain. + +All of the others crossed the river to climb to the top of the cliffs +for observations and for photographs. I was left alone to watch camp. I +longed to experiment further in the cooking line, and discovering a bag +of ground coffee leaning against the foot of a tree, I said to myself, +"coffee cake." I had heard of it, I had eaten it, I would again surprise +the boys. I had no eggs, no butter, no milk (condensed milk was unknown +at that time), but I had flour, water, cream of tartar, saleratus, +sugar, salt, and ground coffee. I thought these quite enough, and went +at my task. The mixture I made I put in a small tin and baked in the +Dutch oven. I was so much occupied with this interesting experiment that +I forgot all about time and about having something substantial ready for +the return of the hungry climbers, so when they did come about noon, as +famished as coyotes and dead tired, all I could offer was _the_ cake, +ever after famous on that trip, a brown, sugary solid, some six inches +in diameter, two inches thick, and betraying its flavour everywhere by +the coffee-grounds scattered lavishly through it. Andy gave it one brief +sad look, and then went to work to get dinner. But they were such a rare +lot of good fellows that they actually praised that cake and not only +that, they ate it. The cake led to the discovery that the Major's party +had left behind all their coffee, which was what I had used for +flavouring, and they would have to content themselves with tea. From the +heights our men had reached they could see, with a glass, the _Dean_ +working rapidly down the river. Next day another party went up to the +same place, and I went along. The photographic outfit had been left +there because rain the day before had spoiled the view, and we were to +bring it down when more views had been taken. After a strong, steep +climb we found ourselves on a peak or pinnacle about 3000 feet above the +river, and therefore 7940 above sea-level. + +The view from this point was extraordinary. Far below gleamed the river +cleaving the rocks at our feet, and visible for several miles in the +canyon churning its way down, the rapids indicated by bars of white. One +hardly knew which way to look. Crags about us projected into the canyon, +and I was inspired to creep out upon a long finger of sandstone where I +could sit astride as on a horse and comfortably peer down into the +abyss. It was an absolutely safe place, but Beaman and Clem feared the +crag might break off with me, and they compelled me to come back to +relieve their minds. Seldom does one have such a chance to see below as +well as I could there. The long, narrow mountain stretched off to the +west, seeming not more than a half-mile wide, and split open for its +whole length by the river, which has washed its canyon longitudinally +through it. In all directions were mountains, canyons, and crags in +bewildering profusion. + +When Beaman had ended his labours we started down the cliffs with his +apparatus. This was the terror of the party. The camera in its strong +box was a heavy load to carry up the rocks, but it was nothing to the +chemical and plate-holder box, which in turn was a featherweight +compared to the imitation hand-organ which served for a dark room. This +dark box was the special sorrow of the expedition, as it had to be +dragged up the heights from 500 to 3000 feet. With this machinery we +reached camp pretty tired and glad to rest the remainder of the day, +especially as Prof. said we would enter the new canyon the next morning. +This was Sunday. A few minutes after starting we passed between +perpendicular strata rising out of the water, and gradually bending +above over to the horizontal, then breaking into crags. I never saw +anything more like an artificial wall, so evenly were the rocky beds +laid one against another. As we passed into the more broken portion a +flock of sheep came into view high up on the crags on the right standing +motionless evidently puzzled by the sound of our oars. We fired from the +moving boats, but without result. Recovering from their surprise the +sheep bounded lightly away. Our attention was required the next moment +by a rapid which we ran--it was a small one--to find it followed by many +thickly set with rocks. At the first we let down by line for half a +mile, when we had dinner. Then we let down by line another half-mile, +and ran half a mile more in easy water to the head of a very bad place, +one of the worst we had seen, where we made another let-down. There was +never any difficulty about landing when we desired, which made the work +comparatively easy. The _Cañonita_ got some hard knocks and had to be +repaired at one place before we could go on. The total distance made was +only about three miles, but we could have gone farther had we not +stopped for investigations, and to mend the boat. + +[Illustration: Split Mountain Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871] + +Wet and weary we welcomed the order to camp, about five o'clock, and +made ourselves comfortable with dry clothes from our rubber bags, the +wet ones being spread, as was our custom, on rocks to dry. At high water +many of these rapids would be rendered much easier. A quarter of a mile +below camp was a small cave thirty or forty feet deep, very picturesque, +with the river dashing into it, and in the water in front a rock twenty +feet high, which had dropped down from somewhere above. Beaman got a +very good picture here. + +The river was falling fast and as the water lowered rocks more and more +showed themselves in the rapids. Low water increases the labour but it +increases the safety as well, for the velocity is less and the boats are +more easily controlled. + +The next day, July 10th, we did not start on down the river till one +o'clock. Then we lowered the boats past two rapids and ran six, of which +four were very bad on account of numerous rocks. Occasionally a boat +would strike but none was injured seriously. The sun was directly in our +faces blinding us, and a high wind was blowing which added to the +difficulties. The walls were often vertical for a thousand feet or more, +and the river was wide and shallow. There was a scorching hot sun, the +temperature being near 100 in the shade. The rocks and even the sand +became so hot that they were uncomfortable to the touch, but there was +one advantage in this dry heat--our clothes were soon dry. During this +day we landed on the wrong side to examine one rapid and had to run it +from there. Both boats got through with only slight raps and we went on +a short distance to camp at the head of a bad descent which was not +runable at this stage of water. In the morning a line-portage was easily +accomplished and we ran down a short distance farther when we stopped +for dinner on a sandy beach. The sand scorched my feet for I had been +without shoes for several days. All our shoes were giving out and mine +were the first to go completely. Fortunately Beaman had an extra pair of +army brogans which he lent me till we should reach Uinta. I had ordered, +by advice in Chicago, two pairs of fine shoes at thirteen dollars a +pair, but I now discovered that I ought to have bought shoes at two +dollars instead for such work as this. We hoped to be able to get some +new shoes from Salt Lake when we reached the Uinta River and again would +be in touch, even though a very long touch, with the outside world. Our +soap was all gone too, and supplies of every kind were getting low. + +In the afternoon three more rapids were run and at a fourth we were +compelled to make a line-portage. Then we saw the strata begin to curve +over and down and finally drop into the river just as they had come out +of it at the beginning. The crevices were filled with ferns and in +places clear water was dripping from these little green cliff gardens. +As we ran along the foot of the left wall we saw a peculiar and +beautiful spring which had carved out a dainty basin where a multitude +of ferns and kindred plants were thriving, a silvery rill dropping down +from them. We emerged from the canyon as abruptly as we had entered it, +and saw a broad valley stretching before us. Running a quarter of a mile +on a smooth river camp was made on the right on a level floor carpeted +with grass and surrounded by thickets of oak. We were in the beginning +of what is now called Wonsits (Antelope) Valley, about eighty-seven +miles long, the only large valley on the river above the end of Black +Canyon. Split-Mountain Canyon eight miles long has one of the greatest +declivities on the river, coming next to Lodore, though it differs from +the latter in that the descent is more continuous and not broken into +short, violent stretches. There would be plain sailing now to the head +of the Canyon of Desolation. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + A Lookout for Redskins--The River a Sluggard--A + Gunshot!--Someone Comes!--The Tale of a Mysterious Light--How, + How! from Douglas Boy--At the Mouth of the Uinta--A Tramp to + Goblin City and a Trip down White River on a Raft--A + Waggon-load of Supplies from Salt Lake by Way of Uinta + Agency--The Major Goes Out to Find a Way In. + + +Our thoughts now were mainly directed to pushing on to the mouth of the +Uinta River and picking up our advance party, which by this time must +have gotten in touch with the Uinta Agency. We felt gratified that +another of the long line of canyons was a thing of the past and that for +a brief time we would have easy water, so far as rapids were concerned. +We were reminded that this was Indian country by discovering on a smooth +face of rock wall not far from camp a lot of drawings pecked into the +stone. They represented figures of natives, bison, elk, deer, mountain +sheep, grizzly tracks, etc., and as they were the first pictographs I +had ever seen I was particularly interested. The bison pictures +indicated the former presence here in this valley of that fine animal. +Numbers indeed once ranged these hills and valleys, but they had all +disappeared many years before our voyage. We were on the lookout for +Indians. As long as we were encompassed by the mighty walls of the +canyons there was little probability of our meeting with any of the +original people of this soil, but the valley now opening wide before us +was their favourite haunt. Two divisions of Utes roamed the surrounding +region. On the west it was the Uinta Utes who, we knew, were peaceable, +and on the east it was the White River Utes, whose status as to peace +and war was at that period somewhat vague and uncertain. We expected no +trouble with any of them, yet the possibility of running at any moment +on a band gave added interest and colour to the voyage. This was +intensified by the feeling that we had suddenly been thrown out of +doors, unprotected, as the huge, dominating precipices broke so suddenly +back on both sides, leaving us hardly a rock with which, in case of +necessity, to emulate the example of Roderick Dhu. Probably if we had +travelled here on horseback in the open there would not have been this +sense of having left our fortification behind. + +July 12th the boats proceeded down a river so sluggish that the term +"down" seemed a misnomer, and we actually had to row; had to work at the +oars to make the boats go; these same boats which so recently had +behaved like wild horses. This was not to our taste at all, the weather +being extremely hot. But there was no help for it. The boats fairly went +to sleep and we tugged away at their dull, heavy weight, putting the +miles behind and recalling the express-train manner of their recent +action. On each side of us there were occasional groves of cottonwoods +and wide bottoms bounded by low hills. After about ten miles of steady +pulling we discovered that we were only 2-1/2 miles from our starting +place in a straight line. Here there was a superb cottonwood grove, +massive trees with huge trunks like oaks, on the left. We found the +remains of a camp-fire and decided that our advance party had come this +far from Island Park the first day. They had accomplished a phenomenal +run, but it showed what might be done with light boats and a full crew. +As Steward desired to make some geological examinations at this point, +Prof. announced that we would stay till morning. Another cause for +stopping was a gale which blew with great force, making rowing +exceedingly hard work, and it was hard enough anyhow with no good +current to help. + +Steward wished to go across the river, and I went with him. We tramped +with our Winchesters on our shoulders for several hours, examining rocks +and fossils. On our return we found that Andy was occupied in boiling a +goose which Prof.'s sure aim had bestowed on the larder, and we had the +bird for supper. If it was not one of the fossils it certainly was one +of the "oldest inhabitants," which are found in every locality, and +though a steady diet of bacon enthused us with an ambition to masticate +this noble morsel, it had to be relegated to the impossibilities. We had +a good deal of entertainment out of it, and while so engaged every ear +caught the sound of a faint, distant gunshot. This was proof that we +were no longer alone, and the question was, "How many Indians are +there?" We simply waited developments. Night came on and the fierce wind +died away completely as the sun went down. We gave no more thought to +the shot, but all went to bed without even leaving a watch, so confident +was Prof. that there was no enemy, and no danger of a surprise. He was +always "level-headed" and never went off on a tangent doing wild or +unwarranted things. He was a man of unusually sound judgment. + +In the absence of Cap. the duty of reading barometer had fallen to me, +and sometimes, when waiting for the hour to arrive, I had to sit alone +for a time when the others already had turned in. It was that way on +this night, and I waited with some impatience for nine o'clock to come. +For the purpose of reading the scale we used a small bull's-eye lantern +belonging to a transit instrument, and it threw out a long beam of +light. I entertained myself by flashing this beam of light in various +directions to the distress of one member lying near not asleep, who was +somewhat nervous as to the character of the Indians responsible for the +shot. + +"Confound it," he growled, "you'll have the whole Ute tribe down on us! +You know they are not far off!" + +Of course I desisted in my "signalling," but Prof., not yet asleep, +spoke up saying he did not believe any Indians would bother us. +Finishing the observations I put out the lantern, and settled in my +blankets. At that instant there was the flash of a light through the +trees and then it glowed steadily for a moment and went out. My nervous +neighbour saw it too. "There," he cried, "an answer to your confounded +signal!" Several saw it. "The evening star setting beyond the hill," +they declared, derisively, but we two maintained that it was nothing +less than a light near by. Then sleep ruled the camp. In the middle of +the night there was a sudden terrific cracking, rending, and crashing, +starting all to their feet except Clem, who was not wakened by it. What +had happened? We perceived in a second. One of the enormous limbs, +weakened by the wind, had broken off and dropped to the ground in the +middle of the camp. Luckily no one was under it and no harm was done, +but for a moment, in connection with the light episode and the gunshot, +it gave us a shock. Every one laughed, and soon the camp was still +again. The sun was well up before we awoke. Immediately the discussion +of the strange light came up, and it formed a lively and amusing topic, +not only then, but ever after for months. Breakfast became a stirring +debating scene, when plump into the midst of our hilarity, as if to +emphasise the declarations of the nervous member, there came a sharp +call from beyond a line of bushes. Almost on the instant appeared an +Indian mounted on a dark bay horse trotting towards us exclaiming, "How, +how!" and holding out his hand in token of friendship. His long black +hair hung behind in two tails braided with red and black cotton cloth. +The scalp at the part was painted vermilion, and around each eye was a +ring of the same bright colour. His shirt was of the kind called +hickory, and his leggins were of red woollen stuff. Altogether he was a +good looking specimen of his race, and about twenty-five years old. How +many more might be behind we could not tell. + +He dismounted and Clem grasped him warmly by the hand, exclaiming with +his most cordial smile, "Well, how are all the folks at home?" to which +the visitor of course made no answer. Not one of our party understood +Ute, and I had never seen a "wild" Indian at such close quarters before. +The man motioned for something to eat, so Andy gave him a plate of +breakfast, but there was a twinkle in Andy's blue eye, for the breakfast +consisted largely of the rejected goose. When the red man's vision +rested on the goose he gave a grunt of disgust and made no effort to +even taste it, though he relished the other things and a cup of hot +coffee. I have noticed that all Indians are very fond of coffee. We +gleaned that he was alone with his squaw, and had a wickiup down the +river a short distance. Doubtless he had examined our camp the previous +night. The barometer hanging to a tree-branch caught his eye, and I +tried by signs to explain it to him with no success except to convulse +the whole crew. At length with the exclamation "Squaw," he rode away and +came back with his fair partner riding behind. By this time we were +packed up and we pushed off, the pair watching us with deep interest. +About a mile and a half below by the river, we came on them again at +their camp, they having easily beaten us by a short cut. Here was his +wickiup made of a few cottonwood boughs, and in front of it the ashes of +a fire. Our side immediately claimed this was the light we had seen, and +the discussion of this point continued until another night put an end to +it. In the bough shelter sat the blooming bride of "Douglas Boy," as he +called himself, Douglas being the chief of the White River Utes. She was +dressed well in a neat suit of navy-blue flannel and was lavishly +adorned with ornaments. Her dress was bound at the waist by a heavy belt +of leather, four inches wide, profusely decorated with brass discs and +fastened by a brass buckle. She was young and quite pretty, and they +were a handsome couple. He intimated that he would be grateful to be +ferried across the river, here almost half a mile wide, so his blankets, +saddles, and whole paraphernalia were piled on the boats, while the two +horses were driven into the water and pelted with stones till they made +up their minds that the farther shore offered greater hospitality, and +swam for it. Then the squaw and the brave were taken on separate boats. +She hesitated long before finally trusting herself, and was exceedingly +coy about it. She had probably never seen a boat before. At last, +overcoming her fear she stepped tremblingly on board and in a few +minutes we had them landed on the other side, where we said farewell and +went on. + +In the afternoon we discovered a number of natives on the right bank and +landed to see what they were. Nothing more terrible than several badly +frightened squaws and children occupied the place, the men being away. +We thought this call on the ladies would suffice, and presenting them +with a quantity of tobacco for their absent lords, we pulled away, +leaving them still almost paralysed with fright and astonishment at our +sudden and unexpected appearance and disappearance. The valley was now +very wide, and the river spread to a great width also, giving conditions +totally different from any we had found above. Rowing was real labour +here, but Prof. was eager to arrive at the mouth of the Uinta the next +day so it was row, row, with a strong, steady, monotonous stroke, hour +after hour till we had put twenty miles behind when we stopped for the +night. Next morning the same programme was continued from seven o'clock +on, with a brief halt for dinner. About four a storm came up, compelling +us to wait an hour, when on we pulled, with a temperature something like +100°F., in the shade, till sunset, when about forty miles from our +starting point, we arrived at the mouth of a river on the right, which +we thought must be the Uinta. But finally as there was no sign of our +advance party we concluded there must be a mistake. There was so little +current in the tributary we thought it might be something besides a +river, the mouth of a lake perhaps, and that the Uinta was farther on. +About a mile down in the dim light there appeared to be a river mouth, +but on reaching the place there was nothing of the kind. Several signal +shots were fired. They fell dead on the dull stillness of the night +which was dropping fast upon us. We took to the oars once more and +pulled down nearly another mile till the dark grew so thick it was not +prudent to proceed, and Prof. ordered a landing on the left where we +made a hasty cup of coffee to refresh the inner man, and turned in, much +puzzled and troubled by the absence of any kind of a signal from the +advance party. Some one suggested that they had all been killed, but +Prof. met this with scornful ridicule and went to sleep. When daylight +came a river was discovered less than half a mile below our camp coming +in from the east. Prof. knew this to be White River from the map, the +mouths of White and Uinta rivers having long been quite accurately +established. The mouth of the Uinta must therefore be where we had been +the night before, and Prof. walked back till he came opposite to it. We +then got the boats back by rowing and towing, and landed on the right or +west bank about a quarter of a mile above the mouth of the Uinta, where +the old time crossing had been, and which we had passed unnoticed in the +evening light. Here were the ashes of a camp-fire, and after much +searching a tin can was found with a note in it from the Major, saying +they had all gone out to the Agency, and that we were to wait here. + +A large cottonwood tree stood on the low bank where travellers before +had camped, not in going up and down the river, but on their way across +country. It was a very old tree and its bark presented many marks, +names, and dates, and I regret now that I did not copy them for +reference. This was one of the known crossings for a long period, in +fact, it was through this valley that Escalante, the first white man to +cross Green River, travelled in 1776, and it is possible that he may +have camped under this very tree.[10] We settled there to wait, harassed +by multitudes of voracious mosquitoes. All day we remained, expecting +the absentees, but the sun went down and still there was no word. About +seven o'clock while we were eating supper, some shots and yells from the +west took us to the top of the bank, and we saw two horsemen galloping +towards our position. We soon made them out to be Cap. and Jones. They +brought a large mail, a portion of it the same we had tried to stop at +Salt Lake, and have returned to us at the Gate of Lodore, and they +reported that the Major had gone out to Salt Lake. We built up a good +fire, and by its light everyone was quickly lost in letters from home. + +The next morning we got the _Dean_ out of the bushes where she had been +well hidden, and moved across the river with the whole outfit, to a +place in front of a half-finished log cabin called Fort Robideau, after +the trapper of that name, who years before had roamed this country. A +road crossing here from Golden to Provo, 413 miles long, was laid out in +1861 by Berthoud and Bridger for the Overland Stage Company, but the +Civil War and the building of the Union Pacific had prevented its +realisation.[11] The cabin had no windows or doors, but for summer that +was not a defect. The mud roof was intact, and we used the cabin for +headquarters, though we preferred to sleep out on the ground. Back of +the building a wide level plain spread away and deer and antelope ranged +there in large numbers. Any short walk would start up antelope, but we +had other matters on our mind, and made no special effort to shoot any. +It would have been easy for a trained hunter to get all he wanted, or +even for one of us to do it had we dropped other things and given our +minds to the work. + +The following Monday, July 17th, Prof. and Beaman left for the Agency, +and on Friday of the same week Jack returned accompanied by a man named +Basor, driving a large four-horse waggon loaded with supplies for us. We +were in need of them. We had been completely out of soap for two weeks +or more, and a box of that essential article was broken open the first +thing. Jack also brought from the Agency garden some lettuce, new +potatoes, and turnips. Not having tasted any vegetables for two months, +these were a great treat. The same afternoon Basor went away taking +letters from us with him to be sent to Salt Lake. One of the special +things he had brought was three long, narrow pieces of flat iron made by +the Agency blacksmith from old wagon tires, for the keels of the boats, +which were badly worn by scraping on shoals and rocks in our portaging +and letting-down operations. + +On the next Monday, Cap., Steward, and I with five days' rations on our +backs as well as blankets enough for the warm nights, and our rifles, +started on a journey up White River to a place called Goblin City by one +of the earlier explorers who had crossed the valley. As we were going +through some heavy willows about noon, I discovered standing still +before me and not a hundred feet away the finest stag I have ever seen. +He stood like a Landseer picture, head erect and alert with huge +branching antlers poised in the air. He was listening to my companions +who were a little distance from me. My gun being tied to my pack for +easy travelling I could not quickly extricate it and before I could +bring it to bear he dashed through the willows and a sensible shot was +impossible. I admired him so much that I was rather glad I could not +shoot. We came across a great deal of game, antelope, mountain sheep, +and deer but we never seemed to have the opportunity to stalk it +properly. When we finally came in sight of the Goblin City it was six +o'clock of the second day and we had travelled steadily. At the farther +end of a level little valley surrounded by cliffs were numerous small +buttes and square rocks, almost in rows and about the size of small +buildings, so that there was a striking suggestion of a town. We slept +near the river and spent the next morning in examining the locality. +When we had completed the observations I got dinner while Steward and +Cap. with our gun-straps and some buckskin strings made a raft from +small cottonwood logs we found on the bank. Upon this weaving affair we +all three embarked to descend the river in order to meander the course +as well as to save our legs. Steward and Cap. stood at either end with +long poles while I sat in the middle and took the compass sights as we +passed along. There were some sharp little rapids full of rocks, and +sometimes it was all we could do to stick on, for the raft being +flexible naturally would straddle a big rock and take the form of a very +steep house roof. The banks were thick with currant bushes loaded with +ripe fruit and we kept a supply of branches on the raft to pick off the +currants as we went along. Everywhere there were many fresh tracks of +bears for they are fond of this fruit, but if they saw us we failed to +see them, though some of the tracks appeared to have been made not more +than a few minutes before. As we drifted between high banks there was a +violent crashing of bushes and a beautiful fawn, evidently pursued by +bear or wolf, plunged through and dropped into the stream. Cap. took a +shot at it from the wobbling raft but of course failed. The fawn landed +at the bottom of a mud wall ten feet high and for a moment seemed dazed, +but by some herculean effort it gained the plain and sped away to +freedom and we were not at all sorry to see it go. All the next day we +kept on down White River on the raft and at seven o'clock were still +five miles from camp in a direct course and no food left. As the stream +meandered a great deal we parted from it and went to headquarters on +foot. + +We now expected hourly the return of Prof. and the Major, but another +day passed without them or any message. The next day was Saturday and it +faded away also without any event. Just after supper there was a hail +from the west bank and on going over with a boat we found there Prof., +Beaman, and an Indian. The Major had not come because Captain Dodds, +commanding the party which was charged with the taking of rations for us +to the mouth of the Dirty Devil River, our next supply station, had sent +word that he could not find a way through the unknown region. The Major +concluded that he would have to go and try it himself. His plan was for +us to go on and he would join us again August 25th at Gunnison Crossing, +at the end of the Canyon of Desolation, the next canyon of the series. +Gunnison Crossing was an established point with a trail leading there +from east and west. We were to wait for him till September 3d in that +neighbourhood, and if he failed to arrive we were to go on and get +through as best we could on the rations remaining. Our present +intercourse with the world was now terminated by our sending the Indian +who had come with Prof. back to the Agency with our mail. Prof. had +brought in some fresh beef which was a great treat but there was little +of it and after a couple of meals we were on bacon and beans again. Had +an Indian from the Agency been hired for the purpose of hunting, we +might have had plenty of venison during our stop here. Sunday our old +acquaintance Douglas Boy came to camp and was employed to make moccasins +to save our shoes. Some new shoes had been sent in to us, but for +climbing and walking the rawhide-soled moccasins were excellent and +would save our shoes for river work. The Indian had a beaded cap pouch +which I secured from him for some vermilion and he was ready to trade, +but the next day Jack caught him trying to steal our buckskin by hiding +it in his blankets which rudely sundered our business relations. Jack +himself acquired the art of moccasin-making and he made each of us an +excellent pair in his spare time. Steward and I went back up White River +to finish our work but the raft timbers were gone and we could find no +others, so we had to do what we could on foot. When we returned I +discovered some ginger among the supplies and thinking it time for +variety in our bill of fare, and it being Cap.'s birthday, I made a +large ginger-cake which was voted prime. We ate half of it at one +sitting with an accompaniment of lime-juice "lemonade." + +At the Agency Prof. found out that Douglas Boy had eloped from the White +River country with his squaw, who was betrothed to another, and when we +first met him he was engaged in eluding pursuit. According to Ute law if +he could avoid capture for a certain time he would be free to return +without molestation to his village. Beaman photographed him and a number +of the Uintas under the direction of the Major, who wished to secure all +the information possible about the natives, their language, customs, and +costumes. We now spent several days arranging our new supplies in the +rubber sacks, putting the iron strips on the boat-keels, and doing what +final repairing was necessary. The topographers plotted the map work, +and all finished up their necessary notes and data. By the afternoon of +Friday, August 4th, all was in readiness for continuing the voyage. We +had now descended 1450 feet from our starting point towards sea-level +and we knew that the next canyon would add considerably to these +figures. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 10: Two days after crossing the San Clemente, as he called +White River, Escalante crossed the Rio San Buenaventura (Green River) +somewhere above the mouth of White River. Here were six large "black +poplars," on one of which they left an inscription. After resting two +days they went south-west along the Buenaventura, ten leagues, and from +a hill saw the junction of the San Clemente. He evidently went very near +the mouth of the Uinta, and then struck westward. The Uinta he called +Rio de San Cosme.] + +[Footnote 11: A regiment of California volunteers marched this way from +Salt Lake on the way to Denver during the Civil War.] + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + On to Battle--A Concert Repertory--Good-bye to Douglas + Boy--The Busy, Busy Beaver--In the Embrace of the Rocks Once + More--A Relic of the Cliff-Dwellers--Low Water and Hard + Work--A Canyon of Desolation--Log-cabin Cliff--Rapids and + Rapids and Rapids--A Horse, Whose Horse?--Through Gray Canyon + to the Rendezvous. + + +We were up early on the morning of August 5th prepared to leave Camp +32. Prof. took a lunar observation, and at eight we entered the boats +and turned our backs on "Fort" Robideau, the only house on or near the +whole river at that time from the mouth of the Virgin, to our Camp No. 1 +where we had the snow-storm, a distance of about one thousand miles. We +had vanquished many rapids and now we pushed on ready for our next +battle with the river in the Canyon of Desolation, just before us. The +order of going was slightly changed in the absence of the Major, for +Prof., being now in sole command, went ahead with his boat, the _Nellie +Powell_, while ours, the _Emma Dean_, for the time being took second +place. The river for a brief distance ran smoothly with only enough +current, about two miles an hour, to help us along without hard rowing. +I missed the Major while we were on the water, probably more than any +one else in the party, for as we were facing each other the whole time +and were not separated enough to interfere with conversation we had +frequent talks. He sometimes described incidents which happened on the +first voyage, or told me something about the men of that famous and +unrivalled journey. Besides this he was very apt to sing, especially +where the river was not turbulent and the outlook was tranquil, some +favourite song, and these songs greatly interested me. While he had no +fine voice he sang from his heart, and the songs were those he had +learned at home singing with his brothers and sisters. One of these was +an old-fashioned hymn, _The Home of the Soul_, or rather the first two +verses of it. These verses were among his special favourites.[12] + + "I will sing you a song of that beautiful land, + The far away home of the soul, + Where no storms ever beat on the glittering strand, + While the years of eternity roll, + While the years of eternity roll; + Where no storms ever beat on the glittering strand + While the years of eternity roll. + + "Oh! that home of the soul in my visions and dreams, + Its bright jasper walls I can see; + Till I fancy but thinly the veil intervenes + Between the fair city and me + Till I fancy, etc." + +Another was a pretty four-part song, _The Laugh of a Child_, of which he +sang the air. The words ran: + + "I love it, I love it, the laugh of a child. + Now rippling, now gentle, now merry and wild. + It rings through the air with an innocent gush, + Like the trill of a bird at the twilight's soft hush, + It floats on the breeze like the tones of a bell, + Or music that dwells in the heart of a shell. + Oh, the laugh of a child is so wild and so free + 'T is the merriest sound in the world to me." + +Still another of which he sang the English words often was the +well-known air from _Figaro_. I give a few bars: + +[Illustration: + +_NON PIU ANDRAI_--PLAY NO MORE. +Air. Figaro. + + Non più andrai, far-fal-lo-ne a-mo-ro-so, + Not-te gior-no d'in-tor-no gi-ran-do; + Del-le bel-le tur-ban-do il ri-po-so, + Nar-ci-set-to, A-don-ci-no d'a-mor! + Del-le bel-le tur-ban-do il ri-po-so, + Nar-ci-set-to, A-don-ci-no d'a-mor! + + Play no more, boy, the part of a lov-er, + Nor a-bout beau-ty fool-ish-ly hov-er; + In the wars you'll more pleasure dis-cov-er, + When your heart beats to glo-ry and fame! + In the wars you'll more pleasure dis-cov-er, + When your heart beats to glo-ry and fame!] + +At times he imitated a certain pathetic yet comical old woman he had +heard singing at some camp-meeting, "The dear blessed Bible, the +Fam-i-ly Bible," etc. He told me one day that this fondness for singing, +especially amid extremely unpromising or gloomy circumstances, had on +more than one occasion led the men of the first expedition to suspect +his sanity. When he was singing, I could see that frequently he was +really not thinking about his song at all, but of something quite +foreign to it, and the singing was a mere accompaniment. Our party as a +whole commanded an extensive repertory of song for an exploring +expedition and while most of the voices were somewhat below concert +requirement, there was no one to object, and one of us, Jack, did have +an excellent voice. A song often heard was, _Shells of Ocean_ and also +that one most appropriate, _What Are the Wild Waves Saying?_ Then there +was _If I Had but a Thousand a Year, Gaffer Green_, and of course, +_Annie Laurie_. Never was there an American or an English expedition to +anywhere that did not have that song, as well as _Way Down upon the +Suwanee River_. In addition to all these and the ones previously +mentioned of which + + "Oh, the lone starry hours give me Love + When still is the beautiful night," + +was a special favourite, Jack's individual repertory contained an +exhaustless number, both sad and gay. There were _Carry me Back to Old +Tennessee_, _The Sailor's Grave_, _Aura Lee_, with her golden hair, who +brought sunshine and swallows indiscriminately to each locality which +she graced with the said golden hair, and _Come where my Love Lies +Dreaming_, _Seeing Nellie Home_, and scores or at least dozens that I +fail to recall. + +But while we had a great store of songs we were deficient to the last +degree in musical instruments, the one solitary example being an humble +mouth-organ which in a moment of weakness I had thrown in with my +outfit. We just escaped having a flute. Frank, who left us on the 10th +of June, possessed one, and when he was preparing to go Steward +negotiated for this instrument. He gave Cap. his revolver to trade for +it, considering the flute more desirable property for the expedition. +Cap., being an old soldier, concluded to fire at a mark before letting +the revolver pass forever from our possession. Presently there was an +explosion which demolished the pistol and all our prospects of acquiring +the musical treasure at one and the same moment. Possibly Fortune was +kinder to us than we dreamed. The mouth-organ then remained the sole +music machine in all that immense area. I did not feel equal to the +position of organist but Steward boldly took up the study, and practised +so faithfully that he became a real virtuoso. + +As a boy in New York Jack, though not a Hibernian himself, had +associated closely with descendants of the Shamrock Isle, and he could +speak with a fine emerald brogue. A refrain of one of his songs in this +line was: "And if the rocks, they don't sthop us, We will cross to +Killiloo, whacky-whay!" This sounded our situation exactly, and it +became a regular accompaniment to the roaring of the rapids. Jack had +many times followed in the wake of the Thirteen Eagles fire company, one +of the bright jewels with a green setting, of the old volunteer service. +The foreman, fitting the rest of the company, was Irish too, and his +stentorian shout through the trumpet "Tirtaan Aigles, dis wai!" never +failed to rise above the din, and when the joyful cry smote the ears of +the gallant "Tirtaan," the rocks nor the ruts nor the crowds nor +anything could stop them; through thick and through thin they went to +the front, for there was rivalry in those days and when the Aigles time +after time got first water on, they won triumphs which we of this +mercenary epoch cannot understand. The Aigles were in for glory, nothing +else. So when we heard the roar of a rapid and sniffed the mist in the +air, "Tirtaan Aigles dis wai," was our slogan. + +Where the river now ran smoothly, as it did for a considerable distance +below the Robideau crossing we could drift with the slow current and +enjoy the study of the surroundings, the boats requiring no attention. +Passing the mouths of the Uinta and the White, both rivers entering very +quietly through a level valley, we pulled gently along watching the +banks for something new. When we had thus gone a couple of miles we +discovered our first acquaintance of this valley, Douglas Boy, encamped +on the right with his runaway bride. They had a snug and secluded +hiding-place protected by the river and some low cliffs. We landed to +pay our parting call. Both had their faces completely smeared with the +bright vermilion obtained by trade from us, and they presented in our +eyes a ludicrous appearance. They had recently killed a fat deer and +seemed very happy. Prof. exchanged some sugar for enough venison for our +dinner and we said farewell to them, the first as well as the last human +beings we had met with in this valley. Clem, as usual, gave them various +messages for the "folks at home" and assured them with gracious smiles, +that they "would ever be the subject of his most distinguished +consideration." They smiled after us and we were soon beyond their +vision. Presently low cliffs, 100 to 150 feet began to show themselves, +on one side or the other, and the wide valley vanished. The great canyon +below was reaching out for us. There were numerous islands covered with +immense accumulations of driftwood or with growing cottonwoods where +high enough. Hundreds of beaver swam about. Occasionally a shot from the +boats would kill or wound one, but it was next to impossible to secure +any as they seemed to sink immediately to the bottom and we gave up +trying as long as they were in deep water. The stream being so tranquil +reading poetry was more to our taste than hunting the beaver, and Prof. +read aloud from Emerson as we slowly advanced upon the enemy. + +After about nine miles of this sort of thing we stopped for dinner in a +pretty cottonwood grove at the foot of a cliff on the right with beaver +swimming around as if they did not know what a human being was. When our +venison had been disposed of the boats were shoved out into the river +again and we continued our approach to the canyon. The surrounding +region became a desolate waste; a broken desert plateau elevated above +us about two hundred feet. Some deer seen on an island caused us to land +and try to get a good shot at one, but we failed to get near enough for +success and they quickly disappeared. The ground was too difficult for +pursuit. After some seventeen miles, camp for the night was made in +another grove of rather small cottonwoods at 5.30. We were on a large +island with the surrounding waters thick with beaver busy every moment +though their great work is done at night. Many trees felled, some of +them of a considerable diameter, attested the skill and energy of these +animals as woodchoppers. Cap. tried to get one so that we could eat it, +but though he killed several he failed to reach them before they sank, +and gave it up. + +As we looked around we saw that almost imperceptibly we had entered the +new canyon and at this camp (33) we were fairly within the embrace of +its rugged cliffs which, devoid of all vegetation, rose up four hundred +feet, sombre in colour, but picturesque from a tendency to columnar +weathering that imparted to them a Gothic character suggestive of +cathedrals, castles, and turrets. The next day was Sunday and as Beaman +felt sick and we were not in a hurry, no advance was made but instead +Prof. accompanied by Steward, Cap., and Jones climbed out for notes and +observations. They easily reached the top by means of a small gulch. +They got back early, reporting an increasing desolation in the country +on both sides as far as they could see. They also saw two graves of +great age, covered by stones. In the afternoon Prof. entertained us by +reading aloud from Scott and so the day passed and night fell. Then the +beavers became more active and worked and splashed around camp +incessantly. They kept it up all through the dark hours as is their +habit, but only Steward was disturbed by it. This would have been an +excellent opportunity to learn something about their ways, but for my +part I did not then even think of it. + +By 7.30 in the morning of August 7th we were again on our way towards +the depths ahead, between walls of rapidly increasing altitude showing +that we were cutting into some great rock structure. Here and there we +came to shoals that compelled us to get overboard and wade alongside +lifting the boats at times. As these shoals had the peculiarity of +beginning gradually and ending very abruptly we got some unexpected +plunge baths during this kind of progression. But the air was hot, the +thermometer being about 90° F., and being soaked through was not +uncomfortable. At one place Prof. succeeded in shooting a beaver which +was near the bank and it was secured before it could get to its hole, +being badly wounded. Steward caught it around the middle from behind and +threw it into the boat--he had jumped into the water--and there it was +finished with an oar. It measured three feet from tip to tip. We had +heard a good deal about beaver as food and would now have a chance to +try it. About eleven o'clock, we stopped for examinations and for dinner +on the right but, of course, could not yet cook the beaver. Prof., +Steward, and Cap. climbed to the top of a butte 1050 feet above the +river upon which they found a small monument left there by the Major on +the former trip. Though this butte was so high the average of the walls +was only about five hundred feet. We made seventeen miles this day. + +That night our camp (No. 35) was again on an island. There Cap. skinned +and dressed the beaver and turned over the edible portions to Andy who +cooked some steak for breakfast the next morning. It tasted something +like beef, but we were not enthusiastic for I fear this beaver belonged +to the same geological epoch as the goose we had cooked at the upper end +of the valley. Fortified by the beaver steak we pushed off and ran about +a mile on a smooth river when a stop was made for pictures and +geologising. This consumed the whole morning, a fact Andy took advantage +of to make some beaver soup for dinner. This concoction was voted not a +success and we turned to bacon and beans as preferable thereafter. +Opposite this dinner place was a rough lateral canyon full of turrets +and minarets which had the remarkable property of twice distinctly +repeating a shout as loud as the original, and multiplying a rifle shot +to peals of thunder. There had been people here before any white men, +for Steward found an artificial wall across an indentation of the cliff, +the first work of the ancient builders we had encountered. It was +mysterious at the time, the South-western ruins having then not been +discovered with one or two exceptions. We ascribed this wall, however, +to the ancestors of the Moki (Hopi). + +In the afternoon as we pulled along we came to a small rapid and the +walls by this time being closer together and growing constantly higher, +we knew that we were now fairly within the Canyon of Desolation and for +about one hundred miles would have a rough river. Not more than two +miles below our dinner camp we reached a locality where the stream +doubled back on itself forming a vast and beautiful amphitheatre. We +could not pass this by without taking a picture of it and Beaman was +soon at work with his apparatus while I got out my pencils. The +photograph did not turn out well, and Prof. determined to remain till +the next day. Our camp was on the left in a thick grove of cottonwoods, +and box-elders or ash-leaved maples, at the end of the point. As the sun +sank away bats flew about and an insect orchestra began a demoniacal +concert that shrilled through the night and made us feel like +slaughtering the myriads if we could. The noises ceased with the day, or +most of them, though some seemed to intensify with the light. We helped +Beaman get his dark box and other paraphernalia up to the summit of the +ridge back of camp, which was easy so far as climbing was concerned, the +rocks rising by a series of shelves or steps. I made several pencil +sketches there, which I have never seen since the close of the +expedition. The crest of the promontory was about forty yards wide at +its maximum and three yards at the minimum, with a length of +three-fourths of a mile. From the middle ridge one could look down into +the river on both sides, and it seemed as if a stone could almost be +thrown into each from one standpoint. The opposite amphitheatre was +perhaps one thousand feet high, beautifully carved by the rains and +winds. It was named Sumner's Amphitheatre after Jack Sumner of the first +expedition. Several of our men climbed in different directions, but all +did not succeed in getting out. The day turned out very cloudy with +sprinkles of rain and Prof. decided to wait still longer to see if +Beaman could get a good photograph, and we had another night of insect +opera. The next day by noon the photographer had caught the scene and we +continued our descending way. The river was perfectly smooth, except a +small rapid late in the day, with walls on both sides steadily +increasing their altitude. Desolation in its beginning is exactly the +reverse of Lodore and Split Mountain. In the latter the entrance could +hardly be more sudden, whereas the Canyon of Desolation pushes its rock +walls around one so diplomatically that it is some little time before +the traveller realises that he is caught. The walls were ragged, barren, +and dreary, yet majestic. We missed the numerous trees which in the +upper canyons had been so ornamental wherever they could find a footing +on the rocks. Here there were only low shrubs as a rule and these mainly +along the immediate edge of the water, though high up on north slopes +pines began to appear. Altitude, latitude, and aridity combine to modify +vegetation so that in an arid region one notices extraordinary changes +often in a single locality. The walls still had the tendency to break +into turrets and towers, and opposite our next camp a pinnacle stood +detached from the wall on a shelf high above the water suggesting a +beacon and it was named Lighthouse Rock. Prof. with Steward and Cap. in +the morning, August 11th, climbed out to study the contiguous region +which was found to be not a mountain range but a bleak and desolate +plateau through which we were cutting along Green River toward a still +higher portion. This was afterwards named the Tavaputs Plateau, East and +West divisions, the river being the line of separation. + +The walls now began to take on a vertical character rising above the +water 1200 to 1800 feet, and at that height they were about a quarter of +a mile apart. From their edges they broke back irregularly to a +separation as nearly as could be determined of from three to five miles, +the extreme summit being 2500 feet above the river. + +[Illustration: Steward. + +Canyon of Desolation. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +While waiting for Prof. to come down from the cliffs, Beaman made some +photographs and then two boats dropped down a quarter of a mile where he +made some more and Andy got dinner. I remained with the _Nell_ and about +eleven o'clock the climbers came. We went down on the boat to the noon +camp, and as soon as we had refreshed the inner man we proceeded +thinking it about time for rapids to appear. We had not gone far before +we distinguished a familiar roar just preceding the turn of a bend which +disclosed three lying within half a mile. They were not bad but the +river was wide and shallow, making the descent more difficult than it +would ordinarily have been. The river was now approaching its lowest +stage, and we saw an uncomfortable looking lot of rocks. High water +makes easy going but increases the risk of disaster; low water makes +hard work, batters the boats, and delays progress, but as a rule it is +less risky. All the boats cleared the first rapid without any +difficulty, but in the second the _Nell_ struck a sunken rock, though +lightly, while our boat landed squarely on the top of a large boulder +partially submerged, where we hung fast with the water boiling furiously +around and almost coming over the sides. I tried to get out over the +port bow but the current drew me under the boat and I had to get back. +Jack concluded we were only fast by the extreme end of the keel and +Jones coming forward Jack slid cautiously out over the stern and felt +around with his feet till he touched the rock and put his weight on it. +Thus relieved, the boat lifted slightly and shot away like an arrow but +not before Jack leaped on again. As soon as we could we made land and +watched the _Cañonita_ which fared still worse. She struck so hard that +two of the after ribs and some planks were stove in. They then +extricated her and pulling her up on the rocky shore we went to work to +repair with cleats made from a broken oar. This delayed us an hour and a +half. Then saws and hammers were stowed away and the third rapid was run +without a mishap. It was only the low stage of water that caused the +trouble. A little farther on a fourth rapid was vanquished and we went +into camp on the left bank in a cottonwood grove at the head of another. +"If the rocks, they don't sthop us," sang Jack, "We will cross to +Killiloo, whacky-whay!" And there were plenty of rocks in the midst of +foaming waters, but one great advantage of low water is the decreased +velocity, and velocity on a river like this with so heavy and constant a +fall is one of the chief factors to reckon with in navigation. + +The high cliffs, two thousand feet, red and towering in the bright sun, +became sombre and mysterious as the night shadows crept over them, the +summits remaining bright from the last western rays when the river level +was dim and uncertain. There was plenty of driftwood, and our fires were +always cheery and comfortable. The nights were now quite cold, or at +least chilly, while the days were hot as soon as the sun came over the +edge of the cliffs. Through some of the narrow promontories at this +particular camp there were peculiar perforations suggesting immense +windows looking into some fairer land. I would have been glad to examine +some of these closely, but as it was not necessary they were passed by. +It would also have been difficult to reach them as they were very high +up. + +The rapid at our camp was a starter the next day on a line of them +following one after the other till we had run without accident nine +before halting for dinner; and nine in 6-3/4 miles was not a bad record. +We landed for noon on the same spot where the first party had stopped +and our last night's camp was also coincident with theirs, according to +their map which we had for consultation. Prof. decided to remain here +for the rest of the day and also the next one which was Sunday. Up in a +high gulch some pine trees were visible, and Jack and I climbed up to +them and collected several pounds of gum for repairing the boats. Sunday +morning Prof., Jones, and Steward struck for the summit up the cliffs to +get observations. An hour and a half of steady hard work put them 2576 +feet above the river, but they were still three hundred feet below the +general level of the great plateau which we were bisecting. Prof. +thought he would like to make better time down the river, which we could +easily have done up to this point, but if we arrived at the end of the +canyon too soon we would have to wait there and it was better to +distribute the wait as we went along. It was now August 14th and we were +not due below till September 3d. + +On Monday morning we pushed and pulled and lifted the boats through a +shallow rapid half a mile long. It was hard work. Then came one which we +ran, but the following drop was deemed too risky to trust our boats in, +and they were lowered by lines. Then in a short distance this same +process was repeated with hard work in a very bad place, and when we had +finished that we were tired, hungry, wet, and cold, so under a +cottonwood tree on the right we stopped for needed refreshment, and +while it was preparing most of us hung our clothes on the branches of a +fallen tree to dry. The rapid foaming and fuming presented so vigorous +an appearance and made so much noise we thought it ought to be named, +and it was called Fretwater Falls. At three o'clock we took up our oars +again and were whirled along at runaway speed through a continuous +descent for half a mile. After another half-mile a small rapid appeared, +which we dashed through without a second thought, and then came our +final effort of the day, a line-portage over a particularly bad spot. It +was a difficult job, requiring great exertion in lifting and pushing and +fending off, so when Prof. gave the word to camp on the left, we were +all glad enough to do so. We had made only 5-1/4 miles and seven rapids. +The let-downs had been hard ones, with a couple of men on board to fend +off and two or three on the hawser holding back. + +The next morning, August 15th, we made another let-down around a bad +piece of river, and ran two or three small rapids before dinner. At the +let-down the water dropped at least ten feet in two hundred yards, and +Prof. estimated thirty in half a mile. The river was also narrow, not +more than sixty or seventy feet in one place. Many rocks studded the +rapids, and great caution had to be exercised both in let-downs and in +runs, lest the boats should be seriously injured. With two or three more +feet of water we could have run some that were now impossible. +Fortunately there was always plenty of room on both banks, the cliffs +being well back from the water. A series of small rapids gave us no +special trouble, and having put them behind, we ran in at the head of a +rough-looking one, had dinner, and then made a let-down. Starting on, we +soon came to a very sharp rapid, which we ran, and found it was only an +introduction to one following that demanded careful treatment. Another +let-down was the necessary course, and when it was accomplished we +stopped for the night where we were on the sand, every man tired, wet, +and hungry. We had made only four miles. A significant note of warning +was found here in the shape of fragments of the unfortunate _No-Name_ +mixed up with the driftwood, fully two hundred miles below the falls +where the wreck occurred. + +The precipices surrounding us had now reached truly magnificent +proportions, one section near our camp springing almost vertically to a +height of 2800 or 3000 feet. On the dizzy summit we could discern what +had the appearance of an old-fashioned log-cabin, and from this we +called it "Log-cabin Cliff." The cabin was in reality a butte of shale, +as we could see by means of our glasses, and of course of far greater +size than a real cabin, but from below the illusion was complete. At +this camp, No. 40, we remained the next day, Prof. wishing to make some +investigations. He and Jones crossed to the other side and went down on +foot two or three miles; then returning he went up some distance, while +the rest of us mended our clothes, worked up notes, and did a score of +little duties that had been neglected in the river work. Jack and I +climbed up the cliffs and got more pine gum, with which we caulked up +the seams in our boat. Cap. kindly turned barber and redeemed me from +the danger of being classed as orang-outang. The air was too hazy for +photographing or for getting observations from the summit, and Prof. +concluded to stay till next day at this place and then go to the top of +the world; in other words, to the summit. Very early in the morning, +August 17th, Steward and Cap. started with Prof. for the climb. Keeping +up the main canyon for a mile they came to a side gorge where Prof. had +been the day before, which they followed for half a mile and then boldly +mounted the cliffs, reaching an altitude of 3100 feet above the river. +While they were gone, Jack and I climbed after more pine gum, and +succeeded in getting five or six pounds for future use. As I was +descending along a terrace, Jack being some distance behind and above, a +fine, large mountain sheep, sleek and clean, with beautiful strong +horns, sprang along four or five hundred feet from me, and stopped in +full view listening to Jack's footsteps. I had no gun, and could only +admire him till he bounded lightly away. + +About one o'clock the climbing party came back. Steward had shot a +mountain sheep with a revolver, only to find that a deep canyon +intervened between him and his prize and there was no way of getting it. + +About half past two we shoved out into the river again, running a small +rapid immediately. The water was so shallow that our keel struck a +number of times but no damage was done. We had hardly cleared this when +we arrived at a drop of about six feet in a few yards with the whole +river filled with bad rocks. At this place, according to the map made by +the first party, their _Emma Dean_ was capsised. We made a let-down and +a quarter of a mile farther on repeated the operation should be. +Following this were some swift shoals which brought us to another ugly +descent where the _Nell_ stove a hole in her side and came near +upsetting. Prof. was knocked half out of the boat but got in again. The +other boats we lowered by lines and they passed through uninjured. Near +this point a fine clear little stream about a rod wide entered from the +west. After running two more rapids Prof. decided to camp which we did +on the right, Camp 41. Our run footed up 3-3/4 miles. Our camp was in +some cottonwoods and we had to cross a wide rocky bar to get to it but +it was preferable to camping on the sand. In this canyon there was +generally a valley about one-quarter mile wide on one side or the other, +and with the abundant supply of driftwood for fires and a whole river +for drink we fared well. The great canyon now appeared deeper than at +any point above, about three thousand feet we estimated, the walls being +extremely precipitous. One cliff not far from camp appeared to be +nearly perpendicular. + +Steward got up very early the next morning in order to mend his shoes, +and he succeeded so well as cobbler, we declared he had missed his +calling, but we did not start till ten o'clock, waiting for Beaman to +take views. The first thing we then did was to run a very shallow rapid, +followed by another, long, difficult, narrow, and rocky. Then there was +a short, easy one, with the next below compelling a very hard let-down. +There was nothing but rocks, large rocks, so close together that it was +all we could do to manoeuvre the boats between them. There was no +channel anywhere. For the greater part of the way we had to pull them +empty over the rocks on driftwood skids which taxed our muscles +considerably and of course saturated our clothing for half the time we +were in the water, as was always the case at let-downs. This over we had +our noon ration of bread, bacon, and coffee and took a fresh start by +running a nice, clear rapid and then another a half-mile below, and we +thought we were getting on well when we saw ahead a fall of some ten +feet in fourteen rods, turbulent and fierce. The only prudent thing for +this rapid was a let-down and we went at it at once. It was the usual +pulling, hauling, fending, and pushing, but we got through with it after +a while and naming it at the suggestion of some one, Melvin Falls, we +went on to the eighth and last rapid for the day. This was half a mile +long and very rocky, but it was thought we could run it and all went +through safely except the _Nell_ which caught her keel on a rock and +hung for a moment, then cleared and finished with no damage. We made +Camp 42 on a sand-hill. These hills were a feature of the wide banks, +being blown up by the winds, sometimes to a height of fifteen or twenty +feet. Our run for the day was less than five miles, yet as we had passed +eight rapids one way and another, we were all pretty tired and of course +wet and hungry. A good big camp-fire was quickly started, our dry +garments from the rubber bags donned in place of the flapping wet ones, +and we were entirely comfortable, with the bread baking in the Dutch +oven, the coffee or tea steaming away, and the inspiring fragrance of +frying bacon wafted on the evening air. When we stopped long enough Andy +would give us boiled beans or stewed dried apples as a treat. If we +desired to enliven the conversation all that was necessary was to start +the subject of the "light" back at the camp where we first met Douglas +Boy. Every one would soon be involved except Prof. who only laughed and +inserted from time to time a well-chosen remark to keep up the interest. +Jack would always give us a half-dozen songs and to this Steward would +add a solo on the mouth-organ. The evenings were growing longer, and we +sat closer to the fire. Sometimes Cap. and Clem would play a game of +euchre, but no one else seemed to care anything about cards. Our beds, +when possible, were made by first putting down willows or cedar twigs in +regular order, on which the blankets would be spread making a luxurious +bed on which sleep instantly overtook us, with the sound of falling +water generally the last thing and the first in our ears. + +At 7.30 the next morning, August 19th, we were speeding on our way and +ran the rapid which had sent its lullaby to our camp. Another came right +after it, shallow and bad, and then one more where the channel was beset +with innumerable boulders hidden under the surface. Happily the boats +were not seriously damaged, they needed no repairs, and we kept on to +the next barrier which proved to be not runable with any prospect of +getting through whole so we made a portage. Then there was a rapid we +ran easily, but as if to revenge itself for making one gentle for us, +the river obliged us to work a laborious passage at the next two. We had +good hard work, lowering by lines, wading alongside where necessary to +ease the boats, or clinging to their sides where the water was deep, +while the men on shore at the hawser's end lowered away to a shallow +place. We were glad to halt at 11.30 for dinner, and a short rest. + +There was a heavy rapid beside us as we ate, and Steward named it +Chandler Falls. It had a descent of about twelve feet in twenty rods. On +the opposite side of the river a clear little creek came in, and this +was named Chandler Creek, Chandler being the maiden name of Steward's +wife. Beaman and Clem selected a position with their photographic outfit +and made some photographs of us as we were working the boats through. A +mile below we halted on the right for Beaman to get more views. None of +his photographs of the rapids came out well as the plates were too slow. +Up a gulch on the right we could see a remarkable topographic feature, +nothing less than a gigantic aperture, or natural arch, in the cliff. It +had a span of at least 300 feet with a height of about half as much. It +was 1500 or 1800 feet above the river. Hundreds of cedar trees grew +around the arch on the ledges of the huge wall through which it was cut +by the action of the elements. + +The cliffs everywhere were now becoming more broken, and there was an +entrance somewhere from the back country, or it may have been up the +canyon, for we discovered remains of tipis and camps with metates or +grinding stones, the first evidences of human beings we had seen since +the "Moki" wall. This and the breaking of the cliffs caused us to +believe that we were nearing the end of the canyon. Prof. with Jones and +Steward went down-stream on foot for a distance to see what was coming +next and found a stretch of very bad water. On the return a rattlesnake +struck at Steward but luckily failed to hit him. Steward killed it. We +concluded to stop for the night where we were with the day's +record--four rapids run, three let-downs, and 4-5/8 miles in distance. +This camp was not satisfactory and we got out of it early the next +morning. While Beaman was making some views across the river we lowered +the other two boats through one rapid and then ran them through a second +in three-quarters of a mile to a better camping place, from which we +went back and helped the third boat, the _Cañonita_, do the same. Prof. +wanted to climb out, but the morning being half gone he planned to start +after dinner and meanwhile he read Emerson aloud to us till Andy shouted +his "Go fur it boys!" Accompanied by Steward and Clem, in the afternoon +he climbed up 1200 or 1500 feet to a point where he could see down the +river two or three miles. They counted seven rapids, and confirmed the +belief that the walls were breaking. The surrounding country was made up +of huge ridges that ran in toward the river from five miles back. + +Our Camp 44 was in a little valley about a quarter of a mile wide, the +bottom covered with cedars and greasewood. The scenery was still on a +magnificent scale but barren and desolate. The next morning, August +21st, we were under way at 7.30 and plunged almost immediately into the +rapids which had been sighted from the cliffs above. In a little over +four miles we let down six times. A seventh rapid we ran and then +stopped for noon on the left, every man, as usual, soaking wet. A little +rain fell but not enough to consider. After dinner four more rapids were +put behind; we ran all but one at which we made a let-down. Our record +for this day was eleven rapids in a trifle less than seven miles, and we +were camped at the head of another rapid which was to form our +eye-opener in the morning. The walls receded from the river +three-fourths of a mile and now, though still very high, had more the +appearance of isolated cliffs. + +We had not a single unpleasant incident till Beaman on this day ran one +rapid contrary to Prof.'s orders. He was sharply reprimanded, and for +the time being his tendency to insubordination and recklessness was +checked. He probably did not mean to be either, but his confidence in +his ability to steer through anything led him astray. In the evening by +the camp-fire light Prof. read aloud from _Miles Standish_. Although a +heavy wind blew sand all over us, no one seemed to complain. + +The next morning, August 22d, the first thing we did was to run the +rapid beside our camp, a beautiful chute, swift, long, and free from +rocks. Immediately below this was one half a mile long in the form of a +crescent, the river making a sharp bend with a bad current, but we ran +it. This was, in fact, a part of the other rapid, or it might be so +classed, as was frequently the case where the descent was nearly +continuous from one rapid to another. The river was very narrow at this +place, not more than seventy-five feet wide. We had not gone far before +we reached a rapid where it was prudent to lower the boats, and not more +than a few hundred yards below this there was another of a similar +character but necessitating harder work. Then we were brought face to +face with one more that could not be run with safety on the present +stage of water, though we ran a part of it and made a let-down past the +remainder. When this was finally accomplished with everything in good +order, we found ourselves in front of still another that refused to +grant us clear passage, and we worked the boats down with lines as in +the previous rapids without removing the cargoes. The method was the +usual one for the let-downs, three or four men on the line and a couple +on board the boat to manoeuvre and protect her. Having by this time +advanced three and one-eighth miles from last night's camp we stopped +for dinner. On taking up the oars again the first rapid was a fine, +clear descent with extremely large waves, through which all three boats +dashed with exhilarating speed, leaping part of their length out of the +water as their velocity carried them zipping over the crests. Our boat +happened to strike near the finish on a submerged rock to the right of +the main channel and near shore and there she hung for some moments. The +first boat had landed below and some of the men quickly came up to where +I could throw them our line, and this pulled us off without any damage +worth mentioning. A little below this we ran another successfully and +had not gone far before we were astonished at the sight of a horse +grazing unconcernedly on some low bluffs on the right. Prof. had +discovered this horse with his field glass while we stopped above to +examine one of the rapids. He thought it might indicate the presence of +the Major, or of Indians, but he did not mention the matter to any of +us. When we were at a good point, and just as all hands had discovered +the animal, he ordered a sharp landing on the same side. We ran in +quickly. Prof. went up the bank and gave several shouts while we held +ourselves ready for action. There was no response. He then went to the +horse and found it very lame which, coupled with the absence of any +indication of visitors within recent months, caused us to conclude that +the horse had been abandoned by Indians who had been encamped here a +good while before. We left the place and running another rapid, a little +one, we came to a fine spot for a camp on the right at the beginning of +a heavy rapid, and there we stayed for the night. + +There was now a marked change in the geology, and fossiliferous beds, +which for a long time had been absent, appeared. The canyon walls also +broke away considerably. The next morning it was decided that we should +remain at this camp till after dinner for observation work. I went out +with Steward to help him gather fossils, and Beaman took some views, +while the others occupied themselves with various duties. The afternoon +began by letting the boats by line past the rapid at camp which Beaman +called Sharp Mountain Falls, from a pointed peak overhead. There was a +drop of about fifteen feet in thirty rods. Beaman wanted to photograph +us in the midst of our work, and got ready for it, but a rain-storm came +on and we had to wait till it cleared for him to get the picture. We +then went ahead dashing through a pretty rapid with a swift current, and +next had a long stretch of rapid, though not difficult river, making in +all 2-3/4 miles, and camping at five o'clock on the left. The only +trouble we had was that in choosing one of four channels our boat got +where she was inevitably drawn into the top of a sunken dead tree lodged +in the rocks and my starboard row lock was broken off. On shore Steward +killed another rattlesnake, of which there seemed to be a good many +along the river. + +We were now actually out of the Canyon of Desolation and in the +beginning of what the Major at first called Coal Canyon, then Lignite, +and finally Gray, the name it bears to-day, because of the colour of the +walls. The division between the two canyons was the break down where we +had seen the horse. Casting up we found that the Canyon of Desolation is +ninety-seven miles long. Early the next morning, August 24th, we pulled +away from Camp 47 soon running two small rapids of no consequence, and +in three miles came to a descent of some ten feet in a very short space, +where we made a let-down. Three fair rapids were next run easily when we +halted to examine a hard-looking place where we let down again. An +encounter with three more, two of them each a quarter of a mile long, +took us till noon, though we ran them and we came to a stop for dinner. +Now the walls had narrowed, the canyon being about half a mile wide at +the top--sometimes not more than a quarter. The colour was buff, and +there were seams of coal and lignite in places. On one or the other side +the cliffs were nearly vertical for about three hundred feet then +breaking back to jagged heights reaching about two thousand feet. After +dinner having run two more rapids without trouble we arrived at a very +difficult locality where the first cliffs, six hundred feet high, came +down vertically on both sides quite close to the water. We saw how we +could navigate it, but at flood time it would be a most serious +proposition, as there would be no footing on either side, unless, +perhaps on the huge masses of fallen rock. At the present stage we were +able to let the boats down by lines. Then we had two easy rapids, +followed by another not more difficult but less safe. A little farther +on we ran two more which completed the record for the day, and we were +glad to camp with a total run of 12-3/8 miles, and many rapids with +three let-downs. A feature of the cliffs this day was numerous alcoves +and grottoes worn into the sandstone some of them like great caverns +with extremely narrow canyons leading into them. + +In the morning Prof. with Jones, Cap., and Steward climbed out. The +country was elevated above the river about two thousand feet, a wild +labyrinth of ragged gulches, gullies, and sharp peaks devoid of +vegetation except a few piñons on some slopes, the whole presenting a +picture of complete desolation. At a quarter past twelve we were again +gliding down on a stiff current. We ran seven easy rapids and let-down +by lines twice, before arriving about three o'clock at the mouth of a +stream-bed sixty feet wide, which Prof. said was Little White, or Price +River. The mouth was so devoid of water that we camped on the smooth +sand, it being the only ground free from brush. A sudden rise or +cloud-burst would have made it an active place for us but we decided to +take the risk for one night. Prof. and Jones tried to get out by +following up this river bed but they were not successful. Game was +abundant and they thought there might be an Indian trail but they saw +none. In the evening Steward gave us a mouth-organ recital and Jack sang +a lot of his songs in fine style. The air was soft and tranquil, and +knowing we had now conquered the Canyon of Desolation without a serious +mishap we all felt well satisfied. + +In the morning, August 25th, breakfast was disposed of early, the boats +were put in trim and away we went again on a good current running many +rapids and making one let-down in a distance of eight miles. I counted +fourteen rapids, Steward ten or eleven, Prof. only eight, showing that +it is not always easy to separate the rapids where they come so close +together. In one the river was no more than thirty feet wide with big +waves that made the boats jump and ship water. We reached a bend and +saw the end of the canyon only a mile or two away, but we had to make +the let-down mentioned before we got there. Our camp, Number 50, was +made about noon, just inside the mouth of the canyon on the left, +opposite a high, beautiful pinnacle we called Cathedral Butte afterwards +changing the name to Gunnison. Here we would wait till the time +appointed for the Major to join us according to the plan. Gray Canyon +was now also behind us with its thirty-six miles and numerous rapids. +Adding to it the ninety-seven miles of Desolation made the total canyon +from Wonsits Valley 133 miles with a descent of about 550 feet +distributed through a hundred rapids, some small, some heavy. The entire +fall from our starting point was now some two thousand feet. Prof. and +Jones went down the valley two miles with the hope of seeing signs of +the Major but not a human being was to be found anywhere. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 12: Many, many years after the canyon voyage as Major Powell +with his sister, Mrs. Thompson, and Professor Thompson were approaching +Fort Wingate in New Mexico, the sun was setting, and sky and rocks +combined to produce a glorious picture. Suddenly he asked his companions +to halt and sitting on their horses looking into the wonderful sky he +sang with them the above two stanzas.] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + Return of the Major--Some Mormon Friends--No Rations at the + Elusive Dirty Devil--Captain Gunnison's Crossing--An All-night + Vigil for Cap. and Clem--The Land of a Thousand Cascades--A + Bend Like a Bow-knot and a Canyon Labyrinthian--Cleaving an + Unknown World--Signs of the Oldest Inhabitant--Through the + Canyon of Stillwater to the Jaws of the Colorado. + + +There was little energy in our camp the day after our arrival at the end +of the long struggle with Desolation and Gray canyons, and, also, it +being Sunday, we lounged around in a state of relaxation, joyful that we +did not have to roll up our blankets and stow them and everything else +in the rubber bags and pack the cabins to go on. The boats had been +unloaded and hauled on the beach, which was smooth sand, to dry out +preparatory to our caulking and repairing them with the pine gum +collected in Desolation. During the morning Prof. sent Jack and me down +the river a short distance to put up a signal, a small American flag, on +the lower end of an island, where it could easily be seen by any one +looking for us. All hands kept an ear open for signal shots, which we +hoped to hear soon, and have the Major once more in our company. After +dinner Prof. and Steward took another walk down the open valley about +five miles to reconnoitre, but though they came upon remains of a great +many Indian camps, all were old, and the valley appeared as silent and +deserted as it was desolate and barren. Along the river there were a few +groves of cottonwood, the only vegetation of any consequence to be seen. + +[Illustration: A. Map by the U. S. War Department--1868. + +Supplied by the courtesy of General Mackenzie, U. S. A., showing the +knowledge of the Colorado River basin just before Major Powell began +operations. The topography above the junction of the Green and Grand is +largely pictorial and approximate. The white space from the San Rafael +to the mouth of the Virgin is the unknown country referred to in this +volume, which was investigated in 1871-72-73. Preliminary Maps B, C, and +D, at pages 244, 246, and 207, respectively, partly give the results of +the work which filled in this area.] + +Through this valley passed the famous trail from Santa Fé to Los +Angeles, laid out in 1830 by that splendid pioneer, William Wolfskill. +The reason he came so far north was because there was no place to cross +the canyons below that was known.[13] This path was occasionally +travelled for years, and became celebrated as the "Old Spanish Trail." +Here it was that Captain Gunnison of our army in his notable +explorations crossed in 1853 on his westward journey, which a few days +later proved fatal to him, as he was killed by the Gosi-Utes. Before +leaving he established the latitude and longitude of this crossing, +which ever after bore his name.[14] Together with the mouth of the +Uinta, the mouth of Henry's Fork, and the mouth of Diamond Creek, this +made four points astronomically fixed before the Major came between the +Union Pacific crossing and the end of the Grand Canyon. Diamond Creek +mouth was determined accurately by Ives in 1858. The trappers and fur +hunters between 1824 and 1840, men like Jim Bridger and Kit Carson, had +roamed more or less over the region we had come through, and +occasionally they had tried to see the river in the canyons. The aridity +of the country generally held them back. Ashley, as already noted, had +made the passage of Red Canyon, and the trapper Meek with several +companions had gone through Lodore and Whirlpool one winter on the ice. +Frémont, Simpson, Berthoud, Selden, and some other scientific explorers +had passed here and there reconnoitring, and Macomb in 1859 had made a +reconnaissance to the south and south-west of Gunnison Crossing, so that +a general idea of the character of the region had been obtained and a +kind of approximate topography had been tentatively thrown in, yet it +was mainly an unknown wilderness so far as record went, particularly +contiguous to the river. But south from the San Rafael to the Paria and +west to the High Plateaus forming the southward continuation of the +Wasatch Range, an area of at least 10,000 square miles, there was still +a completely unknown country. Indeed, even from the Paria on down to the +Grand Wash the region on the right was hardly better understood, though +there were several Mormon settlements on the headwaters of the Virgin, +and recently the settlement of Kanab had been made farther east. On the +south of the Grand Canyon Ives had reconnoitred to some extent, reaching +the river at the mouth of Diamond Creek, but at no other point above +that did he come to the river nor get anywhere near its canyon above the +tributary Habasu (Cataract). + +In the entire stretch from Gunnison Crossing to the end of the Grand +Canyon, a distance of 587-1/2 miles, but two points were known where +the river could be crossed, the Crossing of the Fathers (El Vado de los +Padres), about latitude 37, and the mouth of the Paria, only thirty-five +miles lower down. This latter place had been discovered by Jacob +Hamblin, or "Old Jacob," as he was familiarly called, and he was the +first white man to cross there, which he did in October, 1869. He was a +well-known Mormon scout and pioneer of those days. He forded at El Vado +his first time in 1858, possibly the first white man after Escalante, +though the ford was known to at least Richard Campbell, the trapper, in +1840 or earlier. In 1862 Jacob circumtoured the Grand and Marble +canyons, going from St. George by way of the Grand Wash to the Moki +Towns and returning by way of El Vado. Thus the region below us to the +left or east had been reconnoitred in a general way by Macomb, while +that to the right or west had not had even bird's-eye exploration. Until +the Major's unrivalled first descent in 1869 the river was equally +unknown. Even above Gunnison Crossing, despite the spasmodic efforts at +exploration referred to, the river had remained a geographical enigma, +and to the Major belongs the sole credit for solving this great problem +throughout its length from the Union Pacific crossing in Wyoming to the +mouth of the Virgin River--the last problem of this kind within the +United States. Hampered as the first party was by loss of provisions and +instruments, they nevertheless made a plat of the immediate course of +the stream, portions of which were lost with the men who were killed by +the Shewits on leaving the party near the end of the Grand Canyon. So +far we had not been bothered in the least by lack of provisions, +instruments, time, health, or strength, and we had been able to make an +accurate meander of the river, note the topography and geology as we +went along, climb out frequently to examine the surrounding country, and +in every way carry forward the scientific work as planned. It was now a +question whether or not we would get our supplies at the next appointed +station, the mouth of the Dirty Devil River, or whether we would be +obliged to weigh out what we had, and by limiting ourselves to strict +rations put the work through anyhow. By September 5th we would probably +have information on this point, that being the limit set for our +waiting. Should the Major not arrive by that time, it would mean that +we were to go on as best we could with the supplies on hand. + +Monday was devoted to overhauling the boats, while Prof. took +observations. During a rest he also read aloud to us from Tennyson, + + "A land of streams! some, like a downward smoke, + Slow dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go; + And some thro' wavering lights and shadows broke, + Rolling a slumbrous sheet of foam below. + They saw the gleaming river seaward flow + From the inner land; far off three mountain-tops, + Three silent pinnacles of aged snow, + Stood sunset-flushed; and, dew'd with showery drops, + Up-clomb the shadowy pine above the copse." + +He was an excellent reader and we enjoyed his various selections. They +gave variety and new drift to our thought which was refreshing and +beneficial. When the boats were completed they were returned to the +river, but for the time being the rations and other things forming their +cargoes were permitted to remain on shore covered by the paulins. The +boats swung gracefully at their lines and Jack was tempted to get out +his fishing tackle in the early evening and seat himself on one of the +cabins to wait patiently for a bite. Softly the river rippled by with an +innocent murmur as if it had never been guilty of anything but the +calmest and best-behaved motion such as now reflected the great pinnacle +across the way standing 1200 feet clear cut against the glowing sky. The +air was balmy, no wind blew, and a universal quiet prevailed when +suddenly Jack uttered several exclamations not entirely in harmony with +the moment. He thought his precious hook was caught on a snag. Pulling +gently in order not to break his line the snag lifted with it and +presently he was astounded to see, not the branch of a tree or a +water-logged stick, but the head of an enormous fish appear above the +surface. Had there been some splashing he would have been prepared for +the extraordinary sight but the monster came with barely a wriggle as if +he did not know what it was to be caught. He was successfully landed in +the middle cabin of the boat, which was empty except for some water, and +lay there unhurt as if it were the natural place for him. Casting again +another of the same kind came forth and then a third. The longest +appeared to be the length of the cabin, as he floated in the water, and +that was four feet. He was at least thirty or thirty-six inches with a +circumference of fifteen inches. The others were considerably shorter +but nevertheless very large fish. The big one was killed for food and +Steward noted that the heart after removal kept up pulsations of twenty +beats to the minute for half an hour. These fish are now called Colorado +River salmon. The flesh was white and they seemed to us good eating. + +[Illustration: Colorado River White Salmon. + +Photograph by the Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railway Survey +under Robert Brewster Stanton, 1889.] + +On Tuesday, August 29th, the third day of our waiting, as we were about +to return to various occupations after dinner three rapid shots broke +suddenly on the quiet air from down the valley. It was our signal. "The +Major" cried all in a breath, and a reply signal was instantly fired. +Clem and I were sent immediately to the end of the island, carrying our +rifles, of course, for while we had little doubt as to who it was, there +might be a surprise. We hurried down while the others watched the bank +beyond. As soon as we cleared the bushes and could see the western shore +we distinguished the Major and a stranger by his side, with horses. We +shouted to them directions for reaching our camp and they rode up till +they came opposite to it whence they were ferried over while Jones took +the horses down to their camp about four miles below. The Major reported +an absolute failure in the attempt to find a way to the mouth of the +Dirty Devil River and he had not himself been able to do anything about +it. The first trial was eastward from Glencove, a Mormon settlement on +the Sevier. It failed because the Indian guides refused to proceed +beyond fifty miles and it was not practicable to go on without them. A +second party was then sent in a little later under Old Jacob +north-eastward from Kanab. They reached a river flowing to the Colorado +at about the right place and for many miles followed it with extreme +difficulty and hazard even at the low stage of water prevailing, down +through a deep, narrow canyon. Sometimes they were compelled to swim +their horses where the rapid stream filled the chasm from wall to wall, +and continual crossing and re-crossing were necessary from one footing +to another. This perilous effort was also abandoned. The Major had gone +to Salt Lake and from there, being informed of these results, down to a +village called Manti whence he made his way across country to our +present position, with several pack animals bringing three hundred +pounds of flour, a quantity of jerked beef, and twenty pounds of sugar. +This was not exactly adequate to the circumstances but he probably +thought it was all he could get through with to the meeting place +appointed in the time alloted. While he and Fred Hamblin, the man +accompanying him, were eating their dinner, we packed the boats, and +when all was ready took them on board, the Major in his old place in the +armchair on our boat, and Hamblin on the middle deck of another. In the +run down to the camp Hamblin was very uncomfortable for he was not +accustomed to boats, especially to boats that ran so fast. There were +two little rapids, some swift chutes, and in several places the river +shoaled and we grated slightly on the gravel. + +Stretching away westward from Gunnison Butte we saw an exquisitely +modelled line of cliffs, some portions being a clear azure blue. At +first it was proposed to name them Henry Cliffs, but they were finally +called from their colour, Azure. Presently we arrived at the camp where +we found another man, Lyman Hamblin, a son of Jacob and nephew of Fred. +They were both Mormons from Kanab near the Arizona line in southern +Utah. They had a large amount of mail for us and every one fell to +reading letters and papers. August 30th and 31st were spent here getting +our work in shape, making sketches and observations, as well as writing +letters and helping the Hamblins prepare for their trip back through the +wild country. They had met with no Indians on the way in and they hoped +to be equally fortunate going back having no desire to see any. In this, +as they told me afterwards, they were not successful. They mounted their +horses, Friday, September 1st, about four in the afternoon when the west +was taking on a rich evening glow and turning in that direction +vanished, with a wave of the hand and a good-bye, into the mystery of +colour, bearing our letters, the geographic data, the geologic notes, +and all the other material which we had collected since leaving the +mouth of the Uinta, and which it was thought advisable to send out both +for safety and to relieve our crowded cabins. They said that the next +evening before they realised it they found themselves so near a large +encampment of Indians that there was no getting away, and they did the +only thing they could sensibly do, rode boldly on straight into the +midst of the strangers with the hope that the band belonged where they +were on the west side of the river, in which case they were surely +peaceful. Both men spoke Ute well and they had had long experience. The +Indians proved to be entirely friendly, and the Hamblins camped with +them for the night; not because they wanted to but because they thought +it inexpedient to do otherwise. When they left us we felt that they were +old friends for they were fine men and most agreeable. Besides, with the +exception of Basor who had driven the team down from Salt Lake to the +Uinta with our rations, they were the only white men which those of us +who had not visited the Uinta Agency had seen since the Harrells in +Brown's Park, nearly three months before. An hour after their departure +we pushed off and ran down about half a mile, passing one little rapid, +to the old crossing where we stopped on the left for the night. Beaman +and I were commissioned to go back to our Camp Gunnison to get a saw +which had been forgotten there; we could not afford to lose so valuable +an implement. A well-beaten Indian trail leading up the river gave us +easy going and we made good time. The effects of light and colour all +around us playing over the mountains and valley gave the surroundings a +weird interest. The day was ending. Long shadows stole across the +strange topography while the lights on the variegated buttes became +kaleidoscopic. As for us, we appeared ridiculously inadequate. We ought +to have been at least twenty feet high to fit the hour and the scene. +Gradually the lights faded, the shadows faded, then both began to merge +till a soft grey-blue dropped over all blending into the sky everywhere +except west where the burnish of sunset remained. Before dark the old +camp was reached; we found the saw by the last dying rays and then +picked our backward path by starlight following the trail as we had +come. Silence and the night were one as in the countless years that had +carved the dim buttes from the rocks of the world primeval when man was +not. Beautiful is the wilderness at all times, at all times lovely, but +under the spell of the twilight it seems to enfold one in a tender +embrace, pushing back the sordid, the commonplace, and obliterating +those magnified nothings that form the weary burden of civilised man. +With keen appreciation we tramped steadily on till at last we perceived +through the night gloom the cheerful flicker of our camp-fire, a sight +always welcome, for the camp-fire to the explorer is home. + +At eight the next morning our business was resumed with the Major happy +in his accustomed place. We made a nice run of eighteen miles on a +smooth, shallow river, with broken, picturesque low cliffs and isolated +buttes everywhere. The valley was wide and filled with these rocky +hills. For a quarter of a mile on each side of the river there were +cottonwood groves offering fine spots for camping, before and after +crossing. There seemed to be several places where crossing was +accomplished. At one of these we discovered where some Indians had been +in camp a few hours before. The placidity of the river permitted the +lashing together of the boats once more for a time and while we drifted +this way down with the easy current the Major and Prof. took turns at +reading aloud from Whittier. _Mogg Megone_ was one selection that was +quite in harmony with the surroundings while other poems offered a +delightful contrast. There were songs, too, and I specially identify +with this particular locality that old college favourite, _Dear Evelina, +Sweet Evelina_ which everybody sang, and which the Major often sang +alone as he peered ahead into the vista unfolding. + +Before night the valley narrowed, the banks looked more like low canyon +walls, and the current stiffened. A clump of small cottonwoods suggested +a camp as the sun ran down and there we halted. Nor did we go on the +next day as the Major desired to go out to a ridge lying to the west, +which he had seen from his horse on his way to us across country. Jones +went with him and they came back with a fine collection of Cretaceous +fossils. Steward and Cap. also went collecting and were successful. Our +surroundings were now even more peculiar than heretofore. In many places +the region was absolutely barren of all vegetation; thousands of acres +at a time had upon them hardly a living plant of any description, being +simply bare and barren rock, as devoid of soil as the deck of a ship. +Prof. took observations for latitude and longitude and the rest of us +were busy at our usual affairs. We had very little time to spare when +the various necessary duties had been regularly attended to. + +[Illustration: Dellenbaugh Butte. + +Near Mouth of San Rafael. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +As we went on the next morning the desolation of the surroundings +increased, if that were possible, and it was easy to read in this one +cause of the tardiness of its exploration. The acreage of bare rock grew +wider and broader. The buttes now often turned to walls about 150 feet +high, all much broken, but indicating the approach to another closing in +of the rocks upon us. Many of these buttes were beautiful in their +castellated form as well as because of a picturesque banded character, +and opposite our dinner-camp, which was on a ledge of rock, was one +surprisingly symmetrical, resembling an artificial structure. I thought +it looked like an art gallery, and the Major said it ought to be named +after the artist, so he called it "Dellenbaugh's Butte" then and there. +Another singular feature of this day was a number of alkaline springs +discovered bubbling up from the bottom of a sort of bayou or branch of +the river. There were at least seventy-five of them, one throwing a +column six or eight inches above the surface of the water here about two +feet deep. We thought the place worth a name, and called it Undine +Springs. Three or four miles below the butte named after me we arrived +at the mouth of a river, twenty-five feet wide and eight or ten inches +deep, coming in from the right. This was the San Rafael. Our camp was +made near some cottonwoods between its left bank and the Green. As soon +as we landed we perceived that the ground was strewn with flaked chips +of chalcedony, jasper, and similar stones. It was plain that here was a +favourite workshop of the native arrowhead maker, an artisan now +vanished forever. Numerous well-finished beautiful arrow-heads of stone +were found, all being placed in the general collection for the +Smithsonian Institution. Our Camp 54 was elevated considerably above the +river, and the surroundings being open, we had views in all directions. +Towards the east we could see the Sierra La Sal, two clusters of rounded +peaks, forty or fifty miles away, forming a majestic picture. The place +was easy of access, and had been a favourite resort for natives, several +acres of camp remains being found. In the morning Prof. began a series +of observations to fix the position of the mouth of the San Rafael, +while the Major and Jones, with rations, blankets, etc., on their backs +for a two days' trip, started early up the tributary stream to see what +kind of a country it flowed through. Steward feeling somewhat under the +weather did not attempt to do anything, while the photographer and the +others busied themselves in their respective lines. The following day +the Major and Jones returned as planned, having traced the San Rafael +for twenty-five miles. Before they arrived Cap. and Clem went across the +Green to travel eastward to some high red buttes, one of which they +intended to climb for topographical purposes. These buttes loomed up in +a striking way, and appeared to be no more than six miles off even to +Cap.'s experienced eye. The Major described the drainage basin of the +San Rafael as wofully barren and desolate, like the rest of our +surroundings. They had seen mountains lying beyond the Dirty Devil +River, which were the range we then called the Unknown Mountains, there +being no record of any one ever having seen them before the Major on his +first trip. + +Steward, recovering his poise, walked back alone on the east bank of the +Green four miles to Dellenbaugh's Butte to examine it and the +intervening geology. He found the butte to be about four hundred feet +high and composed of stratified gypsum, thinly bedded and of fine +quality. + +As evening approached we looked for the return of Cap. and Clem, +especially when the supper hour arrived, but twilight came, then +darkness, and still their footfall was not heard. The Major was greatly +disturbed over their failure to come, fearing they had gotten out of +water, missed their way, and might now be suffering or demoralised in +the arid wastes to eastward. He ordered a large fire to be built on a +high spot near camp, where it would be visible for miles in the +direction the missing men had gone. We divided into watches of two hours +each to keep the fire going, in order that the men should have a guide +if they were trying to reach the river in the night. I was called for +my turn at two in the morning, and read Whittier while feeding the +flames. The sky was mottled with clouds driving impetuously across the +zenith, the bright moon gleaming through the interstices as they rapidly +passed along. My attention was divided between the Quaker poet, the +blazing fire, the mysterious environment into which I peered from time +to time, and the flying scud playing hide-and-seek with the moon. At +three I called Andy, who had breakfast ready before five, and all hands +were up prepared to start on a search. By the time we had eaten there +was light enough for operations to begin, and the Major, accompanied by +Jack, carrying between them two days' rations and as much water as +possible, were put across the Green to strike out directly eastward. A +couple of hours later Prof. took a boat, with Steward and me to man it +and another supply of food and water, and ran down the river a mile, +where we headed back into the dry region to intersect at a distance the +route the Major was following. We had not gone far before signal shots +came to our ears, and through a glass turned in that direction we +rejoiced to see that the Major and Jack had met the lost ones and all +was well. + +Prof. directed me to go back on foot to our camp with instructions for +the other boats to come down, while he, in response to further signals, +dropped his boat to a point nearer to the position of the rescue party +and easier for them to reach. Cap. had underestimated the distance to +the butte, which was twice as far as he thought. They walked eight hours +to get there only to discover that scaling it was out of the question. A +mile and a half beyond they found one they could climb, but by the time +they had completed their observations on top of this evening overtook +them and they were at least fifteen miles from camp. Having consumed +their lunch at noon and drank all their water they were in something of +a predicament, but luckily found some water-pockets in the barren rock, +recently filled by the rains, so they did not suffer for thirst, and +going hungry is not dangerous. Over the wide surfaces of bare rock they +travelled toward camp till night forced them to wait for daylight, when +they kept on till they met the Major and Jack with water and food. + +No sooner had I arrived at the camp than the sky which was leaden and +low began to drop its burden upon us. Packing up could not be done till +the rain slackened, and we sheltered ourselves as well as we could. As +we waited a deep roaring sound from not far off presently fell on our +ears and we were puzzled to explain it till an examination showed a +recently dry gulch filled with a muddy torrent which leaped the low +cliff into the river, a sullen cascade. The San Rafael, too, was a +booming flood. We packed the boats as soon as we could and ran down +about two miles and a half to where the first boat was. Cliffs bordered +the river again, 50 to 100 feet high, then 200 or 300, and we saw we +were in the beginning of the next canyon called from its winding course, +Labyrinth. Over these straight walls hundreds of beautiful cascades born +of the rain were plunging into the river. They were of all sizes, all +heights, and almost all colours, chocolate, amber, and red +predominating. The rocky walls, mainly of a low purplish-red tint, were +cut into by the river till the outside curves of the bends were +perpendicular and sometimes slightly more than perpendicular, so that +some of the cascades fell clear without a break. The acres of bare rock +composing the surface of the land on both sides collected the rain as +does the roof of a house, and the rills and rivulets rapidly uniting +soon formed veritable floods of considerable proportions seeking the +bosom of the river. This seemed the most fantastic region we had yet +encountered. Buttes, pinnacles, turrets, spires, castles, gulches, +alcoves, canyons and canyons, all hewn, "as the years of eternity roll" +out of the verdureless labyrinth of solid rock, made us feel more than +ever a sense of intruding into a forbidden realm, and having permanently +parted from the world we formerly knew. + +About noon we caught up to the other boat and all had dinner together, +happy that nothing serious had befallen Cap. and Clem. During the whole +afternoon rain steadily fell upon the top of this rock-roofed world till +the river rose several inches while its colour turned to a dull yellow, +then to a red, showing how heavy the rainfall had been in the back +country. We had our rubber ponchos on but we were more or less damp and +we began to notice that summer had passed for the air was chilly. The +river was perfectly smooth making navigation easy and we were able to +pull steadily along with no interruption from rapids. The walls ever +increased their height while over the edges the numberless astonishing +rain cascades continued to play, varying their volume according to the +downpour from the sky. Before long the cliffs were from 800 to 1000 feet +high, often perpendicular, giving the waterfalls grand plunges. These +graceful tributaries were now occasionally perfectly clear and they +sometimes fell so far without a break that they vanished in feathery +white spray. A projecting ledge at times might gather this spray again +to form a second cascade before the river level was reached. The scene +was quite magical and considering the general aridity for a large part +of the year, it appeared almost like a phantasm. + + "A land of streams! some, like a downward smoke, + Slow dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go." + +The river twisted this way and that with the tongues of the bends filled +with alluvial deposit bearing dense clumps of scrub-oak, and grass. Each +new bend presented a fresh picture with the changing waterfalls leaping +over by the dozen till we might have thought ourselves in some Norwegian +fiord, and we gave far more attention to admiring the scenery than to +navigating the boats. Late in the day we landed at the left on the point +of a bend and chopped a path through the thick oak brush to a grassy +glade, where we soon had the paulins stretched across oars supported by +other oars forming comfortable shelters in front of which huge fires of +dead oak and driftwood were kept going to dry things out. Andy set his +pots to boiling and supper was soon prepared. + +All night the rain fell but our shelters kept us dry and every one had a +good rest. When the morning of September 8th dawned clear and bracing we +met it with good spirits, though the spirits of our party seldom varied +no matter what the circumstances, and every man took as much personal +interest in the success of the expedition as if he were entirely +responsible for it. + +In order that Beaman might take some pictures and the topographers get +notes, no move was made. Prof. climbed out obtaining a wide view in all +directions and securing valuable data. I also went up on the cliffs and +made a pencil sketch, and in the afternoon we explored a peculiar +three-mouthed side canyon across the river. Three canyons came together +at their mouths and we called the place Trin Alcove. Prof. and the Major +walked up it some distance and then sent for Beaman to come to +photograph. At nightfall rain began once more, and the shelters were +again erected over the oars. Another morning came fair and we went on +leaving Beaman to finish up views and the _Nell_ crew for other work. As +we proceeded we would occasionally halt to wait but it was noon before +they overtook us. Rain had begun before this and continued at intervals +during the dinner stop. As soon as we started we ran into a heavy +downpour and while pulling along in the midst of this our boat ran on a +sand-bar and got so far and fast aground that it required all ten men to +get her off, the other crews walking in the water to where we were, as +the shoal was very wide. While thus engaged a beautiful colour effect +developed softly before us through an opalescent, vaporous shroud. The +sun came forth with brilliant power upon the retreating mists creating a +clear, luminous, prismatic bow ahead of us arching in perfect symmetry +from foot to foot of the glistening walls, while high above it resting +each end on the first terraces a second one equally distinct bridged the +chasm; and, exactly where these gorgeous rainbows touched the rocks, +roaring rain cascades leaped down to add their charm to the enchanting +picture. + +We were now at the beginning of a very long loop of the river, which we +named Bow-knot Bend. Just at the start of this great turn we camped with +a record for the whole day of 15-1/8 miles. Steward found some fragments +of pottery. The next morning we remained here till ten for views, and +then we left Beaman on the summit of the low dividing ridge, where one +could look into the river on either side and see a point which we rowed +more than five miles to reach.[15] On the right bank we stopped for +dinner, and when it was about ready several of us crossed, and, helping +Beaman down with his heavy boxes, ferried him to our side. The opposite +bank was no more than one thousand feet in a straight line from our +starting-place of the morning. Instead of now going on, a halt was +made, because Steward, prowling around after his custom, had found some +fossils that were important and he wanted more. The Major, with Jack, +crossed the river for further geological investigations, while Prof. and +Jones started to climb out, though the prospect was not encouraging. +They ascended over rock, strangely eroded by water into caverns and +holes, then along a ledge till Jones, being a taller man than Prof., got +up and pulled Prof. after him with his revolver belt. They obtained a +remarkable view. Buttes, ridges, mountains stood all round, with the +river so completely lost in the abruptness of its chasm that a mile from +the brink the whole region was apparently solid, and the existence of +the gorge with a river at bottom would not even be suspected. They could +trace the line of Grand River by tower-like buttes and long ridges, and +just at the gap formed by the junction with the Green a blue mountain +arose. The Sierra La Sal, too, could be seen lying on the horizon like +blue clouds. "Weird and wild, barren and ghost-like, it seemed like an +unknown world," said Prof. The country was a vast plateau similar to the +one through which the Canyon of Desolation is carved, that is tilting +northward and increasing in altitude towards the south, so that as the +river runs on its canyon becomes deeper from this cause as well as its +cutting. These great terraces sloping to the north were not before +understood. They terminate on the south in vertical cliffs through which +the river emerges abruptly. From such features as these the Major named +this the Plateau Province. The cliffs terminating each plateau form +intricate escarpments, meandering for many miles, and they might be +likened to a series of irregular and complicated steps. Occasional high +buttes and mountain masses break the surface, but in general the whole +area forming the major part of the basin of the Colorado may be +described as a plateau country--a land of mesas, cliffs, and canyons. + +[Illustration: Labyrinth Canyon--Bowknot Bend. + +The Great Loop Is behind the Spectator. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The next day, September 11th, we were on the river at 7.30, and ran +about seven miles on smooth water before we stopped for a mid-day rest +and dinner on the right bank, as well as to enable Beaman to take some +views he desired. Another three miles and we halted again for +geologising and for photographs, while Prof., taking Andy in his boat, +went ahead to establish a camp somewhere below for the night, in order +that we would not be so late getting supper. The days were now growing +short, and supper by firelight was a common thing. Rain soon began again +and put a stop to the work, driving us forward between the scores of +cascades which soon began to leap anew from every height to the river. +At one place a waterfall shot out from behind an arch set against the +wall, making a singular but beautiful effect, and revealing to us one +method by which some of the arches are formed. The place Prof. had +selected for camp was reached almost the same time that he got there. It +was on the left among the greasewood bushes, and there we put up our +paulins for shelter on oars as before. We had made about fifteen miles. +The walls receded from the river, forming what the Major named the +Orange Cliffs, and were much broken, while the back country could be +seen in places from our boats. Scores, hundreds, multitudes of buttes of +bare rock of all shapes and sizes were in sight, and one was called the +Butte of the Cross, because it suggested a cross lying down from one +position, though from another it was seen to be in reality two distinct +masses. Here ended Labyrinth Canyon according to the Major's decision. +We credited it with a length of 62-1/2 miles. Although winding through +an extremely arid country, it had for us been a place of rain and +waterfalls, and even though rapids were absent we had been nevertheless +kept rather wet. + +There was not much change in structure between Labyrinth Canyon and the +following one of the series, Stillwater. The interval was one of +lowered, much broken walls, well back from the river, leaving wide +bottom lands on the sides. We went ahead in the morning on quiet water +for seven or eight miles, and stopped on a high bank for dinner and for +examinations. Prof., Cap., Steward, and the Major climbed out. Steward +got separated from the others by trying to reach a rather distant butte, +and when he tried to rejoin us he had considerable difficulty in doing +so. For half an hour he searched for a place to get down, and we looked +for one also from the bottom, and finally he was compelled to go down +half a mile farther, where he made the descent only to find himself in a +dense jungle of rose-bushes, willows, and other plants. We had to cut a +way in to relieve him. The luxuriant growth of these plants seemed to +indicate that the barrenness of the plateau was due not so much to +aridity as to the peculiar rock formation, which, disintegrating easily +under the frosts and rains, prevented the accumulation of soil. The soil +was washed away by every rain and carried by thousands of cataracts into +the river. Only when the country reaches the "base level of erosion," as +the Major called it, would vegetation succeed in holding its place; that +is when the declivity of the surrounding region became reduced till the +rain torrents should lack the velocity necessary to transport any great +load of detritus, and the disintegrated material would accumulate, give +a footing to plants, and thus further protect itself and the rocks. + +[Illustration: Stillwater Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The Major and Prof. now decided to use up all the photographic material +between this point and the Dirty Devil, and leave one boat at the latter +place till the next season, when a party would come in for it and take +it down to the Paria. We would be obliged to examine the Dirty Devil +region then in any event. Three miles below our dinner camp we arrived +at a remarkably picturesque bend, and on the outer circumference we made +our sixtieth camp, but so late that supper was eaten by firelight. The +bend was named by Beaman "Bonito," and in the morning he made a number +of views. The bottom lands along the river had evidently been utilised +by the aboriginal inhabitants for farming, as fragments of pottery +occasionally found indicated their presence here in former days. It was +afternoon when we pushed off and left Bonito Bend behind. After a few +miles the Major and Prof. tried to climb out, but they failed. A buff +sandstone, resting on red shale, was vertical for about 140 feet +everywhere and could not be surmounted. Above this stood another +vertical wall of five hundred feet, an orange coloured sandstone, in +which no break was apparent. These walls closed in on the river, +leaving barely a margin in many places. There were few landings, the +current, rather swift and smooth, swirling along the foot of the rocks, +which rose vertically for 250 feet and were about four hundred feet +apart. As the evening came on we could find no place to stop that +offered room enough for a camp, and we drifted on and on till almost +dark, when we discovered a patch of soil on the right that would give us +sufficient space. The 13th of September happened to be my birthday, and +Andy had promised to stew a mess of dried apples in celebration. This +does not sound like a tremendous treat, but circumstances give the test. +Our supply of rations being limited and now running low, Andy for some +time had been curbing our appetites. Stewed dried apples were granted +about once a week, and boiled beans were an equal luxury. It was +consequently a disappointment not to get the promised extra allowance of +apples on this occasion. Not only was the hour late, but there was +little wood to be had, though diligent raking around produced enough +driftwood to cook our supper of bacon, coffee, and bread. Our camp was +beneath an overhanging cliff about six hundred feet high, and the walls +near us were so heavily coated with salt that it could be broken off in +chunks anywhere. The quarters were not roomy, but we got a good sleep. +In the morning before he was fairly awake Steward discovered fossils in +the rocks over his head, and we remained till one o'clock in order that +an investigation could be made. He collected about a peck of fine +specimens. When we started again the canyon was so interesting, +particularly to the geologists, that we stopped several times in a run +of five miles between vertical walls not over six hundred feet apart. +Camp was finally made on the right in a sort of alcove, with a level +fertile bottom of several acres, where the ancients had grown corn. +Evidences of their former life here were numerous. Steward, climbing on +the cliffs, suddenly gave a loud shout, announcing a discovery. He had +found two small huts built into the rocks. Several of us went up to look +at them. They were of great age and so small that they could have been +only storage places. Withered and hardened corncobs were found within +them. + +On returning to camp we learned that the Major had found some larger +house ruins on a terrace some distance up the river. Around the +camp-fire that evening he told us something about the Shinumos, as he +called them, who long ago had inhabited this region, and in imagination +we now beheld them again climbing the cliffs or toiling at their +agriculture in the small bottom land. + +At daylight Steward, Clem, and I went up to the ruins, which stood on a +terrace projecting in such a way that a clear view could be had up and +down the river. There were two houses built of stone slabs, each about +13 × 15 feet, and about six feet of wall were still standing. Thirty +feet or more below ran the river, and there were remains of an old +stairway leading down through a crevice to the river, but too much +disintegrated for us to descend. These were the first ruins of the kind +I had ever seen, and I was as much interested in them as I afterwards +was in the Colosseum. + +Prof., being desirous of arriving as speedily as possible at the +junction of the Grand with the Green, which was now not far off, for the +purpose of getting an observation for time, left us at seven o'clock and +proceeded in advance, while the remainder of the party turned their +attention to the locality where we were. We could see traces of an old +trail up the cliffs, and the Major, Jack, Andy, and Jones started to +follow this out. With the aid of ropes taken along and stones piled up, +as well as a cottonwood pole that had been placed as a ladder by the +ancients, they succeeded in reaching the summit. Clem and I went back to +the large house ruins for a re-examination, and looked over the +quantities of broken arrowheads of jasper and the potsherds strewing the +place in search of specimens of value. On the return trip of the +climbers Andy discovered an earthen jar, fifteen inches high and about +twelve inches in diameter, of the "pinched-coil" type, under a +sheltering rock, covered by a piece of flat stone, where it had rested +for many a decade if not for a century. It contained a small coil of +split-willow, such as is used in basketry, tied with cord of aboriginal +make. Some one had placed it there for a few moments. + +After dinner we continued down the canyon, taking the pot with us. The +walls were nearly vertical on both sides, or at any rate appeared so to +us from the boats, and they often came straight into the water, with +here and there a few willows. They were not more than 450 feet apart. +No rapids troubled us, and the current was less than three miles an +hour, but we seemed to be going swiftly even without rowing. After about +seven miles the trend of the chasm became easterly, and we saw the mouth +of the Grand, the Junction, that hidden mystery which, unless we count +D. Julien, only nine white men, the Major's first party, had ever seen +before us. The Grand entered through a canyon similar to that of the +Green, all the immediate walls being at least 800 feet and the summit of +the plateau about 1500 feet above the river. On the right was a small +bench, perhaps one-third of a mile long and several rods wide, fringed +by a sand-bank, on which we found the crew of the _Nell_ established in +Camp 62. Between the two rivers was another footing of about two acres, +bearing several hackberry trees, and it was on this bank up the Grand +River side that the first party camped. Across on the east shore we +could see still another strip with some bushes, but there was no more +horizontal land to be found here. The two rivers blended gracefully on +nearly equal terms, and the doubled volume started down with reckless +impetuosity. This was the end of Stillwater Canyon, with a length of +42-3/4 miles. At last we had finished the canyons of the Green, with +every boat in good condition and not a man injured in any way, and now +we stood before the grim jaws of the Colorado. Our descent from Gunnison +Crossing was 215 feet, with not a rapid that was worth recording, and +from the Union Pacific crossing in feet, 2215, and in miles, 539. The +altitude of the Junction is 3860 feet above sea-level. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 13: In fact there was only one practicable place, El Vado de +los Padres, and that was difficult. The alternative would have been to +cross Arizona south of the Colorado. By this Gunnison Crossing route +there were better wood, water, and grass to compensate for distance.] + +[Footnote 14: It is here that the Denver and Rio Grande railway crossed, +bridging the river in 1883. From here also the Brown Expedition started +in May, 1889, and the Best Expedition in 1891.] + +[Footnote 15: Many years afterward on a rock face half-way round this +bend the inscription, D. Julien 1836 3 Mai, was found. The same +inscription was also found in two other places just below the mouth of +Grand River and near the end of Cataract Canyon.] + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + A Wonderland of Crags and Pinnacles--Poverty Rations--Fast and + Furious Plunging Waters--Boulders Boom along the + Bottom--Chilly Days and Shivering--A Wild Tumultuous Chasm--A + Bad Passage by Twilight and a Tornado with a Picture + Moonrise--Out of one Canyon into Another--At the Mouth of the + Dirty Devil at Last. + + +We were on the threshold of what the Major had previously named Cataract +Canyon, because the declivity within it is so great and the water +descends with such tremendous velocity and continuity that he thought +the term rapid failed to interpret the conditions. The addition of the +almost equal volume of the Grand--indeed it was now a little greater +owing to extra heavy rains along its course--doubled the depth and +velocity of the river till it swirled on into the new canyon before us +with a fierce, threatening intensity, sapping the flat sand-bank on +which our camp was laid and rapidly eating it away. Large masses with a +sudden splash would drop out of sight and dissolve like sugar in a cup +of tea. We were obliged to be on the watch lest the moorings of the +boats should be loosened, allowing them to sweep pell-mell before us +down the gorge. The long ropes were carried back to their limit and made +fast to stakes driven deep into the hard sand. Jack and I became +dissatisfied with the position of our boat and dropped it down two or +three hundred yards to a place where the conditions were better, and +camped by it. There were a few small cottonwoods against the cliff +behind the sand-bank, but they were too far off to be reached by our +lines, and the ground beneath them was too irregular and rocky for a +camp. These trees, with the hackberry trees across the river and +numerous stramonium bushes in full blossom, composed the chief +vegetation of this extraordinary locality. No more remote place existed +at that time within the United States--no place more difficult of +access. Macomb in his reconnaissance in 1859 had tried hard to arrive +here, but he got no nearer than the edge of the plateau about thirty +miles up Grand River. + +It was necessary that we should secure topographic notes and +observations from the summit, and we scanned the surroundings for the +most promising place for exit. The Major was sure we could make a +successful ascent to the upper regions by way of a narrow cleft on the +right or west some distance back up the Green, which he had noted as we +came along; so in the morning of Saturday, September 16th, he and Jack, +Beaman, Clem, Jones, and I rowed up in the _Cañonita_, the current being +slow along the west bank, and started up the crevice, dragging the +cumbrous photographic outfit along. Prof. remained below for +observations for time. The cleft was filled with fallen rocks, and we +had no trouble mounting, except that the photographic boxes were like +lead and the straps across one's chest made breathing difficult. The +climb was tiring, but there was no obstacle, and we presently emerged on +the surface of the country 1300 feet above the river and 5160 above the +sea. Here was revealed a wide cyclorama that was astounding. Nothing was +in sight but barren sandstone, red, yellow, brown, grey, carved into an +amazing multitude of towers, buttes, spires, pinnacles, some of them +several hundred feet high, and all shimmering under a dazzling sun. It +was a marvellous mighty desert of bare rock, chiselled by the ages out +of the foundations of the globe; fantastic, extraordinary, antediluvian, +labyrinthian, and slashed in all directions by crevices; crevices wide, +crevices narrow, crevices medium, some shallow, some dropping till a +falling stone clanked resounding into the far hollow depths. Scarcely +could we travel a hundred yards but we were compelled to leap some deep, +dark crack. Often they were so wide a running jump was necessary, and at +times the smooth rock sloped on both sides toward the crevice rather +steeply. Once the Major came sliding down a bare slope till at a point +where he caught sight of the edge of a sombre fissure just where he +must land. He could not see its width; he could not return, and there he +hung. Luckily I was where by another path I could quickly reach the +rock below, and I saw that the crevice was not six inches wide, and I +shouted the joyful news. Steward had not come up with us, but had +succeeded in ascending through a narrow crevice below camp. He soon +arrived within speaking distance, but there he was foiled by a crack too +wide to jump, and he had to remain a stranger to us the rest of the day. +At a little distance back from the brink these crevices were not so +numerous nor so wide, and there we discovered a series of extremely +pretty "parks" lost amidst the million turreted rocks. I made a pencil +sketch looking out into this Sinav-to-weap, as the Major called it from +information obtained from the Utes.[16] Beaman secured a number of +photographs, but not all that were desired, and, as we did not have +rations for stopping on the summit, we went back to camp and made the +climb again the next day. Fortunately the recent rains had filled many +hollows in the bare rock, forming pockets of delicious, pure water, +where we could drink, but on a hot and dry summer's day travelling here +would be intolerable, if not impossible. Fragments of arrow-heads, chips +of chalcedony, and quantities of potsherds scattered around proved that +our ancient Shinumos had known the region well. Doubtless some of their +old trails would lead to large and deep water-pockets. There are +pot-holes in this bare sandstone of enormous size, often several feet in +depth and of similar diameter, which become filled with rain-water that +lasts a long time. The Shinumos had numerous dwellings all through this +country, with trails leading from place to place, highways and byways. + +The following day the Major and Jones climbed out on the side opposite +camp, that is on the east side, where they found an old trail and +evidences of camping during the summer just closed, probably by the +Utes. That night, Jones, in attempting to enter our boat in the +moonlight, stepped on the corner of the hatch of the middle cabin, which +was not on securely; it tipped, and he was thrown in such a way as to +severely injure his leg below the knee. This was the first mishap thus +far to any one of the party. + +The Major entertained some idea of making a boat trip up the Grand, but +he abandoned it, and we prepared for the work ahead. The rations, which +were now fallen to poverty bulk, were carefully overhauled and evenly +distributed among the boats, so that the wrecking of any one would not +deprive us of more than a portion of each article. The amount for daily +use was also determined; of the bacon we were to have at a meal only +half the usual quantity. We knew Cataract Canyon was rough, but by this +time we were in excellent training and thoroughly competent for the kind +of navigation required; ready for anything that strong boats like ours +could live through. At ten o'clock on Tuesday, September 19th, the +cabins were all packed, the life preservers were inflated, and casting +off from Camp 62 we were borne down with the swift current. The water +was muddy, of a coffee-and-cream colour, and the river was falling. Not +far below our camp we saw a beaten trail coming down a singular canyon +on the left or east side, showing again that the natives understood the +way in to the Junction.[17] We knew it was not far to rapids, as we had +seen two heavy ones from the brink above, and we soon heard the familiar +roar of plunging water, a sound which had been absent since the end of +Gray Canyon. Presently we were bearing down on the first one, looking +for the way to pass it. On landing at the head it was seen to be a +rather rough place, and it was deemed advisable to avoid running it. The +boats were carefully let down by lines and we went on. In a short +distance we reached a second rapid, where we decided to repeat the +operation that took us past the other, but these two let-downs consumed +much time and gave us hard work. The water was cold, we were wet and +hungry, and when we arrived at a third that was more forbidding than the +ones above we halted for dinner at its beginning. The muddy water boomed +and plunged over innumerable rocks--a mad, irresistible flood. So great +was the declivity of the river bed that boulders were rolled along under +water with a sound like distant thunder. We had noticed this also in +Lodore, but in Cataract it was more common. The rumbling was +particularly noticeable if one were standing in the water, as we so +continually were. After dinner the boats were lowered past the rapid, +but we had no respite, for presently we came upon another big one, then +another, and another, and then still another, all following quickly and +giving us plenty of extremely hard work, for we would not risk the boats +in any of them. When these were behind us we went on a distance and came +to one that we ran, and then, wet through and shivering till our teeth +chattered, as well as being hungry and tired, every one was glad to hear +the decision to go into camp when we arrived at the top of another very +ugly pair of them. The canyon having a north and south trend and it +being autumn, the sun disappeared early so far as we were concerned; the +shadows were deep, the mountain air was penetrating. As soon as possible +our soaking river garments were thrown off, the dry clothing from the +rubber bags was put on, the limited bacon was sending its fragrance into +the troubled air, the bread took on a nice deep brown in the Dutch oven, +the coffee's aromatic steam drifted from the fire, and warm and +comfortable we sat down to the welcome though meagre meal. The rule was +three little strips of bacon, a chunk of bread about the size of one's +fist, and coffee without stint for each man three times a day. Sugar was +a scarce article, and I learned to like coffee without it so well that I +have never taken it with sugar since. The "Tirtaan Aigles" needed now +all the muscle and energy they could command, and an early hour found +every man sound asleep. The record for the first day in Cataract Canyon +was nine miles, with eight bad rapids or cataracts, as they might +properly be called, and out of the eight we ran but one.[18] The river +was about 250 feet wide. + +[Illustration: Clement Powell + +Cataract Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871] + +The Major decided the next morning that he would try to get out on the +right, and he took me with him. We had no great trouble in reaching the +plateau at an elevation of eighteen hundred feet above the river, where +we could see an immense area of unknown country. The broken and +pinnacled character was not so marked as it had been at the Junction, +but it was still a strange, barren land. We expected to find +water-pockets on the top, and we had carried with us only one quart +canteen of water. While the Major was taking notes from the summit of a +butte, I made a zealous search for water, but not a drop could I find; +every hole was dry. The sun burned down from a clear sky that melted +black into eternal space. The yellow sand threw the hot rays upward, and +so also did the smooth bare rock. No bird, no bee, no thing of life +could be seen. I came to a whitish cliff upon which I thought there +might be water-pockets, and I mounted by a steep slope of broken stones. +Suddenly, almost within touch, I saw before me a golden yellow +rattlesnake gliding upward in the direction I was going along the cliff +wall. I killed it with a stone, and cut off the rattles and continued my +reconnaissance. At length I gave up the search. By the time I had +returned to the foot of the butte on which the Major was making his +observations, the heat had exhausted me till I was obliged to rest a few +moments before ascending the sixty feet to where he was. I had carried +the canteen all the time, and the water in it was hot from exposure to +the sun. The Major bade me rest while he made a little fire, and by the +aid of a can and ground coffee we had brought he made a strong decoction +with the whole quart. This gave us two cups apiece, and we had some +bread to go with it. The effect was magical. My fatigue vanished. I felt +equal to anything, and we began the return. + +The Major having no right arm, he sometimes got in a difficult situation +when climbing, if his right side came against a smooth surface where +there was nothing opposite. We had learned to go down by the same route +followed up, because otherwise one is never sure of arriving at the +bottom, as a ledge half-way down might compel a return to the summit. We +remembered that at one point there was no way for him to hold on, the +cliff being smooth on the right, while on the left was empty air, with a +sheer drop of several hundred feet. The footing too was narrow. I +climbed down first, and, bracing myself below with my back to the abyss, +I was able to plant my right foot securely in such a manner that my +right knee formed a solid step for him at the critical moment. On this +improvised step he placed his left foot, and in a twinkling had made the +passage in safety. + +During our absence the men below had been at work. Camp was moved down +the river some three quarters of a mile, while the boats had been +lowered past the ugly pair of rapids, and were moored at the camp below +the second. In one the current had "got the bulge," as we called it, on +the men on the line; that is, the powerful current had hit the bow in +such a way that the boat took the diagonal of forces and travelled up +and out into the river. For the men it was either let go or be pulled +in. They let go, and the boat dashed down with her cargo on board. +Fortune was on our side. She went through without injury and shot into +an eddy below. With all speed the men rushed down, and Jack, plunging +in, swam to her and got on before she could take a fresh start. It was a +narrow escape, but it taught a lesson that was not forgotten. Prof. had +succeeded in getting some observations, and all was well. It was bean +day, too, according to our calendar, and all hands had a treat. + +By eight o'clock the next morning, Thursday, September 21st, we were on +the way again, with the boats "close reefed," as it were, for trouble, +but one, two, three and one half miles slid easily behind. Then, as if +to make up for this bit of leniency, six rapids came in close +succession, though they were of a kind that we could safely run, and all +the boats went flying through them without a mishap of any kind. The +next was a plunger so mixed up with rocks that we made a let-down and +again proceeded a short distance before we were halted by one more of +the same sort, though we were able to run the lower portion of it. A +little below this we met a friendly drop, and whizzed through its rush +and roar in triumph. But there was nothing triumphant about the one +which followed, so far as our work was concerned. We manoeuvred past +it with much difficulty only to find ourselves upon two more bad ones. +Bad as they were, they were nevertheless runable, and away we dashed +with breakneck speed, certainly not less than twenty miles an hour, down +both of them, to land on the left immediately at the beginning of a +great and forbidding descent. These let-downs were difficult, often +requiring all hands to each boat, except the Major, whose one-armed +condition made it too hard for him to assist in the midst of rocks and +rushing water, where one had to be very nimble and leap and balance with +exactness. Two good arms were barely sufficient. Sometimes, in order to +pass the gigantic boulders that stretched far off from the shore, the +boat had to be shot around and hauled in below, an operation requiring +skill, strength, and celerity. + +The walls, very craggy at the top, increased in altitude till they were +now about sixteen hundred feet, separated from each other by one third +of a mile. The flaring character of the upper miles of the canyon began +to change to a narrower gorge, the cliffs showing a nearer approach to +verticality. At the head of the forbidding plunge we had our slice of +bacon, with bread and coffee, and then we fought our way down alongside +amongst immense boulders and roaring water. It was an exceedingly hard +place to vanquish, and required two and a half hours of the most violent +exertion to accomplish it. All were necessary to handle each boat. +Hardly had we passed beyond the turmoil of its fierce opposition than we +fell upon another scarcely less antagonistic, but yet apparently so free +from rocks that the Major concluded it could be run. At the outset our +boat struck on a concealed rock, and for a moment it seemed that we +might capsize, but luckily she righted, swung free, and swept down with +no further trouble. The _Nell_ struck the same rock and so did the +_Cañonita_, but neither was injured or even halted. These boats were +somewhat lighter than ours, having one man less in each, and therefore +did not hit the rock so hard. The boats were now heavy from being +water-soaked, for the paint was gone from the bottoms. This would have +made no difference in any ordinary waters, but it did here, where we +were obliged to lift them so constantly. + +This was an extremely rough and wet day's work, and the moment the great +cliffs cut off the warmth of the direct sun we were thrown suddenly from +summer to winter, and our saturated clothing, uncomfortably cool in +sunlight, became icy with the evaporation and the cold shadow-air. We +turned blue, and no matter how firmly I tried to shut my teeth they +rattled like a pair of castanets. Though it was only half-past three, +the Major decided to camp as soon as he saw this effect, much as we had +need to push on. We landed on the right, and were soon revived by dry +clothes and a big fire of driftwood. We had made during the day a total +distance of a trifle less than seven miles, one and three quarters since +dinner. There were fourteen rapids and cataracts, nine of which we ran, +on a river about two hundred feet wide. We had sand to sleep on, but all +around us were rocks, rocks, rocks, with the mighty bounding cliffs +lifting up to the sky. Our books for the time being were not disturbed, +but Whittier's lines, read further up, seemed here exactly appropriate +to the Colorado: + + "Hurrying down to its grave, the sea, + And slow through the rock its pathway hewing! + Far down, through the mist of the falling river, + Which rises up like an incense ever, + The splintered points of the crags are seen, + With water howling and vexed between, + While the scooping whirl of the pool beneath + Seems an open throat, with its granite teeth!" + +It was not long before the blankets were taken from the rubber bags and +spread on the sand, and the rapids, the rocks, and all our troubles were +forgotten. + +The next day was almost a repetition of the preceding one. We began by +running a graceful little rapid, just beyond which we came to a very bad +place. The river was narrow and deep, with a high velocity, and the +channel was filled with enormous rocks. Two hours of the hardest kind of +work in and out of the water, climbing over gigantic boulders along the +bank, lifting the boats and sliding them on driftwood skids, tugging, +pulling, shoving every minute with might and main put us at the bottom. +No sooner were we past this one than we engaged in a similar battle with +another of the same nature, and below it we stopped for dinner, amidst +some huge boulders under a hackberry tree, near another roarer. One of +these cataracts had a fall of not less than twenty feet in six hundred, +which gave the water terrific force and violence. The canyon walls +closed in more and more and ran up to two thousand feet, apparently +nearly vertical as one looked up at them, but there was always plenty of +space for landings and camps. Opposite the noon camp we could see to a +height beyond of at least three thousand feet. We were in the heart of +another great plateau. After noon we attacked the very bad rapid beside +whose head we had eaten, and it was half-past three when we had finished +it. The boats had been considerably pounded and there was a hole in the +_Dean_, and a plank sprung in the _Nell_ so that her middle cabin was +half full of water. The iron strip on the _Dean's_ keel was breaking +off. Repairs were imperative, and on the right, near the beginning of +one of the worst falls we had yet seen, we went into camp for the rest +of the day. With false ribs made from oars we strengthened the boats and +put them in condition for another day's hammering. It seemed as if we +must have gone this day quite a long distance, but on footing up it was +found to be no more than a mile and a quarter. Darkness now fell early +and big driftwood fires made the evenings cheerful. There was a vast +amount of driftwood in tremendous piles, trees, limbs, boughs, railroad +ties; a great mixture of all kinds, some of it lying full fifty feet +above the present level of the river. There were large and small +tree-trunks battered and limbless, the ends pounded to a spongy mass of +splinters. Our bright fires enabled us to read, or to write up notes and +diaries. I think each one but the Major and Andy kept a diary and +faithfully wrote it up. Jack occasionally gave us a song or two from the +repertory already described, and Steward did not forget the mouth-organ, +but through the hardest part of Cataract Canyon we were usually tired +enough to take to our blankets early. + +In the morning we began the day by running a little rapid between our +camp and the big one that we saw from there, and then we had to exert +some careful engineering to pass below by means of the lines. This +accomplished we found a repetition of the same kind of work necessary +almost immediately, at the next rapid. In places we had to lift the +boats out and slide them along on driftwood skids. These rapids were +largely formed by enormous rocks which had fallen from the cliffs, and +over, around, and between these it was necessary to manoeuvre the +boats by lines to avoid the furious waters of the outer river. After +dinner we arrived at a descent which at first glance seemed as bad as +anything we had met in the morning but an examination showed a prospect +of a successful run through it. The fall was nearly twenty feet in about +as many yards. The Major and Prof. examined it long and carefully. A +successful run would take two minutes, while a let-down would occupy us +for at least two hours and it had some difficult points. They hesitated +about running the place, for they would not take a risk that was not +necessary, but finally they concluded it could be safely accomplished, +and we pulled the _Dean_ as quickly as possible into the middle of the +river and swung down into it. On both sides the water was hammered to +foam amidst great boulders and the roar as usual was deafening. Just +through the centre was a clean, clear chute followed by a long tail of +waves breaking and snapping like some demon's jaws. As we struck into +them they swept over us like combers on the beach in a great storm. It +seemed to me here and at other similar places that we went through some +of the waves like a needle and jumped to the top of others, to balance +half-length out of water for an instant before diving to another trough. +Being in the very bow the waves, it appeared to me, sometimes completely +submerged me and almost took my breath away with the sudden impact. At +any rate it was lively work, with a current of fifteen or eighteen miles +an hour. Beaman had stationed himself where he could get a negative of +us ploughing through these breakers, but his wet-plates were too slow +and he had no success. After this came a place which permitted no such +jaunty treatment. It was in fact three or four rapids following each +other so closely that, though some might be successfully run, the last +was not safe, and no landing could be made at its head, so a very long +let-down was obligatory; but it was an easy one, for each crew could +take its own boat down without help from the others. Then, tired, wet, +and cold as usual, we landed on the left in a little cove where there +was a sandy beach for our Camp 67. We had made less than four miles, in +which distance there were six rapids, only two of which we ran. At +another stage of water the number and character of these rapids would be +changed; some would be easier at higher water, some harder, and the same +would be true of lower water. Rapids also change their character from +time to time as rocks are shifted along the bottom and more rocks fall +from the cliffs or are brought in by side floods. The walls were now +about two thousand feet, of limestone, with a reddish stain, and they +were so near together that the sun shone to the bottom only during the +middle hours of the day in September. + +It was now September 24th; a bright and beautiful Sunday broke, the sky +above clear and tranquil, the river below foaming and fuming between the +ragged walls in one continuous rapid with merely variations of descent. +In three quarters of a mile we arrived before the greatest portion of +the declivity, where, though there seemed to be a clear chute, we did +not consider it advisable to make the run because of conditions +following; neither could we make a regular let-down or a portage. The +least risky method was to carry a line down and when all was ready start +the boat in at the top alone. In this way when she had gone through, the +men on the line below were able to bring her up and haul her in before +reaching the next bad plunge. There was no quiet river anywhere; nothing +but rushing, swirling, plunging water and rocks. We got past the bad +spot successfully and went on making one let-down after another for +about four miles, when we halted at noon for the rest of the day, well +satisfied with our progress though in distance it appeared so slight. +The afternoon was spent in repairing boats, working up notes, and taking +observations. The cliffs were now some 2500 feet in height, ragged and +broken on their faces, but close together, the narrowest deep chasm we +had seen. It was truly a terrible place, with the fierce river, the +giant walls, and the separation from any known path to the outer world. +I thought of the Major's first trip, when it was not known what kind of +waters were here. Vertical and impassable falls might easily have barred +his way and cataracts behind prevented return, so that here in a death +trap they would have been compelled to plunge into the river or wait for +starvation. Happly he had encountered no such conditions. + +An interesting feature of this canyon was the manner in which huge +masses of rock lying in the river had been ground into each other by the +force of the current. One block of sandstone, weighing not less than six +hundred tons, being thirty or forty feet long by twenty feet square, had +been oscillated till the limestone boulders on which it rested had +ground into it at least two feet, fitting closely. Another enormous +piece was slowly and regularly rocking as the furious current beat upon +it, and one could feel the movement distinctly. A good night's sleep +made all of us fresh again, and we began the Monday early. Some worked +on the boats, while Beaman and Clem went up "Gypsum" Canyon, as Steward +named it, for views, and the Major and I climbed out for topographic +observations. We reached an altitude above camp of 3135 feet at a point +seven or eight miles back from the brink. The view in all directions +was beyond words to describe. Mountains and mountains, canyons, cliffs, +pinnacles, buttes surrounded us as far as we could see, and the range +was extensive. The Sierra La Sal, the Sierra Abajo, and other short +ranges lay blue in the distance, while comparatively near in the +south-west rose the five beautiful peaks just beyond the mouth of the +Dirty Devil, composing the unknown range before mentioned. At noon we +made coffee, had lunch, and then went on. It was four o'clock by the +time we concluded to start back, and darkness overtook us before we were +fairly down the cliffs, but there was a bright moon, and by its aid we +reached camp. + +At half-past eight in the morning of September 26th we were again +working our way down the torrential river. Anybody who tries to go +through here in any haphazard fashion will surely come to grief. It is a +passage that can safely be made only with the most extreme caution. The +walls grew straighter, and they grew higher till the gorge assumed +proportions that seemed to me the acme of the stupendous and +magnificent. The scenery may not have been beautiful in the sense that +an Alpine lake is beautiful, but in the exhibition of the power and +majesty of nature it was sublime. There was the same general barrenness: +only a few hackberry trees, willows, and a cottonwood or two along the +margin of the river made up the vegetation. Our first task was a +difficult let-down, which we accomplished safely, to find that we could +run two rapids following it and half of another, landing then to +complete it by a let-down. Then came a very sharp drop that we ran, +which put us before another easy one, that was followed by a difficult +bit of navigation through a bad descent, after which we stopped for +dinner on the right at the head of another rapid. The cliffs now on both +sides were about 2800 feet, one quarter mile wide at top, and in places +striking me as being perpendicular, especially in the outer curve of the +bends. The boats seemed to be scarcely more than chips on the sweeping +current and we not worth mentioning. During the afternoon we halted a +number of times for Beaman to make photographs, but the proportions were +almost too great for any camera. The foreground parts are always +magnified, while the distances are diminished, till the view is not that +which the eye perceives. Before stopping for the night we ran three +more rapids, and camped on the right on a sandbank at the head of +another forbidding place. The record for the whole day was six and three +quarter miles, with ten runs and two let-downs. At one bad place the +_Nell_ got too far over and laboured so heavily in the enormous billows +that Cap., who pulled the bow oars, was completely lost to sight and the +boat was filled with water. Only about thirty degrees of sky were +visible as one looked directly up from our camp. A pretty canyon came in +near camp, and some of us took a walk up its narrow way. + +[Illustration: Cataract Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +In the morning Beaman made some pictures, and it was eleven o'clock +before we resumed our navigation. Our first work was a let-down, which +took an hour, and about a mile below we stopped for dinner on the left. +Then we continued, making eight miles more, in which distance we ran six +rapids and made two line-portages. The last rapid was a bad one, and +there we made one of the portages, camping at its foot on the left bank. +The walls began to diminish in height and the river was less +precipitous, as is apparent from the progress we were able to make. +September 28th we began by running two rapids immediately below camp, +and the _Nell_ remained at the foot of the second to signal Beaman in +the _Cañonita_, as he had stayed behind to take some views. Another mile +brought us to a rather bad place, the right having a vertical cliff +about 2700 feet high, but the left was composed of boulders spread over +a wide stretch, so that an excellent footing was offered. The Major and +Prof. concluded to climb out here, instead of a point farther down +called Millecrag Bend, and, appointing Steward master of the let-down +which was necessary, they left us. It was dinner-time when we got the +boats below to a safe cove, and we were quite ready for the meal which +Andy meanwhile had been cooking. A beautiful little brook came down a +narrow canyon on the left, and it was up this stream that the Major went +for a mile and a half and then climbed on the side. They were obliged to +give it up and come back to the bottom. By this time it was too late to +make another attempt, so they turned their backs on "Failure Creek," +and, returning to us, said we would go on as soon as we had eaten the +supper which Andy was preparing. They would climb out at Millecrag Bend. +Andy had cooked a mess of beans, about the last we had, and what we did +not eat we put on board in the kettle, which had a tight cover. The +Major's manner for a day or two had been rather moody, and when Prof. +intimated to me that we would have a lively time before we saw another +camp, I knew some difficult passage ahead was on his mind; some place +which had given him trouble on the first trip. + +About five o'clock we were ready; everything was made snug and tight on +the boats, nothing being left out of the cabins but a camp kettle in +each standing-room for bailing, and we cast off. Each man had his +life-preserver where he could get it quickly, and the Major put his on, +for with only one arm he could not do this readily in case of necessity. +The current was swift. We were carried rapidly down to where the gorge +narrowed up with walls vertical on each side for a height of fifty to +one hundred feet. We soon dashed through a small rough rapid. A splash +of water over our bow dampened my clothes and made the air feel chilly. +The canyon was growing dim with the evening light. High above our heads +some lazy clouds were flecked with the sunset glow. Not far below the +small rapid we saw before us a complicated situation at the prevailing +stage of water, and immediately landed on the left, where there was +footing to reconnoitre. A considerable fall was divided by a rocky +island, a low mass that would be submerged with two or three feet more +water, and the river plunging down on each side boiled against the +cliffs. Between us and the island the stream was studded by immense +boulders which had dropped from the cliffs and almost like pinnacles +stood above the surface. One view was enough to show that on this stage +of water we could not safely run either side of the cataract; indeed +destruction would surely have rewarded any attempt. The right-hand +channel from the foot of the island swept powerfully across to meet the +left-hand one and together they boomed along the base of the left-hand +cliffs before swinging sharply to the right with the trend of the chasm +in that direction. There was no choice of a course. The only way was to +manoeuvre between the great boulders and keep in the dividing line of +the current till a landing could be effected on the head of the island +between the two falls. The difficulty was to avoid being drawn to either +side. Our boat went first and we succeeded, under the Major's quick eye +and fine judgment, in easily following the proposed course till the +_Dean_ began to bump on the rocks some twenty yards above the exposed +part of the island. I tested the depth of water here with an oar as Jack +pulled slowly along, the current being quite slack in the dividing line, +and as soon as practicable we jumped overboard and guided our craft +safely to the island. Prof. in the _Nell_ was equally precise, and as he +came in we waded out to catch his boat; but the _Cañonita_ passed on the +wrong side of one of the pinnacles and, caught in the left current, came +near making a run of it down that side, which would have resulted +disastrously. Luckily they were able to extricate themselves and Beaman +steered in to us. Had the water been only high enough to prevent landing +on this island we would have been in a bad trap, but had it been so high +as to make navigation down the centre possible the rapid might perhaps +have been run safely. + +We were now on the island, with darkness falling, and the problem was to +get off. While Prof. and the Major went down to the foot to make a plan +we sat in the diminishing light and waited. It was decided to pull the +boats down the right-hand side of the island as far as the foot of the +worst part of the right-hand rapid, and from there cut out into the tail +of waves, pulling through as quickly as we could to avoid contact with +the base of the left wall along which the current dashed. We must pull +fast enough to get across in the very short time it would take the river +to sweep us down to the crucial point. The gorge by this time was quite +sombre; even the clouds above were losing their evening colour. We must +act quickly. Our boat as usual made the first trial. As we shot out, +Jack and I bent to our oars with every muscle we possessed, the boat +headed slightly upstream, and in a few seconds we were flying along the +base of the cliffs, and so close that our starboard oars had to be +quickly unshipped to prevent their being broken. In a few seconds more +we were able to get out into the middle, and then we halted in an eddy +to wait for the other boats. They came on successfully and in the +gloaming we continued down the canyon looking for a place to camp, our +hearts much lightened with our triumph over the difficult rapid. Before +long night was full upon us and our wet clothes made us shiver. About a +mile below a warning roar dead ahead told us to make land at once, for +it would be far from prudent to attack a rapid in the dark. Fortunately +there was here room to camp on some rocks and sand on the right. +Scarcely had we become settled than a tornado broke over the canyon and +we were enveloped in a blinding whirl of rain and sand. Each man clung +to his blankets to prevent their departure and waited for the wind to +pass, which it did in less than ten minutes. The storm-clouds were +shattered and up the gorge, directly east from our position, from behind +a thousand needle-like spires that serrated the top of the cliffs, the +moon like a globe of dazzling silver rolled up with serene majesty, +flooding the canyon with a bright radiance. No moon-rise could have been +more dramatic. The storm-clouds were edged with light and the wet cliffs +sparkled and glittered as if set with jewels. Even the rapid below was +resplendent and silvery, the leaping waves and the spray scintillating +under the lustrous glare. + +Morning brought a continuation of the rain, which fell in a deluge, +driving us to the shelter of a projecting ledge, from which +comparatively dry retreat we watched the rain cascades that soon began +their display. Everywhere they came plunging over the walls, all sizes, +and varying their volume with every variation in the downpour. Some +dropped a thousand feet to vanish in spray; others were broken into many +falls. By half-past eight we were able to proceed, running the rapid +without any trouble, but a wave drenched me so that all my efforts to +keep out of the rain went for nothing. By ten o'clock we had run four +more rapids, and arrived at the place the Major had named Millecrag +Bend, from the multitude of ragged pinnacles into which the cliffs +broke. On the left we camped to permit the Major and Prof. to make their +prospective climb to the top. A large canyon entered from the left, +terminating Cataract Canyon, which we credited with forty-one miles, and +in which I counted sixty-two rapids and cataracts, enough to give any +set of boatmen all the work they could desire. The Major and Prof. +reached the summit at an altitude of fifteen hundred feet. They had a +wide view over the unknown country, and saw mountains to the west with +snow on their summits. Snow in the canyons would not have surprised us +now, for the nights were cold and we had warmth only in the middle of +the day. Near our camp some caves were discovered, twenty feet deep and +nearly six feet in height, which had once been occupied by natives. +Walls had been laid across the entrances, and inside were corncobs and +other evidences usual in this region, now so well known. Pottery +fragments were also abundant. Another thing we found in the caves and +also in other places was a species of small scorpion. These venomous +creatures were always ready to strike, and somehow one got into Andy's +shoe, and when he put on the shoe he was bitten. No serious result +seemed to follow, but his general health was not so good after this for +a long time. He put tobacco on the wound and let it go. This was the +second accident to a member of the party, which now had been out four +months. + +[Illustration: Narrow Canyon. + +Photograph by Best Expedition, 1891.] + +The last day of September found us up before daylight, and as soon as +breakfast was eaten, a small matter these days both in preparation and +consumption, we pulled away, intending to reach the mouth of the Dirty +Devil as soon as possible. The morning was decidedly autumnal, and when +we arrived at a small rapid, where we had to get overboard to help the +boats, nothing ever came harder than this cold bath, though it was +confined to our legs. Presently we saw a clear little rivulet coming in +on the left, and we ran up to that shore to examine it, hoping it was +drinkable. Like the first party, we were on the lookout for better water +to drink than the muddy Colorado. The rivulet proved to be sulphurous +and also hot, the temperature being about 91 F. We could not drink it, +but we warmed our feet by standing in the water. The walls of this new +canyon at their highest were about thirteen hundred feet, and so close +together and straight that the Major named it Narrow Canyon. Its length +is about nine miles. Through half of the next rapid we made a let-down, +running the remainder, and then, running two more below which were easy, +we could see through to the end of the canyon, and the picture framed by +the precipices was beautiful. The world seemed suddenly to open out +before us, and in the middle of it, clear and strong against a sky of +azure, accented by the daylight moon, stood the Unknown Mountains, weird +and silent in their untrodden mystery. By this token we knew that the +river of the Satanic name was near, and we had scarcely emerged from +Narrow Canyon, and noted the low bluffs of homogeneous red sandstone +which took the place of the high cliffs, when we perceived a sluggish +stream about 150 feet wide flowing through the barren sandstone on our +right. Landing on its west bank, we instantly agreed with Jack Sumner +when on the first trip he had proclaimed it a "Dirty Devil." Muddy, +alkaline, undrinkable, it slipped along between the low walls of smooth +sandstone to add its volume to that of the Colorado. Near us were the +remains of the Major's camp-fire of the other voyage, and there Steward +found a jack-knife lost at that time. At the Major's request he gave it +to him as a souvenir. + +Our rising had been so early and our progress from Millecrag Bend so +easy that when our camp was established the hour was only nine o'clock, +giving us still a whole day. The Major and Prof. started off on an old +Indian trail to see if there was a way in to this place for horses, Cap. +took observations for time, and the others occupied themselves in +various ways, Andy counting the rations still left in our larder. + +That night around our camp-fire we felt especially contented, for +Cataract and Narrow canyons were behind, and never would we be called +upon to battle with their rapids again. The descent from the mouth of +Grand River was 430 feet, most of it in the middle stretch of Cataract +Canyon. + +[Illustration: The Mouth of Fremont River (The Dirty Devil River) + +Photograph by the Brown Expedition, 1889] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 16: The pencil sketches I made on this trip were taken to +Washington, but I do not know what became of them.] + +[Footnote 17: As mentioned in a previous footnote, the name D. +Julien--1836, was later found near this point and in two other places. +All these inscriptions appear to be on the same side of the river, the +east, and at accessible places.] + +[Footnote 18: The next party to pass through this canyon was the Brown +Expedition, conducting a survey for the Denver, Colorado Canyon, and +Pacific Railway in 1889. At the first rapid they lost a raft, with +almost all their provisions, and they had much trouble. See _The Romance +of the Colorado River_, Chapter xiv. Another expedition in 1891--the +Best Expedition--was wrecked here.] + + + + +CHAPTER X + + The _Cañonita_ Left Behind--Shinumo Ruins--Troublesome Ledges + in the River--Alcoves and Amphitheatres--The Mouth of the San + Juan--Starvation Days and a Lookout for Rations--El Vado de + Los Padres--White Men Again--Given up for Lost--Navajo + Visitors--Peaks with a Great Echo--At the Mouth of the Paria. + + +Having now accomplished a distance down this turbulent river of nearly +six hundred miles, with a descent toward sea-level of 2645 feet, without +a serious accident, we were all in a happy frame of mind, +notwithstanding the exceedingly diminutive food supply that remained. We +felt that we could overcome almost anything in the line of rapids the +world might afford, and Steward declared our party was so efficient he +would be willing to "run the Gates of Hell" with them! Barring an +absence of heat Cataract Canyon had been quite a near approach to that +unwelcome entrance, and the locality of the mouth of the Dirty Devil +certainly resembled some of the more favoured portions of Satan's +notorious realm. Circumstances would prohibit our lingering here, for +our long stretch on short rations made the small amount we could allow +ourselves at each meal seem almost like nothing at all, and we were +desirous of reaching as soon as possible El Vado, something over a +hundred miles below, where our pack-train was doubtless now waiting. + +The plan of leaving a boat at this place for a party to bring down, +which should penetrate the unknown country the next year and then +complete what we might now be compelled to slight, was carried out. +The _Cañonita_ was chosen and the day after our arrival, Sunday, +October 1st, we ran her down a short distance on the right, and there +carried her back about two hundred feet to a low cliff and up thirty +or forty feet above the prevailing stage of water, where we hid her +under an enormous mass of rock which had so fallen from the top as to +lodge against the wall, forming a perfect shelter somewhat longer than +the boat. All of her cargo had been left at camp and we filled her +cabins and standing-rooms with sand, also piling sand and stones all +about her to prevent high water from carrying her off. When we were +satisfied that we had done our best we turned away feeling as one +might on leaving a friend, and hoping that she would be found intact +the following year. As nine o'clock only had arrived, the Major and +Jones then climbed out from this place, while Prof. with the _Nell_ +ran down about a mile and a half to the mouth of a gulch on the right +where he and the Major had traced the old trail. The rest of us +returned to camp. Prof. and Cap. climbed out, after following the +trail up the gulch six miles, and they saw that it went toward the +Unknown Mountains, which now lay very near us on the west. Steward got +out by an attempt not so far up the canyon and reached an altitude of +1950 feet, where he had a clear, full view of the mountains. With his +glass he was able to study their formation and determined that lava +from below had spread out between the sedimentary strata, forming what +he called "blisters." He could see where one side of a blister had +been eroded, showing the surrounding stratification.[19] + +When the Major and Jones came back we put the cargo of the _Cañonita_ on +the _Dean_, and all of us embarked, seven in number, and ran down to +where the _Nell_ was moored. Here we camped for the night. The crews +were then rearranged, Beaman being assigned to my bow oars, Clem and +Andy going in the _Nell_, while I was to sit on the middle cabin of the +_Dean_ in front of the Major, where I could carry on my sketching. We +were now a shaggy-looking lot, for our clothes had been almost worn off +our bodies in the rapids. Our shoes, notwithstanding that the Major had +brought us a fresh supply at Gunnison Crossing, were about gone, and we +were tanned till we could hardly have been distinguished from the old +Shinumos themselves; but we were clean. Steward was a great lover of +Burns and could quote him by the page, though what he most liked to +repeat just now was: + + "O wad some Power the giftie gie us + To see oursels as others see us!" + +I think the _Address to the Deil_ would have been appropriate for this +particular environment, but I do not remember that Steward quoted: + + "Hear me, auld Hangie, for a wee, + An' let poor damned bodies be; + I'm sure sma' pleasure it can gie, + E'en to the deil, + To skelp an' scaud poor dogs like me, + An' hear us squeel!" + +The cargo of the _Cañonita_ was distributed among the cabins of the +_Dean_ and the _Nell_, and Cap. was somewhat disturbed by having an +addition to the bow compartment in the _Nell_. Each man had charge of a +cabin and this was Cap.'s special pride. He daily packed it so +methodically that it became a standing joke with us, and we often asked +him whether he always placed that thermometer back of the fifth rib or +in front of the third, or some such nonsensical question, which of +course Cap. took in good part and only arranged his cabin still more +carefully. + +The next morning, the 2d of October, at eight o'clock, we continued our +voyage, now entering a new canyon, then called Mound, but it was +afterwards consolidated with the portion below called Monument, and +together they now stand as Glen Canyon. In about three and one half +miles we ran several sharp little rapids, but they were not of much +consequence, and we stopped to examine a house ruin we saw standing up +boldly on a cliff on the left. It could be seen for a long distance in +both directions, and correspondingly its inmates in the old days could +see every approach. Doubtless the trail we had seen on the right had its +exit on the other side near it. The walls, neatly built of thin +sandstone slabs, still stood about fifteen feet high and fifteen inches +thick. The dimensions on the ground were 12 × 22 feet outside. It had +been of two or three stories, and exhibited considerable skill on the +part of the builders, the corners being plumb and square. Under the +brink of the cliff was a sort of gallery formed by the erosion of a soft +shale between heavy sandstone beds, forming a floor and roof about eight +or ten feet wide, separated by six or seven feet in vertical height. A +wall had been carried along the outer edge, and the space thus made was +divided by cross walls into a number of rooms. Potsherds and +arrow-heads, mostly broken ones, were strewn everywhere. There were also +numerous picture-writings, of which I made copies. + +As we pulled on and on the Major frequently recited selections from the +poets, and one that he seemed to like very much, and said sometimes half +in reverie, was Longfellow's: + + "Often I think of the beautiful town + That is seated by the sea; + Often in thought go up and down + The pleasant streets of that dear old town, + And my youth comes back to me. + And a verse of a Lapland song + Is haunting my memory still: + 'A boy's will is the wind's will, + And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts.'" + +He would repeat several times, with much feeling: + + "A boy's will is the wind's will, + And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts." + +Another thing he enjoyed repeating was Whittier's _Skipper Ireson's +Ride_: + + "Old Floyd Ireson, for his hard heart, + Tarred and feathered and carried in a cart + By the women of Marblehead!" + +Towards evening we came to another Shinumo ruin, where we made camp, +having run altogether sixteen miles, with ten rapids, all small, between +walls of red, homogeneous sandstone, averaging about one thousand feet +in height. The river, some three hundred and fifty feet wide, was low, +causing many shoals, which formed the small rapids. We often had to wade +alongside to lighten the boats, but otherwise these places were easy. A +trifle more water would have done away with them, or at least would have +enabled us to ignore them completely. The house ruin at our camp was +very old and broken down and had dimensions of about 20 × 30 feet. Prof. +climbed out to a point 1215 feet above the river, where he saw plainly +the Unknown Mountains, Navajo Mountain, and a wide sweep of country +formed largely of barren sandstone. Steward felt considerably under the +weather and remained as quiet as possible. + +In the morning we were quickly on the water, pushing along under +conditions similar to those of the previous day, making twenty-seven +miles and passing eleven very small rapids, with a river four hundred +feet wide and the same walls of homogeneous red sandstone about one +thousand feet high. The cliffs in the bends were often slightly +overhanging, that is, the brink was outside of a perpendicular line, +but the opposite side would then generally be very much cut down, +usually to irregular, rounded slopes of smooth rock. The vertical +portions were unbroken by cracks or crevices or ledges, being extensive +flat surfaces, beautifully stained by iron, till one could imagine all +manner of tapestry effects. Along the river there were large patches of +alluvial soil which might easily be irrigated, though it is probable +that at certain periods they would be rapidly cut to pieces by high +water. + +Prof. again climbed out at our noon camp, and saw little but naked +orange sandstone in rounded hills, except the usual mountains. In the +barren sandstone he found many pockets or pot-holes, a feature of this +formation, often thirty or forty feet deep, and frequently containing +water. Wherever we climbed out in this region we saw in the depressions +flat beds of sand, surrounded by hundreds of small round balls of stone +an inch or so in diameter, like marbles--concretions and hard fragments +which had been driven round and round by the winds till they were quite +true spheres.[20] + +The next day, October 4th, we ran into a stratum of sandstone shale, +which at this low stage of water for about five miles gave us some +trouble. Ledge after ledge stretched across the swift river, which at +the same time spread to at least six hundred feet, sometimes one +thousand. We were obliged to walk in the water alongside for great +distances to lighten the boats and ease them over the ridges. +Occasionally the rock bottom was as smooth as a ballroom floor; again it +would be carved in the direction of the current into thousands of +narrow, sharp, polished ridges, from three to twelve inches apart, upon +which the boats pounded badly in spite of all exertions to prevent it. +The water was alternately shallow and ten feet deep, giving us all we +could do to protect the boats and at the same time avoid sudden duckings +in deep water. With all our care the _Nell_ got a bad knock, and leaked +so fast that one man continually bailing could barely keep the water +out. We repaired her at dinner-time, and, the shales running up above +the river, we escaped further annoyance from this cause. Even with this +interference our progress was fairly good, and by camping-time we had +made twenty-one miles. + +We had a rapid shallow river again the following day, October 5th, but +the water was not so widely spread out and there were fewer delays. The +walls were of orange sandstone, strangely cut up by narrow side canyons +some not more than twenty feet wide and twisting back for a quarter of a +mile where they expanded into huge amphitheatres, domed and cave-like. +Alcoves filled with trees and shrubs also opened from the river, and +numerous springs were noted along the cliffs. Twelve miles below our +camp we passed a stream coming in on the left through a canyon about one +thousand feet deep, similar to that of the Colorado. This was the San +Juan, now shallow and some eight rods wide. We did not stop till noon +when we were two miles below it near one of the amphitheatres or +grottoes to which the first party had given the name of "Music Temple." +The entrance was by a narrow gorge which after some distance widened at +the bottom to about five hundred feet in diameter leaving the upper +walls arching over till they formed a dome-shaped cavern about two +hundred feet high with a narrow belt of sky visible above. In the +farther end was a pool of clear water, while five or six green +cottonwoods and some bushes marked the point of expansion. One side was +covered with bright ferns, mosses, and honeysuckle. Every whisper or +cough resounded. This was only one of a hundred such places but we had +no time to examine them. On a smooth space of rock we found carved by +themselves the names of Seneca Howland, O. G. Howland, and William Dunn, +the three men of the first party who were killed by the Shewits in 1869. +Prof. climbed up eight hundred feet and had a fine view of Navajo +Mountain which was now very near. We then chiefly called it Mount +Seneca Howland, applied by the Major in memory of that unfortunate +person but later, the peak already having to some extent been known as +Navajo Mountain, that name was finally adopted. No one had ever been to +it, so far as we knew, and the Major was desirous of reaching the +summit. + +[Illustration: Glen Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Leaving the Music Temple, which seemed to us a sort of mausoleum to the +three men who had marked it with their names, we soon arrived at a +pretty rapid with a clear chute. It was not large but it was the only +real one we had seen in this canyon and we dashed through it with +pleasure. Just below we halted to look admiringly up at Navajo Mountain +which now loomed beside us on the left to an altitude of 10,416 feet +above sea level or more than 7100 feet above our position, as was later +determined. The Major contemplated stopping long enough for a climb to +the top but on appealing to Andy for information as to the state of the +supplies he found we were near the last crust and he decided that we had +better pull on as steadily as possible towards El Vado. We ran down a +considerable distance through some shallows and camped on the left +having accomplished about twenty miles in the day towards our goal. Here +the remaining food was divided into two portions, one for supper, the +other for breakfast in the morning. Though we were running so close to +the starvation line we felt no great concern about it. We always had +confidence in our ability somehow to get through with success. Andy, +particularly, never failed in his optimism. Generally he took no +interest in the nature of a rapid, lying half asleep while the others +examined the place, and entirely willing to run anything or make a +portage or even swim; he cared not. "Nothing ever happens to any outfit +I belong to," he would declare shifting to an easier position, "Let her +go!" and now so far as Andy's attitude was concerned we might have +possessed unlimited rations. Jack lightened the situation yet more with +his jolly songs and humorous expressions and no one viewing that camp +would have thought the ten men had before them a possibility of several +days without food, except what they might kill in the barren country, +and perhaps a walk from El Vado over an unknown trail about one hundred +miles out to Kanab. In the morning, Friday, October 6th, we got away as +quickly as we could and pulled down the river hoping that El Vado was +not far ahead and feeling somewhat as Escalante must have felt a century +before when he was trying to find it. He had the advantage of having +horses which could be eaten from time to time. Of course we knew from +the position of the San Juan and of Navajo Mountain, that we could reach +El Vado in at most two days, but the question was, "would we find any +one there with rations?" The Major apparently was unconcerned. He told +me a story about a farmer's son in his neighbourhood when himself a boy +who had no shoes, no good clothes, no decent hat, but who went to the +father and declared he wanted a "buzzum pin," and nothing but a buzzum +pin would he have, though his parent called his attention to his lack of +other necessaries, one after the other. "No Pa," the boy would repeat "I +want a buzzum pin." + +[Illustration: Looking down upon Glen Canyon. + +Cut through homogeneous sandstone. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, U. S. Colo. Riv. Exp.] + +As we rowed along the Major sang softly another of his favourites: + + "Flow gently, sweet Afton! among thy green braes, + Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise; + My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream-- + Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream." + +The almost vertical walls ran from two hundred to one thousand feet in +height, cut by many very narrow side canyons opening into large glens or +alcoves. On and on we steadily pulled till noon, making 13-1/2 miles +when we stopped on the right on a sandstone ledge against a high cliff. +Andy had a few scraps left, among them a bit of bacon which Jack +enterprisingly used for baiting a hook and soon drew out several small +fish, so that after all we had quite a dinner. The walls became more +broken as we went on apparently with numerous opportunities for entrance +from the back country, though the sandstone even where not very steep +was so smooth that descent over it would be difficult. We had gone about +three miles after dinner when we saw a burned place in the brush on the +right where there was quite a large piece of bottom land. We thought +this might be some signal for us but we found there only the tracks of +two men and horses all well shod proving that they were not natives. +About three miles farther down we caught a glimpse of a stick with a +white rag dangling from it stuck out from the right bank, and at the +same moment heard a shot. On landing and mounting the bank we found +Captain Pardyn Dodds and two prospectors, George Riley and John +Bonnemort, encamped beside a large pile of rations. Dodds was one of +the men with Old Jacob who had tried desperately to reach the mouth of +the Dirty Devil with our supplies. He thought he had arrived at a point +where he could see it and went back to inform Jacob when they received +an order from the Major to come to this place, El Vado de los Padres, by +September 25th, and here he was. Jacob had come with him but had gone on +to Fort Defiance, the Navajo Agency, to settle some Indian business, +leaving him to guard the rations. Having left Kanab early in September +they had no late news. They had become discouraged by our non-appearance +and concluded that we would never be heard from again. Consequently they +had planned to cache the rations and leave for the settlement on Sunday. +That night Andy was able to summon us to "go fur" the first "square" +meal we had eaten for nearly a month. There was among the supplies some +plug tobacco which we cut up, all but Steward, Prof., and Cap. who did +not smoke, and rolled in cigarettes with thick yellow paper, the only +kind we had, having learned to make them Spanish fashion from the +Hamblins, and we smoked around the fire talking to Dodds and the +prospectors over the general news. They told us they had found small +quantities of gold along the river. A great many papers, magazines, and +letters for everybody were in the packs supplying us with reading matter +enough for weeks. Though the papers were of ancient dates they were new +to us. + +The whole next day was consumed in preparing maps, notes, specimens, +fossils, etc., to be sent by pack-train to the settlement of Kanab one +hundred miles off whither the Major himself had decided to start with +the outfit the next morning and go from there to Salt Lake City about +400 miles north. None of us had a chance to write even a line to +expectant relatives far away and we were naturally disappointed till +Prof. persuaded the Major to hold over till Tuesday which he willingly +did when he realised the situation. We wrote late by the light of a +diminutive fire, wood being scarce. He then left us on October 10th with +Jack, Captain Dodds, and the miners who had waited only to learn +something about the river above as a place for prospecting. The trail up +over the barren sandstone was so steep and smooth that two of the +pack-animals lost their footing and rolled back to the bottom but +received no injury except scraping the skin off their knees. + +Not the least welcome articles among the supplies were a pair of good +heavy shoes and a pair of strong overalls, which the foresight of the +Major had secured for each one of us, our clothing, as before +mentioned, having been completely worn out. My watch, which I had +carried all the way in a little rubber pocket sewed to my shirt near the +neck, where it seldom got wet enough to stop it, though occasionally it +refused to go till I punched it up with a large pin kept for the +purpose, which my wicked companions called my "starting bar," at last +had stopped permanently, and I sent it out by Jack for repairs. After +they had gone we settled down again to our accustomed labours. We were +to run down thirty-five miles farther to the mouth of the Paria, whence +there was another known trail to the settlement, and cache the boats. +The pack-train was to come back to us there with additional supplies and +horses and take us out to Kanab, where we were to make headquarters for +our winter explorations in the practically unknown Grand Canyon region +as well as in that to the eastward. During this interval we expected to +discover some point between the Paria and Diamond Creek where rations +could be brought in to us while working through the Grand Canyon the +next season. We did not then know that the winter is the safest and best +time for making the passage through that wonderful gorge.[21] + +Our appetites were now enormous, and as we could eat all we wanted, the +supplies diminished in an astonishing way, but as we were soon to +receive more we did not care. Every man braced up; all but Steward, who +felt quite sick. Jones began to feel trouble brewing in the leg which he +had hurt at the Junction; Andy showed the effects of the scorpion bite +by becoming thin and pale, thinner than our previous lack of rations +justified; Cap., who had been shot in the Civil War through and through +near the heart, now felt the effects of the long exposure; and neither +Clem nor Beaman considered their health perfect. Altogether, however, we +had come through very well. Our worst work was over for this year, and +the maladies portending seemed not dangerous. Prof., desiring to get +some notes from up the river, went on the 11th, with Cap., Beaman, and +Clem, back six miles in the _Dean_ to the foot of some rapid water they +could not pass. Arriving there about half-past twelve, they spent all +afternoon going up numerous gulches, trying to find a way out. As there +was a large area of bottom land, with old camp-fires and much broken +pottery, they were sure there was a path, but it was late before they +discovered a place where modern natives had piled brush and stones to +make a horse trail, and another where the old Shinumos for fifty feet +had cut steps in the smooth rock. The party followed the Shinumo trail, +finding the steps in places almost worn out by time, in others still +quite good and large enough to get the toe of a shoe in. By the time +they came to the top it was too late for observations, and they returned +to the river for camp, making the same climb by the steps the next day +and securing the observations. They got back to our Camp 79 late in the +afternoon. Meanwhile Steward's illness had increased, and I spent much +of the night trying to relieve his pain. The air was cold and he was +most uncomfortable, the only shelter being a wickiup of boughs we had +built to protect him from the sun. We had opium pills in our medicine +chest, and I had the little flask of brandy referred to. With several of +the pills and my brandy, which I at last persuaded him to take as +medicine (he despised alcoholic drinks), his suffering was somewhat +relieved, and he was able to lie still on his bed of willows. During the +next day his condition was no better, and Prof. returning, was much +distressed by it. By drawing further on the medicine chest, which +contained numerous remedies, he was able to relieve him a little more. +The exposure had brought on a trouble of the back which had originally +developed during the campaigns of the Civil War. + +[Illustration: Tom. + +A Typical Navajo. + +Photograph by Wittick. + +Tom became educated and no longer looked like an Indian.] + +Before leaving this point Prof. wanted some observations from the +heights, and he and Cap. tried to climb the near-by cliffs, but failed. +They then took a hammer and chisel, and by cutting "holds" in the +sandstone after the manner of the old Shinumos, they got up 850 feet and +secured the bearings Prof. desired. The following day they went out on +the trail toward Kanab five miles, trying to find another point of exit +to the summit, but did not succeed. While they were gone we heard a +sudden shout, and saw an Indian standing on the rocks not far away. We +beckoned for him to come, and thereupon he fell back to another, and +together they approached. We saw by their dress, so different from the +Ute (red turbans, loose unbleached cotton shirts, native woven sashes at +the waist, wide unbleached cotton trousers reaching to a little below +the knee and there slashed up on the outer side for seven or eight +inches, bright woven garters twisted around their red buckskin leggins +below the knee, and red moccasins with turned up soles and silver +buttons), that they were Navajos.[22] They indicated that they were +father and son, the father announcing himself in a lordly way as "Agua +Grande." He was over six feet tall and apparently sixty or seventy years +old. The son was a fine young lad of about fifteen. Their bearing was +cordial, yet proud and dignified. They had not long been with us when +Prof. came in, and during the next hour seven more Navajos arrived, all +dressed very much as the first ones were. They expressed great +friendliness by embracing us after their custom and delivering long +speeches, of which we understood not a word. One had a short black +mustache which came straight out sidewise and then turned at right +angles down past the corners of his mouth. I never had heard of an +Indian with a mustache before. They had no visible firearms, being armed +with strong bows and cougar-skin quivers full of iron-headed arrows.[23] +Old Agua Grande became much interested in our sick man, and made signs +by placing two spread fingers of one hand inverted upon one finger held +horizontally of the other hand, and moving them north-westerly to +indicate that he ought to ride out to the Mormon settlement, whither +they were bound, and that they would take him along. As the chief had +exhibited a document, signed by the agent at Fort Defiance, to the +effect that he and his band were peaceable and going on a trading +expedition to the Mormon settlements, we felt certain they would take +good care of the invalid, but Steward said he preferred to remain with +us. + +We now had no further work for this immediate locality, and concluded to +run down a mile or so to separate ourselves from the Navajos, one having +disclosed a tendency to surreptitiously appropriate small articles +belonging to us. A bed was made on the middle deck of one of the boats +for Steward, and when all was ready we carried him down to it. The +Navajos ranged themselves along the bank to see us off, and Clem, with +his customary urbanity, went down the line all smiles, shaking each one +cordially by the hand, and requesting him to "Give my love to all the +folks at home," and "Remember me, please, to Eliza Jane," and similar +expressions. The Navajos did not understand the words, but being +themselves great jokers they saw that it was fun, and they all laughed, +making remarks which doubtless were of the same kind. Just below was El +Vado de los Padres by which these Navajos had now come across. It was +also sometimes called the Ute Ford. The necessary route was indicated by +a line of small piles of stones showing above water. It was not an easy +crossing, feasible only at low water, and quite impossible for waggons, +even had there been a road to it. A shoal was followed up the middle of +the river half a mile with deep channels cutting through it, reached +from the south over a steep slope of bare sandstone and from the north +through a very narrow, small canyon, not over ten feet wide. Escalante +in 1776, after the failure of his attempt to reach California, had great +difficulty in finding the place, which for centuries has been known to +all the tribes of the region. About three miles below our last camp we +landed on the left on a very pretty piece of bottom land, inaccessible +except by river, being bounded behind by a high, vertical, unscalable +wall. Here we made Camp 80, with plenty of food, water, and wood, and +all were comfortable by a fine fire; all but Steward, who, feeling very +sick, was lying on the bed we had prepared for him. He had another bad +night, but after this his condition seemed gradually to improve. + +[Illustration: Glen Canyon. + +Sentinel Rock--about 300 Feet High. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Prof.'s favourite quotation now was Charles Fenno Hoffman's poem: + + "We were not many--we who stood + Before the iron sleet that day; + Yet many a gallant spirit would + Give half his years if but he could + Have been with us at Monterey." + +In the morning he went with Jones across the river and climbed out while +the rest of us did nothing but lie around camp doing what was possible +to make Steward comfortable. It was Sunday as well and whenever +practicable we rested the whole or part of that day. Monday we started +late and ran only a short distance before dinner which we ate on the +right. Steward still was unable to sit up and he was carried on the +middle deck of the _Nell_ where he had a rope to cling to so that he +should not roll off into the water when the boat lurched. Toward evening +we camped at the head of a small rapid near a fine little stream coming +in from the left which we named Navajo Creek. The river was about four +hundred feet wide with walls on each side of four hundred feet in +height. The next morning Prof., Cap. and I climbed out for bearings +reaching an altitude a mile or so back from the river of 875 feet. +Everywhere we discovered broken pottery, fragments of arrow-heads, and +other evidences of former Shinumo occupancy. Even granting only a few +persons at each possible locality, the canyons of the Colorado and Green +must have been the former home of a rather large population. In the +afternoon we ran the little rapid and kept on for about six miles making +twenty in all from El Vado, when we camped on a heavy talus on the left. +The following morning, October 18th, we had not gone more than a mile +when we came to a singular freak of erosion, a lone sandstone pinnacle +on the right, three hundred or four hundred feet high, the river running +on one side and a beautiful creek eight feet wide on the other. We named +these Sentinel Rock and Sentinel Creek and camped there for Beaman to +get some photographs. Prof. and I went up the creek and tried to climb +out for observations, but though we made three separate attempts we had +to give it up. Steward grew so much better that he was able to walk a +little, but now Jones began to feel more pain in his injured leg. On +Thursday, the 19th, we made nearly seven miles between walls about eight +hundred feet high and one quarter of a mile apart, so nearly vertical +that we could not get out. + +The next day we ran six miles more with walls one thousand feet high, +camping at a place where there was a wide bottom with many signs of old +native camps, probably Navajo. In the morning Prof., Cap., and I climbed +a steep slope of bright orange sand a little below our camp, a rather +hard task as the sand was loose, causing us to slip backward at every +step. After twelve hundred or fifteen hundred feet of this kind of +climbing we reached the base of three rocky peaks several hundred feet +higher. We had considerable difficulty in surmounting one of these, +being forced around to the opposite side, where there was a sheer +descent from our position of some fifteen hundred feet, with sharp black +rocks at the bottom where any one slipping would fall. There were some +narrow transverse crevices in the rock by means of which we got up. One +man, having been pushed aloft from the solid ledge by the two below, +would lie back against the slope, brace himself with one heel in a +transverse fissure, and lower the free foot as a handhold for the +others to mount by. The next trouble was a crevice wide enough for us +to pass through to the top, but holding exactly midway a large rock +lodged in such a manner that we could not crawl under and yet seeming +in danger of rolling down if we went over it. It was precarious not only +for the man ahead who tried to pass but for those below waiting for +results, but it was more firmly wedged than it appeared to be and each +one in turn climbed over it. Emerging from this crack we were on the +summit 2190 feet above the river and 5360 above the sea, with standing +room no more than six or eight feet square. The view was superb. The +peaks formed the northern end of a long line of cliffs running back to +the south at the end of Glen Canyon, and we looked out across a +wonderful region, part of that on the south being the "Painted Desert," +so called by Ives. Mountains solid and solitary rose up here and there +and line upon line of strangely coloured cliffs broke across the wide +area, while from our feet stretching off to the south-west like a great +dark dragon extending miles into the blue was the deep gorge of Marble +Canyon, its tributary chasms appearing like mighty sprawling legs. Far +away west were the San Francisco Mountains, and the Kaibab, while behind +we saw Navajo Mountain and others. + +This peak, or cluster of peaks, of course had never been named, had +never been climbed before, but they soon named themselves. For amusement +I tried to shoot into the river with Cap.'s 44 Remington revolver. As I +pulled the trigger the noise was absolutely staggering. The violent +report was followed by dead silence. While we were remarking the +intensity of the crash, from far away on some distant cliffs northward +the sound waves were hurled back to us with a rattle like that of +musketry. We tried again with the same result, the interval between the +great roar and the echo being twenty-four seconds by the watch. We could +call the place nothing but Echo Peaks, and since then the name has been +applied also to the line of cliffs breaking to the south. Our descent +was easy and we reached camp without any incident except the loss of my +sheath knife. + +Nobody did anything the next day, for it was Sunday, so when Monday +morning came we were eager to be off for the mouth of the Paria, which +we had seen from the top of Echo Peaks. Two or three miles down we +reached it; a small river coming through a great canyon on the right. +The cliffs of Glen Canyon broke back south-westerly and south-easterly +in a V form with the point at the foot of Glen Canyon, leaving a wide +platform of different rock rising gently from under them and mounting +steadily toward the south. Into the middle of this the river immediately +slashed a narrow gorge very much as a staircase might be cut through a +floor, beginning the next canyon of the series, called Marble, through +which we would not descend till the following year. We went into camp on +the left bank of the Paria and the right of the Colorado, Camp 86, in +the tall willows. A rough scow lay there, which the Major had built the +year before when on his way from Kanab to the Moki Towns, for there is +no ford. + +We were to wait here for our pack-train which the Major, on arriving at +Kanab, was to start back with rations and some extra horses. Our +altitude was 3170 feet, showing a total descent for the season of 2905 +feet, 913 feet from Gunnison Crossing. Our work on the water for the +present was now over; we would pursue it with mule and pack instead of +with boats. As the 23d of October had arrived we were glad to avoid +daily saturation. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 19: These blisters were later called laccolites by G. K. +Gilbert after his careful study of the locality. See his _Geology of the +Henry Mountains_, published by the government.] + +[Footnote 20: The illustration on page 43 of _The Romance of the +Colorado_ well shows the character of the Glen Canyon country, and that +on page 63 the nature of the pot-holes.] + +[Footnote 21: We learned later that while we were working through +Cataract Canyon, Lieutenant George M. Wheeler, U. S. Engineers, was +coming up from Fort Mohave. After great labour he reached the mouth of +Diamond Creek, See _The Romance of the Colorado_, Chapter XII.] + +[Footnote 22: For further description of the Navajo costume, see _The +North Americans of Yesterday_, by F. S. Dellenbaugh, pp. 148, 150.] + +[Footnote 23: Like all the tribes of the region of that time, the +Navajos considered the Mormons a different people from the Americans. +They had been at war with the Mormons, from whom they stole horses and +cattle, and there had been some bloodshed. Old Jacob had induced them to +make peace, and this party now on its way to trade was the first to try +the experiment. Vanquished by our troops, a few years before, the +Navajos were very poor and anxious to acquire live stock and firearms, +for which they had blankets and other articles of their own make to +trade.] + + + + +CHAPTER XI + + More Navajos Arrive with Old Jacob--The Lost Pack-train and a + Famished Guide--From Boat to Broncho--On to Kanab--Winter + Arrives--Wolf Neighbours too Intimate--Preparing for Geodetic + Work--Over the Kaibab to Eight-mile Spring--A Frontier + Town--Camp below Kanab--A Mormon Christmas Dance. + + +At the mouth of the Paria we established ourselves for a stay of several +days. Not only did we have the pack-train to wait for, but there were +maps to finish, boats to cache, and all manner of things to attend to +before we could leave for the winter. Steward recovered so that he could +slowly walk around, but to balance this Jones developed inflammatory +rheumatism in both knees, but especially in the one which had been +injured by the fall at the Junction. Though he was perfectly cheerful +about it, he suffered excruciating pain, and was unable to move from the +bed of willows which we made for him. The medicine chest was drawn on +again, and we hoped that the attack would not last long. Andy remained +wan and thin, but he insisted on sticking to his work. So liberally had +we used our rations that we were nearing the end, and we began to look +hopefully in the direction from which we expected the pack-train to +arrive. Four days passed and still there was no sign of it. We had to +put ourselves on half-rations once more, and Prof. declared that if the +train did not soon arrive either he or I, being the only entirely well +members of the party, would have to walk out to Kanab and obtain relief. +None of us knew anything about the trail. On the 26th Prof. and I +climbed the cliffs back of camp to a height of two thousand feet, and +had a remarkable view similar to that from Echo Peaks. On Saturday, +October 28th, in the morning we were surprised to hear from the opposite +or south side of the river an Indian yell, and looking across we +perceived what appeared to be three natives, with horses, standing on +the edge of the canyon wall, here very low. We prepared one of the boats +to cross and find out what was wanted, when a fourth figure joined the +group, and in good English came the words, "G-o-o-d m-o-r-n-i-n-g," long +drawn out. On landing we were met by a slow-moving, very quiet +individual, who said he was Jacob Hamblin. His voice was so low, his +manner so simple, his clothing so usual, that I could hardly believe +that this was Utah's famous Indian-fighter and manager. With him were +three other white men, Isaac Haight, George Adair, Joe Mangum, and nine +Navajos, all on their way to the Mormon settlements. They desired to be +put across the river, and we willingly offered the services of ourselves +and our boats. Some of the Navajos had never before seen so large a +stream, and were free to express their surprise. We took on board Jacob +and one or two others, and after landing them made several trips with +both boats to ferry the rest over, including all their saddles and +baggage. The Navajos were rather afraid of the boats, which to them +probably looked small and wobbly, but they all got on board with much +hilarity, except one who preferred to swim. He struck boldly out with a +sort of dog-paddle stroke. Having no confidence in his swimming ability, +we followed closely. The water was cold; the distance greater than the +Navajo had imagined. Before he was one third of the way over he +consented to be pulled into our boat and finish the passage that way. +The horses were towed over, swimming behind the boats, a rope being held +by a man sitting in the stern. There was a rapid not far below, and we +feared if driven in to swim loose they might be drawn into it. One horse +refused to swim or even to try, and made repeated efforts to plunge his +head under, giving us a lot of trouble, but by holding his head close to +the boat we towed him across in spite of his opposition. Without the +boat he would surely have gone down the river. When everybody and +everything were safely across the hour was so late that Jacob concluded +to camp with us for the night.[24] + +The Navajos were found to be a very jolly set of fellows, ready to take +or give any amount of chaff, and perfectly honest. They were taking +blankets of their manufacture to trade for horses and sheep. Their +spirits ran high, they sang their wild songs for us, and we had the +liveliest evening we had seen in many a month. Finally we joined in a +circle with them, dancing and singing around the smouldering fire, while +the chief Konéco, a noble-looking fellow, sitting at one side, with a +patriarchal expression, monotonously drummed an accompaniment with a +willow root on the bottom of one of the camp-kettles. When any of us +would stumble on a stick they were all convulsed with laughter. The +blankets they had were beautiful, and Jacob possessed one valued at $40, +which had taken seventy days to make. After the Navajos had gone to rest +we listened to some Mormon songs by Jacob's party. They left us the next +morning, Sunday, October 29th, Prof. obtaining from Jacob some red +Mexican beans to eke out our supplies; also a description of the trail. +I traded a cap I happened to have to one of the Navajos for his feather +plume, and a pair of shoes to one of the white men for some Mishongnuvi +moccasins. Monday we took the _Dean_ across the river, and some distance +down we hauled her by means of ropes up high above the water under a +large rock, where we concealed her well. Then we made five caches near +camp of goods not needed till next year, covering our traces by fires +and other devices. Jones was so much improved that he managed to hobble +about on a pair of crutches I had made for him out of strong willow +sticks, and we felt much encouraged as to his ability to stand riding +when the time came to start for Kanab. + +On Tuesday we built a shelter back of camp for the _Nell_ and housed +her there. The next day was the first of November and we thought surely +the pack-train would come, but the sun went down behind the cliffs and +no one arrived. Prof. could not understand what the trouble was, but he +went on with his observations. The next morning, as we were about to eat +our bean breakfast beside the fire, we were astonished by the extremely +cautious appearance through the willows, without a word of announcement, +of a single, ragged, woebegone, silent old man on as skinny and +tottering a pony as ever I saw. The old man was apparently much +surprised to find himself here, and with the exclamation, "My God! I +have found you!" he dropped to the ground. When at last he spoke he said +his name was Mangum of Kanab, and that he had been employed to guide our +pack-train, of which Riley, one of the prospectors we had met at El +Vado, was leader. "Well, where is the train?" we asked, for if he were +all that remained of it we wanted to know it soon. "Several miles back +on the trail," he said. Not having eaten a mouthful since the morning +before it was no wonder he was weak and silent. We gave him the best +breakfast we could command from our meagre stock and then like a spectre +he vanished on his scrawny steed up the Paria Canyon. All the day long +we watched and waited for his triumphal return with the longed-for +supplies at his back, but the sun departed without his approach and the +twilight died into that mystery which leaves the world formless against +the night. And still we had faith in the stranger's story. Early the +next morning Prof., Clem, and I started on his track thinking we would +soon meet the train. It led us up the valley of the Paria, between the +great cliffs about three miles, and then we had another surprise, for it +swung sharply to the right and climbed a steep sandy slope towards the +only apparent place where the two-thousand-foot cliffs could possibly be +scaled with horses. We saw that he had followed a very old Indian trail. +When we had mounted to the base of the vertical rocks we travelled +zig-zagging back and forth across the face of the precipice till +presently the trail passed through a notch out upon the plateau. From an +eminence we now scanned the whole visible area without discovering +anything that apparently had not been there for several thousand years. +Save the coming and going tracks of our strange visitor there was +nothing to show that any living animal had trod this place in centuries. +We could see to where Prof. and I previously climbed to this same +plateau, and to-day was like yesterday and yesterday like the year +before last. Time and the years were as little grains of drifting sand. + +Leaving Clem as a sentinel on our observation point Prof. followed the +out track and told me to follow the in till three o'clock. It was now +high noon. I walked on and on through an arid, wonderful maze of sand, +rocks, and cacti, feeling that the old horseman was no more than a +phantom, when in half an hour I almost fell upon our lost pack-train +meandering slowly and silently through a depression. I fired our signal +shots and Prof. soon joined us. The situation was precarious. The +animals were nearly dead from thirst, one had been abandoned, and Riley +was in a state of pent-up rage that was dangerous for the spectre guide, +who had nearly been the destruction of the whole outfit, for he did not +know the trail and was himself lost. Of course he blamed Riley--it was +his only defence. Riley broke loose in a string of fiery oaths, +declaring he would shoot "the old fool," then and there. But receiving +no encouragement from Prof. or me he didn't. There was a third member of +the party, Joe Hamblin, a son of Jacob, a very sturdy young fellow. He +said afterwards that he thought often that Riley would "sure let +daylight through the old man." Our next care was to successfully +manoeuvre the pack-animals down the difficult trail across the face of +the cliff, which had not seen a horse for many a year and probably never +had been traversed by animals with packs on their backs. We had to watch +that they did not crowd each other off, but with all our exertions one +fell and rolled down a few feet. He was not injured and we continued the +descent, finally reaching the bottom without so much as a scratch of any +consequence. There, at the Paria, the horses enjoyed the first full +drink for several days and we followed it down to camp. Riley had +started from Kanab October 23d and had been twelve days making a journey +that required at most only four or five by the regular trail. Mangum had +not known the way, had led toward El Vado, and his finding the Indian +trail to the mouth of the Paria was an accident. + +Provisions were now plenty again, and by the light of a big fire we +overhauled the mail, finding letters, newspapers and magazines enough to +satisfy any party. Word was received from the Major to move to a place +called House Rock Spring, and Prof. said we would leave Camp 86 on +November 5th, which gave us a day intervening in which to pack up. About +noon of this packing day we were not surprised when two horsemen, Haight +and Riggs, galloped into camp at full speed leading a lightly laden +pack-mule. They had come through in two and one half days, at top speed, +by direction of Jacob, who on reaching Kanab with the Navajos learned +that our pack-train had left long before, and he had seen nothing of +it. On the pack-mule were fifty pounds of flour and several rolls of +butter; the first time we had seen any of this latter article since the +final breakfast at Field's on May 22d. They were greatly relieved to +know that the train was found and that all was well. They brought news +of the burning of Chicago about a month before. In the evening Isaac +Haight favoured us with some Mormon songs and recited examples of the +marvellous curative effects of the Mormon "laying on of hands." Heavy +clouds had settled along the face of the cliffs and the air grew wintry. +We felt the chill keenly, as we were not clad for cold weather. In the +morning snow began to drop gently out of the leaden sky and continued +all day, preventing any one from starting. Soon the cliffs and Echo +Peaks were white and we knew that now autumn was gone. Toward evening +the sun flared across the rocky landscape, turning everything to gold, +and we believed the next day would be fair. We were not disappointed. +Monday the 6th of November came sharp and cold. Haight, Riggs, Mangum, +and Joe Hamblin left early and we got under way as soon as we could. +With two very sick men and a new method of travel it was not easy. We +had to learn the art of packing on mules and horses from Riley, who was +an expert in this line and who could "sling the diamond hitch" with +great skill. He was just as handy with a lasso and seldom missed if he +wished to catch an animal, but Prof. did not approve of the lasso +method, for it makes stock wild and unmanageable. His way was the quiet +one and he was right, for we soon had the entire herd so that there was +no rumpus at starting-time. With a free use of the lasso preparations to +start partake of the activity of a tornado. + +Steward by this time was able to walk slowly. Andy was well enough to +travel on his feet, but Jones could not move at all without crutches. We +did not have extra horses for all to ride, so Steward and Andy changed +off, while the rest of us had to walk. Jones we lifted as gently as +possible, though it was pain even to be touched in his condition, upon +Riley's special horse called Doc, a well-trained, docile animal, who +walked off with him. It was after noon before the start was +accomplished, and meanwhile I went back on the incoming trail of the +lost pack-train to the foot of the steep precipice for Riley's canteen, +which had been forgotten there, and when I returned all were gone but +Steward, Clem, and Beaman, who had remained behind to round up a young +steer which had been driven in with the train for us to convert into +beef at a convenient opportunity. As the advance party travelled very +slowly we soon caught them, the steer being gentle as a kitten. The +trail followed south along the foot of the cliffs which emerged from +Paria Canyon, and to which the Major had given the name of Vermilion on +account of their rich red colour. We wound in and out of deep alcoves, +around the heads of impassable lateral canyons running to the Colorado, +and past enormous rocks balanced in every conceivable position on +extremely slender pedestals. After about eight miles we arrived at a +diminutive spring, which gave enough water for Andy to make bread and +coffee with, but none for the stock. There we camped. A few armfuls of +scraggy sage-brush furnished wood for a fire, but it was not enough to +make our invalids comfortable, and the night was cold and raw. We did +all we could for them and they did not grumble. + +In the morning a pair of bronchos--that is, recently broken wild +horses--made the camp lively for a time, but they were subdued and the +caravan again got under way. Our next camp was to be Jacob's Pools, so +called from the fact that Jacob was the first white man to camp there. +We had gone only a mile or so when we crossed in a small canyon a little +stream already enjoying two names, Clear and Spring (now called Badger) +Creek, and a little farther on another called Soap Creek, still holding +that name.[25] When first travellers enter a country they naturally +bestow names on important objects, and two or three parties of white men +who had passed this way had named these two creeks. After this we had no +more water, and we pushed slowly ahead, looking for the Pools. Snow +began to fall again in widely scattered, reluctant flakes, but melted on +touching the ground. Late in the afternoon the trail turned the corner +of the cliffs, which here broke to the west, and we saw a wide, desolate +open plain stretching away to the foot of a distant table-land, which we +knew to be the Kaibab Plateau or Buckskin Mountain. None of the party +had been over the trail before, but it was easy to follow, especially +for a man of Riley's experience. It was an old Navajo trail, and was +here fairly well worn. The sun went down as we plodded on, the light +faded from the west, and still we saw no Jacob's Pools. The air was +biting, and with our thin, worn garments we felt it keenly and wished +for a fire. At last just as the darkness began to thicken a patch of +reeds on the right between some low hills was discovered, where it +seemed there might be water, and we could not well go farther. The +ground was moist, and by digging a hole we secured red, muddy liquid +enough for Andy to make a little bread and a cup apiece of very poor +coffee. The men and animals came straggling in out of the darkness. We +gathered a lot of sage-brush and made a fire, and as soon as Jones came +we lifted him off and put him as near the warmth as possible, for he was +chilled through. There was no water for the stock, but the grass was wet +and they did not suffer. Everything was damp and uncomfortable, and the +fire was too small to dry anything out, so all turned in to the limited +blankets and passed a cold, half-sleepless, uncomfortable night. + +Morning was a relief, though the thermometer stood at 11 F. There was +water enough in the holes for breakfast, and as soon as this meal was +over the pack-train was on the move towards Jacob's Pools, which we +found not two miles farther on. There were two of them, each seven or +eight feet long, supplied by fine clear water oozing out of a hill-side. +The lower one we turned over to the animals, reserving the upper for +ourselves. We approached the plateau all day, and late in the afternoon +we were within three or four miles of it, when the right-hand cliffs +turned sharply to the north in a line parallel with the plateau, forming +a long narrow valley. Cedars and piñons now grew about us, so that we +were assured of a good fire. About sunset we passed two large boulders +which had fallen together, forming a rude shelter, under which Riggs or +some one else had slept, and then had jocosely printed above with +charcoal the words "Rock House Hotel." Afterward this had served as +identification, and Jacob and the others had spoken of "House Rock" +Spring and House Rock Valley. We called it the same, and finally it went +on the maps and is now permanent. A few yards beyond the House Rock the +trail led into a gulch, at the head of which was a good spring. Plenty +of cedars and piñons grew about, and we soon had a fire that compensated +for the meagre ones of the preceding nights. The sick men became warm +and dry, and we all felt much better. The whole outfit halted two days, +and on the second the poor little steer, gazing sadly at us, was shot +and cut up. In an hour the quarters were swinging from a tree and some +of the beef was in the pan. Necessity is a sauce that makes every grist +palatable. We were hungry, and nothing could have tasted better than +that fresh beefsteak. The entrails and refuse were left on the ground in +the neighbouring gulley where we had killed the steer, and next morning +the place was about cleaned up by the lurking wolves. + +Prof. decided to go on across the Kaibab to Kanab with the two very sick +men, and leave Cap., Clem, Andy, and me here at House Rock Spring until +the plan for the winter's campaign had been better formulated. Steward +concluded that his condition was too precarious to risk further +exposure, and said he would now leave the expedition permanently, which +we learned with deep regret, but it was plainly imperative. Jones +thought that a week or two of warmth and rest, accompanied by a change +of diet, would make him whole again and enable him to stay till the end +of our special task. On Saturday, November 11th, the party started, with +the invalids riding the gentlest and easiest horses, though Steward +found it less painful at times to walk. I accompanied them to the summit +of the Kaibab to bring back one of the horses we called Thunderbolt, on +which Jones was to be carried to the top and there change to Doc. After +I left them I halted many times to look out into the wonderful land to +the west and north. When I got back to the spring, our Camp 3 of the +land operations, we immediately set up a stout 6 by 8 tent that was in +the outfit brought from Kanab, and it made a very snug sleeping-place +for the four of us. Around the fire we rolled big stones for seats, and +soon had the gulch in a homelike condition. There was an abundance of +dead, fat piñon, which burned like a candle, and we could easily extend +our reading into the evenings. + +From all around us there arose the frequent bay and bark of the wolves. +They were of different kinds, numerous and rather bold. At night they +came in and cleared up what was left of the entrails of the steer, also +securing a fine, large piece of beef which Cap. had hung in a tree, but +not high enough to escape their efforts. We took turns bringing the four +horses left with us to water, and in that way kept ourselves informed +about them. During these trips, especially in the late afternoon, the +wolves were apt to trot along near by, and on one occasion Clem was +obliged to drive one out of the trail with stones, not having his rifle. +One morning, as I was riding along not far from camp, a huge whitish +fellow followed behind like a dog about twenty yards back, licking his +chaps. At first I thought he might be the dog of some Indian camped +near, but remembering that there were none in the valley, and also that +an Indian dog, or any strange dog, would have run from me, I saw that he +was a hungry wolf unused to man. I had no rifle with me, but I took a +walk over the same ground next morning with my Winchester, hoping to see +my acquaintance again, but he discreetly kept out of sight. We had +little now to occupy us except to examine the locality, chop wood for +our fire, and read over and over the newspapers and magazines. The +nights were very cold, the spring always freezing over, but the days +were delightful. The beef had to be jerked to preserve it. We cut it up +into thin long strips, which we strung through the ends on long withes, +these in turn being hung on a framework that left the strips swinging +within two or three feet of a slow fire. One hour's neglect of this +tempting array would have seen it vanish to the four winds, so we kept a +constant watch day and night, taking turns through the dark hours. +Every article which had grease or leather about it had to be carefully +put away to prevent its disappearance. Riley had lost his spurs on the +way out from this cause, the leather on them making sweet morsels for +the watchers. + +Cap. concluded to profit by this appetite, and in an adjoining gulch he +built a trap between two rocks, in which he set his Remington +six-shooter, so that a wolf picking up a scrap of beef would pull the +trigger by a string and receive the ball in his head. That night during +my watch over the beef I roasted a piece on a stick for a lunch, and as +the savory odour drifted off on the crisp winter air howl after howl of +ravenous desire rang out from many directions, followed by the bang of +the revolver in the trap. Cap. went over, but found no game, though +later he often came back with a fine large specimen, bearing a perfect +coat of fur, which Cap. always removed by the firelight at once. About +every night except Sunday, when Cap. refused to set the trap--for he +never did any work on that day that was not absolutely necessary--there +was a fatal shot, and he accumulated a lot of excellent large skins, +which he tacked on trees to preserve them. He thought he had put them up +securely high, but one morning every skin had disappeared. The wolf +relatives had carried them away to the last shred. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From Havasupai Point, South Rim, Showing Inner Gorge. + +From a sketch in colour by F. S. Dellenbaugh, 1907.] + +The Kaibab was too far away for us to go there to hunt deer, and there +were none around the spring, though one night at supper-time, the +western sky being a broad sweep of deep orange, we saw a large wild +animal of some sort on the crest of the hill silhouetted against the +colour. I started for it with my rifle, but of course it did not wait; +no animal ever does if he can help it, unless he is carnivorous and +famished. The weather remained generally fair, though one day we had a +wild gale that nearly relieved us of the tent in the midst of thick +flurries of snow. We often climbed among the cliffs, and everywhere we +found picture-writings, poles laid up, stepping-stones, fragments of +pottery, arrowheads, and other evidences of former occupation. The poles +and stones may have been placed by the Pai Utes as well as by the old +Shinumos, who once were numerous over all this country. Cap. was by no +means well. An extreme nervousness connected with the old gunshot wound +developed, and he said he felt sure he could not continue the work in +the field during the winter, much less go through the Grand Canyon with +us the next year. Clem also felt under the weather, and besides was +growing homesick. He confided to me one day that he also had concluded +not to remain with us. As there was little the matter with him I +undertook to argue him out of his determination not to go through the +Grand Canyon, pointing out the disappointment he would feel when we had +accomplished the passage and he realised that he might as well have come +along. This produced some impression, but I was uncertain as to its +lasting result. + +By November 17th we began with confidence to look for some one to come +over the mountains from Kanab, and just after sunset we heard Riley's +long shrill "ee--ii--oooooooo," which he could deliver upon the air in +such a fashion that it carried for miles. Presently Prof. and he rode +into our camp with fresh supplies and a great bundle of mail that +included papers giving the details of the burning of Chicago. Prof. with +Cap. then reconnoitred the neighbourhood, and on the 21st he returned to +Kanab, leaving us as before, except that Riley remained two days longer. +The Major had not yet arrived at Kanab from Salt Lake and our winter +work could not begin till he came. The days rolled by with occasional +rain and snow and we began to grow impatient with our inaction, +especially when November passed away. The second day of December was +fading when we distinguished in the distance the familiar Riley yell, +and in a little while he came into view with welcome news. We were to +move at once to a spring eight miles from Kanab. He also brought some +apples, native raisins and a large canteen full of fresh wine from +"Dixie" as the country along the Virgin was called. These luxuries +together with a number of letters from home made that night one of the +most cheerful we had known for a long time. Monday morning, December 4th +we left House Rock Spring behind with our pack-train, followed the trail +across the open valley, climbed two thousand feet to the top of the +Kaibab, and were soon traversing the forest on its broad summit. Riley +having been over the trail now several times we went ahead steadily, and +about sunset arrived at the farther side of a narrow longitudinal +depression of the top which Cap. immediately put down in his notes as +Summit Valley, a name that holds to-day. There we threw off our packs +and made camp for the night. Though there was no water the ground was +covered by a thin layer of snow, that made the long bunch grass +palatable to the horses and for ourselves we had sufficient water in two +small kegs and several canteens. A bright fire blazed cheerfully, the +dense cedars broke the wind, and everybody felt that it was a fine camp. +The others spent the evening playing euchre by firelight, but I +preferred to read till bedtime. + +The next morning, after crossing some rough gulches, we came to the +western edge of the great plateau, and emerging from the forest of pine +and cedar we saw again the magnificent, kaleidoscopic, cliff country +lying to the north. First about twenty miles away was a line of low +chocolate-coloured cliffs, then a few miles back of this the splendid +line of the Vermilion Cliffs, the same which began at the mouth of Glen +Canyon and which we had skirted to House Rock Spring. From there the +line continued northward till it passed around the north end of the +Kaibab, when it struck southwesterly far to our left, where it turned +back to the north again, forming one of the longest and finest cliff +ranges anywhere to be seen. Above them and some miles still farther +back, rising higher, was a line of greyish cliffs following the trend of +the Vermilion, and still above these was the broken meandering face of +the Pink Cliffs, frosted with snow, whose crest marks the southeastern +limit of Fremont's "Great Basin," the end of the High Plateaus, and tops +the country at an altitude of some 11,000 feet above sea-level. A more +extraordinary, bewildering landscape, both as to form and colour, could +hardly be found in all the world. Winding our way down to the barren +valley, in itself more a high plateau than a valley, we travelled the +rest of the day in the direction of the great cliffs. The sun was just +gone when we reached the first low line, and passing through a gap +turned into a side gulch thickly studded with cedars, where we saw +before us two white-covered waggons, two or three camp-fires blazing, +and friends. We heard a hearty voice cry, "Tirtaan Aigles dis wai!" and +we sprang from our horses to grasp Jack's welcoming hand and greet all +the others, some of whom were new acquaintances. The fragrance of coffee +and frying bacon filled the sharp air, while from the summits of the +surrounding cliffs the hungry chorus of yelping wolves sent up their +wail of disappointment. + +In an alcove a large tent had been put up, which the Major's family was +occupying, for Mrs. Powell and her baby daughter had come from Salt Lake +with him, arriving a few days before. The daughter was but three months +old and was happy in a big clothes-basket for a cradle. Mrs. Thompson, +Prof.'s wife, and sister of the Major, had also come from Salt Lake and +another large tent sheltered them, while still another of equal size, +not yet erected, was designed for the men. It was a specially +interesting camp to us who had come over from House Rock for it was +novel to see so many people around. The Major himself was absent at +Kanab. Before the camp was asleep the hour was late, and so soundly did +every one rest that the sneaking wolves without the least molestation +carried off two large sacks of the jerked beef from near our heads, +where we had put it against a huge rock thinking they would not come so +close; but as they had pulled a ham the night before from under the head +of Captain Dodds where he had placed it for safety, we ought to have +been more sensible. Two or three nights later, as I was sleeping in a +special bed one of the men then absent had made by a big rock some yards +from the main camp, I was awakened by a wolf crunching bones by the fire +not eight feet from my head. I wanted to shoot the impertinent wretch, +but his form was indistinct and my rifle lying by my side had to be +trained his way. This took some time, as I had to move cautiously, and +in the midst of my effort my elbow slipped. Like a shadow he flitted +into the deeper gloom and I went to sleep again. I did not want to +shoot without certainty, though some nights later I did shoot with +Riley's huge double-barrelled shotgun loaded with buckshot straight into +our mess kit, not killing the wolf that was there, but putting holes in +numerous tin plates through which bean soup delighted to percolate, so +that I never heard the last of this midnight effort of mine to diminish +the wolf family. + +The day following our arrival the Major came from Kanab and the plans +for our winter's campaign were put in operation. A base line for our +geographic work was necessary and this was to run south from Kanab, so +Prof. on December 7th, with Mrs. Thompson, Cap., Clem, Andy, Jones (who +had recovered his health), and one of the new men named MacEntee, left +us with loaded waggons to establish another camp nearer to the scene of +this work. Another member of the party was Fuzz, Mrs. Thompson's dog, an +intelligent Dandie Dinmont. As I was much interested to see Kanab, of +which so much had been said, and as it was now nearly seven months since +I had seen an occupied house, I decided to take a Sunday ride in that +direction. On the 17th, about noon, I put a saddle on a white mule which +Jack had named Nigger and was soon on my way. Emerging from the +Chocolate Cliffs the road led along the foot of the Vermilion Cliffs, +crossing long ridges covered with cedars and piñons with a vast view to +the Kaibab on the south and east, and soon joining a road that led from +a canyon to eastward where there was a very small settlement called +Johnson's, and from two or three houses which had been built where the +El Vado trail crossed the Paria River. Nigger went along very well and I +was in Kanab by three o'clock. The village, which had been started only +a year or two, was laid out in the characteristic Mormon style with wide +streets and regular lots fenced by wattling willows between stakes. +Irrigating ditches ran down each side of every street and from them the +water, derived from a creek that came down a canyon back of the town, +could be led into any of the lots, each of which was about one quarter +of an acre; that is, there were four lots to a block. Fruit trees, shade +trees, and vines had been planted and were already beginning to promise +near results, while corn, potatoes, etc., gave fine crops. The original +place of settlement was a square formed by one-story log houses on three +sides and a stockade on the fourth. This was called the fort and was a +place of refuge, though the danger from Navajo attack seemed to be over +and that from any assault by the Pai Utes certainly was past. One corner +of the fort was made by the walls of the schoolhouse, which was at the +same time meeting-house and ball-room. Altogether there were about 100 +families in the village. The houses that had been built outside the fort +were quite substantially constructed, some of adobe or sun-dried brick. +The entire settlement had a thrifty air, as is the case with the +Mormons. Not a grog-shop, or gambling saloon, or dance-hall was to be +seen; quite in contrast with the usual disgraceful accompaniments of the +ordinary frontier towns. A perfectly orderly government existed, headed +by a bishop appointed by the church authorities in Salt Lake, the then +incumbent of this office being an excellent man, Bishop Stewart. I rode +to the fort, where I found Clem and Beaman domiciled with their +photographic outfit, with a swarm of children peeping through every +chink and crevice of the logs to get a view of the "Gentiles," a kind of +animal they had seldom seen. Every one was cordial. Beaman even offered +me a drink made with sugar-water and photographic alcohol, but it did +not appeal to my taste. It was after sunset when I started Nigger +towards Eight Mile Spring and I enjoyed the ride in the edge of night +with not a living thing, besides Nigger (and Nigger was a mule), to +disturb my reveries. + +I had as yet seen none of the natives of the locality. They were now +very friendly and considered harmless, thanks to Jacob's wise +management. The only Indians the settlers dreaded were some renegades, a +band of Utes and Navajos, collected by a bold and skillful chief named +Patnish, whose "country" was south of the Colorado around Navajo +Mountain. He was reputed to be highly dangerous, and the Kanab people +were constantly prepared against his unwelcome visits. He had several +handsome stalwart sons, who dressed in white and who generally +accompanied him. Though Patnish was so much feared, I do not remember to +have heard that he committed any depredations after this time. There had +been much trouble with the Navajos, but Jacob, growing tired of the +constant warfare, had resolved to go to them and see if he could not +change the state of affairs. When he had guided the Major to the Moki +Towns and Fort Defiance the year before (1870), about six thousand +Navajos were assembled at the Agency. The chiefs were invited to meet in +council on the 2d of November, and all the principal chiefs but one and +all subchiefs but two were there. The Major led the way by introducing +Jacob and speaking in highly complimentary terms of the Mormons; and +Jacob then gave a long talk in his low-voiced way, illustrating the +great evils of such warfare as had existed, and closed by saying: + + "What shall I tell my people the 'Mormons' when I return home? + That we may expect to live in peace, live as friends, and + trade with one another? Or shall we look for you to come + prowling around our weak settlements, like wolves in the + night? I hope we may live in peace in time to come. I have now + grey hairs on my head, and from my boyhood I have been on the + frontiers doing all I could to preserve peace between white + men and Indians. I despise this killing, this shedding of + blood. I hope you will stop this and come and visit and trade + with our people. We would like to hear what you have got to + say before we go home." + +Barbenceta, the principal chief, slowly approached as Jacob ended, and +putting his arms around him said: "My friend and brother, I will do all +that I can to bring about what you have advised. We will not give all +our answer now. Many of the Navajos are here. We will talk to them +to-night and will see you on your way home." Several days later Jacob +met him and the chiefs who had been absent; he said they would all +really like to see peace with the Mormons carried out, and continued: + + "We have some bad men among us, but if some do wrong, the wise + ones must not act foolishly, like children, but let it be + settled according to the spirit of your talk at Fort Defiance. + Here is Hastele. I wish you would take a good look at him, so + you will not be mistaken in the man. He never lies or steals. + He is a truthful man; we wish all difficult matters settled + before him. He lives on the frontier nearest to the river; you + can find him by inquiry. We hope we may be able to eat at one + table, warm by one fire, smoke one pipe, and sleep under one + blanket." + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From South Rim near Bright Angel Creek.] + +Jacob proceeded towards home, taking a Moki, named Tuba, and his wife +back with him, so that they might see the Mormon country. Arriving at +the crossing of the Colorado Tuba was sad. He said his people had once +lived on the other side, and their fathers had told them they never +again would go west of the river to live. "I am now going on a visit to +see my friends. I have worshipped the Father of us all in the way you +believe to be right; now I wish you would do as the Hopees think is +right before we cross." Jacob assented, and Tuba, he said, + + "then took his medicine bag from under his shirt and offered + me a little of its contents. I offered my left hand to take + it; he requested me to take it with my right. He then knelt + with his face to the east, and asked the Great Father of us + all to preserve us in crossing the river. He said that he and + his wife had left many friends at home, and if they never + lived to return their friends would weep much. He prayed for + pity upon his friends the Mormons, that none of them might + drown in crossing; and that all the animals we had with us + might be spared, for we needed them all, and to preserve unto + us all our food and clothing, that we need not suffer hunger + nor cold on our journey. He then arose to his feet. We + scattered the ingredients from the medicine bag into the air, + on to the land, and into the water of the river." + +When they were all safely over Tuba gave thanks that his prayer had been +answered.[26] + +The last white men to be killed by the Navajos in the Kanab region were +Dr. Whitmore and his herder at Pipe Springs, twenty miles west, five +years before in the winter of 1865-66. The raiders were pursued by a +strong party, and some of them, turning down the Kanab Canyon, perhaps +thinking the river could be crossed there, were surprised and fired on +at dawn. Some escaped, though wounded. Jacob kept a close watch on all +the passes, and especially at El Vado. Several raiders were intercepted +and shot. In 1869 a raiding band successfully drove off twelve hundred +head of horses and cattle from northern settlements, and the winter of +1869-70 was one of the worst, requiring Jacob's presence in the field +almost constantly. He was accompanied by friendly Pai Utes, who hated +the Navajos. One Navajo was shot in a band who had stolen cattle, but +the others were allowed to leave on giving up the stock. The shot did +not kill the Navajo, and they followed to see what became of him. He was +carried along by his friends to where another raiding party was +encamped. The Pai Utes then killed two of this party, scalping one, but +refraining from taking the scalp of the other because he had sandy hair +and looked too much like a white man. Later three more Navajos were +killed in a fight, but the rest escaped with ten horses. Jacob grew +heartily sick of this kind of work, and made the resolve to appeal to +the Navajos, with the result stated. He also visited the Red Lake Utes +to the north, and all the Indians along the Sevier. Beginning with the +band of Navajos under Agua Grande, which we had met at El Vado, they +came north in numerous parties with perfect confidence that the Mormons +would receive them peacefully. But they continued to despise the Pai +Utes, considering them beneath notice. + +In September of the year 1870 the Major, by Brigham Young's advice, had +engaged Jacob to go with him to Mt. Trumbull in the Uinkaret region +adjoining the Shewits country. Jacob, wishing to see these Indians +himself, was very willing to go. They made a camp by a spring, and +finding some natives near, Jacob asked them to bring in some of the +party who had taken part in the killing of the Howlands and Dunn the +year before. Twelve or fifteen finally came, and they had a talk. + + "I commenced [said Jacob] by explaining to the Indians + Professor Powell's business. I endeavoured to get them to + understand that he did not visit their country for any purpose + that would work evil to them, that he was not hunting gold or + silver or other metals; that he would be along the river next + season with a party of men, and if they found any of them away + from the river in the hills, they must be their friends and + show them places where there was water if necessary." + +They replied that friends of theirs from across the river had declared +the men were miners and advised killing them, for if they found mines it +would bring great evil among them. The men were followed and killed +while asleep. They declared that had they been correctly informed about +the men they would not have killed them. Kapurats ("No-arm," meaning the +Major), they said, could travel and sleep in their country unmolested +and they would show him and his men the watering-places.[27] + +On December 19th we moved our camp from Eight Mile Spring to a place +below the gap in the Chocolate Cliffs south of Kanab and not far below +the Utah-Arizona boundary; the 37th parallel. Bonnemort and I remained +behind to gather up the last articles and it was dark when we reached +the new ground. Our large tent was pitched in the creek bottom with the +others not far off, making quite a settlement. The weather was rainy and +cold, but a conical sheet-iron stove heated the tent well and there we +had dry comfortable evenings, some of the men singing, some writing +letters or plotting notes, others reading and still others perhaps +playing a game. Bonnemort was something of a singer and was specially +fond of _Beautiful Isle of the Sea_, but Jack still maintained his +complete supremacy as a tenor. His repertory always increased and he was +ever ready to entertain us. One of his selections I remember was the +ballad: + + "I wandered by the brookside, + I wandered by the mill; + I could not hear the brook flow, + The noisy wheel was still, + There was no burr of grasshopper + No chirp of any bird, + But the beating of my own heart + Was all the sound I heard." + +Mrs. Thompson had a sweet voice and knew a lot of songs, which were +frequently heard issuing from her tent, and this, with the presence of +Mrs. Powell and the baby, added to the locality a pleasant homelike air. +Both Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Powell had been familiar with camp life, +Mrs. Powell having spent a winter, 1868-69, with the Major in Middle +Park, Colorado, near the camp of Chief Douglas, the father of our friend +Douglas Boy. + +Andy cooked all the meals on a fire out of doors, and they were no +longer served in our "go fur it boys" canyon style, but a large canvas, +showing by its colour the effects of exposure, was elegantly spread on +the ground and around its edges the tin plates, cups, etc., were +arranged, with the beanpot and other provender in the middle. This +method continued henceforth. The company would sit around on the ground, +each in whatever position was comfortable. Liberal portions of bread and +sorghum molasses formed the dessert, and after a while so indispensable +did the sorghum grow that we dubbed it the "staff of life." It was easy +to get, quantities being produced in "Dixie." Kanab besides being +favoured with two mails a week had a telegraph line connecting with the +settlements of the Virgin region and with Salt Lake, and we now felt +that once more we had a grip on the world. + +On the 22d of December the Major, accompanied by Captain Dodds, Riley, +and one of the Kanab men, John Stewart, a son of the bishop, started for +the Kaibab to find a way to get rations to the Colorado next year near +the mouth of the Little Colorado. The weather now was rather stormy but +Prof. continued his observations as well as he could, and parties were +sent out in a number of directions to place flags and monuments for the +geodetic work. The base line was to be measured south from near Kanab +for about ten miles. Christmas day came with rain and small prospect of +special enjoyment, and we all kept the shelter of the tent after hunting +up the horses in mud ankle-deep. But our dinner was a royal feast, for +Mrs. Thompson herself made a huge plum-pudding and Prof. supplied butter +and milk from Kanab, making this feature of the holiday an immense +success. In the evening a number of us rode up to the settlement to +witness a dance that had been announced to take place in the +schoolhouse, tabernacle, or town hall--the stone building in the corner +of the fort which answered all these functions. The room was about 15 by +30 feet and was lighted by three candles, a kerosene lamp, and a blazing +fire of pitch pine. Two violins were in lively operation, one being +played by Lyman Hamblin, a son of Old Jacob, and there was a refreshing +air of decorous gaiety about the whole assemblage. Dancing is a regular +amusement among the Mormons and is encouraged by the authorities as a +harmless and beneficial recreation. At that time the dances were always +opened with prayer. Two sets could occupy the floor at one time and to +even things up, and prevent any one being left out, each man on entering +was given a number, the numbers being called in rotation. None of our +party joined as we were such strangers, but we were made welcome in +every respect. It was ten o'clock before we left, and the way being dim +and muddy, midnight was on before we threw off saddles at our camp. + +The next morning work was begun on the base line, but for some days the +weather was so bad that little was accomplished. The year 1871 ended in +this way and we hoped the new one would be more propitious. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 24: Five years later Jacob came near being drowned in crossing +here. Lorenzo W. Roundy was lost, as well as two waggons loaded with +supplies. The scow they had tried to use tilted, throwing everything +into the fierce torrent.] + +[Footnote 25: It was in the rapid in Marble Canyon near the mouth of the +canyon of this creek that Frank M. Brown was drowned in July, 1889.] + +[Footnote 26: _Jacob Hamblin_, a Narrative, etc. Faith-promoting +Series--Juvenile Instructor Office, Salt Lake City--1881.] + +[Footnote 27: In 1864 the danger from the Pai Utes, who had not been +well treated, increased till Jacob had to take the matter in hand and +made a visit to the place where they were gathering for attack. He was +asked how many men he wanted to go with him, and he answered, "One, and +no arms; not even a knife in sight."] + + + + +CHAPTER XII + + Reconnoitring and Triangulating--A Pai Ute New Year's + Dance--The Major Goes to Salt Lake--Snowy Days on the + Kaibab--At Pipe Spring--Gold Hunters to the Colorado--Visits + to the Uinkaret Country--Craters and Lava--Finding the + Hurricane Ledge--An Interview with a Cougar--Back to Kanab. + + +New-year's day, 1872, passed with nothing more eventful than the return +of John Stewart in advance of the Major with the news that they had +succeeded in reaching the Colorado at the foot of Kanab Canyon. They had +given up the Kaibab direction because of snow which interfered with +their advance. He also said that Riley had found gold at the mouth of +the Kanab. The telegraph operator was so deeply impressed with this +statement that it was telegraphed as an item of news to Salt Lake. Work +on the base line went on daily by our topographical staff, but presently +it was turned over to a special gang under Captain Dodds, so that the +rest of us might be freed to carry on the triangulation. On Monday the +15th, Prof., Jones, Mac, and I started with some pack animals on a ten +days' reconnaissance trip over the Kaibab, first going to Kanab for some +supplies and taking dinner with Jacob at the house of his wife Louisa. +According to the Mormon custom, though it was not universal, Jacob had +several wives, I do not know how many. I met two, and he was besides +that "sealed" to one or two Pai Ute women. Sister Louisa was the one I +came to know best and she was a good woman. We had an excellent dinner +with rich cream for the coffee which was an unusual treat. In all Mormon +settlements the domestic animals were incorporated at once and they +received special care; butter, milk, and cheese were consequently +abundant; but in a "Gentile" frontier town all milk, if procurable at +all, was drawn from a sealed tin. The same was true of vegetables. The +empty tin was the chief decoration of such advance settlements, and with +the entire absence of any attempt at arrangement, at order, or to start +fruit or shade trees, or do any other sensible thing, the "Gentile" +frontier town was a ghastly hodge-podge of shacks in the midst of a sea +of refuse. As pioneers the Mormons were superior to any class I have +ever come in contact with, their idea being home-making and not skimming +the cream off the country with a six-shooter and a whiskey bottle. +Jacob's home was simple but it was comfortable. He was a poor man for he +did his work for the people with very slight compensation. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From Part Way down South Side above Bright Angel Creek.] + +From Jacob's we proceeded to our old camp ground at Eight-Mile Spring +and there spent the night. Prof. had forgotten his sextant and rode back +to our main camp for it. We continued in the morning without him to a +place farther east called Navajo Well, a deep spring in a sort of +natural hole, somewhat aided by native hands, in the midst of some +sloping, barren rocks, the last spot where one would look for water. A +large flat stone covered the top, the water being dipped out at one side +where there was a depression leading down to it. A careless man, or one +not familiar with the country, might ride within a few yards of this +spring without noticing its existence. Prof. came along towards night +and the next day we went on eastward to the top of the Kaibab Plateau +and there put up a geodetic monument. Here we made a dry camp having +water for ourselves in a keg and some canteens, while the animals got +along very well as there was a little snow on the ground. Proceeding +from this place eastward we came to the edge of the plateau opposite +the largest of a series of four or five peculiar red sandstone peaks. +The Mormons had explored a waggon road across at this place and the +grades were easy. We followed the road and reached House Rock Valley +about ten miles north of House Rock Spring where we went to get water +and camp. We had started late and by the time we got down into the +valley darkness had fallen but a bright moon compensated for the absence +of daylight, enabling us to see plainly our landmarks. We jogged along +toward the spring and I sang _Oh the Lone Starry Hours, Give Me Love_, +when I was suddenly interrupted by old Thunderbolt's pack loosening. +Thunderbolt was a horse that waited for such an event with remarkable +docility and when it arrived he made the best of the opportunity to get +even with us for drawing the lash-rope so tight. Before I could dismount +and lay hands on him the pack slipped back over his rump which was the +signal he watched for. Joyously flinging his heels in the moonlit air, +jumping high off the ground the next instant, and then darting off into +the misty night with a clatter and a whirl he spread the contents of +that pack to all points of the compass. This revenge adequately +accomplished we were permitted to catch him. A long search was necessary +before we had gathered up all the things and replaced the pack on the +now meek and patient Thunderbolt, and half-past eight by the watch +arrived as we got to water and supper. + +We put up another "station" back of House Rock Spring and spent a day +reconnoitring. On Sunday, January 21st, we went to Red Cliff and made a +camp under some cedars, as we wished to put a station on the highest +peak. The camp was a dry one, but we had the usual supply of water in +the keg and canteens, and as the temperature was very low we did not get +thirsty. There was an abundance of wood for the camp, but Mac and I +concluded we wanted more warmth and light, so we set fire to two large +cedars that stood alone, and they made a superb illumination, burning +all night. In the morning we got to the top of the cliff, and built a +monument, with a high pole and flag, to which to "sight" from other +geodetic points, while Prof. took observations for time and latitude. +When our work was finished we went back to House Rock Spring, arriving +just before sunset. In the morning Jones and I went across and climbed +the Kaibab, intending to put up a monument there, but we could find no +proper site and returned to camp. Prof. and Mac had been off in another +direction, but they got in just before supper-time. We had not +finished this meal when, night having come on, we heard through the +darkness sounds of some one approaching, and thirteen Navajos one after +the other came into the light of our fire, with their greeting of "Bueno +heh!" and camped just below us. Some were mounted, some were on foot. +The chief was Ashtishkal, whom we had met before at the Crossing of the +Fathers (El Vado). They were all friendly, and did not intrude upon us. +They were on their way north to trade with the Mormons, having come +across at the Paria. The night was very cold, and a heavy, dry snow +began to fall, so that in the morning when we arose we could see but a +short distance. The Navajos about sunrise stood silently in a circle +till at a signal they all sat down and began singing, continuing for +several minutes a low musical refrain, and then all rose to their feet +again. They left us early, with friendly demonstrations, and went on +their way towards Kanab, while we moved to another spring in a gulch +farther up the valley, where we made a tent out of a pair of blankets to +keep off the snow. During the stormy night our animals started to leave +us, travelling before the wind, but we suspected their intention and got +out and headed them back, much to their disgust, no doubt. Thursday, +January 25th, came bright and clear, but still extremely cold. Prof. +with Mac started across the Kaibab by the trail, while Jones and I went +farther north by the waggon road referred to, camping near the station +we had made on the way out. The next morning we did some work there, and +then went on to the Navajo Well, reaching it at sunset, where we watered +our stock and continued by moonlight through a piercing wind to +Eight-Mile Spring, which enabled us to reach our main camp in time for +dinner on Saturday the 27th. Prof. got back the evening before at 7.30, +having made another station on the Kaibab on the way over and travelled +twenty-five miles. + +About a mile from Kanab the Kaibab band of Pai Utes were encamped, and +we had a good opportunity to visit them and study their ways.[28] The +Major was specially interested and made voluminous notes. They came to +the village and our camp a great deal. While they were dirty, they were +not more dishonest than white men, so far as I could learn. Their +wickiups, about seven feet high, were merely a lot of cedar boughs, set +around a three-quarter circle, forming a conical shelter, the opening +towards the south. In front they had their fire, with a mealing-stone or +two, and round about were their conical and other baskets, used for +collecting grass seeds, piñon nuts, and similar vegetable food, which in +addition to rabbits formed their principal subsistence. At certain times +they all went to the Kaibab deer-hunting. Their guns, where they had +any, were of the old muzzle-loading type, with outside hammers to fire +the caps. Many still used the bow-and-arrow, and some knew how to make +stone arrow-heads. We learned the process, which is not difficult. Their +clothing was, to some extent, deerskin, but mainly old clothes obtained +from the whites. They made a very warm robe out of rabbit skins, twisted +into a long rope and then sewed side to side into the desired size and +shape. But when we traded for one of these as a curiosity we placed it +beside a large ant hill for some days before bringing it into camp. They +obtained fire by the use of matches when they could get them, but +otherwise they used the single stick or "palm" drill. We went to the +camp one moonlight night, January 6th, to see a sort of New-Year's +dance. They had stripped a cedar tree of all branches but a small tuft +at the top, and around this the whole band formed a large circle, +dancing and singing. The dancing was the usual hippity-hop or "lope" +sideways, each holding hands with his or her neighbours. In the centre +stood a man, seeming to be the custodian of the songs and a poet +himself. He would first recite the piece, and then all would sing it, +circling round at the same time. We accepted their cordial invitation to +join in the ceremony, and had a lot of fun out of our efforts, which +greatly amused them too, our mistakes raising shouts of laughter. The +poet seemed to originate some of the songs, but they had others that +were handed down. One of these, which I learned later, was: + + "Montee-ree-ai-ma, mo-quontee-kai-ma + Umpa-shu-shu-ra-ga-va + Umpa-shu-shu-ra-ga-va + Umpa-ga-va, shu-ra-ga-va + Montee-ree-ai-ma." + +This, being translated, signifies that a long talk is enough to bore a +hole in a cliff; at least, that was the interpretation we obtained. +Another popular one was: + + "Ca, shakum, poo kai + Ca, shakum poo kai + Ca, shakum tee kai + Ca, shakum tee kai," + +these lines being repeated like the others over and over and over again. +They were highly philosophical, for they explain that you must kill your +rabbit (shakum) before you eat him. I do not remember that they sang +these particular songs on that occasion, but they will serve as +examples. + +On February 1st the Major left camp for Salt Lake with Mrs. Powell and +the baby. Jack went along to accompany them as far as Tokerville on the +Virgin River. Before leaving, the Major settled up with Beaman, who was +now to separate from the party. The Major intended to go to Washington +to ask Congress for another appropriation to continue the work of +exploration and map-making when we had finished that already planned. On +the 6th Clem and Bonnemort arrived from an expedition to make +photographs down the Kanab Canyon, where the Major had been with Riley +and Dodds. They had met with bad luck, and did not get a single +negative. The silver bath got out of order, and the horse bearing the +camera fell off a cliff and landed on top of the camera, which had been +tied on the outside of the pack, with a result that need not be +described. Bonnemort's time was now up; he wanted to go back to +prospecting, and we reluctantly said good-bye to him. On the 16th of +February, finding our central camp no longer practicable, we abandoned +it and operated in small parties from various nearby points, finally +returning again in three or four days to near the site of the old camp. +MacEntee then wanted to go to prospecting also, and he departed. He was +an interesting, companionable young man, educated at the University of +Michigan, seeking a fortune, and he was desirous of striking it rich. +Whether he ever did or not I have not learned. + +While camped below Kanab, Clem and I in walking one day saw a place +where the creek which flowed on a level with the surroundings suddenly +plunged into a deep mud canyon. This canyon had been cut back from far +below by the undermining action of the falling water, and it was plain +to see that it would continue its retrogression till it eventually +reached the mouth of the great canyon several miles above, but I did not +dream that it could accomplish this work as rapidly as it actually did +years after. During a great flood it washed a canyon not only to Kanab +but for miles up the gorge, sweeping away at one master stroke hundreds +of acres of arable land and leaving a mud chasm forty feet deep. Had the +fall we examined been arranged then so that the water might glide down, +the fearful washout would not have occurred. There are thousands of +places in the West to-day that require treatment to conserve arable +land, and in time the task may be undertaken by the Government. + +Cap's health being such that he deemed it inadvisable to continue work +in the field, he had severed his connection with the expedition, after +finishing the preliminary map of Green River, and was temporarily +settled in Kanab, where he had been for some time. On Wednesday, +February 21st, Prof., Mrs. Thompson, and I took supper with him in one +of the log houses at the fort, and on the 22d several of us accepted his +invitation to dinner, a sort of farewell, for on the following day we +started with our whole outfit for the Kaibab. We were extremely sorry to +lose Cap, with his generous spirit and cheery ways, but when one has +been punctured by a minie-ball he has to heed warnings. All day long we +travelled through sandy hills gradually rising toward the plateau, the +foot-hills of which we reached late in the afternoon. We had followed a +waggon road with our pack-train up to this point, but here we struck off +on a trail that was said to be a shorter way to the canyon we were +aiming for, and a little before sunset we came to the brink of a steep +slope, almost a cliff, where a picturesque, a romantic view opened +before us. Below stretched away to the south a narrow, deep, and sharply +defined valley or canyon one-eighth mile wide, the bottom of which +seemed perfectly flat. A light snow which had fallen the night before +whitened the sharp slopes, but from the valley bottom it had melted +away, leaving a clear line of demarkation on either side and producing +an extremely beautiful effect under the evening glow. Tall pine trees +accented the scene, which was one of the most inviting I had ever +beheld. One of our helpers from Kanab had been over the trail, and led +us down to a small but excellent spring, within a quarter of a mile of +which we camped, passing a most comfortable night. + +Before we had finished slinging the last pack in the morning, a heavy +grey sky began to sift down thickly falling snowflakes gently as if not +wishing to give alarm. But when we were fairly under way this mildness +vanished, and the storm smote our caravan with fierce and blinding +gusts, amidst which progress was difficult. After four miles up the +valley through beautiful pine trees of great height, we came to a +deserted log cabin only half roofed over, and there we stopped to make +our temporary headquarters. The Stewarts of Kanab had started a saw-mill +at this place, but as yet the work had not gone very far. The snow +ceased by the time we had thrown off the packs, and we made ourselves as +comfortable as circumstances permitted. Prof. had a tent put up for Mrs. +Thompson, while some took possession of the half-roofed house, for by +keeping on the side where the board cover was they were slightly +sheltered. With two or three of the others I pitched a small tent. There +was plenty of fat pine, and rousing fires made the valley seem +habitable. A fine little brook swept full grown fifteen inches in +diameter from under a cliff two hundred feet above the valley bottom, +and there was no lack of good water. Our trouble was with the horses and +mules, for we had no grain for them, and if the snow got very deep they +would not be able to paw down to the bunch grass. The snow soon began +again, and all night it fell with aggravating facility. Sunday morning +opened as leaden and dark as a February day could be, and there was no +cessation of the showers of whiteness that were rapidly building up on +the ground a formidable barrier to our operations. As I was wearing +rather low brogans, having discarded top-boots as too close-fitting and +uncomfortable around camp, I now made for myself a pair of leggins out +of pieces of a common but heavy seamless sack. When these were buttoned +in place they answered perfectly to protect my legs from the snow. We +hoped Monday would begin the week with a clear sky, but we were +disappointed. We had to sally out to hunt horses, hoping at the same +time to come across a deer, but that hope was not realised. As I got far +from camp in the midst of the tall pines and the unbroken snow sheet, I +suddenly became aware of a whispering sound, which I could not at first +account for, as I did not believe in fairies. Standing perfectly still, +I perceived that it was produced by the friction of the snowflakes upon +the pine needles. It was a weird, ghost-like language which I had never +listened to before. + +Prof. went up one thousand feet on the mountain and climbed a tree 125 +feet high with a determination to see something in spite of the snow. He +caught a glimpse of the south wall of the Grand Canyon near Mt. +Trumbull, miles to the west. On Tuesday he started George Adair, one of +our Mormon assistants, back to Kanab for more rations, and directed +Jones and Captain Dodds to get ready to start the next day for the +south-east corner of the plateau, while Andy and I were to go to the +south-west corner. Wednesday, February 28th, came clear, with the snow +lying twelve inches on the level, but some of the horses were missing, +and the day was spent in hunting this wayward stock, so it was not till +Thursday afternoon that we got started. Our paths lying for a distance +in the same direction, we four travelled together along a divide on the +right or west of camp. It was slow work in the deep drifts, and we had +not made many miles when night came on. We went into camp where we were. +The horses bothered us by trying to go back searching for grass, and +nobody could blame them. Finally we tied the worst offender to a tree in +a bare place where he might pick up a few mouthfuls of food, and we +managed to sleep the rest of the night. The only sound I heard when I +woke up at one time was the satirical voice of an owl in the far +distance. It seemed to be saying very deliberately "poo-poo, poo-poo," +and that did not sound respectful. The next morning was March 1st, and +it brought a fine sky, which would have put us quickly on the way, or +rather in motion toward our respective goals, as there was no road or +trail, but one of our animals which bore the mysterious name of Yawger, +and which was the pack-horse of Andy and me, could not be found. Jones +and Dodds went on, as they would probably soon have to separate from us +anyhow, while we took Yawger's track, and at last found him browsing +happily in a bare spot about a mile from our stopping place. It was two +o'clock by the time we started on, floundering through the drifts in the +trail of Jones and Dodds. Some drifts were so high it was all we could +do to wallow through them even after the others had in a measure broken +the way. After two hours of hard work in this line we came to the edge +of a wide gully, where the advance party had halted. The slope was +towards the south and the ground was somewhat bare, with good bunch +grass, where the other horses were feeding, while Jones and Dodds were +just descending from a tall pine tree. They declared nothing but snow +could be seen in all directions on the mountain and they were going +back. Besides it was impossible, they told me, to cross the gulch ahead. +I did not want to turn back till I was compelled to, and I appealed to +Andy as to whether or not he wanted to give up, not wishing to drag him +along unwillingly. With his characteristic nonchalance he said, "Go +ahead if you want to." Dodds had one of his own horses with him, and he +said he would bet me that horse I could not cross the gulch. I made a +trial, wading ahead of my horse, the pack animal following and Andy +driving from behind. When I got into the middle it was all I could do +to move, but I continued my efforts till suddenly the bottom seemed to +rise, and then in a few yards the going grew easier and we emerged +triumphantly on the other side, where we waved an adieu to the others. +By keeping close to the boles of the large pine trees, where the wind +had swept circular places, leaving the snow shallow, we were soon out of +sight of our late companions. + +After two or three miles of tiring work the day began to fade, but we +reached a beautiful south slope where there was little snow, with a rich +crop of bunch grass just starting green under the vernal influence that +was a feast for the famished horses, the snow relieving their thirst. +While Andy the ever-faithful got supper I reconnoitred and made up my +mind that I could reach the locality I was trying for, by following a +ridge I saw ahead where the snow seemed moderate. We were up and off +early. The snow was deep but we got on quite rapidly and finally reached +the ridge, crossing two big gulches to get to it. At eleven o'clock we +were at the end of its summit and I could see a wide area to the west +and north. The point appeared to be one of several similar projections +though the one we were on was the most prominent. I selected a spot for +a monument where we dug a hole in the rocks and dirt, and then cutting a +tall slim pine and trimming it clean we hitched Yawger to it and made +him drag it to the hole, where by a combination of science and strength +we got it upright. While Andy, who had great strength, lifted and pushed +after we had together got it half way, I propped it with a strong pole +with a Y on the end, and in a few moments we saw the flag waving +triumphantly from its tip at least thirty feet above our heads. Around +its base we piled the rocks, which were exceptionally heavy, waist high, +first cutting a notch in the pine and placing therein a can containing a +record, and our "Point F" was finished. The rest of the day I spent in +triangulating to various other stations, and we went to bed under a +clear sky and a milder atmosphere. In the morning I completed my +triangulating work and by that time the snow had settled and melted so +that the back track was much easier than the outward march, enabling us +to get to headquarters at the spring before dark. I had been a little +afraid that a heavy snow would come on top of the large drifts which +would have held us prisoners for a day or two. + +On Wednesday, March 6th, the whole party packed up and left the valley +by its narrow canyon outlet, a tributary of the Kanab Canyon. It began +eight hundred feet deep and continually increased. We called it Shinumo +Canyon because we found everywhere indications of the former presence +of that tribe. Snow fell at intervals and we were alternately frozen and +melted till we reached an altitude where the warmth was continuous and +the snow became rain. Grass fresh and green and shrubs with the feeling +of early spring surrounded us at the junction with Kanab Canyon where +the walls were twelve hundred feet high. A mile below we camped by a +lone cedar tree where there were "pockets" of rain-water in the rocks. +The next day our course was laid up Kanab Canyon through thick willows +that pulled the packs loose. One horse fell upside down in a gully, but +he was not hurt and we pried him out and went on, camping near a large +pool of intensely alkaline water. On the 8th going up a branch on the +left called Pipe Spring Wash we came out on the surface, very much as +one might reach a second floor by a staircase. This is a feature of the +country and as one goes northward he arrives on successive platforms, in +this manner passing through the several cliff ranges by means of +transverse gorges that usually begin in small "box" canyons and rapidly +deepen till they reach the full height of the cliff walls. At two +o'clock we came to Pipe Spring. A vacant stone house of one very large +room and a great fireplace was put at our disposal by Mr. Winsor the +proprietor, and it was occupied by the men while Prof. had a tent put up +for Mrs. Thompson. We found a party of miners here who had heard of the +gold discovery at the mouth of the Kanab on the Colorado and were +heading that way to reap the first-fruits. They were soon followed by +hundreds more, making a steady stream down the narrow Kanab and out +again for some time, for on reaching the river the limited opportunity +to do any mining was at once apparent and they immediately took the back +track swearing vengeance on the originator of the story. + +For protection against raiders Mr. Winsor was building a solid double +house of blocks of sandstone, making walls three feet thick. The two +buildings were placed about twenty feet apart, thus forming an interior +court the length of the houses, protected at the ends by high walls and +heavy gates. No windows opened on the exterior, but there were plenty of +loopholes commanding every approach. A fine large spring was conducted +subterraneously into the corner of one of the buildings and out again, +insuring plenty of water in case of a siege. Brigham Young was part +owner of this establishment, and it was one of the most effective places +of defence on a small scale, that I have ever seen. It was never needed +so far as I have heard, and even at the time I marvelled that it should +be so elaborately prepared--far beyond anything else in the whole +country. The cut opposite shows this fort as it was in 1903. Clem here +told Prof. he did not care to stay with us any longer. Ill success with +his photographs had discouraged him, but Prof. persuaded him to remain +for a time. + +Until March 21st we operated around Pipe Spring triangulating and +recording the topography, and other data, when we packed our animals +again and laid our course across the open country towards a range of +blue mountains seen in the south-west. One of these had been named after +Senator Trumbull by the Major in the autumn of 1870. They were the home +of the Uinkarets and we called the whole group by that name, discarding +North Side Mountains, the name Ives had given when he sighted them in +1858 from far to the south. Adjoining the Uinkaret region on the west +was the Shewits territory where the Howlands and Dunn were killed. +Travelling across the dry plains we came to a well defined trail about +sunset and followed it hoping that it would lead to water. We were not +disappointed for it took us to a pool of rain-water in a little gulley +at the foot of some low hills. A band of wild horses roamed the plain +and as we had been told about a pool called the Wild Band Pocket, we had +no doubt this was the place. There was no wood anywhere, but a diligent +search produced enough small brush to cook by, though Andy had a hard +time of it. Clem's horse ran away from him and lost his gun, so he +remained behind at Pipe Spring to hunt for the weapon. + +[Illustration: Winsor Castle, the Defensive House at Pipe Springs. +Photograph by H. Arthur Pomroy, 1903.] + +[Illustration: Little Zion Valley or the Mookoontoweap, Upper Virgin +River. + +Photograph by H. Arthur Pomroy, 1903.] + +The next day we travelled on over hilly country, following a moccasin +trail, with here and there cedar groves as we approached nearer to the +mountains. On the edge of night traces of water were found in a gulch +near the foot of Trumbull, and while Jack and a new member of our force, +Will Johnson of Kanab, dug for more, Prof., Jones, and I scoured the +vicinity in search of a spring or pocket, but though we found many old +wickiups there was no water. The Uinkarets had evidently camped here in +wet weather. When we returned we were told that the little trace of +water in the gulch had disappeared completely after the digging, a sad +development which was accepted by all but one old white horse which +stood on the edge of the hole for an hour or more patiently waiting. Our +kegs and canteens provided enough to make bread which we ate with +sorghum, and as early as possible in the morning we pushed on without +breakfast, three men scouting ahead to discover the pool where the Major +in the autumn of 1870 had camped. Prof. finally found it, a large pool +of about a hundred barrels of clear, clean water, in a lava gulch, +surrounded by cedar and piñon trees. Andy then gave us breakfast and +dinner at the same time, eleven o'clock. Another new member of our party +was Beaman's successor, Fennemore, from Salt Lake, who had joined us at +Pipe Spring on March 19th, and he was prepared to photograph the region. +We reconnoitred the neighbourhood during the afternoon, and the next +morning Jones and I rode in one direction around Mount Trumbull, while +Prof. and Captain Dodds rode the other way, to ascertain the lay of the +land, and especially to find a ranch which some St. George men had +started in this locality. Jones and I met Whitmore, the proprietor of +the ranch, and a friend of his, who informed us the ranch was six miles +farther on. We concluded not to go to it, but when Prof. and Captain +Dodds got in after dark they told us they had gone the whole way. The +following day, Monday March 25th, all the party except Andy and a new +member, Alf Young of Kanab, climbed to the summit of Mount Trumbull, +finding the ascent very gradual and easy and taking the horses to the +top, which was 2440 feet above the pool and 8650 above sea level, +commanding a magnificent view in every direction, as far to the +south-east as Mount San Francisco. Jones, Jack, Fennemore, and I +remained there all night while the rest returned to camp. Jones and I +wanted to do some topographical work and get sights to some of our +other stations, and Fennemore, assisted by Jack, wanted pictures. + +Descending the opposite side the next day we went to a spring in an oak +grove which Prof. had seen, where the others were already encamped. On +the 27th, Prof. and I climbed a high cinder peak, of which there were +many, to get a view, and then went to Whitmore's Ranch, where we had a +talk with him to get points on the region. He told us he had followed a +trail to the Colorado, about twelve miles, to what he called the Ute +Crossing. If I remember correctly he had taken a horse down at that +point. The next day Johnson and I put a signal flag on one of the high +mountains, afterwards named Logan, forming Signal Station Number 7. This +was a volcanic district and there were many old craters. Near the Oak +Spring camp was an extensive sheet of lava, seeming to have cooled but a +year or two before. Its surface was all fractured, but there were no +trees on its lower extremity and where it had flowed around a hill its +recent plasticity was exceedingly distinct. It had come from a crater, +about five hundred feet high, two miles north. This had once been a cone +but it was now disrupted, the lava having burst through to the north and +to the south, leaving two sections standing, the stream to the south +being one quarter mile wide and a mile and a half long, that on the +north one mile wide and about the same in length. The depth of these +streams was not far from thirty feet, and in spite of the exceedingly +rugged surface the southern stream was marked by deeply worn trails +running to and from a small spring situated in the middle of it. Beside +this spring one of the men from the ranch had found a human skeleton, +covered with fragments of lava, with the decayed remains of a wicker +water-jug between the ribs, marking some unrecorded tragedy. We +estimated that less than three hundred years had passed since the last +outburst from the crater. As there were pine trees a hundred years old +on the lava where it was more disintegrated near the point of outpour, +the age of the flow could not have been less than that. + +Friday the 29th being cloudy and stormy nothing in the line of geodetic +work was done and we could only rest in camp. Dodds and Jones who had +gone to explore a way to the Grand Canyon came in reporting success. +Saturday morning Jones and Fennemore started for Kanab to bring out more +rations and meet us either at Fort Pierce or at Berry's Spring near St. +George, while Prof. with Dodds and Johnson went to try to follow the +trail Whitmore had told about to the river, but after four miles they +gave it up and climbed by a side trail to the plateau again. They made a +dry camp and the next day went on till they found water enough for the +horses in some pools on the rocks, and here, leaving the others to +continue the reconnaissance, Prof. came back to our camp, arriving in a +snow-storm. It had been snowing with us at intervals all day. The next +day was April first, and with it came still heavier snow. We planned to +move down to the edge of the Grand Canyon, and Jack and Andy started as +Jack wished to make some photographs there, but the snow continuing we +concluded to wait till another day. When that came the snow was quite +deep on the ground and was still falling hard, which it continued to do +most of the time, preventing us from moving. Fennemore had brought with +him a copy of _The Count of Monte Cristo_, which I had never read, and +in its pages I soon became oblivious to the surroundings. The snow kept +on the next day also and all the men out returned to the main camp, +Dodds and Johnson having reached the river bank. When another morning +dawned and showed no cessation of the aggravating storm, with the snow +fifteen inches on the level, Prof. said he would pack up Friday the 5th +and get down to lower country around St. George. The day came clear and +sunny and the snow began to melt. We headed for the Pine Valley +Mountains back of St. George and made about twenty miles with no snow +after the first six, the altitude dropping to where the temperature was +milder. Prof. had inquired at the ranch about trails, but there were so +many cattle trails that we did not get on the right one. We made a dry +camp and early the following morning went on, not being able to see any +landmarks because of the clouds. Half an hour after starting a thick +snow-storm set in but we kept going, till in about a mile and a half the +world seemed suddenly to end. Above, below, and around us was a great +blank whiteness. Dismounting and cautiously advancing on foot we +discovered that we were on the brink of a very high cliff. As we did not +know which way to turn we threw off the packs and stopped where we were. +Spreading out blankets we scraped the snow from them into the kettles to +melt for water. Then by holding a blanket up over Andy by the four +corners he was able, with some chips he had previously chopped out of +the side of a dead pine, to start a fire, by which he proceeded to cook +dinner. + +When the snow fell less heavily we could peer down and then saw that the +cliff was continuous in both directions. By half-past two, with our kegs +and canteens filled with the snow water, we were again on the way +following along to find a place to go down, but we saw none that seemed +practicable, and at last, having made altogether five miles, we halted +for the night in a grove of cedars, where we had a good fire and were +comfortable though our rations were now growing scarce. Snow at +intervals continued all day up to bedtime. The next day was Sunday. We +travelled twenty miles along the line of cliffs and camped near a canyon +in which we found pools of good water. We saw an antelope during the day +but could not get it. Andy baked up the last of our flour for supper and +put on a pot of beans and one of dried peaches to cook for breakfast. +The beans were edible in the morning and we disposed of them and the +peaches and went on our way. After a day of many ups and downs we +arrived about two o'clock at a ranch called Gould's or Workman's, where +we bought five dollars worth of corn-meal and milk. We were now on what +the inhabitants of the region called Hurricane Hill, and from this we +applied the name Hurricane Ledge to the long line of sharp cliffs we had +followed, which begin at the Virgin River and extend, almost unbroken +and eight hundred to a thousand feet high, south to the Grand Canyon, +forming the western boundary of the Uinkaret Plateau. From Gould's we +had a waggon road and following it we were led to the brink of the +Hurricane Ledge, where a road had been constructed to the bottom. Before +descending we took a final look at the enchanting view opening away to +the north and north-west. At our feet was the Virgin Valley with the +green fields of Tokerville, while beyond rose magnificent cliffs +culminating to the north-west in the giant buttes and precipices of the +Mookoontoweap, or, as the Mormons call it, Little Zion Valley. Topping +the whole sweep of magnificent kaleidoscopic topography were the Pine +Valley Mountains and the lofty cliffs of the Colob and Markargunt +plateaus. It has ever since been my opinion that few outlooks in all +the world are superior for colour and form to that stretching north from +the northern part of the Hurricane Ledge.[29] + +Descending to the valley we arrived just at dusk at Berry's Spring, +where our waggon under the direction of Jones had come with supplies. +The spring was an excellent one and the rivulet flowing away from it was +bordered with large wild-rose bushes. Though the waggon and supplies +were there Jones was not, for we had expected to come in from farther +west past Fort Pierce, and he had gone on to that place to tell us where +he had decided to camp. Clem had found his gun and come out with them, +the others of the party being Fennemore and George Adair. Jones came +back the next day and prepared to start with Andy and Johnson for +several days' work in the Pine Valley Mountains, while Jack, Captain +Dodds, Fennemore, and I were to return to the Uinkaret region to +complete certain work there. Some goods to be distributed to the natives +from the Indian Bureau arrived at St. George and Prof. went there with +George Adair to have a talk with the Indians to be found, and distribute +goods. We had seen no Indians at all in the Uinkaret region. He +discovered the Shewits who came in to be afraid of us, thinking we +wanted to kill them, but they were willing to accept anything they could +get in the line of presents. Hardly any would acknowledge themselves to +be either Uinkarets or Shewits. + +On April 12th, according to the plan, Jack, Dodds, Fennemore, and I +started back to the Uinkaret Mountains, following the trail we had tried +to strike coming out. It led past a place called Fort Pierce, a small +stone building the settlers had formerly used as an advance post against +the Shewits and Uinkarets. There we spent the night, and the next day +after some trouble we got on the right trail, and on Monday, the 15th of +April, we again reached what we had called Oak Spring, near Mount +Trumbull, and the southern flow of lava already described. The following +day Jack and Fennemore went down to the brink of the Grand Canyon, at +the foot of a sort of valley the Uinkarets called Toroweap, while with +Dodds I climbed the peak later named after Senator Logan, and attempted +some triangulation, but the air was so murky I could not get my sights +and had to return for them the next morning. The day after that we +climbed Mount Trumbull, and I triangulated from there. One of my sights +from Logan was to a conical butte near which we had camped as we came +out, and near which we had found a large ant-hill covered with small, +perfect quartz crystals that sparkled in the sun like diamonds. When I +sighted to this butte, for want of a better name, I recorded it +temporarily as Diamond Butte, remembering the crystals, and the name +became fixed, which shows how unintentionally names are sometimes +bestowed. We examined the lava flows and the crater again, and I made a +sketch in pencil from another point of view from one I had made during +our former sojourn. Then we joined Jack and Fennemore, who had been +taking negatives at the canyon edge. On the 20th Dodds and I climbed +down the cliffs about three thousand feet to the water at a rapid called +Lava Falls. Across the river we could see a very large spring, but of +course we could not get over to it. Returning to Oak Spring, we spent +there another night, and in the morning, while the others started for +headquarters, I rode around to the ranch to inquire about a spring I had +heard something about existing on the St. George trail; but the solitary +man I found there, who came out of the woods in response to my shout, a +walking arsenal, did not know anything concerning it. After drinking a +quart or two of milk, which he kindly offered me, I rode on to join my +companions by continuing around the mountain, "running in" the trail as +I went with a prismatic compass. Presently I saw a cougar sitting +upright behind a big log, calmly staring at me, so I dismounted and sent +a Winchester bullet in his direction. My mule was highly nervous about +firearms, and having to restrain her antics by putting my arm through +the bridle rein, her snorting skittishness both at the rifle and the +cougar disturbed my aim and my shot went a trifle under. The bullet +seemed to clip the log, but if it hit the cougar the effect was not what +I expected, for with a rush like a sky-rocket the animal disappeared in +the top of the pine tree overhead, and I could see nothing more of it +though I rode about looking for it. Not wishing to dally here, I spurred +on to overtake my party, but in trying a short cut I passed beyond them, +as they had by that time halted in some cedars for lunch. The man at +the ranch had told me that Whitmore was due to arrive that day, and +having missed a part of the trail by the short cut, I could not judge by +the tracks as to where my party were, and not caring to waste time, I +rode on and on till I had gone so far I did not want to turn back. +Evening came, but there was a good moon, and I did not stop till eight +o'clock. The night was cold; the plain was barren and bleak. I had no +coat, but with the saddle blanket and a handful of dead brush, which I +burned by installments, I managed to warm myself enough to sleep by +short intervals. I was on my feet with the dawn, but my mule was nowhere +to be seen, though I had hoppled her well with my bridle reins. I +tracked the mule about five miles to a muddy place where there had been +water, caught her, and rode back to my saddle, when I continued my +journey, running in the trail as I went. I became pretty thirsty and +hungry, but the only thing for me to do was to continue to our main +camp. Had I gone back I might have missed our men again, for there had +been some talk about a short-cut trail, and I feared they might try it. +At two o'clock I reached Black Rock Canyon, where there was a +water-pocket full of warm and dirty water, but both the mule and I took +a drink and I rode on, passing Fort Pierce at sunset. Off on my right I +perceived ten or twelve Shewits Indians on foot travelling rapidly along +in Indian file, and as the darkness fell and I had to go through some +wooded gulches I confess I was a little uncomfortable and kept my rifle +in readiness; but I was not molested and reached camp about ten o'clock, +where I ate a large piece of bread with molasses, after a good drink of +water, and went to bed. The others arrived the following afternoon. I +had left notes for them by the trail in cleft-sticks, so they knew that +I was ahead. This was the longest trip I ever made without water or +food. + +We prepared to start out again in different directions; one party was to +go to the Pine Valley Mountains, another to Pipe Spring and the mouth of +the Paria to look after our property there, a third up the Virgin Valley +for photographs, and a fourth to St. George and the Virgin range of +mountains south-west of that town. Prof. headed this last party, and he +took me as his topographical assistant. April 27th we rode into St. +George, a town I was much interested to see. I found a very pretty, +neat, well-ordered little city of about fifteen hundred population, with +a good schoolhouse, a stone tabernacle with a spire, and a court house, +the water running in ditches along the streets for irrigating purposes +as well as for drinking. About a mile below the town we camped, and we +could hear the band playing a serenade to one of the officials who was +to start the next day on a long journey. After several days of feeling +our way about in the rugged and dry region below St. George, we finally +discovered a good water-pocket, from which Prof. and I made a long, hard +ride and climb, and about sunset camped at the base of what is now +called Mount Bangs, the highest peak of the Virgin Mountains, for which +we were aiming. The next day we climbed an additional eleven hundred +feet to its summit, and completed our work in time by swift riding to +get to our main camp at the water-pocket by half-past six. + +It was an easy trip back to St. George, following an old trail, and then +we made our way to Kanab again, where we put all our notes in shape and +fitted out for the journey to the mouth of the Dirty Devil across the +unknown country. + + +[Illustration: In the Unknown Country. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872.] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 28: For the linguistic classification of stocks and tribes of +the United States, see Appendix, _The North Americans of Yesterday_, by +F. S. Dellenbaugh.] + +[Footnote 29: For a description of Little Zion Valley, see "A New Valley +of Wonders," by F. S. Dellenbaugh, _Scribner's Magazine_, January, +1904.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + Off for the unknown Country--A lonely Grave--Climbing a + Hog-back to a green grassy Valley--Surprising a Ute + Camp--Towich-a-tick-a-boo--Following a Blind Trail--The + Unknown Mountains Become Known--Down a deep Canyon--To the + Paria with the _Cañonita_--John D. Lee and Lonely Dell. + + +Andy and Captain Dodds, who had gone to the mouth of the Paria to +ascertain the condition of our boats, returned May 15th, reporting the +boats all right, but the caches we had left torn up by wolves and +prospectors. The latter had stolen oars and other things, and gone down +on a raft to be wrecked at the first rapid in Marble Canyon, where they +just escaped with their lives. A settler had established himself there a +short time before, the notorious John D. Lee, who was reputed to have +led the massacre of the unfortunate Missourians at Mountain Meadows in +1857, and who had eluded capture all these years. He had been "cut off," +nominally at least, from the Mormon Church, and had lived in the most +out-of-the-way places, constantly on his guard. Our men took all our +ropes and remaining materials from the caches to his cabin, where they +would be safe till our arrival. We prepared for the trip eastward across +the unknown country to the mouth of the Dirty Devil River, and by the +22d of May I had completed the preliminary map of the region to westward +which we had just reconnoitred. Mrs. Thompson was to stay in Kanab, for +Prof. decided that it would not be advisable for her to accompany him on +this journey, although she was the most cheerful and resolute explorer +of the whole company. A large tent was erected for her in the corner of +Jacob's garden, and she was to take her meals with Sister Louisa, whose +house stood close by. With Fuzz, a most intelligent dog, for a companion +in her tent and the genial Sister Louisa for a near neighbour she was +satisfactorily settled. Fuzz had the peculiarity of sympathising with +the Navajos in their contempt for the Pai Utes. The latter roused his +ire on the instant, but when a Navajo came up, with his confident step, +Fuzz would lie still, with merely a roll of the eye to signify that he +was on guard. + +Saturday, May 25th, our caravan of riders, pack animals, and a waggon +moved slowly toward Eight-Mile Spring, the first stop in prospect. I +rode a brisk little horse which had received the lofty name of Aaron. +When we reached Eight-Mile Spring about noon there was barely enough +water for our animals and for cooking dinner, which compelled our going +elsewhere to put on the finishing touches to our outfit before cutting +loose from the settlements, and Prof. directed the caravan to continue +to Johnson, farther east and up one of the canyons of the Vermilion +Cliffs. He returned to Kanab to make some final arrangements there, +while we kept on to Johnson, passing the little settlement of two or +three houses, and making a camp two miles above, where the canyon bottom +was wide and level. Here we went over everything to be sure that all was +in good order and nothing left behind. The animals were reshod where +necessary, which operation kept Andy and Dodds busy all of Sunday, the +26th. By thus making a start and proceeding a few miles all defects and +neglects become apparent before it is too late to remedy them. On Monday +Jack went back to Kanab with the waggon, returning toward night with +George Adair. Fennemore had started with them, but he had turned back +after something forgotten, and they did not know whether or not he had +come on. In the morning George went off to look for him, and met him +down at the settlement. He had followed on the day before, but instead +of turning up the Johnson road, according to instructions, he had gone +ahead on the road towards the Paria settlement. Finally concluding that +he was wrong he had tried to correct his mistake by moonlight, but after +a while gave it up, tied his mule, unsaddled, to a cedar, and claimed +the protection of another for himself. During the night the mule chewed +the bridle in two and departed for Kanab, leaving Fennemore, when +daylight came, to walk some eight miles under a hot sun without water or +breakfast to Johnson. He was considerably used up by this episode, and +put in the remainder of the day in recuperating. The evenings were +wonderfully beautiful, and looking from a height the scene was +exceptionally picturesque, with the red rocks, the warm sky, the camp +equipage, and the air so still that the smoke of the camp-fires rose +slender and unbroken till lost in the zenith. + +Early Wednesday morning Prof. rode up on his powerful buckskin-coloured +horse, and with Johnson and me went over to our Point B some miles away +for some bearings, while Fennemore rode in search of his abandoned +saddle. By night there was nothing to interfere with our making the +final start, which we did May 30th, proceeding up the canyon without +Mormon, one of our strongest horses, which by an accident had been +injured so badly that he had to be left behind at Johnson. He was a +fractious, unruly beast, but with so great vitality that we were sorry +not to have his services. He died a week or two later. Towards night we +passed another very small settlement called Clarkston, and camped near +it, the last houses we would see for some time. Several Pai Utes hung +around, and Prof. engaged one called Tom to accompany us as interpreter +and, so far as he might know the country, as guide. + +The next day, after sixteen miles north-easterly up canyons, we entered +about three o'clock an exceedingly beautiful little valley, with a fine +spring and a small lake or pond at the lower end. George Adair instantly +declared that he meant to come back here to live, and after dinner when +we reconnoitred the place he staked out his claim. All the next morning, +June 1st, our way led over rolling meadows covered with fine grass, but +about noon this ended and we entered the broken country of the upper +Paria, with gullies and gulches barren and dry the rest of the day, +except two, in which we crossed small branches of the Paria. In one of +the dry gulches we passed a grave, marked by a sandstone slab with E. A. +cut on it, which the wolves had dug out, leaving the human bones +scattered all around. We could not stop to reinter them. They were the +remains of Elijah Averett, a young Mormon, who was killed while pursuing +Pai Utes in 1866. Just before sunset we arrived at the banks of the +Paria, where we made camp, with plenty of wood, water, and grass. +Captain Dodds during the afternoon recognised a place he had been in +when hunting a way the autumn before, and we followed his old trail for +a time. Leaving the Paria the following day where it branches, we +followed the east fork to its head, twelve miles, climbing rapidly +through a narrow valley. We could plainly see on the left a high, flat, +cliff-bounded summit, which was called Table Mountain, and early in the +afternoon we reached a series of "hog-backs," and up one of which the +old Indian trail we were now following took its precarious way. The +hog-backs were narrow ridges of half-disintegrated clay-shale, with +sides like the roof of a house, the trail following the sharp +summit-line. Before we had fairly begun this very steep, slippery, and +narrow climb, the thunder boomed and the heavens threw down upon us +fierce torrents of rain, soaking everything and chilling us through and +through, while making the trail like wet soap. Part way up, at one of +the worst places, a pack came loose, and, slipping back, hung on the +rump of the horse. There was no room for bucking it off, and there was +no trouble so far as the beast of burden was concerned, for he realised +fully his own danger. Two of us managed to climb along past the other +animals to where he meekly stood waiting on the narrow ridge, with a +descent on each side of eight hundred or nine hundred feet, and set +things in order once more, when the cavalcade continued the ascent, the +total amount of which was some twelve hundred feet. + +Arriving at the top we found ourselves almost immediately on the edge of +a delightful little valley, mossy and green with a fresh June dress, +down which we proceeded two or three miles to a spring where Dodds and +Jacob had made a cache of some flour the year before. The flour had +disappeared. We made a camp and dried out our clothes, blankets, etc., +by means of large fires. Though it was summer the air was decidedly +chilly, for we were at an altitude of nearly 6000 feet. Our interpreter +that was to be did not enjoy the situation and I think he dreaded +meeting with the stranger Indians we might encounter. He declared he was +"heap sick," and begged to be allowed to return, so Prof. gave him +several days' rations and we saw him no more. There was a pretty creek +in this valley flowing eastward, which Dodds said was the head of the +Dirty Devil, the same stream he had followed down the year before in the +attempt to find a way to bring us rations. The weather was very bad but +we kept on down Potato Valley as it had been named, crossing three or +four swift tributaries. About four o'clock we stopped beside a raging +torrent and went into camp to reconnoitre. There were signs of some one +having been here about a month before, and as the animals were shod we +judged it was some prospector. The next day was so wet and Prof. was +feeling so sick that we kept our camp, having made tents out of paulins +and pack-covers, which gave me a chance to plot up the trail from Kanab +to this point, one hundred and three miles. Instead of crossing the +torrent the following day, June 5th, we went over the chief stream +before the union and travelled down the right-hand side till we arrived +within half a mile of the place where the river canyoned and received a +tributary from the left. It cut into the rocks very abruptly and being +high we could not enter the canyon as Dodds had done. While the party +camped here, Prof. and Dodds rode away to the south on a dim trail to +find out what move to make; how far we might be able to go down the +Dirty Devil the next day. When they got back they reported finding a +canyon twelve miles farther on, with many water-pockets, and concluded +to go there. We arrived about noon Thursday, June 6th, making camp. +Prof. and Dodds then climbed to where they could get a wide view, and +Dodds pointed out the locality he had before reached when he thought +himself so near the mouth of the Dirty Devil. No sooner had he done so +than Prof. perceived at once that we were not on the river we thought we +were on, for by this explanation he saw that the stream we were trying +to descend flowed into the Colorado far to the south-west of the Unknown +Mountains, whereas he knew positively that the Dirty Devil came in on +the north-east. Then the question was, "What river is this?" for we had +not noted a tributary of any size between the Dirty Devil and the San +Juan. It was a new river whose identity had not been fathomed. This +discovery put a different complexion on everything. The problem was more +complicated than Dodds had imagined when he was trying to reach the +mouth the year before. + +Prof. declared it was impossible to proceed farther in this direction +towards our goal. The canyon of the river was narrow, and with the +stream swimming high it was out of the question as a path for us now, +and even had we been able to go down far enough to get out on the other +side, the region intervening between it and the distant mountains was a +heterogeneous conglomeration of unknown mesas and canyons that appeared +impassable. He concluded the only thing to do was to go north to the +summit of the Wasatch cliffs and keep along the high land north-east to +an angle where these slopes vanished to the north. From that point we +might be able to cross to the Dirty Devil or Unknown Mountains. Once at +these mountains we felt certain of finding a way to our former +camp-ground at the mouth of the Dirty Devil River. We retraced our path +to the foot of Potato Valley, and there Jones, Clem, and George Adair +were sent out to Kanab for additional rations, it being plain that we +were in for a longer effort than had been contemplated. They were to be +here again in twelve days to meet Prof. with his party, on the return +from starting down the _Cañonita_ with a crew selected from the seven +remaining men. This seven, which included Prof., were now to strike up a +branch creek and reach the upper slopes of what he later called the +Aquarius Plateau, and along its verdant slopes continue our effort to +reach the Unknown Mountains. The two parties separated on Saturday, June +8th, our contingent travelling about eighteen miles nearly due north, +till just at sunset we entered a high valley in which flowed two +splendid creeks. There we camped with an abundance of everything needed +to make a comfortable rest for man and beast. In such travel as this the +beast is almost the first consideration, for without him movement is +slow and difficult and distance limited. We had gone up in altitude a +great deal, 1800 or 2000 feet, and the next day, which was Sunday, we +continued this upward course, seeing signs of deer and elk with an +occasional sight of a fat "pine hen" winging its heavy flight from tree +to tree. The pines were very tall and thick, interspersed with fir and +balsam as well as with the usual accompaniment of high altitude in the +West, the aspen. Our aneroids indicated 10,000 feet above sea-level, and +we could look down upon the vast canyoned desert to the south as on a +map. Descending into a deep canyon where a clear torrent was foaming +down at the rate of five hundred feet to the mile, we went up a branch +and finally passing over a sudden crest discovered before us a very +beautiful lake of an extent of some two hundred acres. It was now late, +and though we had come only ten miles we went into camp for the night. +There were several smaller lagoons nearby and we named the group the +Aspen Lakes. Around them in the dense groves huge snowbanks still +lingered from the heart of winter. A prettier mountain region than this +could not be imagined, while the magnificent outlook to the south and +east across the broken country was a bewildering sight, especially as +the night enveloped it, deepening the mystery of its entangled gorges +and cliffs. From every point we could see the Navajo Mountain and at +least we knew what there was at the foot of its majestic northern slope. +I climbed far above camp and crossing over a promontory looked down upon +the nebulous region to the eastward that we were to fathom, and it +seemed to me one of the most interesting sights I had ever beheld. The +night was so cold that ice formed in our kettles, for our altitude in +feet above sea was in the ten thousand still. + +[Illustration: Navajo Mountain from near Kaiparowits Peak. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872.] + +All the next morning, Monday, June 10th, we rode through a delightful +region of rolling meadows, beautiful groves of pines and aspens, and +cool, clear creeks. Near noon we descended into a fertile valley where +we crossed two superb torrential streams and camped at the second under +a giant pine. Fennemore felt very sick, which prevented further progress +this day, and we put in the afternoon exploring as far as we could the +neighbourhood. More lakes were found and as they were in a cup-like +depression we called them the "Hidden Lakes." Jack made some fine +negatives of several of these pretty bodies of water, two of which I +have added to the illustrations of this volume. Not far from our camp +two more splendid creeks came together to form one, which Dodds said he +thought was that named by them Big Boulder, where it joined the main +stream down below. The next morning, Tuesday, we began our day's work by +soon crossing Cataract and Cascade creeks before they united to form the +Big Boulder, rushing down with an impetuosity that was forbidding. The +two forming creeks were much alike, but we could see back in the +distance a beautiful cascade of fully 1000 feet in which the second +stream originated, and we distinguished it by that name. All day we +travelled over a rancher's paradise, meeting no Indians and seeing no +recent signs of any except in some filmy smoke mounting mysteriously +from canyons in the tangled sandstone labyrinth below. Who were they, +how many, and what might be their temper? were questions that came to us +as we reflected on the presence there of unknown human beings, and +furthermore would we meet them, and if so when? As on the preceding day +we crossed many fine brooks which in the dry season probably would not +make so vigorous a showing. Late in the afternoon, having travelled +fifteen miles, we reached the point where the end of the Wasatch or +Aquarius Plateau, the high slope of which we were using as a bridge from +Potato Valley to the Unknown Mountains, broke back to the north, cutting +us off once more from our objective, for a wide stretch, twenty-five +miles in an airline, of ragged desert apparently impassable still +intervened. We camped there at a convenient little spring. In the +morning I was sent with Johnson for my companion in one direction down +the mountain to look for some old trail, while Prof. with Dodds went in +another. Scarcely had I gone half a mile when I found tolerably fresh +Indian sign, and a mile or two farther on we struck a recently travelled +trail. The horses that had gone over it were unshod and there were +moccasin tracks indicating Indians without a doubt, but what kind of +course the track did not reveal. The trail led towards the Dirty Devil +Mountains, and we followed it three or four miles to ascertain with +certainty its general course. There was a possibility of our stumbling +upon the Indians in camp at some bend, and as this was not desirable for +only two of us we turned back as soon as we felt sure of the direction. +Prof. had seen no trail at all, and he said we would take the one I had +found and follow it. That night was disagreeable and rainy with +numberless mosquitoes, but worst of all one of our new men always snored +till the ground shook, and owing to the rain we could not get away from +him, for we had to remain in the improvised tent to keep dry. + +The morning light never was more welcome and we were all up early. The +day was fair. We were soon off and made our way down from the grassy +heights to the trail, tracing its wearisome twists and turns, sometimes +thinking it was not going our way at all when the next turn would be +exactly right. In general its course was about east. The land was +desolate and dry, and exactly as the region appeared from above, a +complete labyrinth of variously coloured cliffs and canyons. Besides +being very crooked on account of the nature of the topography, the trail +at times was indistinct because of the barren rocks, smooth as a floor, +with nothing to take an imprint. In these places we were obliged to make +the best guess we could. We came to a place where a valley lay about +1800 feet below us, with the descent to it over bare, smooth, white +sandstone almost as steep as a horse could stand on. We travelled a mile +and a half over this and then found ourselves in a better looking region +where, after a few miles, we discovered a beautiful creek flowing +rapidly. There was plenty of good grass and we made our camp beneath +some cottonwood trees, having accomplished twenty miles the way we came. +Smoke of an Indian fire was rolling up about three miles below us, but +we paid little attention to it. Every man delayed putting down his +blankets till the champion snorer had selected the site of his bed, and +then we all got as far away as the locality would permit. Having slept +little the night before, we hardly stirred till morning, and in +gratitude we called the stream Pleasant Creek without an attempt at +originality. + +It was Friday, May 14th, and our long cavalcade proceeded in the usual +single file down along the creek in the direction of the Indian smoke. +Scarcely had we gone three miles when suddenly we heard a yell and the +bark of a dog. Then we discovered two squaws on the other side who had +been gathering seeds, and who were now giving the alarm, for we were +close upon an Indian camp set on the edge of a low hill on the opposite +side of the creek. Our outfit presented rather a formidable appearance, +especially as we were an unexpected apparition, and we could see them +all running to hide, though I thought for a moment we might have a +battle. Without a halt, Prof. led the way across the creek to the foot +of the hill, and as we reached the place one poor old man left as a +sacrifice came tottering down, so overcome by fear that he could barely +articulate, "Hah-ro-ro-roo, towich-a-tick-a-boo," meaning very friendly +he was, and extending his trembling hand. Doubtless he expected to be +shot on the instant. With a laugh we each shook his hand in turn saying +"towich-a-tick-a-boo, old man," and rode up the hill into the camp, +where we found all the wickiups with everything lying about just as they +had been using it at the moment of receiving the alarm. We dismounted +and inducing the terrified old man to sit down in one of the wickiups, +Prof. sat with him and we rolled cigarettes, giving him one, and when +all were smoking, except Prof. who never used tobacco, we urged him in +English and Pai Ute and by signs to call the others back. I walked a few +yards out on the hill and just then, with a rush and a clatter of +language I could not understand, except "Impoo immy pshakai?" (What do +you want?) the two squaws who had been up the creek arrived. The +foremost one, frothing at the mouth with excitement and effort, dashed +at me with an uplifted butcher knife as if she would enjoy sending it +into me, but I laughed at her and she halted immediately in front of me. +She broke into a maniacal laugh then and shouted something to the hidden +refugees. We persuaded the old man also to call them, and he stepped out +from the cedars which grew on the point and spoke a loud sentence. At +last they began to appear silently and one by one. There were eight of +the men, all well dressed in buckskin, and a number of women and +children. When they became confident that we really meant to be friendly +they relaxed their vigilance. With the hope of securing a guide and also +to study them a little we went into camp in the creek bottom under the +hill where they came to visit us. Their language and appearance showed +them to be Utes. + +When Prof. got back to Kanab he heard that a party of Red Lake Utes had +killed a white boy near the Sevier settlements, and he concluded this +band must have been the one. They probably thought we were pursuing them +into their secret lair to punish them. Their great anxiety to trade for +powder indicated their lack of that article and partly explained the +precipitousness of their retreat. They had numbers of well dressed +buckskins and a very small amount of powder would buy one, but as we had +only metallic cartridges we could do little in the line of exchange. To +satisfy one of them that we had no loose powder I removed the spring +from the magazine of my Winchester and poured the sixteen cartridges +out. He had never seen such a gun before and was greatly astonished, +though he hardly understood how it worked. Prof. tried his best to +persuade one to go with us as a guide, for the labyrinth ahead was a +puzzle, but whether through fear or disinclination to leave friends not +one would go. The chief gave us a minute description of the trail to the +Unknown or Dirty Devil Mountains as well as he could by signs and words, +some of which we could not understand, and long afterwards we learned +that his information was exactly correct, though at the time through +misunderstanding we were not able to follow it. They also told us there +was a trail to the big river beyond the mountains. + +There was a little canyon in the creek nearby and the water rushed down +over a bed of bare rock at an angle of about twenty degrees. We were +surprised to discover hundreds of fish six to nine inches long wriggling +up the stream along one edge where the water was very shallow. They +formed a line from top to bottom. + +Unable to secure the guide, we left at six o'clock in the morning, +Saturday, June 15th, with all our relations cordial, the Utes going away +before we did, and struck out on the trail which led south-eastward from +this camp. Travelling twelve miles, we passed through a narrow canyon +into a larger one, believing that we were following the chief's +direction. Recent heavy rains had washed out the trail, and not knowing +its course it was impossible to keep even its general direction. Going +up a left-hand branch of the canyon--that is, to the north--we found no +exit, so we came down and followed a trail up the right-hand branch till +it disappeared, then going back once more to the entrance we again went +up the left-hand branch till we came to a vertical wall one thousand +feet high, which turned us around. The right-hand one was entered +another time, and towards its head where the cliffs could not be climbed +we made camp, with an abundance of water which was so strongly alkaline +we could not use it and had to keep the stock from it also. Our kegs +were full and we did not suffer except by limitation. In the morning we +continued up the same canyon till it ended in vertical cliffs, beneath +which there was a large pool of pure cool water, with ferns clinging +above it to the rocks and rank vegetation all around. This was an +immense relief, and we found it hard to turn our backs on so attractive +a spot and go down the gorge once more to a point not far below our last +camp. Here the walls were about a thousand feet and very precipitous, +though somewhat broken. Prof., Jack, Dodds, and I climbed out on the +north and hunted for water in different directions on the top. I kept on +and on down a dry wash, persisting against the objection of Dodds, who +thought it useless, and was at last rewarded by discovering a pocket +among the rocks containing several barrels of water, with another that +was larger a short distance below in a crevice on a rock-shelf at the +brink of a canyon. + +We returned to camp with this news, where Prof. and Jack soon joined us. +They had found no pockets, but had seen the divide between the waters of +the Colorado and the Dirty Devil, which we could follow to the mountains +if we could scale the cliffs. Prof. had selected a point where he +thought we could mount. With a liberal use of axe, shovel, and pick we +succeeded in gaining the summit in an hour and a half. With all the +cliff-climbing we had done with horses this seemed to me our paramount +achievement. The day was ending by this time, and I led the way with +some trepidation towards the pocket I had found, for in my haste to get +back I had not carefully noted the topography. The cedars and piñons all +looked alike in the twilight shades, and as I went on and on the men +behind began to lose faith and made joking remarks about my mental +status. I felt certain I was right, yet the distance seemed so much +greater in the dusk than when I had traversed it on foot that I was a +little disturbed. By the time we at last got to the pocket darkness was +upon us, though nobody cared for anything but water, and there it was +fresh and pure. The animals and ourselves (Andy filling the kettles +first) consumed the entire amount, but it gave each a full drink, and we +held the second pool in reserve. + +[Illustration: Tantalus Creek. + +Tributary of Frémont River. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers.] + +[Illustration: D. Preliminary map of a portion of the northern part of +the unknown country indicated by the blank space on Map A at page 95, +showing the course of part of Glen Canyon, the mouth of the Frémont +(Dirty Devil) River, the Henry (Unknown) Mountains, and the trail of the +first known party of white men to cross this area. The Escalante River, +which was mistaken for the Dirty Devil, enters the Colorado just above +the first letter "o" of Colorado at the bottom of the map. The Dirty +Devil enters from the north at the upper right-hand side.] + +When morning came we engineered a way for the animals down to the shelf +where the other pocket was, twenty or thirty feet below, by pulling +rocks away in places and piling them up in others. The shelf was perhaps +fifty or sixty feet wide, with a sheer plunge of one thousand feet at +the outer end into the first canyon we had followed. The animals could +not get to the water, but we dipped it out for them in the camp kettles. +The way up from the shelf was so very steep that at one point two of us +had to put our shoulders to the haunches of some of the horses to +"boost" them, while other men pulled on a strong halter from above, and +in this way we soon had them all watered and ready for pack and saddle. +Keeping along the divide we had comparatively easy going, with the +Unknown Mountains ever looming nearer, till their blue mystery vanished +and we could discern ordinary rocks and trees composing their slopes. +About noon we arrived at the edge of an intervening valley, with the +wind blowing so fierce a gale that we could barely see. Crossing this +depression we reached a small creek at the foot of the second mountain +from the north (now Mt. Pennell), and climbed its slope seventeen +hundred feet to a beautiful spring, where we camped, with plenty of fine +grass for the famished horses. We had at last traversed the unknown to +the unknown, and felt well satisfied with our success. If it had ever +been done before by white men there was no knowledge of it. + +The temperature was so low that water froze in the camp kettles, and +next morning, June 18th, the thermometer stood at 28° F., with the water +of the little brook running from the spring at 37° F. After breakfast +Prof., Jack, and Dodds climbed the mountain on which we were camped, +running their aneroid out, while with Johnson I went down the slope +north, crossed the pass, and climbed the first mountain (now Mt. Ellen, +after Mrs. Thompson). A severe snow-storm set in, and when we had +finally attained a point where our aneroid indicated 11,200 feet above +sea-level, we were obliged to turn back because of the lateness of the +hour and having no coats, no food, or water. When we reached camp on the +other mountain night had come. Andy had been trying to cook some beans, +but the high altitude prevented the water from getting hot enough and +the operation was incomplete.[30] I foolishly ate some of the beans, +being very hungry, with the result that I was sick for the first time on +the expedition, suffering a horrible stomach-ache. Though not disabled I +was extremely uncomfortable. In the morning we started to go around +north through the pass to the east side of the mountain, and I ran in +the trail as usual, mounting and dismounting many times, till I was +extremely glad after eight miles when we came to the head of a little +creek and stopped to enable Prof. to climb the third peak (Mt. Hillers) +for observations. While he was gone I was content to lie still in the +shade of a bush, and finally lost my pain in sleep. Prof. got back so +late that we camped where we were, much to my satisfaction. The view +from our camp was extensive and magnificent, the whole Dirty Devil +region lying open, like a book, below us. + +We were striking for the creek up which Prof. and Cap. had come the year +before from the river, for we knew that from its mouth we could easily +get to where our _Cañonita_ was cached. The next day, June 20th, we +continued down Trachyte Creek, as Prof. called it, till four o'clock, +passing many old camps and grazing grounds, when we halted for Prof. to +climb to a height. The outlook there showed him that this was not the +stream whose canyon below we wanted to descend to the river, so the +following morning he took Dodds and reconnoitred, the latter after a +while returning with orders for us to come on eastward to another +canyon. We left Trachyte Creek and reached Prof. at two o'clock. He had +prospected a trail, or rather a way, to descend into the canyon over the +smooth bare sandstone across which we wound back and forth for a mile, +constantly going down into the strange, weird depths till at last we +reached the creek bed, where a short distance below we went into camp in +a beautiful green cottonwood grove, with enormous pockets of good water +close by. By seven o'clock in the morning of the 22d we were going on +down the deep, narrow canyon, and arrived at the Colorado at half-past +ten. The river was at least fifteen feet higher than last year, and +rushed by with a majestic power that was impressive. Our first unusual +incident was when Prof.'s horse, in trying to drink from a soft bank, +dropped down into the swift current and gave us half an hour's difficult +work to get him out. When we had eaten dinner we all went up to the +mouth of the Dirty Devil, where we had stored the _Cañonita_, and +rejoiced to find her lying just as we left her, except that the water +had risen to that level and washed away one of the oars. We caulked the +boat temporarily, launched her once more on the sweeping tide, and in +two minutes were at our camp, where we hauled her out for the repairs +necessary to make her sound for the run to the Paria. + +Sunday was the next day, June 23d, and while the others rested I plotted +in the trail by which we had crossed to this place so that Prof. could +take it out with him, as he decided that Jack, Johnson, Fennemore, and I +were to take the boat down, while he, Andy, and Dodds would go back +overland to meet Jones and George Adair at the foot of Potato Valley. At +five o'clock they left us, going up the same canyon we had come down and +which we called Lost Creek Canyon, now Crescent Creek. The next day we +recaulked and painted the boat, and I put the name _Cañonita_ in red +letters on the stern and a red star on each side of the bow. By +Wednesday the 26th she was all ready and we put her in the water and ran +down four miles to the large Shinumo house. Jack rowed the stern oars, +Johnson the bow, I steered, while Fennemore sat on the middle deck. The +high water completely obliterated the aggravating shoals which had +bothered us the year before, and we had no work at all except to steer +or to land, the current carrying us along at a good pace. We stopped +occasionally for pictures and notes and got about everything that Jack +and Fennemore wanted in the line of photographs. The Fourth of July we +celebrated by firing fourteen rounds, and I made a lemon cake and a +peach-pie for dinner. On Sunday the 8th we passed the mouth of the +stream that had been mistaken for the Dirty Devil, and which Prof. had +named Escalante River. It was narrow and shallow and would not be taken +at its mouth for so important a tributary. The next day we passed the +San Juan which was running a very large stream, and camped at the Music +Temple, where I cut Jack's name and mine under those of the Howlands and +Dunn. The rapid below was dashing but easy and we ran it without +stopping to examine. On Friday the 12th we came to El Vado and dug up a +cache we had made there the year before. Our rations for some time were +nothing but bread and coffee, and we were glad to see the Echo Peaks and +then run in at the mouth of the Paria on Saturday, July 13th, with the +expectation of finding men and supplies. The _Dean_ was lying high and +dry on the bank and we wondered who had taken her from her +hiding-place. Firing our signal shots and receiving no answer, Jack and +I went up the Paria, crossing it on a log, and saw a cabin and a farm on +the west side. This we knew must be Lee's. He was ploughing in a field, +and when he first sighted us he seemed a little startled, doubtless +thinking we might be officers to arrest him. One of his wives, Rachel, +went into the cabin not far off and peered out at us. She was a fine +shot as I afterwards learned. Lee received us pleasantly and invited us +to take our meals at his house till our party came. As we had nothing +but bread and coffee and not much of these we accepted. The fresh +vegetables out of the garden, which his other wife, Mrs. Lee +XVIII., served nicely cooked, seemed the most delicious food +that could be prepared. Mrs. Lee XVIII. was a stout, comely +young woman of about twenty-five, with two small children, and seemed to +be entirely happy in the situation. The other wife, whose number I did +not learn, left before dark for a house they had at Jacob's Pool and I +never saw her again. + +[Illustration: Example of Lakes on the Aquarius Plateau. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers.] + +Lee had worked hard since his arrival early in the year and now had his +farm in fairly good order with crops growing, well irrigated by the +water he took out of the Paria. He called the place Lonely Dell, and it +was not a misnomer. Johnson made arrangements to go to Kanab the next +day, as he concluded that his health would not permit him to go through +the Grand Canyon with us, so this was our last night with him. Lee gave +me his own version of the Mountain Meadows Massacre claiming that he +really had nothing to do with it and had tried to stop it, and when he +could not do so he went to his house and cried. The Pai Utes ever after +called him Naguts or Crybaby.[31] + +In the morning, Sunday, July 14th, Johnson departed with Lee and we +expected someone to arrive to bring us news of the Major and Prof., but +the sun went down once more without any message. We felt sure that Prof. +got out of the Dirty Devil country without accident, but we wanted some +definite information of it and we also desired to know when we would +resume the canyon voyage. On Monday having nothing else to do we took +some hoes and worked in Lee's garden till near noon, when we heard yells +which proved to come from Andy and Clem with a waggon needing some help +over bad places. We soon had the waggon in a good spot under some +willows and there speedily ransacked it for mail, spending the rest of +the day reading letters and newspapers. Andy told us that Prof. had +reached Kanab with no trouble of any kind. Mrs. Lee XVIII., or +Sister Emma, as she would in Utah properly be called, invited us to +dinner and supper, and the next day we worked in the garden again, +repaired the irrigating ditch, and helped about the place in a general +way, glad enough to have some occupation even though the sun was burning +hot and the thermometer stood at 110° in the shade. Almost every day we +did some work in the garden and we also repaired the irrigating dam. + +Our camp was across the Paria down by the Colorado, and when Brother Lee +came back the following Sunday he called to give us a lengthy +dissertation on the faith of the Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), while +Andy, always up to mischief, in his quiet way, delighted to get behind +him and cock a rifle. At the sound of the ominous click Lee would wheel +like a flash to see what was up. We had no intention of capturing him, +of course, but it amused Andy to act in a way that kept Lee on the _qui +vive_. We got the _Nell_ out of her shed and found her in very bad +condition, while the _Dean_ was about as we had left her. Andy and Jack +went to work on the _Dean_ and in a few days had her in excellent trim. +On July 24th, which is the day the Mormons celebrate for the settlement +of Salt Lake Valley, Lee invited us to dinner and supper, which gave us +a very pleasant time. So far as our intercourse with Lee was concerned +we had no cause for complaint. He was genial, courteous, and generous. + +A copy of DeForrest's _Overland_ was in camp and I whiled away some +hours reading it, but time began to hang heavily upon us and we daily +longed for the appearance of the rest of the party so that we might push +out on the great red flood that moved irresistibly down into the maw of +Marble Canyon, and end the uncertainty that lay before us. August the +first came and still no message. Fennemore now felt so sick that Jack +took him to Lee's with rations in order that he might have vegetables +with his meals with the hope that he would recover, but he grew worse, +and on August 4th he decided that he would return to his home in Salt +Lake. We concluded that one of us must go to Kanab to inform Prof. of +the state of affairs, and Clem in his big-hearted way offered to do +this, but we knew that his sense of locality was defective and that he +might get lost. Consequently we played on him an innocent trick which I +may now tell as he long ago went "across the range." I planned with Andy +that we three were to draw cuts for the honour of the ride and that Andy +was to let me draw the fatal one. Clem was greatly disappointed. Jack +went on a chase after Nig and ran him down about sunset, for Nig was the +most diplomatic mule that ever lived. Having no saddle I borrowed one +from Lee who let me have it dubiously as he feared we might be laying +some trap. I gave him my word that while I had his saddle no man of ours +would molest him, and furthermore that they would befriend him. I rode +away while he remarked that in the rocks he could defy an army, with +regret still in his eyes, though he accepted my pledge. I got out a few +miles before dark and slept by the roadside, with the distant murmur of +rapids speaking to me of the turmoil we were soon to pass through. By +noon of the next day I was at Jacob's Pool, by half-past three at House +Rock Spring, and at night in Summit Valley where I camped. The day was +so hot that I could hardly bear my hand on my rifle barrel as it lay +across my saddle. My lunch of jerked beef and bread I ate as I rode +along thus losing no time. + +The trail across the Kaibab was not often travelled, and it was dim and +hard to follow, a faint horse track showing here and there, so I lost it +several times but quickly picked it up again, and finally came out of +the forest where I could see all the now familiar country to the west +and north. About two o'clock I arrived at Kanab and rode to Jacob's +house where Sister Louisa told me that the Major, Prof., Mrs. Thompson, +Professor De Motte, and George Adair had left that very morning for the +south end of the Kaibab on the way to the Paria, and that Jones and +Lyman Hamblin the day before had started for the Paria with a waggon +load of supplies drawn by a team of four broncho mules. Nig being very +tired I thought I would rest till morning, when he rewarded my +consideration by eluding me till ten o'clock. This gave me so late a +start that it was dark and rainy when I descended the east side of the +Kaibab, and I had to drag Nig down the 2000 feet in the gloom over +boulders, bushes, ledges, or anything else that came, for I could see +only a few feet and could not keep the trail. I reached House Rock +Spring at last and camped there. In the morning I discovered Jones and +Lyman down in the valley and joined them for breakfast, after which I +helped them start. This was no easy matter, for the four mules they had +in harness, with one exception, were as wild as mountain sheep, having +only recently been broken. Jones had been badly kicked three times, his +hands were burned by the ropes, and there was a lively time whenever the +excited animals were put to the waggon. The road was new, only a waggon +track in reality, and the mules became more and more docile through +exhaustion as the day went on. At night they were far safer to handle +than in the morning. + +July 9th about dark we arrived at Lonely Dell, Lee stealing suspiciously +in behind where I was walking, to ask me who the men were and what they +wanted. We had a joyful time, especially as Steward had sent out a large +box of fine candy which we found in the mail and opened at once. Four +days later the Major and his party came from the Kaibab and we had +venison for supper. The Major said we would go on down the Colorado as +soon as possible though the water was still very high. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon + +Near mouth of Shinumo Creek + +The river is in flood and the water is "colorado." Sketch made in colour +on the spot by F. S. Dellenbaugh. July 26, 1907.] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 30: We had not yet learned to put a tight cover on the bean +pot, and then by means of a big stone on the cover and a hot fire create +an artificial atmosphere within it, thus raising the temperature.] + +[Footnote 31: Lee was executed for the crime five years later, 1877. +Others implicated were not punished, the execution of Lee "closing the +incident."] + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + A Company of Seven.--The _Nellie Powell_ Abandoned.--Into + Marble Canyon.--Vasey's Paradise.--A Furious Descent to the + Little Colorado.--A Mighty Fall in the Dismal Granite + Gorge.--Caught in a Trap.--Upside Down.--A Deep Plunge and a + Predicament.--At the Mouth of the Kanab. + + +We now missed Steward, Cap, and Beaman more than ever, for we had been +unable to get anyone to take their places. The fact was our prospective +voyage through Marble and Grand canyons was considered almost a forlorn +hope and nobody cared to take the risk. The plan had been to give me the +steering of the _Cañonita_, but now with three boats and only seven to +man them it was plain that one must be abandoned. An examination of them +all showed that the _Nellie Powell_ was in the poorest condition and she +was chosen for the sacrifice. She was put back in her shelter being +afterwards used by Lee for a desultory ferry business, that developed. +About ten days before our arrival, the _Dean_ had been discovered by a +newspaper man named J. H. Beadle, and used to cross to the north side +where he left her. This was how she happened to be there when we came. +Beadle had denounced Lee and the Mormons in print and tried to conceal +his identity by assuming the name of Hanson, a plan frustrated by his +having some clothes, marked with his own name, laundered by Sister +Emma. Lee was only amused by the incident. The _Dean_ was to be manned +by the same crew as before; Jones to steer, Jack at the after oars, I at +the forward pair, and the Major in his usual place on the middle deck. +The _Cañonita_ was to have Prof. as steersman, Andy at the stroke oars, +and Clem in the bow, Clem having gotten all over his inclination to +leave and being determined now to see the end of the voyage before he +departed. + +The same day that the Major and his party arrived, Jack and I, with +Jones steering, tried the _Dean_ by taking Mrs. Thompson, Professor +DeMotte, and Lyman Hamblin up the river so that they might see what a +canyon was like from a boat. Mrs. Thompson was so enthusiastic that she +declared she wanted to accompany us. Prof. took her as passenger on the +_Cañonita_ about half-past four on Wednesday, August 14th, when we had +completed the sacking and packing of provisions, and with both boats ran +down through a small rapid or two about a mile and a half, where we +camped at the mouth of a little canyon down which the waggon-road came. +Mrs. Thompson enjoyed the exhilaration of descending the swift rushing +water and still thought it attractive. I went to Lee's and brought down +the Major's arm-chair for our boat, and saw Fennemore who was very sick. +We made our final preparations at this point, and I spent most of +Thursday morning helping the Major get his papers in order so that if we +did not appear again his affairs could be readily settled. This required +considerable writing, which I did, for the Major wrote slowly with his +left hand, the only one he had. We dined with Lee, having the first +watermelon of the season for dessert. Lee was most cordial and we could +not have asked better treatment than he gave us the whole time we were +at Lonely Dell. In the afternoon our land outfit left for Kanab and we +said a last good-bye to the men, who looked as if they never expected to +see us again. Only the "Tirtaan Aigles" remained, and there were but +seven of these now. The next day we put the finishing touches on the +boats, and while we were doing this our late fellow voyageur Beaman, and +a companion named Carleton, passed on their way to the Moki Towns where +Beaman wanted to make photographs. All being ready the next day, +Saturday, August 17th, we pushed out on the mighty Colorado about nine +o'clock and by noon ran into Marble Canyon, nearly five miles, passing +one small rapid and another of considerable size on a river about one +hundred feet wide and extremely swift, with straight walls rapidly +increasing from the fifty feet or so at the Paria. Marble Canyon while +differing in name is but the upper continuation of the Grand Canyon, +there being no line of demarkation other than a change in geological +structure and the entrance of the canyon of the Little Colorado. The +combined length of the two divisions is 283 miles and the declivity is +very great. The altitude of the mouth of the Paria is 3170 feet, while +the Grand Wash at the end of the Grand Canyon is 840 feet, leaving a +descent of 2330 feet still before us. + +At our dinner camp, which was on a talus on the left, the walls were +about 500 feet and quite precipitous, but I was able to climb out on the +right to get a view of the surroundings. After dinner we went on in our +usual order, our boat the _Dean_ in advance and the _Cañonita_ +following. The photographing now devolved entirely on Jack and Clem; +Andy as usual ran the culinary branch of the expedition, Jones and Prof. +meandered the river. We had not gone far after dinner before we were +close upon a bad-looking rapid, a drop of about eighteen feet in a +distance of 225, which we concluded to defeat by means of a portage on +the right-hand bank. As we knew exactly what to do no time was wasted +and we were soon below, sweeping on with a stiff current which brought +us, in about ten miles from our morning start and five from the noon +halt, to a far worse rapid than the last, a fall of twenty-five feet in +four or five hundred, with very straight walls six hundred feet high on +both sides. The Major concluded to leave the passage of it till the next +day, and we went into camp at the head. This was the rapid where +disaster fell on the miners, ten in number, who in the spring had stolen +a lot of our things at the Paria and started down prospecting on a raft. +They saved their lives but not another thing, and after a great deal of +hard work they succeeded by means of driftwood ladders in climbing to +the top of the walls and made their way to the settlement. This is now +called Soap Creek Rapid, being at the mouth of the canyon by which the +little stream of that name reaches the river,--a little stream which at +times is a mighty torrent. In a small rapid following or in the final +portion of this, I believe, is the place where Frank M. Brown, leader of +the Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railway Survey, was drowned in +1889. + +We began work on Sunday, August 18th, by making the portage and had no +trouble of any kind, Jack and Clem making some photographs before we +finally said good-bye to the place. Continuing on our way we found the +river very narrow, not over seventy-five feet in many places and ranging +from that to two hundred, with frequent whirlpools strong enough to +swing our boats entirely around. Before dinner-time we had put five +large rapids behind, and then we halted under a ledge on the left a +short distance above a very ugly and difficult prospect. There was an +exceedingly heavy descent and a soft sandstone being at the river margin +it was worn away, giving little chance for a footing by which to make a +portage. The Major and Prof. decided that we could run it safely, and +after dinner we shot into it, both boats going through in fine style. +Just below was another smaller one that was vanquished easily, and we +went swiftly on down the swirling, booming current. Rain fell at +intervals to continue our saturation, and with four more rapids, all of +which we ran, one having quite a heavy fall, there was little chance for +us to dry out. At one point we passed an enormous rock which had dropped +from the cliffs overhead and almost blocked the whole river. Then we +arrived at a huge rapid whose angry tones cried so distinctly, "No +running through here," that we did not hesitate but began a let down +forthwith, and when that was accomplished we camped at the foot of it +for the night, having come eleven and three-eighths miles during the +day. The rapid was extremely noisy and the roaring reverberated back and +forth from cliff to cliff as it ascended to the top, 1800 feet, to +escape into the larger air. The walls had two or three terraces and were +not over three quarters of a mile apart at the summit, the cliff +portions being nearly or quite perpendicular. The rocks, of all sizes, +which were legion at each rapid, were frequently dovetailed into each +other by the action of the current and so neatly joined in a serrated +line that they were practically one. + +[Illustration: Thompson + +Marble Canyon. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872.] + +The rapidity with which the water went down and the walls went up as we +cut into the plateau gave a vivid impression of descending into the very +bowels of the earth, and this impression seemed daily to intensify. On +Monday, August 19th, the same conditions prevailed, the walls being of +marble mostly vertical from the water's edge for about seven hundred +feet, and then rising by four terraces to two thousand feet, all stained +red by the disintegration of iron-stained rocks overhead though the +marble is a grey colour. We only made four and one-quarter miles and +established Camp 90 on the left, just below a big rapid and in sight of +another, with a record for the whole day of four rapids run, three +passed by let-downs, and one overcome by a portage. The next day we did +not accomplish a much greater distance, only about nine miles, but we +were highly successful in our encounters with the enemy, running no less +than twelve big rapids and making a portage at another to round out the +dozen on the baker's proverbial basis. The average width of the canyon +at the top was about one and a quarter miles, while the breadth of the +water itself plunging along the bottom was not more than 125 feet, and +the total height of wall was 2500 feet. We had marble at the river +margin most of the day, a greyish crystalline rock fluted +multitudinously in places by the action of high water and sometimes +polished like glass. While this was a grey rock the entire effect of the +canyon, for the reason stated above, was red. On the right bank we made +our camp on some sand at the mouth of a gulch, and immediately put on +our dry clothes from the boats. Not far below on the same side was what +appeared to be a vast ruined tower. Around the indentations which +answered for crumbling windows bunches of mosses and ferns were draped, +while from the side, about one hundred feet up from the river, clear +springs broke forth to dash down amidst verdure in silvery skeins. The +whole affair formed a striking and unusual picture, the only green that +so far had been visible in the canyon landscape, for the walls from +brink to river were absolutely barren of trees or any apparent +vegetation. On the former trip the Major had named the place after a +botanist friend of his, Vasey's (Vaysey) Paradise, and this was now +recorded in our notes. All day long we had seen in the magnificent walls +besides caverns and galleries resemblances to every form of +architectural design, turrets, forts, balconies, castles, and a thousand +strange and fantastic suggestions from the dark tower against which +Childe Roland with his slug-horn blew defiance, to the airy structures +evolved by the wonderful lamp of Aladdin. + +Starting down again on Wednesday morning we ran past the Paradise and +heard a little bird singing there amidst the spray and mosses, a +delicate note seeming out of place amidst such gigantic desolation. Only +the boom of great cannon or the tone of some enormous organ pipe would +be correct with the surroundings. The walls at the water's edge were +vertical for long distances up to eight hundred feet, and being now in +all about three thousand feet and not a great ways apart, the outlook +ahead was something almost overpowering in its deep suggestion of +mysterious and untold realms to come. On the first voyage it would have +been easy to persuade oneself that the river was soon to become +subterranean, but the Major having solved the enigma, we could look with +indifference on the threatening prospect. Yet the walls nevertheless +seemed to have a determination to close together overhead as we looked +down the descending waters before us, with cliff mounting on cliff and +the distance from one to the other appearing so very small. Deep and +sombre were the shadows at the bends, and the imagination needed no spur +to picture there rapids, falls, cataracts, of giant proportions. We made +nearly eleven miles and ran ten very big rapids, meeting with no +accident, though one was particularly violent and filled us half full of +water in the fierce breakers. The stage of water was exactly right for +this stretch; a lower stage would certainly have given us far more +trouble. Our stop for the night, Camp 92, was made on a wide sandbank on +the left, with some mesquite growing nearby, our first acquaintance with +this tree on the river. We now were getting on so well and were so +comfortable that we felt quite happy and Jack as usual entertained us +with several songs. The next day, Thursday the 22d, Jack and Clem took +some photographs in the morning and I hunted fossils for the Major in +the limestone shales which had run up under the marble. By nine o'clock +we were packed up again in our usual good form, everything in the rubber +sacks, hatches firmly battened down, life-preservers ready, and we set +forth for another day's battle. There were numerous large rapids and the +impetuous river, turbid and grim, rushed down with a continuity that +kept us alert every instant. Though we descended with terrific velocity, +nothing gave us any particular trouble before dinner, which we ate in +the shade of a mesquite on the right at the mouth of a couple of giant +gulches. Here we discovered a large patch of cacti loaded with the red +prickly pears or cactus apples, as we called them. They were +ripe,--seeming to me to be half way between a fig and a tomato,--and +very welcome for dessert, as we had eaten no fresh fruit since a +watermelon brought along as far as the first noon camp. All the +vegetation was different from that of the upper canyons and of a kind +indicating a hotter climate; cacti, yucca, etc. In the afternoon the +walls became greater, the river ran swifter, the descent seemed almost +without a break, for rapid followed rapid in such quick succession that +it was next to impossible to separate them one from another. At times we +could barely maintain control of the boats so powerful and uninterrupted +was the turbulent sweep of the great narrow flood. At one place as we +were being hurled along at a tremendous speed we suddenly perceived +immediately ahead of us and in such a position that we could not avoid +dashing into it, a fearful commotion of the waters, indicating many +large rocks near the surface. The Major stood on the middle deck, his +life-preserver in place, and holding by his left hand to the arm of the +well secured chair to prevent being thrown off by the lurching of the +boat, peered into the approaching maelstrom. It looked to him like the +end for us and he exclaimed calmly, "By God, boys, we're gone!" With +terrific impetus we sped into the seething, boiling turmoil, expecting +to feel a crash and to have the _Dean_ crumble beneath us, but instead +of that unfortunate result she shot through smoothly without a scratch, +the rocks being deeper than appeared by the disturbance on the surface. +We had no time to think over this agreeable delivery, for on came the +rapids or rather other rough portions of the unending declivity +requiring instant and continuous attention, the Major rapidly giving the +orders, Left, right, hard on the right, steady, hard on the left, _hard +on the left_, h-a-r-d on the left, pull away strong, etc., +Jones aiding our oars by his long steering sweep. Rowing for progress +was unnecessary; the oars were required only for steering or for pulling +as fast as we could to avoid some bad place. + +At the same time the walls constantly gained height as the torrent cut +down its bed till both together, with the rapidity of our movement, +fairly made one dizzy. In turning a bend we saw back through a gulch the +summit of the Kaibab's huge cliffs, the total height above our heads +being over five thousand feet; a sublime vista. The immediate walls of +Marble Canyon were here about 3500 feet, not all vertical but rising in +buttresses, terraces, and perpendicular faces, while immediately at the +river they were now generally flanked by talus or broken ledges giving +ample footing, as seen in the illustration opposite page 219. Words are +not adequate to describe this particular day in Marble Canyon; it must +be experienced to be appreciated and I will not strive further to convey +my impressions. As the sun sank to the western edge of the outer world +we were rushing down a long straight stretch of canyon, and the colossal +precipices looming on all sides, as well as dead ahead across our +pathway, positively appeared about to overwhelm the entire river by +their ponderous magnificence, burnished at their summits by the dying +sun. On, down the headlong flood our faithful boats carried us to the +gloom that seemed to be the termination of all except subterranean +progress, but at the very bottom of this course there was a bend to the +west, and we found ourselves at the mouth of a deep side canyon coming +in from the east, with a small stream flowing into the big river. This +was the mouth of the Little Colorado and the end at last of Marble +Canyon, one of the straightest, deepest, narrowest, and most majestic +chasms of the whole long series. It also had more wall rising vertically +from the water's edge than any other canyon we had encountered. + +Our distance for the day was eighteen miles with eighteen rapids, one +nearly three miles long and all following each other so closely they +were well-nigh continuous. We ran seventeen and made one let-down. It +was a glorious day and a fitting preparation for our entrance into the +next stupendous canyon which the Major styled the "Sockdologer of the +World," the now famous Grand Canyon.[32] Our altitude was 2690 feet, +giving a descent in the sixty-five and one-half miles of Marble Canyon +of 480 feet, leaving 1850 feet still to be overcome before we could +reach the mouth of the Grand Wash and the end of the Grand Canyon. I +counted sixty-three rapids in Marble Canyon, Prof. sixty-nine. We made +four portages and let down by line six times. + +[Illustration: Canyon of the Little Colorado. + +Photograph by C. Barthelmess.] + +Our Camp 93 was on the left bank of the Little Colorado, and there we +remained for Friday, August 23d, to reconnoitre the neighbourhood, and +to give Prof. an opportunity to get the latitude and longitude. The +Little Colorado was a red stream about sixty feet wide and four or five +deep, salty and impossible to drink. The Great Colorado was also muddy +and not altogether palatable, for one's hand dipped in and allowed to +dry became encrusted with sediment; but the water otherwise was pure. +The river had been rapidly rising for several days and was still coming +up so that we were likely to have in the Grand Canyon more water than we +required. I climbed up the wall on the north side of the Little Colorado +thinking I might be able to reach the summit, but when about half-way up +I met vast and vertical heights that were impossible and returned to +camp. The next morning, Saturday, August 24th, we packed up and entered +the Grand Canyon proper on an easy river, making about five miles in +half an hour and putting behind six rapids all small, camping at the +head of one that was more threatening. Here a little creek came in from +the right, or west, near camp. The canyon was wider than above, and we +could see the summits around that were six thousand feet above the +river, but some miles back. In the morning I made a geological sketch, +and in the afternoon I climbed a high peak and put in some of the +topography. The next morning we crossed the river to examine a large +igneous butte where we found a small vein of copper ore, and after +dinner Prof. and I climbed a couple of peaks and did some triangulating. +Monday the 26th found us still at Camp 94 to further investigate the +surroundings, and the Major, Prof., Jones, and I climbed up on the north +about 2600 feet in order to get a better idea of the several valleys +which here seemed to compose the bottom of the great chasm, and did not +reach camp till after dark. Everything now developed on a still larger +and grander scale; we saw before us an enormous gorge, very wide at the +top, which could engulf an ordinary mountain range and lose it within +its vast depths and ramifications. Multitudinous lofty mesas, buttes, +and pinnacles began to appear, each a mighty mountain in itself, but +more or less overwhelmed by the greater grandeur of the Cyclopean +environment. + +Tuesday, August 27th, after Prof. had put a new tube in the second +barometer which had somehow been broken, we pushed off once more to see +what the day would develop. The rapid just below camp we ran through +easily and then made swift progress for seven miles, running nine more +rapids, two rather bad ones. The _Cañonita_ grounded once on a shoal but +got off without damage. Where we stopped for dinner we caught sight of +two mountain sheep drinking, and Andy and I got our guns out of the +cabins as quickly as possible and started after them, but they flew away +like birds of the air. Near this point there was a small abandoned hut +of mesquite logs. We went into camp farther down on the left for +investigations, the Major and I going up the river and finding a small +salty creek which we followed for a time on an old trail, the Major +studying the geology and collecting specimens of the rocks, which we +carried back to camp, arriving after dark. The geology and topography +here were complicated and particularly interesting, and we ought to have +been able to spend more days, but the food question, as well as time, +was a determining factor in our movements, and with only two boats our +rations would carry us with necessary stops only to the mouth of the +Kanab Canyon where our pack-train would meet us on September 4th. There +was no other place above Diamond Creek known at that time, except +perhaps the spot near Mount Trumbull, where supplies could be brought +in. On Wednesday we ran two or three miles and stopped for our +photographers to get some views opposite a rust-coloured sandstone. We +also had dinner at this place and then continued the descent. After +running four rapids successfully, making a let-down at another, and a +portage over the upper end of a sixth we were ready, having made in all +six miles, to go into camp part way down the last, one of the heaviest +falls we had so far encountered. It was perhaps half a mile long, with a +declivity of at least forty feet, studded by numerous enormous boulders. +A heavy rain began during our work of getting below, and our clothes +being already wet the air became very chilly. We had to carry the +cargoes only a short distance, with no climbing, and there was ample +room so the portage was not difficult in that respect. But though we +could manoeuvre the empty boats down along the shore amidst the big +rocks, they were exceedingly heavy for our small band, and in sliding +them down between the huge masses, with the water pouring around and +often into them, we sometimes had as much as we could do to manage them, +each man being obliged to strain his muscle to the limit. Jack from this +cause hurt his back so badly that he could not lift at all, and overcome +by the sudden weakness and pain he came near sinking into the swift +river at the stern of the _Dean_ where he happened at the moment to be +working. I heard his cry and clambered over to seize him as quickly as I +could, helping him to shore, where we did all that was possible for his +comfort. As we were going no farther that day he was able to rest, and +in the morning felt much better, though his back was still weak. Andy +took his place in our boat to run the lower end of the rapid, which was +easily done. We landed below on the same side, enabling Andy to go back +to help bring down the _Cañonita_, while Jack walked along the rocks to +where we were. Here we remained for a couple of hours while I climbed up +for the Major and measured the "Red Beds," and Jack rested again, +improving very fast. When we were ready to go on his trouble had almost +disappeared. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From just below the Little Colorado. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872.] + +A dark granite formation had run up at the foot of the last fall and it +rose rapidly higher, hemming the water in with steep, forbidding cliffs +close together. The river became much narrower and swirled with an +oily-looking current around the buttresses of granite that thrust +themselves from one side or the other into it. The declivity was not +great and the torrent was otherwise placid. After three miles of this +ominous docility, just as the dinner hour was near and the threatening +black granite had risen to one thousand feet above the water, we heard a +deep, sullen roar ahead and from the boats the whole river seemed to +vanish instantly from earth. At once we ran in on the right to a small +area of great broken rocks that protruded above the water at the foot of +the wall, and stepping out on these we could look down on one of the +most fearful places I ever saw or ever hope to see under like +circumstances,--a place that might have been the Gate to Hell that +Steward had mentioned. We were near the beginning of a tremendous fall. +The narrow river dropped suddenly and smoothly away, and then, beaten to +foam, plunged and boomed for a third of a mile through a descent of from +eighty to one hundred feet, the enormous waves leaping twenty or thirty +feet into the air and sending spray twice as high.[33] On each side were +the steep, ragged granitic walls, with the tumultuous waters lashing and +pounding against them in a way that precluded all idea of portage or +let-down. It needed no second glance to tell us that there was only one +way of getting below. If the rocks did not stop us we could "cross to +Killiloo," and when a driving rain had ceased Andy gathered the few +sticks of driftwood available for a fire, by which he prepared some +dinner in advance of the experiment. Jack and Clem took three negatives, +and when the dinner was disposed of we stowed all loose articles snugly +away in the cabins, except a camp-kettle in each standing-room to bail +with, and then battening down the hatches with extra care, and making +everything shipshape, we pulled the _Dean_ up-stream, leaving the +_Cañonita_ and her crew to watch our success or failure and profit by +it. The Major had on his life-preserver and so had Jones, but Jack and I +put ours behind our seats, where we could catch them up quickly, for +they were so large we thought they impeded the handling of the oars. +Jack's back had fortunately now recovered, so that he was able to row +almost his usual stroke. We pulled up-stream about a quarter of a mile +close to the right-hand wall, in order that we might get well into the +middle of the river before making the great plunge, and then we turned +our bow out and secured the desired position as speedily as possible, +heading down upon the roaring enemy--roaring as if it would surely +swallow us at one gulp. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +Running the Sockdologer. + +From a sketch afterwards by F. S. Dellenbaugh.] + +My back being towards the fall I could not see it, for I could not turn +round while waiting every instant for orders. Nearer and nearer came +the angry tumult; the Major shouted "Back water!" there was a sudden +dropping away of all support; then the mighty waves smote us. The boat +rose to them well, but we were flying at twenty-five miles an hour and +at every leap the breakers rolled over us. "Bail!" shouted the +Major,--"Bail for your lives!" and we dropped the oars to bail, though +bailing was almost useless. The oars could not get away, for they had +rawhide rings nailed around near the handle to prevent them from +slipping through the rowlocks. The boat rolled and pitched like a ship +in a tornado, and as she flew along Jack and I, who faced backwards, +could look up under the canopies of foam pouring over gigantic black +boulders, first on one side, then on the other. Why we did not land on +top of one of these and turn over I don't know, unless it might be that +the very fury of the current causes a recoil. However that may be, we +struck nothing but the waves, the boats riding finely and certainly +leaping at times almost half their length out of water, to bury +themselves quite as far at the next lunge. If you will take a watch and +count by it ninety seconds, you will probably have about the time we +were in this chaos, though it seemed much longer to me. Then we were +through, and immediately took advantage of an eddy on one side to lie to +and bail out, for the boat was full of water. Setting her to rights as +quickly as we could, we got ready to make a dash for the crew of the +_Cañonita_ in case she fared worse than we did. We looked anxiously for +her to appear, and presently, at the top of what seemed to us now to be +a straight wall of foam, her small white bulk hung for an instant and +then vanished from our sight in the mad flood. Soon appearing at the +bottom uninjured, she ran in to where we were waiting. The _Cañonita_, +being lighter than our boat, did not ship as much water as in some other +places, and altogether we agreed that notwithstanding its great descent +and furious aspect the passage was not more difficult than we had made +in several previous rapids. + +Continuing on down the narrow and gloomy granite gorge, we encountered +about a mile farther down a singular rapid, which turned the _Cañonita_ +completely around. About four o'clock we found ourselves before another +tremendous fall, and a very ugly one. Landing on the left, we discovered +that to be the wrong side, and crossed over to a little cove where +there was a patch of gravel, surrounded by vertical walls, the crossing +being easily made because the water seemed to slacken before the plunge. +We did not intend to run the place if it could be avoided, and the south +side gave no opportunity whatever for a portage, while the north side +offered no very easy course. Prof. declared this to be one of the worst +rapids we had seen, and we were now about two hundred feet above the +head of it, with the vertical cliffs between. Immediately at the +beginning of the drop on the same side that we were on was a pile of +boulders, and our plan was to engineer the boats by lines from where we +had landed down to these rocks, from which we believed we could work +around over the rocks into an alcove there was there, and thence go down +till we reached the lower part of the descent, through which we could +navigate. Consequently several of the men entered one boat, and we +lowered her from the stern of the second as far as her line would reach, +and then lowered the second till the first lodged in the rocks at the +desired point at the head of the fall. Then, pulling up the second boat, +we who had remained got on board, and by clinging to the projections of +the wall, the current close in being quite slow, we succeeded in +arriving alongside the first boat. The next thing was to get around into +the alcove. The sky above was heavy and rain began to come down +steadily, making the dark granite blacker and intensifying the gloomy +character of the locality. By hard work we finally got our boats across +the rocks and down about two hundred feet farther into a cove, where +they rested easily. Up to this time we had made in all, during the day, +seven and one-quarter miles. As night was now dropping fast we had to +make camp on a pile of broken granite, where a close search yielded an +armful or two of small pieces of driftwood, all wet. Under a rock +several dry sticks were discovered, and by their aid a fire soon blazed +up by which the indomitable Andy proceeded to get supper. There was no +use changing wet clothes for dry ones from the rubber bags as long as +the rain fell, and it increased till water was dashing off the walls in +streams. The thunder roared and crashed as if it were knocking the +cliffs about to rearrange them all, and a deluge swept down in which +Andy's struggling little fire died with hardly a sputter. The only thing +remaining for us to do was to all stand with our backs against the foot +of the wall, which was still warm from the day, and wait for something +else to happen. The bread-pan seen through the dim and dismal light was +a tempestuous lake, with an island of dough in it, while Andy the +undaunted stood grimly gazing at it, the rain dribbling from his hat and +shoulders till he resembled the fabled ferryman of the River Styx. The +situation was so ludicrous that every one laughed, and the Weather God +finding that we were not downcast slackened the downpour immediately. +Then we put some oars against the wall and stretched a paulin to protect +our noble chef, who finally got the wet firewood once more ignited, and +succeeded in getting the bread almost baked and the coffee nearly hot +and some dried peaches almost stewed. The rain ceasing, we hurriedly +donned dry clothes and applied ourselves to the destruction of these +viands, which tasted better than might be imagined. Each man then took +his blankets, and, selecting rocks that in his judgment were the +softest, he went to sleep. + +There was another alcove about three hundred yards below our camp, and +in the morning, Friday, August 30th, we proceeded to work our way down +to this, several men clambering along a ledge about 150 feet above the +water with the line, while I remained each time in the boat below with +an oar to keep the bow in against the wall, so that she could not take +the current on the wrong side--that is, on the side next to the +wall--and cut out into the river. In this way we got both boats down to +the alcove, whence we intended to pull out into the current and run the +lower portion of the rapid. It was only noon when we reached the place, +but then we discovered that both boats had been so pounded that they +badly needed repairs--in fact, it was imperative to halt there for this +purpose,--and we hauled them out on a patch of broken rocks, thirty or +forty feet square, filling the curve of the alcove and bounded by +vertical rocks and the river. While at work on them we happened to +notice that the river was rapidly rising, and, setting a mark, the rate +was found to be three feet an hour. The rocks on which we were standing +and where all the cargo was lying were being submerged. We looked around +for some way to get up the cliff, as it was now too late to think of +leaving. About fifteen feet above the top of the rocks on which we were +working there was a shelf five or six feet wide, to which some of the +men climbed, and we passed up every article to them. When the repairs +were done darkness was filling the great gorge. By means of lines from +above and much hard lifting we succeeded in raising the boats up the +side of the cliff, till they were four or five feet above the highest +rocks of the patch on which we stood. This insured their safety for the +time being, and if the river mounted to them we intended to haul them +still higher. The next thing was to find a place to sleep. By walking +out on a ledge from the shelf where our goods were we could turn a +jutting point above the rushing river by clinging closely to the rocks, +and walk back on a shelf on the other side to a considerable area of +finely broken rocks, thirty feet above the torrent, where there was room +enough for a camp. Rain fell at intervals, and the situation was +decidedly unpromising. While Andy and the others were getting the cook +outfit and rations around the point, I climbed the cliffs hunting for +wood. I found small pieces of driftwood lodged behind mesquite bushes +fully one hundred feet above the prevailing stage of water. I collected +quite an armful of half-dead mesquite, which has the advantage of being +so compact that it makes a fire hot as coal, and little is needed to +cook by. Supper was not long in being despatched, and then, every man +feeling about worn out, we put on dry clothes, the rain having ceased, +and went to sleep on the rocks. Before doing so we climbed back to +examine the boats, and found the river was not coming up farther, though +it had almost completely covered the rocks. + +Saturday, the 21st of August, 1872, was about the gloomiest morning I +ever saw. Rain was falling, the clouds hung low over our heads like a +lid to the box-like chasm in the black, funereal granite enclosing us, +while the roar of the big rapid seemed to be intensified. We felt like +rats in a trap. Eating breakfast as quickly as possible, we got +everything together again on the shelf and lowered the boats. Though the +river was not rising, it beat and surged into the cove in a way that +made the boats jump and bounce the moment they touched the water. To +prevent their being broken by pounding, one man at each steadied them +while the others passed down the sacks and instrument boxes. Then it was +seen that either a new leak had sprung in the _Dean_ amidships or a hole +had not been caulked, for a stream as wide as two fingers was spurting +into the middle cabin. To repair her now meant hauling both boats back +against the side of the cliff and spending another day in this trap, +with the chance of the river rising much higher before night so that we +might not be able to get away at all--at least not for days. For an +instant the Major thought of pulling the boats out again, but as his +quick judgment reviewed the conditions he exclaimed, "By God, we'll +start! Load up!" It was the rarest thing for him to use an oath, and I +remember only one other occasion when he did so--in Marble Canyon when +he thought we were going to smash. We threw the things in as fast as we +could, jammed a bag of flour against the leak in the _Dean_, battened +down the hatches, threw our rifles into the bottom of the standing rooms +where the water and sand washed unheeded over them, and jumped to our +oars. The crew of the _Cañonita_ held our stern till the bow swung out +into the river, and then at the signal Jack and I laid to with all our +strength--to shoot clear of an enormous rock about fifty feet below +against which the fierce current was dashing. The _Dean_ was so nearly +water-logged that she was sluggish in responding to the oars, but we +swept past the rock safely and rolled along down the river in the tail +of the rapid with barely an inch of gunwale to spare,--in fact I thought +the boat might sink. As soon as we saw a narrow talus on the right we +ran in and landed. + +When the _Cañonita_ was ready to start one of Clem's oars could not be +found, and Prof. had to delay to cut down one of the extras for him. +Then they got their boat up as far as they could, and while Prof. and +Andy kept her from pounding to pieces, Clem got in, bailed out, and took +his oars. Prof. then climbed in at the stern, but the current was so +strong that it pulled Andy off his feet and he was just able to get on, +the boat drifting down stern first toward the big rock. Prof. concluded +to let the stern strike and then try to throw the boat around into the +river. By this time Andy had got hold of his oars, and the eddy seemed +to carry them up-stream some twenty-five feet, so perverse and +capricious is the Colorado. They swung the bow to starboard into the +main current, and with a couple of strong oar-strokes the dreaded rock +was cleared, and down the _Cañonita_ came to us over the long waves like +a hunted deer. We unloaded the _Dean_ and pulled her out for repairs, +but it was after four o'clock when we were able to go on again with a +fairly tight boat. Then for eight miles the river was a continuous rapid +broken by eight heavy falls, but luckily there were no rocks in any of +them at this stage of water, and we were able to dash through one after +another at top speed, stopping only once for examination. Two of these +rapids were portages on the former trip, proving the ease and advantage +of high water in some places; but the disadvantages are much greater. +Through a very narrow canyon on the right we caught a glimpse of a +pretty creek, but we were going so fast the view was brief and +imperfect. At 5:15 o'clock we ran up to a wide sandbank on which grew a +solitary willow tree and there Camp 99 was made. For a space the inner +canyon was much wider than above and the mouth of Bright Angel Creek was +just below us; a locality now well known because a trail from the Hotel +Tovar on the south rim comes down at this point. The name was applied by +the Major on his first trip to offset the name Dirty Devil applied +farther up. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From Top of Granite, South Side near Bright Angel Creek.] + +The next day was Sunday, September 1st, and after the Major had climbed +the south wall for observations we started once more on a powerful +current. For the first three miles there was a continuous rapid with no +opportunity to land. We dashed through waves that tossed us badly and +filled the boats half full and then half full again before we had a +chance to bail. In fifteen minutes we made the three miles and a half +mile more, to arrive at a heavy rapid, which we ran and in two miles +reached another with fearful waves, which we also ran. In one Jones was +overbalanced by his oar hitting the top of a big wave behind the boat +and he was knocked out. He clung by his knees and hands, his back in the +water, and the boat careened till I thought she would go over. We could +not move to help him without upsetting and were compelled to leave him +to his own resources. In some way he succeeded in scrambling back. The +waves were tremendous and sometimes seemed to come from all directions +at once. There were whirlpools, too, that turned us round in spite of +every effort to prevent it. The river was about one hundred and fifty +feet wide. After an extremely strenuous morning we halted on the right +for dinner, continuing as soon as we had disposed of it. Presently we +arrived at a sharp fall of about twenty feet, where we made a portage, +and waited at the foot for the photographers to take some negatives and +also for repairing the _Cañonita_. Finally it was decided to camp on +the spot. It was Camp 100. Our record for the day was a trifle over +seven miles with nine rapids run and one portage. + +Almost the first thing in the morning of September 2d was a portage, +after which we had fair water for two or three miles, and then reached a +very heavy fall, where we landed on the left and had dinner before +making another portage. This accomplished, we proceeded on a river still +rising and ran a great many bad rapids, some of them having tremendous +falls. In one the fierce current set against the cliff so strongly that +we were carried within an oar's length of it, notwithstanding our severe +effort to avoid so close an acquaintance with the rough wall. Even +between rapids the velocity of the water was extremely high and we flew +along at terrific speed, while in the huge waves of the rapids the boats +leaped and plunged with startling violence. Toward night a sudden halt +was made on the left to examine a bad-looking place half a mile below. +The Major and Prof. tried to climb where they could get a good view of +it, but they failed. The Major said we would run it in the morning, +though Prof. was dubious about the feasibility of doing so successfully +and said he thought it about the worst place we had yet seen. We camped +on a rocky talus where we were. A small sandbank was found nearby for +our beds, and we made another discovery, a small pool of clear, pure +water, a rare treat after the muddy Colorado which we had been drinking +for so long. Twenty rapids were placed to our credit for this one day in +a trifle over fifteen miles, and we felt that we were vanquishing the +Grand Canyon with considerable success. + +Our life now was so strenuous every hour of the day that our songs were +forgotten, and when night came every man was so used up that as soon as +supper was over rest and sleep were the only things that interested us. +Though our beds were as hard and rough as anything could be, we slept +with the intensity of the rocks themselves, and it never seemed more +than a few minutes before we were aroused by the Major's rising signal +"Oh-ho, boys!" and rose to our feet to pack the blankets in the rubber +bags, sometimes with a passing thought as to whether we would ever take +them out again. For my part, never before nor since have I been so +tired. One night when the Major called us to look out for the boats I +did not hear him and no one waked me so I slept on, learning about it +only the next morning. Our food supply was composed partly of jerked +beef, and as this could not be put in rubber because of the grease it +became more or less damp and there developed in it a peculiar kind of +worm, the largest about an inch long, with multitudinous legs. There +were a great many of them and they gave the beef a queer taste. In order +to clear the sacks as far as possible of these undesirable denizens I +several times emptied them on wide smooth rocks, and while the worms +were scrambling around I scraped up the beef without many of them, but +could not get rid of all. Andy's method of cooking this beef was to make +a gravy with bacon fat and scorched flour and then for a few moments +stew the beef in the gravy. Ordinarily this made a very palatable dish +but the peculiar flavour of the beef now detracted from it, though we +were so hungry that we could eat anything without a query, and our +diminishing supply of rations forbade the abandonment of the valuable +beef. + +When we arose on the morning of September 3d the dubious rapid was +tossing its huge waves exactly as on the night before and humanity +seemed to be out of the reckoning. By eight o'clock we were ready for +it, and with everything in good trim we pushed off. The current was +strong from the start, and a small rapid just below camp gave additional +speed, so that we were soon bearing down on the big one with wild +velocity. The river dropped away abruptly, to rise again in a succession +of fearful billows whose crests leaped and danced high in air as if +rejoicing at the prospect of annihilating us. Just then the Major +changed his mind as to running the place, for now standing on the boat's +deck he could see it better than before from the region of our camp. He +ordered us to pull hard on our left, intending to land at a spot that +was propitious on the left or south bank, but no sooner had he given +this command than he perceived that no landing above the fall was +possible. He gave another order which put us straight in the middle +again and down we flew upon the descent. The Major as usual had put on +his life-preserver and I think Jones had on his, but Jack and I, as was +our custom, placed ours inflated immediately behind our seats, not +wishing to be hampered by them. The plunge was exceedingly sharp and +deep, and then we found ourselves tossing like a chip in a frightful +chaos of breakers which almost buried us, though the boats rose to them +as well as any craft possibly could. I bailed with a camp kettle rapidly +and Jack did the same, but the boat remained full to the gunwales as we +were swept on. We had passed the worst of it when, just as the _Dean_ +mounted a giant wave at an angle perhaps of forty or fifty degrees, the +crest broke in a deluge against the port bow with a loud slap. In an +instant we were upside-down going over to starboard. I threw up my hand +instinctively to grasp something, and luckily caught hold of a spare oar +which was carried slung on the side, and by this means I pulled myself +above water. My hat was pasted down over my eyes. Freeing myself from +this I looked about. Bottom up the boat was clear of the rapid and +sweeping on down with the swift, boiling current toward a dark bend. The +_Cañonita_ was nowhere to be seen. No living thing was visible. The +narrow black gorge rose in sombre majesty to the everlasting sky. What +was a mere human life or two in the span of eternity? I was about +preparing to climb up on the bottom of the boat when I perceived Jones +clinging to the ring in the stern, and in another second the Major and +Jack shot up alongside as if from a gun. The whole party had been kept +together in a kind of whirlpool, and the Major and Jack had been pulled +down head first till, as is the nature of these suctions on the +Colorado, it suddenly changed to an upward force and threw them out into +the air. + +There was no time to lose, for we did not wish to go far in this +condition; another rapid might be in waiting around the corner. Jack and +I carefully got up on the bottom, leaving the Major at the bow and Jones +at the stern, and leaning over we took hold of the starboard gunwale +under water, and throwing ourselves back quickly together we brought the +_Dean_ up on her keel, though she came near rolling clear over the other +way. She was even full of water, but the cabins supported her. Jack +helped me in and then I balanced his effort so as not to capsize again. +The bailing kettles were gone, but as our hats had strangely enough +remained on our heads through it all we bailed with them as fast as +possible for a few seconds till we lowered the water sufficiently to +make it safe to get the others on board. The Major came aft along the +gunwale and I helped him in, then Jack helped Jones. The oars, +fortunately, had not come out of the locks, thanks to our excellent +arrangement, and grasping them, without trying to haul in the bow line +trailing a hundred feet in the water, we pulled hard for a slight eddy +on the left where we perceived a footing on the rocks, and as soon as we +were near enough I caught up the rope, made the leap, and threw the +bight over a projection, where I held the boat while Jack and Jones +bailed rapidly and set things in order so that we could go to the +assistance of the _Cañonita_. The Major's Jurgenssen chronometer had +stopped at 8:26:30 from the wetting. + +The _Cañonita_, being more lightly laden than the _Dean_, and also not +meeting the peculiar coincidence of mounting a wave at the instant it +broke, came down with no more damage than the loss of three oars and the +breaking of a rowlock. Probably if the Major had sat down on the deck +instead of in the chair we might also have weathered the storm.[34] +About a mile and a half below we made a landing at a favourable spot on +the right, where the cargoes were spread out to dry and the boats were +overhauled, while the Major and I climbed up the wall to where he +desired to make a geological investigation. We joked him a good deal +about his zeal in going to examine the geology at the bottom of the +river, but as a matter of fact he came near departing by that road to +another world. + +We were now in an exceedingly difficult part of the granite gorge, for, +at the prevailing stage of water, landings were either highly precarious +or not possible at all, so we could not examine places before running, +and could not always make a portage where we deemed it necessary. There +were also all manner of whirlpools and bad places. Starting on about +three o'clock we descended several rapids in about six miles, when we +saw one ahead that looked particularly forbidding. The granite came down +almost vertically to the water, projecting in huge buttresses that +formed a succession of little bays, especially on the left, where we +manoeuvred in and out, keeping close against the rocks, the current +there being slack. The plan was for me to be ready, on turning the last +point, to jump out on some rocks we had noticed from above not far from +the beginning of the rapid. As we crept around the wall I stood up with +the bight of the line in one hand, while Jack pulled in till we began to +drift down stern foremost alongshore. At the proper moment I made my +leap exactly calculated. Unluckily at the instant the capricious +Colorado threw a "boil" up between the bow and the flat rock I was +aiming at, turning the bow out several feet, and instead of landing +where I intended I disappeared in deep water. I clung to the line and +the acceleration of the boat's descent quickly pulled me back to the +surface. She was gliding rapidly past more rocks and the Major jumped +for them with the purpose of catching the rope, but they were so +isolated and covered with rushing water that he had all he could do to +take care of himself. Jones then tried the same thing, but with the same +result. Jack stuck to his post. I went hand over hand to the bow as fast +as I could, and reaching the gunwale I was on board in a second. One of +my oars had somehow come loose, but Jack had caught it and now handed it +to me. We took our places and surveyed the chances. Apparently we were +in for running the rapid stern foremost and we prepared for it, but in +the middle of the stream there was a rock of most gigantic proportions +sloping up the river in such a way that the surges alternately rolled +upon it and then slid back. Partly up the slope we were drawn by this +power, and on the down rush the boat turned and headed diagonally just +right for reaching the left bank. We saw our opportunity and, pulling +with every muscle, lodged the _Dean_ behind a huge boulder at the very +beginning of the main rapid, where I made the line fast in the twinkle +of an eye. Meanwhile the Major had hastily scrambled up to where he +could see down the canyon, and he heard Jack's hearty shout of "All +right!" Lowering the _Dean_ a couple of rods farther to a sandbank at +the mouth of a gulch we went into camp feeling that we had done enough +river work for one day, and the _Cañonita's_ crew without accident +lowered down to the same place before Andy had supper ready. My hat had +come off in my deep plunge and beyond this I did not have one. Near by +was a small clear spring that gave us another treat of palatable water, +the Colorado now being muddier than ever, as it was still on the rise, +coming up three feet more while we were here. The entire day's run was +eight and one-eighth miles. The Major and Prof. succeeded in getting +down three miles on foot to reconnoitre. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +Character of River in Rapids. + +Photograph by F. S. Dellenbaugh, 1907.] + +Continuing in the morning, September 4th, we lowered the boats past the +remainder of the rapid and then shoved out into the terrific current +once more. Water could hardly run faster than it now did, except in a +fall or rapid. The canyon was narrow and for five miles we encountered +the worst whirlpools we had anywhere seen. The descent was swift and +continuous, but the river was broken only by the whirlpools and "boils" +as we called them, the surface suddenly seeming to boil up and run over. +These upshoots, as a rule, seemed to follow whirlpools. In the latter +the water for a diameter of twenty or twenty-five feet would revolve +around a centre with great rapidity, the surface inclining to the +vortex, the top of which was perhaps eighteen or twenty inches lower +than the general level. The vortex itself was perfectly formed, like a +large funnel, and about six or eight inches in diameter, where it began +to be a hole in the water, tapering thence down in four or five feet to +a mere point. The same effect is often seen when the water is flowing +out of a round wash-basin through a pipe at the bottom. These were the +most perfect whirlpools I have ever seen, those above having been +lacking in so distinct a vortex. There were many and we could often see +them ahead, but try as we would to cleave through without a complete +revolution or two of the boat we could not do it. The boats sank down +into the hollow, enabling one to look over the side into the spinning +opening, but the boats, being almost as long as the whirlpool's usual +diameter, could not be pulled in and we were not alarmed. We found it +rather interesting to see if we could get through without turning, but +we never did. Any ordinary short object or one that could be tipped on +end would surely go out of sight. So furious ran the river along this +stretch that we found it impossible to stop, the boats being like bits +of paper in a mill-race, swinging from one side to the other, and +whirling round and round as we were swept along between the narrow walls +till we ran the granite under about five miles from our last camp. +Finally, after a run all told of fourteen miles with twenty-three +rapids, we made Camp 103 with walls of friendly sandstone about us. Here +again we discovered a small clear spring for drinking and cooking +purposes. There was no rain this day and at night we put on our dry +clothes with confidence and had a warm comfortable camp with a good +sound sleep. + +Thursday morning found us early on the river, which to our surprise +turned suddenly in a north-north-east direction. When we had gone about +nine miles and had run the granite up and down again, it began to turn +to the west. At one point the river was not more than fifty feet wide; +the current was everywhere exceedingly strong and there were many +rapids, of which we ran twelve, and made a portage at another, and a +let-down at still another. We camped at the end of the nine miles on a +small sandbank, with the total height of walls about four thousand feet, +breaking back in terraces after about eight hundred feet. Clem and Jack +made a number of photographs wherever practicable, and altogether they +had succeeded in securing a representative collection. + +During the morning of Friday, September 6th, we ran two rapids in two +miles, which brought us to one which we thought required a let-down and +we made it. As it was easy, Jack and Clem busied themselves +photographing while we were doing it, and we also had dinner here. About +two o'clock we went on and in less than three miles ran four rapids, the +fourth being an exceedingly heavy fall, at the foot of which we went +into camp on the right bank. A little distance above on the same side of +the river was a fine clear cold creek larger than the Paria in quantity +of water. We called it Tapeats Creek, because a Pai Ute of that name, +who had pointed it out to the Major from the Kaibab, claimed it. During +the day the work had been far less strenuous, there were few whirlpools, +the river was falling, and it was in every way much easier than above in +the granite. A morning was spent at Tapeats Creek for examinations, and +we found there some ancient house ruins not far up the side canyon. I +discovered a fine large metate or Indian mill, deeply hollowed out, and +foolishly attempted to take it to camp. On arriving there it was so +heavy I had to drop it and it broke in two, much to the Major's disgust, +who told me I ought to have let it alone, a fact which I realised then +also. Our rations were now running very low again, for we had taken more +days for this passage than were planned, and as soon as we launched +forth after dinner we began to look longingly for the mouth of Kanab +Canyon and the pack-train. The river was much easier in every respect, +and after our experience of the previous days it seemed mere play. The +granite ran up for a mile or two, but then we entered sedimentary strata +and came to a pretty little cascade falling through a crevice on the +right from a valley hidden behind a low wall. We at once recognised it +as one which Beaman had photographed when he and Riley had made their +way up along the rocks from the mouth of the Kanab during the winter. We +remembered that they had called it ten miles to the Kanab from this +place, and after we had climbed up to examine what they had named +Surprise Valley we went on expecting to reach the Kanab before night. +Running several small and one fairly large rapid, we saw, after twelve +miles from the last camp, a seeming crack on the right, and a few +seconds later heard a wild yelling. In a little while we landed and +lowered to the head of a rapid, and running to the right up the +backwater into the mouth of the Kanab Canyon, we found George Adair, +Nathan Adams, and Joe Hamblin, our three faithful packers, waiting there +for us with the rations. They had grown very anxious, for we were +several days overdue, and they feared we had been destroyed,--a fear +that was emphasised by one of Andy's discarded shirts washing ashore at +their feet. We pulled the boats a short distance up the Kanab on the +backwater and made a comfortable camp, 106, on its right bank, where we +were soon lost in letters and papers the pack-train had brought down. + +Our altitude was now 1800 feet above sea-level, showing a descent from +the Little Colorado, in about 70 miles, of 890 feet, with 131 rapids +run, besides six let-downs and seven portages. The total descent from +the Paria was 1370 feet. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 32: There is but one Grand Canyon--the one here referred to. +Persons unfamiliar with Western geography frequently confound the Canyon +of the Arkansas with that of the Colorado because the former is in the +state of Colorado. The Grand Canyon is in Arizona but on the +_Colorado_ River.] + +[Footnote 33: Professor Thompson in his diary calls the descent 130 feet +in three-quarters of a mile.] + +[Footnote 34: For the benefit of any one who contemplates descending the +Colorado I would state that unsinkable boats are the only kind to use +and the centre of gravity should be kept low. Cork life-jackets are +indispensable.] + + + + +CHAPTER XV + + A New Departure--Farewell to the Boats--Out to the World + through Kanab Canyon--A Midnight Ride--At the Innupin + Picavu--Prof. Reconnoitres the Shewits Country--Winter + Quarters in Kanab--Making the Preliminary Map--Another New + Year--Across a high Divide in a Snow-storm--Down the Sevier in + Winter--The Last Summons. + + +The day following our arrival at the mouth of the Kanab Canyon was +Sunday, September 8th, and with the exception of some observations taken +by Prof., and the writing of notes, the whole camp was in a state of +rest. After our trying work in the granite we enjoyed immensely the +lying around warm and dry with plenty to eat. Monday morning everybody +expected to begin preparations for the descent to the Grand Wash. We +were surprised just as we were about to rise from our places around the +canvas on which breakfast had been spread, when the Major, who was +sitting in his chair thinking, suddenly exclaimed, "Well, boys, our +voyage is done!" In a way these words were a disappointment, for we all +wanted to complete the task and we were entirely ready to go on, +notwithstanding that our recent experience with high water in the +granite indicated great hazard ahead, where there was more granite; but +on the whole the disappointment was agreeable. We knew the second +granite gorge toward the lower end of the chasm to be nearly as bad as +the first one. There was besides one exceedingly difficult passage +there, which Prof. called Catastrophe Rapid, where the Howlands and Dunn +had left the first party, which on the prevailing stage of water the +Major believed would be foolhardy to attempt. Prof. in his diary says, +"It is nonsense to think of trying the lower bend with this water." He +and the Major had talked the matter over Saturday night and thought of +stopping about forty miles down at Mount Trumbull, where we knew we +could climb out; then they thought of sending only one boat that far, +but by Sunday night they decided to end all river work here. Prof. said +he could map the course from the notes of the first party and that he +would rather explore the adjacent country by land.[35] There were some +breaks in the notes from here down to Catastrophe Rapid, due to the fact +that when the papers were divided on that memorable day on which the +Howlands and Dunn left the party, instead of each division having a full +copy of all the notes, by a mistake they had only portions of both sets. +In addition to the difficulty of the forbidding Catastrophe Rapid there +was a possibility of an attack on us by the Shewits. Jacob through one +of his Pai Ute friends had information that they were preparing to lay +an ambush, and he sent warning to that effect. Jacob knew the natives +too well to have given us this notice unless he thought it a real +danger, but we did not allow it much consideration at the time. Yet it +would have been an easy matter for the Shewits to secrete themselves +where they could fall upon us in the night when we were used up by +working through some bad rapid, and then, hiding the goods, throw our +bodies into the river and burn the boats, or even turn them loose, thus +leaving no proof of their action, our disappearance naturally being laid +to destruction by the river, a termination generally anticipated. I have +sometimes thought that when they killed the Howlands and Dunn they did +it deliberately to get their guns and clothes, thinking it would not be +found out, or at least that they could put forth a good excuse, as they +did. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +At a Rapid--Low Water.] + +We were in the field to accomplish certain work and not to perform a +spectacular feat, and the Major and Prof. having decided that the +descent of the remainder of the canyon, considering all the +circumstances, was for us impracticable and unnecessary, we prepared to +leave for Kanab. We unpacked the good old boats rather reluctantly. They +had come to possess a personality as such inanimate objects will, having +been our faithful companions and our reliance for many a hundred +difficult miles, and it seemed like desertion to abandon them so +carelessly to destruction. We ought to have had a funeral pyre. The +flags of the boats, which Mrs. Thompson had made and which had been +carried in them the entire way, were still to be disposed of, and that +of the _Dean_ was generously voted to me by the Major, Jack, and Jones, +who had crew claims to it; that of the _Nellie Powell_ was awarded to +Steward; while Clem received the _Cañonita's_. I tried to persuade the +Major to pack the _Dean_ out in sections and send her east to be kept as +a souvenir of the voyage, but he would not then listen to it, though +years later he admitted that he regretted not taking my suggestion. +Three years afterward I came back to this place with my own party and +would then have executed my desire, but no trace of our former outfit +remained except a hatch from one of the middle cabins, and the Major's +chair. The latter I carried to Salt Lake, where I presented it to Cap, +who was living there. + +As before mentioned, the Colorado was so extremely high that the water +backed up into the Kanab Canyon, and it was there that we left the +boats, each tied to an oar stuck in the ground.[36] We could not get all +the goods on the horses of the pack-train, and left a portion to be +brought out later. Jack and Clem remained to make photographs, and +taking a last look at the boats, with a good-bye to all, we turned our +faces up the narrow chasm of the Kanab. A small stream ran in the +bottom, and this formed large pools amongst numerous ponderous boulders +that had fallen in from the top of the walls some three thousand feet +above our heads, the bottom being hardly more than sixty to seventy-five +feet wide. It was with considerable difficulty that we got the animals +past some of these places, and in one or two the pools were so long and +deep they had to swim a little. The prospectors the year before had +worked a trail to some extent, but here, where the floods ran high at +times, changes occurred frequently. By five o'clock we had gone about +eight miles up this slow, rough way, and arrived at a singular spring, +where we went into camp. This we called Shower-Bath Spring. The water +charged with lime had built out from the wall a semi-circular mass +covered by ferns, which was cut away below by the floods till one could +walk under in the sprinkling streams percolating through it. It was a +very pretty place, but like all of its kind in the deep gorges it was a +favourite resort for tarantulas, many of which we had seen in the depths +of the Grand Canyon. These, with scorpions, rattlesnakes, and +Gila-monsters, were the poisonous reptiles of the gorge. + +[Illustration: + +B. Preliminary map of a portion of the southern part of the unknown +country indicated by the blank space on Map A at page 95, showing the +Hurricane Ledge, Uinkaret and Shewits Mountains, and the course of the +Grand Canyon from the mouth of Kanab Canyon to the Grand Wash. The +Howlands and Dunn left the first expedition at Catastrophe Rapid, at the +sharp bend a few miles below the intersection of the river and longitude +113° 30', climbed out to the north, and were killed near Mt. +Dellenbaugh.] + +The next morning, Tuesday, the 10th of September, our pack-train was +early on the way. The walls grew somewhat lower, though still two +thousand feet high, and the canyon was usually seventy-five to one +hundred feet wide at the bottom. There were patches of alluvial deposit +now along the sides of the watercourse, covered by fields of cactus +loaded with "apples," the prickly leaves compelling us to keep the trail +the prospectors had made by their passage to and from the ephemeral +Eldorado. After a time we emerged from the lower canyon into a wider one +in the way previously described; that is, like going from one floor to +another by an incline between narrow walls. The little stream having +vanished, a pool of rain-water helped us out for dinner, and while it +was preparing Prof. and I climbed up to secure notes on the topography. +A trifle before sunset we arrived at the cedar tree, a short distance +below the mouth of the Shinumo Canyon, where our party had camped the +previous March. The pockets were full of clear, fresh water, and we had +plenty for horses as well as men. Not far off some human bones were +found, old and bleached. We thought they must be the remains of one of +the Navajo raiders who escaped wounded from the Mormon attack near this +locality. The canyon bottom was quite wide at this point and +comparatively level, covered by rushes and grass, and the horses were +able to get a good meal. + +During the day every time I dismounted to take compass bearings on the +trail I felt a sharp, peculiar pain shoot up my right leg from in front +about half-way between ankle and knee. I could only discover a small red +spot at the initial point, and concluded that I must have struck a sharp +rock or cactus spine. Our party now again divided, the Major and Jones +going up Shinumo Canyon to the Kaibab region, while Prof. and I rode on +up the Kanab Canyon, starting at eight o'clock in the morning, +Wednesday, September 11th, and riding steadily all day. As we had not +expected to come out in this way saddles were scarce. Prof. and the +Major had two of the three used by the packers, while the third was +awarded to Jones, who was to have a long ride on the Kaibab trip. The +rest of us had to make shift as we could, and I rigged up a "sawbuck" +pack-saddle, with rope loops for stirrups and a blanket across it to sit +on. This was not much better than, or as good perhaps as, bareback, and +the horse was a very hard trotter. We wished to reach Kanab that night. +We kept on at as rapid a gait as the canyon would permit, though it was +easier than in March, when the numerous miners had not yet broken a way +by their ingress and egress in search of the fabulous gold that was +supposed to exist somewhere in the inaccessibility of the great chasm. +The harder a locality is to arrive at the bigger the stories of its +wealth, while often in the attempts to reach it the prospector treads +heedlessly ground that holds fortunes up to his very eyes. We continued +straight up Kanab Canyon, the walls running lower and lower, till there +was nothing but rounded hills. Then we emerged on the summit, which was +a valley bottom, about twenty miles from Kanab. Shortly after dark we +halted for a bite to eat and a brief rest before striking for our old +storehouse, a log cabin in Jacob's corral, where we arrived about eleven +o'clock, having made about forty miles. I collected all the blankets I +could find, and, throwing them on the inside of Jacob's garden fence, I +was almost immediately asleep, and knew nothing till Jacob came along +and said a "Good-morning." My ablutions over, I went to Sister Louisa's +to breakfast with Prof. and Mrs. Thompson. The gardens were now +yielding an abundance of fresh fruits, peaches, melons, etc., and I +blessed the good management and foresight that directed the immediate +planting of these things in a Mormon settlement. It seemed as if I could +not get my fill. + +[Illustration: + +C. Preliminary map of a portion of the central part of the unknown +country indicated by the blank space on Map A at page 95, showing the +Kaibab Plateau, mouth of the Paria, Echo Peaks, House Rock Valley, and +the course of part of Glen Canyon and of Marble Canyon and the Grand +Canyon to the mouth of the Kanab Canyon. El Vado is at the western +intersection of the 37th parallel and the Colorado River, and Kanab is +in the upper left-hand corner of the map--just above the 37th parallel +which is the boundary between Utah and Arizona. The words "Old Spanish +Trail from Santa Fé to Los Angeles" near El Vado were added in +Washington and are incorrect. The old Spanish trail crossed at Gunnison +Crossing far north of this point, which was barely known before 1858.] + +Friday the 13th, the next day, was my birthday and Mrs. Thompson, who +was always striving to do something to make our circumstances pleasant, +prepared a large peach pie with her own hands in celebration. The Major +and Jones having come in the night before, we passed most of the time +that day in a large tent eating melons, the Major acting as carver of +the fruit. When we had eaten a watermelon he would declare that he +thought muskmelon far better. We all agreed. He would cut one only to +find when we had eaten it that we had changed our minds and wanted +watermelon, which see-saw opinions we kept up till all the melons were +gone. It would be impossible for any one who had not had our canyon fare +to appreciate the exhilarating effect of this fresh fruit. + +My leg, which had developed the pain coming up the Kanab Canyon, now +swelled till it was almost the same size throughout and any pressure +made an imprint as in a piece of putty. No one knew what to make of it. +I rode over to Johnson's, that person being the nearest to a doctor of +any one in the country, though the Mormons do not much believe in +medicines, and he gave me a liniment to apply. This did no good. In a +few days the swelling disappeared except where the spot of keen pain +was, and there a lump was left half as large as a man's fist, with two +small red spots in the middle of it. I now concluded that these spots +marked the bite of a tarantula that must have gotten in my blankets at +Shower-Bath Spring. Suppuration set in at the spots where the flesh +turned black and all the men said it was a bad-looking wound. They +thought I would lose my leg. I concluded to poultice it to draw out any +poison that remained, and kept bread-and-milk applied continuously. +After a while it seemed to have a tendency to heal. + +We ran the base line up through Kanab and at the head of it pitched a +small observatory tent over a stone foundation on which Prof, set up a +large transit instrument for stellar observations. He got in connection, +by the telegraph, with Salt Lake City and made a series of close +observations. I began an hourly set of barometrical readings and as soon +as Clem came back he helped me to run them day and night for eight +consecutive days. Jack meanwhile was preparing for a trip to the Moki +Towns, the Major and Jones had gone off for some special work, and Andy +started with a waggon for Beaver to bring down rations. Occasional bands +of trading Navajos enlivened the days and I secured five good blankets +in exchange for old Yawger, who was now about useless for our purposes. +Prof. gave him to me to get what I could for him, and he also gave Clem +another derelict for the same purpose. On the 9th of October Jack, Andy, +and Clem, started with Jacob on his annual trip to the Mokis by way of +Lee's Lonely Dell while Jones went north to Long Valley on the head of +the Virgin, for topography. The Major on foot, with a Mormon companion +and a Pai Ute, explored from Long Valley down the narrow canyon of the +Virgin to Shunesburg, about 20 miles, a trip never before made.[37] The +canyon is about two thousand feet deep and in places only twenty or +thirty feet wide, twisting in such a way that the sky was not visible at +times, and the stream often filled it from side to side so that they had +to swim. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +At the Bottom near Foot of Bass Trail.] + +About eleven o'clock that night Prof. came to wake me up to say that a +telegram had arrived stating that Najavos again had been raiding and had +stolen seventy head of horses from Parowan. They were supposed to be +making for El Vado and nobody in the absence of Jacob seemed to know +just what to do about it. Prof. had advised them to organise a party and +cut off the raiders, but they preferred to consult Jacob before doing +anything. Prof. now asked me if I would be willing to ride at once to +the Navajo Well where Jacob had expected to camp and notify him of the +raid, no one else in town understanding where the well was, few besides +ourselves and Jacob ever having travelled that way. I said I would go if +I could have one companion. It was a lonely journey, and besides I might +come on the Navajos before reaching the well. Charley Riggs, a splendid +fellow whom I liked exceedingly, volunteered. Filling our overcoat +pockets with cartridges, and each with a good Winchester across his +saddle, we started about 12:30 under a fine moon and a clear sky. I knew +the way perfectly, even by moonlight. We took no wrong turns, had no +stops, and made excellent time toward the Navajo Well twenty miles away. +On we went over the open country, skirting the Vermilion Cliffs on our +left. + + "Neck by neck, stride by stride, never changing our place," + +but not at the headlong gallop by which they brought the news over a +first-class road to Aix, we rode steadily as fast as the ground would +permit, sometimes on a gallop, sometimes on a trot. About two o'clock, +as we neared a canyon where an old trail came down from the north which +the raiders might follow, we slowed up and advanced with caution. Dimly +we perceived what appeared to be a number of sleeping forms under the +ordinary Navajo dark-blue and white striped service blanket. Throwing +our guns up ready for action we rode ahead slowly to pass by a detour if +not discovered. We then saw that the objects were nothing but peculiar +bushes. With a feeling of sympathy for the dear Knight of La Mancha and +his worthy Sancho we spurred forward. At half-past four by the watch +dawn began to spread on the sky and we rode into the camp at the Navajo +Well. A shout and our hoofbeats had roused the sleepers. I delivered my +message to Jacob who immediately started for El Vado with Charley Riggs, +intending to add several more men to his band at the Paria settlement +which he would pass through; a route he had often before followed for a +like purpose. My leg was by no means well and it would have been +imprudent on this account for me to further lend my services. I let +Jacob have my rifle and ammunition and returned to Kanab, Jack, Andy, +and Clem going on to Lee's to wait. I reached the settlement before +noon, when George Adair and Tom Stewart started heavily armed to join +Jacob at the earliest moment. A Pai Ute later came in with a report that +a fresh party of Navajos on a trading trip had recently come across the +Colorado, and from this we concluded that the alarm was false, or that +the culprits were Utes who went off into the Dirty Devil country. Prof. +with Adams went out towards the Paria and then to the Kaibab to do some +topographic work along the north rim of the Grand Canyon and I was left +without any of our party in the village, it being deemed inadvisable for +me to do much riding or walking till my wound, which was now doing well, +had more nearly healed. I devoted my time to plotting up notes, +finishing sketches, drawings of pictographs, etc., and took my meals at +Sister Louisa's. I became much interested in the story of her +experiences which she told us from time to time, especially as she was +one of the women who had pushed a handcart across the plains. After a +few days the Major came in from a trip accompanied by several Pai Utes, +among whom was Chuarooumpeak, the young chief of the Kaibab band, +usually called Frank by the settlers and Chuar by his own people. The +Pai Utes having no "F" in their language pronounced his English name +"Brank," just as they called me "Bred." Their usual name for me was +Untokarowits, derived from the dark red colour of my hair. Frank was a +remarkably good man. He had been constantly devoted to the safety and +welfare of the whites. A most fluent speaker in his native tongue, he +would address his people with long flights of uninterrupted rhetorical +skill. + +Old Patnish came in occasionally. Though he did not look particularly +dangerous his eye was keen and his bearing positive. Nobody would have +interfered with him unless prepared for a fight to the finish. One day I +rode to Johnson by the trail and learned when I got back that Patnish +had arrived at Kanab by the road, so I just missed an interview. The +term "old" Patnish signifies "that scoundrel" Patnish, but when the +people spoke of "old" Jacob the prefix was one of respect and +affection--so contrary is the meaning that can be put into three +letters. Charley Riggs and George Adair came back from El Vado saying +that no raiding Navajos had been seen, so our opinion of the false alarm +was confirmed. + +[Illustration: + +E. Showing results of recent re-survey of part of the Grand Canyon near +Bright Angel Creek by the Geological Survey with ample time for detail. +Compare with Map C at page 246, the south end of Kaibab Plateau.] + +On the 27th of October we had the first snow of the season, which lasted +only a few hours, snow never being heavy at Kanab. The Major had planned +another journey to the Uinkaret region and we started November 2d, +taking with us three of the Kaibab band--Chuar, another called George, +or, as they pronounced it, "Judge," and Waytoots; the Major desiring to +talk to them in our camps to continue his vocabulary and the collection +of other linguistic material which he had been gathering from them and +others in and around Kanab at every opportunity. Our party proceeded to +Pipe Spring, camping half a mile below the houses and striking the next +day, Monday, November 4th, for the Wild Band Pocket. Finding no water +there the natives led on toward a spring they knew of in a low line of +cliffs. I was riding a broncho broken only a few weeks before, and at an +unexpected moment I was suddenly deemed _persona non grata_, but I kept +my seat and vanquished the beast after a vigorous circus, meeting +thereafter with no further opposition. We saw a band of twenty wild +horses spinning across the plain one behind another like a train of +railway cars, a huge stallion playing locomotive. Perhaps my broncho +felt the call of the band! Darkness dropped down on us before we could +get to the spring. We had to make a camp that was not exactly dry, +though there was no drinking water, for a drizzling rain, half snow, set +in, the snow serving to hold the accompanying rain on the surface. We +were wading in slush and it was a task to find a decent place for one's +blankets. Jones and I bunked together. His side of the bed was a slight +hollow, in consequence of which the melting slush formed under him a +chilly pool that interfered seriously with his slumbers. I happened to +be lying on a lump or ridge and kept fairly dry by never stirring the +whole night. + +The rain ceased by morning and all day Tuesday we travelled toward the +Uinkaret Mountains over a comparatively level desert, but not going +rapidly, as we had a waggon. The ground having been softened by the rain +the wheels cut deeply, there being of course no road. A flock of +antelope blew by. We did not give them a second glance, as they were too +far off to be hunted. It was after dark when we arrived at the rocky +pool where we had before camped in March, which we learned now from +Chuar the natives called the Innupin (or Oonupin) Picavu, or Witch +Water-pocket. They said the locality was a favourite haunt of witches. +These were often troublesome and had to be driven away or they might +hurt one. There was plenty of wood and we were soon comfortable, with a +keen November wind to emphasise our blessings. The water in the pocket +was clear and pure, but it was full of small "wigglers." We tried to dip +up a pail which should be free from them. The Major, seeing our efforts, +took a cup and without looking drank it down with the nonchalant remark, +"I haven't seen any wigglers." The Pai Utes had killed some rabbits, +which they now skinned and cooked. I say cooked, but perhaps I should +say warmed. Dexterously stripping off the skins they slit open the +abdomen, removed the entrails, and, after squeezing out the contents by +drawing between thumb and fingers, they replaced the interminable string +in the cavity, closing the aperture with the ears, and stowed the +carcass in the hot ashes for a few minutes. Then they ate the whole +thing with complete satisfaction. We preferred to fry ours, without the +entrails, in a pan with bacon fat. Frequently the Major gave me little +talks on science, as he was much interested in my future career, and by +the fire this evening he instructed me in some of the fundamental +principles of natural philosophy. Chuar having had one of his men remove +his shoes, which were heavy "Mericats" ones, was reclining in a princely +way smoking a cigarette on a bank near the fire. Suddenly he rose to his +feet, intently listening and peering anxiously out through the +enveloping gloom of the piñons and cedars. I asked him what he heard. +"Oonupits," he whispered solemnly, never ceasing his watchful gaze. Then +cautiously aiming his long muzzle-loading rifle in the direction, he +fired a shot and seemed satisfied that the intruder was driven away or +destroyed. He described the noise of the Oonupits as a whistling sound. +He and his men had a habit of waking in the night in our various camps +and singing, first one beginning very low, the others joining in one by +one, and increasing the power as they did so till all were singing in +full voice. This woke us up. We threw things at them, but with no +effect. "What do you do it for?" said I to Chuar. "To drive away the +Oonupits," he answered.[38] + +In the morning, November 6th, the Major, Prof. and I went off +reconnoitring and did not get back to camp till after dark, when we +found there a short, fat, Uinkaret whom Chuar introduced as +Teemaroomtekai, chief. In the settlements when he ventured to go there +he was known as Watermelon, according to Frank Hamblin, who was with us. +Teemaroomtekai had a companion and next day Prof. and the Major climbed +Mt. Trumbull with them. Wishing to have a talk with the Shewits we moved +on the 9th around to Oak Spring, near which some of them were encamped +with their kinsmen the Uinkarets. I was interested to see what the +slayers of the Howlands and Dunn looked like. Except for a wilder, more +defiant aspect, they differed little from other Pai Utes. Their country +being so isolated and unvisited they were surly and independent. The +Uinkarets on the other hand were rather genial, more like the Kaivavit +band. The Major traded for bags of food seeds, baskets, spoons made from +mountain sheep's horns, balls of compressed cactus fruit from which the +juice had been extracted for a kind of wine, rolls of oose-apple pulp, +which they ate like bread, etc., all for the Smithsonian Institution. + +With the Shewits the Major and Prof. had a conference. Prof. wished to +make a reconnaissance through their region and explained to them what he +wanted to do. An agreement was reached by which he was to be permitted +without molestation of any kind to go anywhere and everywhere with two +Shewits for guides and one of our party as cook and helper, in order +that he could tell "Washington" about the country. The helper, however, +was to stick to the trail and remain in camp, so that he would know as +little as possible, and should not tell that little to the "Mormoni" +whom the Shewits disliked. Nathan Adams, a Mormon, was the man to +accompany Prof. and he did not enjoy the prospect at all. On Monday, +November 11th, the Major, Prof., and Jones climbed Mount Logan for more +data and took a general survey of the country, while I went out on foot, +climbed, measured and located eight large cinder-cones. When they came +down the Major said he had seen a fine, isolated mountain to the west +which he had called after me, and I naturally felt much pleased with the +honour of having my name stamped on the map. + +The next day, November 12th, our party divided into three. Frank Hamblin +went out to St. George with the waggon after rations; Prof. with Nathan +Adams, one Shewits, named Paantung, and our guide "Judge," who may have +been a Shewits also for all we could tell, prepared for the entrance +into Shewits land, while the Major, Jones, and I proceeded to the foot +of the Toroweap, to a water-pocket near the edge of the Grand Canyon +called by the Uinkarets Teram Picavu. Chuar and Waytoots went back to +Kanab and we hired Uinkarets to carry our goods nine miles down to the +pocket, descending 1200 feet at one point over rough lava. After some +work at the canyon we went back to the spring on the 14th, the Uinkarets +again acting as our pack-horses. We had no salt left by this time and +very little food, but we killed some rabbits and cooked them on hot +coals, the adhering ashes making a substitute for salt. I reached the +spring first and found little, round, beaming, Teemaroomtekai, who knew +our plans, already there with a great big "Mericats" fire to welcome us, +as well as a large pile of wood for feeding it. The Major got in soon +after, but Jones failed to come at all, which worried us. Before we +could go in search of him in the morning he arrived. His horse had given +out, compelling him to stay where he was all night. We had travelled +hard up and down all kinds of hills, canyons, and mountains, with seldom +a trail, and it was wearing on the animals living only on bunch grass. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From North Side near Foot of Toroweap Valley, Uinkaret District. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers.] + +I continued measuring and locating the oonagaritchets or cinder-cones, +of which there were more than sixty, and got in four more on the 15th. +Then the Major decided to move to another water-pocket the Uinkarets +told about, farther east across the lava, a pocket they called Tiravu +Picavu or Pocket-of-the-Plain. It was on the edge of the basaltic table +overlooking what they termed the Wonsits Tiravu or Antelope Plain. They +said there was no water now, but as one declared there was a little we +decided to go. While the Major followed a waggon-track leading to or +from St. George, wishing to make some special observations along it and +expecting to meet and stop Frank with the waggon now due, Jones and I +struck across on the moccasin trail, leaving our goods to be brought on +by the Uinkaret packers. At sunset we rounded a clump of cinder-cones +studding a black, barren waste. Far away across the Wonsits Tiravu rose +the red cliff land up and up to the eastern sky; behind was the great +bulk of Trumbull, together with scores of the smooth, verdureless heaps +of volcanic cinders. Everywhere near was the desert of basalt, with +nothing but the faint trail to point the way and the night slowly +enwrapping us. On we urged our stumbling, weary beasts, their iron +clinking on the metallic rocks; on till the thick blackness circled us +like a wall. Then we halted and built a little brush fire, thinking to +stay till dawn. At the instant a weird cry from far back fell leaden on +the strangely heavy winter air. Our packers saw where we were and +presently came to us. They were in a rage, pitching along in the dark +under their heavy loads. They were cold, tired, famished, for the way +had been long, the packs heavy. Frost was in the wind. They now +pretended not to know where the end was. I thought this was to see what +we would say or do. We did not care; we said and did nothing with all +the nonchalance born of the feeling that the further we went the worse +it was. Then one remembered. The pocket was near and he struck out for +it, the rest following as best we could through the thick night, the +guide occasionally lighting a torch of grass. After a quarter of a mile +he stopped in the bottom of a deep basaltic gulch. Here was the place. +The Uinkarets threw down their loads and squatted glum and silent. From +the hill Jones and I scraped together an armful of brush and got a small +fire started in the bottom of the desolate hollow. At the upper end of +it on a sort of bench eight feet wide was a depression covered with ice +three or four inches thick. With some difficulty pounding a hole through +this we found beneath a small amount of thick, slimy water, full of +green scum. We drank some, the Uinkarets drank some, but we could not +see well enough to get any out for the animals. We tied them to rocks to +prevent them from leaving in the night. The Indians thawed a little +under the influence of the fire, but they would barely speak when spoken +to. They skinned a wildcat they had killed on the way and boiled the red +meat briefly in our kettle and ate it like hungry wolves, while Jones +and I, all the time wondering what had become of the Major, made a light +lunch on some of our scanty supply. Then we climbed the hill, and +getting together a little more brush Jones sat keeping a signal fire +going as long as he had fuel. But the wind was keen and strong, wood +limited, and he gave it up. Spreading our blankets we went to sleep. +Morning came clear and sharp. I took my glasses and went up to scan the +country for some sign of the Major or our waggon and I rejoiced to +discover him not a quarter of a mile distant. He had headed for the +fire, and losing it kept on by a star till he thought he was near us, +when he made a small fire of his own, tied his mule, and waited for day. +We had a bite together and thawed out some of the ice in our kettle, +providing a diminutive drink for each horse; then leaving the natives in +charge of the baggage we rode down into the plain to find our waggon, +taking along our last bit of bread for lunch. In about ten miles we came +to it and Frank Hamblin gave us the latest news, "Grant elected and +Boston burned." After a lunch we turned back, making a camp at the foot +of the basalt, thawing out more ice for the animals, and giving the +Indians some food. About two o'clock the Major and I rode over to the +Innupin Picavu while Jones and the waggon went around, as it could not +cross the basalt. We arrived at seven, while the waggon did not come +till half past eleven, when we prepared a good supper for all hands, +turning in about three in the morning. Not a man awoke before ten, +though the strong sun fell on our faces. The animals were used up and we +did what we could on foot that day. I climbed four more cinder-cones, +reaching camp at dark. Every day I climbed several of the cones, but +some were so far away that I had to make a special camp from which to +operate. The waggon was loaded with ice from the water-pocket, and a +supply of provisions, and driven about seven miles to a basaltic gulch, +in a well-wooded locality on the edge of a treeless valley, where the +load was dropped and I was left with my horse. Before dark I gathered a +lot of wood, made a good fire, and melted some of the ice that formed my +water supply, in a brass kettle, watering my horse, which I then +tethered with a long rope where there was good grass. I did not intend +to waste time hunting my mount in the morning. After supper I spread my +blankets near the fire and by the light of a bright piñon blaze I began +to read _Great Expectations_, a paper edition with the last leaves gone +having gotten into camp. As I read Pip's interview in the twilight with +the convict on the dreary marshes I was in deep sympathy with the +desperate hunger of the terrible man, and when Mrs. Joe buttered the end +of the loaf and carved off the slices I myself was hungry enough to cook +supper over again. Butter had now been absent from my bill of fare, with +a few exceptions, for nearly two years. I was careful to place my fire +where it would be well screened and not easily seen from a distance. I +did not care to have any Shewits or even Uinkarets visit me and I hoped +they were all in their own camps, though I sometimes had a feeling that +one might be watching from the shadows of the great basaltic rocks. +This, of course, was due to the circumstances and not to any +probability, though I kept my Winchester near my hand. When I again got +back to the main camp the Major told me that the first night of my +absence several of the natives came in and, not seeing me around, +inquired my whereabouts. He gave them an evasive answer, believing that +it was quite as well not to apprise them of the situation. + +The following day, Thursday, November 21st, I covered a wide territory, +climbing five cinder-cones a great distance apart and each quite high. +Several times I crossed recent moccasin tracks, but met no natives, and +at nightfall I was still a long way from my camp. When the darkness +became so dense that I could not see even faint outlines I took a star +for guidance till clouds blotted it out. Then I was completely adrift in +a sea of mountains. I could not tell one direction from another. +Throwing the reins on the broncho's neck I sat back in my saddle to see +what would come of it. Slowly, cautiously the animal plodded over +broken, rocky ground succeeded by smoother footing, as I could tell by +the motion, and in about an hour suddenly and quietly halted. I +perceived that I was in the midst of cedars. A light spot appeared +almost beneath. Dismounting I dropped to my hands and knees and found +that it was the ashes of my fire. The broncho, the same that had tried +to buck me off a few days before, had come back to the camp of a single +night, about the best example of horse sense that I ever experienced. +After another comfortable evening with Dickens I was prepared to go on +with my special task, and finished it in this place by climbing the +group of cones near the Tiravu Picavu the next day. About two in the +afternoon I got back to my camp with a very tired mount, but I loaded +all my traps on my saddle, the ice being almost exhausted, and started +to find a new locality where I was to meet the Major. My pack was high, +my broncho tired. While crossing a small open valley near sunset the +poor beast suddenly lay down with me. There being no water anywhere in +that locality, I was forced to use some brutality to get the animal up. +Without further incident I came to the place agreed on and found the +Major there in advance. We camped at the spot and the next day, +Saturday, November 23d, I climbed five more cones, reaching the camp at +sunset. Sunday the Major went on with his particular task while I added +six more of the cones to my list, getting back to the side camp late in +the day. The Major was to go in by himself when he was ready, so I took +all the outfit on my horse again, reached the Oak Spring trail at +sunset, and the main camp two hours after dark, glad enough to drop the +load of pails, bags, blankets, etc., in which my broncho sympathised +more deeply than could be expressed. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +Storm Effect from South Rim.] + +Monday morning, November 25th, we turned our faces toward Kanab, and I +climbed four more cones on the way out, overtaking the waggon about an +hour after dark. The night was very cold and I was ready to enjoy the +warmth of a fire by the time I reached the camp. In the morning we had a +visit from Lieutenant Dinwiddie of Lieut. Wheeler's survey. I rode over +to the cinder-cone region again and climbed the remaining ones, seven or +eight, reaching camp after dark, the days being very short at this time +of year. The camp had been moved nearer to the spring in the low line of +cliffs where we had halted coming out and the Major with his usual +original ideas had caused the waggon to be lowered by ropes into a deep +gulch. He had estimated that it was possible to go out through the +cliffs that way instead of going all the way around. His geological +knowledge did not lead him astray. There was no trouble whatever in +taking the waggon up the gulch, and when we emerged we were many miles +on the road to Pipe Spring, where the Major and I arrived in advance of +the others. We had dinner and he then went on alone to Kanab, where the +whole party arrived the next day--Thanksgiving Day. Prof. had come in on +the 25th by way of St. George, having had a successful tour through the +Shewits region, all agreements on both sides having been carried out to +the letter. He had been two weeks in the wild country and Adams declared +that to him the time was years, his only comfort being that he was +wearing his "endowment garment," a sure protection from all evil. Prof. +had climbed Mount Dellenbaugh, though the Shewits objected to Adams's +going up and he remained on the trail. It was found to be a basaltic +peak 6650 feet above sea-level, but only 1200 or 1500 above its base. On +the summit were the ruins of a Shinumo building circular in shape, +twenty feet in diameter, with walls remaining about two feet high. It +was not far from the base of this mountain that the Howlands and Dunn +were killed, Paantung, Prof.'s guide, saying it was done by some "no +sense" Shewits. Prof. was of the opinion that the guide had been of the +party himself. + +All was preparation in our camp for the departure of the Major for Salt +Lake and Washington. I had expected to go east at this time also, but +both the Major and Prof. being desirous of having me remain a while +longer, to help finish up the preliminary map, I agreed to do so and on +the 30th of November all the original party set out but Prof., Mrs. +Thompson, and myself. A new member, John Renshawe, had arrived a few +days before to assist at the topography. When the party had been gone +some time it was discovered that they had forgotten several things. I +took a horse and rode over with the articles to the camp they intended +to make at Johnson, where I remained till morning. The Major was so +eager to get an early start that he had all hands up long before +sunrise. When breakfast was eaten we had to sit by the fire three +quarters of an hour before there was light enough for the men to trail +the horses. Then I said good-bye; they went on and I went back. Jones +and Andy I never saw again. + +Prof. concluded to make winter headquarters in Kanab and a lot was +rented for the purpose. On December 3d, we put up a large tent in one +corner, with two small ones for rations and saddles. The next day we put +up one in the other corner for Prof. and Mrs. Thompson, and at the back +of the lot we arranged a corral for the horses or mules we might want to +catch. The large tents were floored with pine boards and along the sides +heavy cedar boughs were placed in crotches around which the guy ropes +were passed before staking. The tents thus were dry inside and could not +blow down. A conical iron stove on a boxing of earth heated the large +tent like a furnace. In the middle of the general tent we placed a long +drafting-table and were ready for work. Another tent, half boards, was +erected near ours for kitchen and dining-room, and Riley, who had turned +up again, hired as cook and master of this structure. Riley, who had +spent his whole life in camp and saddle, was the best frontier or camp +cook I ever saw. Scrupulously clean to the last detail of his pots and +pans, he knew how to make to perfection all manner of eatables possible +under the circumstances. Prof. arranged for a supply of potatoes, +butter, meats, and everything within reason, so we lived very well, with +an occasional dash of Dixie wine to add zest, while on Christmas Day +Riley prepared a special feast. Though the sky was sombre the town was +merry and there was a dance in the school-house, but I did not attend. +Rainy weather set in on the 26th, and the old year welcomed the new in a +steady downpour, making January 1, 1873, rather a dismal holiday. Even +the mail which arrived this day was soaked. Toward evening the skies +lifted somewhat and a four-horse waggon appeared, or rather two mules +and two horses on a common freighting waggon, in which Lyman Hamblin and +two others were playing, as nearly in unison as possible, a fiddle, a +drum, and a fife. While we were admiring this feat we heard Jack's +hearty shout and saw our waggon returning under his charge from Salt +Lake with supplies, with a cook stove for our kitchen, and with a new +suit of clothes for me accompanied by the compliments of Prof. and the +Major. + +Our camp in Kanab was now as complete and comfortable as any one might +wish, and our work of preparing the map went forward rapidly. As soon as +it could be finished I was to take it to Salt Lake, and send it by +express to the Major in Washington, to show Congress what we had been +doing and what a remarkable region it was that we had been +investigating. In the evenings we visited our friends in the settlement +or they visited us, or we read what books, papers, and magazines we +could get hold of. John and I also amused ourselves by writing down all +the songs that were sung around camp, to which I added a composition of +my own to the tune of _Farewell to the Star Spangled Banner_, an +abandoned rebel one. These words ran: + + Oh, boys, you remember the wild Colorado, + Its rapids and its rocks will trouble us no more, + +etc., with a mention in the various stanzas of each member of the party +and his characteristics. The horses became high-spirited with nothing to +do and plenty of good feed. One of our amusements was to corral several, +and then, putting saddles on the most prancing specimens, mount and ride +down on the plain, the horse running at top speed, with the impression +that he was full master of the situation and expecting us to try to stop +him. Instead we enjoyed the exhilaration of it, and let the charger +alone till after a couple of miles he concluded the fun was all on our +side and took a more moderate gait of his own accord. There were several +horse races also, and the days flew by. On February 3d I finished +plotting the river down to the Kanab Canyon, and as if to emphasise this +point a snow-storm set in. By the 5th the snow was five inches deep, and +we had word that the snow on the divide to the north over the +culmination of the various lines of cliffs, where I would have to pass +to go to Salt Lake, was very heavy. On the 7th the mail rider failed to +get through. We learned also that an epizoötic had come to Utah and many +horses were laid up by it, crippling the stage lines. It had been +planned that I should go north with our own horses till I could connect +with some stage line, and then take that for the remainder of the +distance to the Utah Southern Railway, which then had been extended +south from Salt Lake as far as Lehi. + +On the 16th of February, which was Sunday, I put the last touches on the +map, drawn from the original on a large sheet of tracing cloth, rolled +it carefully up, and placed it in a long tin tube we had ordered from +the local tinsmith. This I carried on my back, as I did not mean to be +separated from it a minute till I gave it into the hands of Wells, Fargo +& Co.'s express in Salt Lake. Jack was to go with me. Saying a last +good-bye to Prof. and Mrs. Thompson, to John, and to some of my Kanab +friends who came to see the start, we left a little after noon, with one +pack on a broncho mule, Jack riding a mule and I a favourite horse of +mine called by the unusual name of Billy. The pack-mule always had to be +blindfolded before we could handle him, and if the blind should +accidentally slip off there was an instantaneous convulsion which had a +most disrupting effect. Going straight up the canyon, we crossed over +finally into Long Valley, and were on the headwaters of the Virgin. At +sunset we came to a little settlement called Mt. Carmel, but continued +to Glendale, where we arrived about half-past seven, having come in all +thirty miles. At the bishop's house we were welcomed and there got some +supper, putting our three animals in his corral. We did not care to +sleep in the house, choosing for our resting-place the last remains of a +haystack, where we spread our blankets, covering the whole with a +paulin, as the sky looked threatening. I never slept more comfortably in +my life, except that I was half-aroused in the stillness by water +trickling down my neck. Half-asleep we pulled the canvas clear up over +our heads and were troubled no more. When we awoke in the morning a +heaviness on top of us we knew meant snow. We were covered by a full +foot of it, soft and dry. Valley, mountain, everything was a solid +expanse of white, the only dark spot being our red blankets as we threw +back the paulin. The sky was grey and sullen. More snow was in the air. +As soon as breakfast was eaten we slung our pack, saddled, and rode up +the valley, following as well as we could the directions given by the +bishop. Neither Jack nor I had been this way before. We could see the +slight depression in the surface of the snow which indicated a +waggon-rut beneath, and by that token continued up the ever-narrowing +valley; the slopes sprinkled by large pine trees. Snow fell thickly. It +was not always easy to see our way, but we went on. At a certain point +we were to turn to the left up a side gulch, following it till we came +to the divide, some eight thousand or nine thousand feet above +sea-level, where we expected to go down to the head of the Sevier +Valley, where Jack had before been by another route. At the gulch we +deemed the correct one, no road or trail being visible, we turned late +in the afternoon to the left and rapidly mounted higher, with the fresh +snow growing correspondingly deeper till it was about two feet on the +level. The going was slow and hard, the sky still dropping heavy flakes +upon us. About five o'clock we found ourselves on the summit of a high +bald knob topping the world. In every direction through the snow-mist +similar bald knobs could be seen looming against the darkening sky. The +old drifts were so deep that where a horse broke through the crust he +went down to the end of his leg. This excited them, and they plunged +wildly. I finally got them all three still and quiet, while Jack scanned +the outlook intently. "See any landmark, Jack?" said I. "Not a damned +thing I ever saw before!" answered Jack. At brief intervals the falling +snow would cease, and we could see more clearly, except that the +impending night began to cast over all a general obscurity. + +There was a deep valley beyond to the right. While it was not possible +to tell directions we felt that our course must lie there, and I led the +way down a long treeless slope, breaking a path as well as I could, my +horse following behind; the others urged on by Jack from the rear. The +snow became shallower near the bottom. We mounted and I rode in the +direction that Jack thought we ought to take to come to the road down +the Sevier where he had before travelled. We crossed the valley in doing +this, but at one point in the very bottom my horse wanted to turn to the +left, which would have taken us down the deepening valley. I prevented +his turning and we continued up a gulch a mile or two, where it narrowed +till we could barely proceed. Jack then climbed up on a cliff and +disappeared, endeavouring to see some familiar object, the falling snow +having at last stopped. I stood in my tracks with the three animals and +waited so long I began to be afraid that Jack had met with an accident. +Just then I heard him descending. It was nearly dark. He could not see +any sign of the region he had been in before. Snow and darkness puzzle +one even in a familiar country. We then went back to the valley where +the horse had wished to turn and followed it down, now believing that it +might be the right way after all, for Billy had been over the road +several times. Another example of horse sense, which seems to prove that +horses know more than we think they do. We had expected to reach Asa's +ranch before night and had not brought an axe, in consequence. Keeping +down the valley till we came to a group of cedars, some of which were +dead, and a tall pine tree, we camped, pulling branches from the cedars +and bark from the pine for a fire, which quickly melted its way down to +the ground, leaving a convenient seat all round about twenty inches +high, upon which we laid blankets to sit on. Our pack contained enough +food for supper; breakfast would have to take care of itself. We also +had some grain, which we fed to the hungry animals and tied them under +the cedars, where they were protected in a measure from the sharp wind +though they were standing in deep snow. For ourselves we cut twigs from +the green cedars and made a thick mattress on the snow with them. Our +blankets on top of these made a bed fit for a king. The storm cleared +entirely; a brilliant moon shone over all, causing the falling frost in +the air to scintillate like diamonds. + +In the morning, Tuesday, February 18th, we packed up at once, having +nothing left to eat, and proceeded down the valley wondering if we were +on the right road or not. The sky arched over with that deep tone that +is almost black in winter in high altitudes, and the sun fell in a +dazzling sheet upon the wide range of unbroken white. The surface was +like a mirror; the eyes closed against the intense light instinctively. +As we went on northwards and downwards a faint, double, continuous +hollow began to appear on the snow--a waggon-track at the bottom. It +became more and more distinct and we then felt sure that we were on the +right road, though we were not positive till near noon when, approaching +a rocky point, we suddenly heard the clear ring of an axe on the +metallic air. A few moments later turning this we saw a large, swift +stream flowing clear between snowy banks, and beyond a log cabin with +blue smoke rising from the immense stone chimney. In front was a man +chopping wood. His dog was barking. It was a welcome, a beautiful +picture of frontier comfort. It was Asa's ranch. Asa was one of the men +who helped the Major on his arrival at the mouth of the Virgin in 1869, +now having changed his residence to this place. We were soon made +welcome in the single large room of the cabin where all the family were, +and while the horses were having a good feed an equally good one for us +was prepared by Mrs. Asa on the fire burning snugly in the great +chimney. Never did fried ham, boiled eggs, and hot coffee do better +service. We could not have been more cordially received if these Mormons +had been our own relatives. + +We rested there till about three o'clock, when we bade them all good-bye +and rode on down the valley, the snow continually lessening in depth, +till, when we reached the much lower altitude of Panguitch at sunset, +twenty-six miles from our night's camp, there were only three or four +inches and the temperature was not nearly so low, though still very +cold. According to custom we applied to the bishop for accomodation for +ourselves and our stock and were again cordially received. We were +quickly made comfortable before a bright fire on the hearth which +illumed the whole room. While the good wife got supper, the bishop, an +exceedingly pleasant man, brought out some Dixie wine he had recently +received. He poured us out each a large goblet and took one himself. +After a hearty supper Jack and I put down our blankets on the bishop's +haystack and knew nothing more till sunrise. Leaving Panguitch we rode +on down the Sevier, crossing it frequently, and made about forty miles, +passing through Sevier Canyon and Circle Valley, where there were a +number of deserted houses, and arrived for night at the ranch of a +Gentile named Van Buren. By this time my eyes, which had been inflamed +by the strong glare of the sun, began to feel as if they were full of +sand, and presently I became aware that I was afflicted with that +painful malady snowblindness. I could barely see, the pain in both eyes +was extreme, and a river of tears poured forth continually. Other men +whom we heard of as we went on were blinded worse than I. All I could +do, having no goggles, was to keep my hat pulled down and cut off the +glare as much as possible.[39] At Marysvale the stage had been +abandoned. We kept on, finding as we advanced that all the stages were +put out of business by the epizoötic. There was nothing for Jack to do +but to go on with me to Nephi. + +In riding through one village I saw a sign on the closed door of a store +just off the road and my curiosity led me to ride up close enough to +read it. I did not linger. The words I saw were "SMALL POX." That night +we reached Nephi under the shadow of the superb Mount Nebo, where I +tried again for a stage so that Jack could return. No stage arrived and +the following morning we rode on northward over very muddy roads, +finally reaching Spanish Fork, where a fresh snow-storm covered the +country about a foot, making travelling still more difficult. Another +day's journey put us as far as American Fork, only three miles from the +end of the railway, a place called Lehi, for which we made a very early +start the next day, Wednesday, February 25th, but when we arrived there +through the mud and slush the train had taken its departure. Our pack +mule was now very lame and travelled with difficulty, but we continued +on toward Salt Lake. The train had become stalled in the immense +snowdrifts at the Point-of-the-Mountain and there we overtook it. I was +soon on board with my tin case and other baggage, but it was a +considerable time before the gang of men and a snow plough extricated +the train. About five o'clock we ran into the town. I went to the Walker +House, then the best hotel, and that night slept in a real room and a +real bed for the first time in nearly two years, but I opened the +windows as wide as they would go. In the morning I sent off the map and +then turned my attention to seeing the Mormon capital. Cap. was now +living there and it was Fennemore's home. I also found Bonnemort and +MacEntee in town, and Jack came on up the remaining short distance in +order to take a fresh start for Kanab. + +Nearly forty years have slipped away since the events chronicled in this +volume. Never was there a more faithful, resolute band of explorers than +ours. Many years afterward Prof. said in a letter to me speaking of the +men of the Second Powell Expedition, "I have never seen since such zeal +and courage displayed." From out the dark chasm of eternity comes the +hail, "Tirtaan Aigles dis wai!" and already many of that little company +have crossed to Killiloo. The Major and Prof. repose in the sacred +limits of Arlington. Strew their graves with roses and forget them not. +They did a great work in solving the last geographical problem of the +United States. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 35: Professor Thompson declared to me not long before his +death that the river was accurate as far as Catastrophe Rapid, (about +where longitude 113.39 intersects the river) but from there to the +Virgin it might need some corrections.] + +[Footnote 36: Some men from Kanab afterwards came in, sawed one in two +and made it shorter, and then tried to go up the canyon by towing. They +did not get far, and the boat was abandoned. The floods then carried +both down to destruction.] + +[Footnote 37: A description of this journey ascribed to September, 1870, +occurs at page 108, _et seq._, in Powell's report on the _Exploration of +the Colorado River of the West_, 1875.] + +[Footnote 38: Oonupits or Innupits is the singular, Innupin the plural. +It may be translated witch, elf, or goblin, with evil tendencies. On the +other hand they did not fear a spirit. When on the Kaibab in July with +Chuar and several other Indians, Prof. while riding along heard a cry +something like an Indian halloo. "After we got into camp," he said in +his diary: "Chuar asked George Adair what he called that which lived +after the body died. George replied, 'A spirit.' 'Well,' said Chuar, +'that was what hallooed in the forest to-day. It was the spirit of a +dead Indian. I have often heard it. Sometimes it is near, sometimes far +away. When I was here with Beaman I heard it call near me. I answered, +telling it to come to me. It did not come nor reply, and I felt very +much ashamed to think I had called.'"] + +[Footnote 39: For travelling across snow one should always be provided +with smoked goggles. Failing to have them, lines of charcoal should be +drawn below the eyes or a scarf tied so as to break the glare.] + + + + +INDEX + + +A + +Adair, George, 153, 241 + +Adams, Nathan, 241, 253; + his endowment garment, 259 + +Agua Grande, Navajo chief, 147 + +Aigles, Tirtaan, slogan, 75, 267 + +Alcove Brook, 47 + +Altitude of Colorado River above sea, Black's Fork, 15; + Junction Green and Grand, 114; + Paria, 151, 217; + Grand Wash, 217; + Little Colorado, 223; + Kanab Canyon, 241 + +American Fork, 266 + +Amerind, viii. + +Andy, _see_ Hattan + +Aquarius Plateau, 200, 202 + +Arlington, Powell and Thompson buried there, 267 + +Arms, kind used, 12 + +Asa, ranch, 264, 265; + assisted Powell, 265 + +Ashley, Wm. H., through Red Canyon, 2, 28, 95; + name on rocks, 28 + +Ashley Falls, 26; + portage at, 27 + +Ashtishkal, Navajo chief, 177 + +Aspen Lakes, 201 + +Averett, Elijah, grave of, 197 + +Azure Cliffs, 99 + + +B + +Baird, Professor Spencer, vi. + +Bangs, Mount, climbed, 194 + +Barbenceta, principal chief of the Navajos, 168 + +Base line, 166, 173, 174 + +Basor, teamster, 68 + +Beadle, J. H., 215; + under name of Hanson, 215 + +Beaman, E. O., place in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + leaves party, 179; + passes Paria on way to Moki Towns, 216; + up from Kanab Canyon to Surprise Valley, 241 + +Beaver, ground, 77; + shoot one, 78; + steak cooked, 78; + soup, 78 + +Berry's Spring, 188; + arrive at, 191 + +Berthoud and Bridger lay out waggon road, 67 + +Best Expedition, place of starting, 95 + +Big Boulder Creek, 202 + +Bishop, Francis Marion (Cap.), place in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + leaves party, 180 + +Bishop's Creek, 54 + +Bison, pictographs, 61; + range on Green River, 61 + +Black Rock Canyon, 193 + +Black's Fork, 15 + +Boats of the Second Powell Expedition, the, 4; + names of, 4; + described, 5, 6; + method of packing, 8; + order of going, 11; + crews of, 11; + no iron on keels, 14; + built to float when full of water, 25; + reassignment of crews, 136, 215; + _Cañonita_ cached, 135; + launched again, 209; + crew for, 209; + _Dean_ cached, 154; + _Nellie Powell_ cached, 154; + _Dean_ discovered by Beadle, 215; + _Nellie Powell_ abandoned, 215; + _Cañonita_ and _Dean_ abandoned, 244 + +Bonito Bend, 111 + +Bonnemort, John, 143; + leaves party, 179; + in Salt Lake City, 267 + +Boston burned, news of, received, 256 + +Bow-knot Bend, 108 + +Bread, kind used, 4 + +Bridger and Berthoud lay out waggon road, 67 + +Bridger, Jim, 95 + +Brigham Young, 170, 185 + +Bright Angel Creek, arrive at mouth of, 232; + why so named, 232 + +Brown expedition, place of starting, 95 + +Brown's Hole, name changed to Brown's Park, 18, 30; + arrive at, 30 + +Brush Creek, 54 + +Buckskin Mountain (Kaibab Plateau), 159 + +Buenaventura, Rio San, Escalante's name for Green River, 67 + +Buffalo _Express_, letters from F. S. Dellenbaugh to, vii. + +Butte of the Cross, 110 + + +C + +Campbell, Richard, knew of ford El Vado de los Padres, 96 + +Camp moved to the Gap, 171 + +_Cañonita_, left behind, 135; + reached overland, 209 + +Canyon of Desolation, enter it, 77; + character and height of walls, 80, 84, 85; + length of, 91 + +Canyon of Lodore, enter it, 34; + declivity of, 43; + length of, 48; + fall of, 48 + +Canyons, for list of, with heights of walls, lengths, etc., + see _The Romance of the Colorado River_, Appendix + +Canyons not dark in daytime, 25 + +Cap., _see_ Bishop + +Capsize, of the _Cañonita_, 23; + of the _Dean_, 235 + +Carleton, companion of Beaman, 216 + +Carson, Kit, 95 + +Cascade Creek, 43, 202 + +Cascades of rain, 105, 106, 132 + +Cataract Canyon, declivity compared, 43; + beginning of, 115; + height of walls, 116, 122, 126, 128, 129; + we enter it, 118; + declivity in, 118; + boulders rolled by current, 118; + width of river, 119; + boat runs rapid alone, 121; + stones rocked by current, 127; + length of, 132; + end of, 132; + number of rapids, 132 + +Cataract Creek, 96, 202 + +Catastrophe Rapid, vi., 242, 243 + +Caves once occupied, 132 + +Chandler Falls, 87; + Creek, 87 + +Chicago, burning of, first news, 157 + +Chicago _Tribune_, letters from Clement Powell to, v. + +Chief Douglas, Major and Mrs. Powell winter near his camp, 172 + +Chocolate Cliffs, 166 + +Chuarooumpeak, chief of Kaibab band of Pai Utes, 250; + shoots at Oonupits, 252; + singing, 252; + hears spirit call, 253; + goes back to Kanab, 254 + +Circle Valley, pass through it, 266 + +Clarkson, Mormon settlement, 197 + +Clear or Spring Creek (Badger Creek), 158 + +Clem, _see_ Powell + +Clemente, Rio San, Escalante's name for White River, 67 + +Cliff-of-the-Harp named, 43 + +Coal Canyon, 91 + +Colob Plateau, 191 + +Colorado, from, into Utah, 56 + +Colorado River, accuracy of plat of course, vi., vii., 243; + upper continuation of, 1; + white salmon, 98; + actual beginning of, 115; + excessive high water, 244 + +Compass Creek, 24 + +Condition of party at end of first season's river work, 145 + +Course of the Colorado River, accuracy of, vi., vii., 243 + +Craggy Canyon, 57 + +Crater, recent, in Uinkaret country, 188 + +Creek, Sentinel, 149 + +Crescent Creek, 209 + +Crossing of the Fathers, the, _see_ El Vado de los Padres + + +D + +Dance, Mormon, 173 + +Davy Crockett, Fort, 30 + +_Dean_, the _Emma_, cached for the winter, 154; + discovered by J. H. Beadle, 215 + +Deer, game, etc., 26 + +Dellenbaugh, Butte, 102, 104; + Mount, named, 254; + Thompson climbs it, 259 + +Dellenbaugh, F. S., joins party, 3; + position in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + letters from, to Buffalo _Express_, vii. + +De Motte, Professor, 213 + +Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railway, 119 + +Denver and Rio Grande Railway crossing of Green River, 95 + +Denver to Salt Lake, waggon road _via_ Golden and Provo, + and Robideau Crossing of Green River, 67 + +Descent, in feet of Green-Colorado River, from Union Pacific + Railway to Black's Fork, 15; + to Flaming Gorge, 17; + in Red Canyon, 33; + in Lodore, 48; + in Whirlpool, 56; + to the mouth of the Uinta, 71; + from Wonsits Valley to Gunnison Crossing, 93; + from the Union Pacific to Gunnison Crossing, 93; + from Gunnison Crossing to junction of Green and Grand, 114; + from Union Pacific to mouth of Grand River, 114; + from mouth of Grand River to Dirty Devil, 134; + from Union Pacific to Dirty Devil (Frémont), 135; + from Union Pacific to Paria (Lee Ferry), 151; + from Paria to Little Colorado, 223; + from Little Colorado to Grand Wash, 223; + from Little Colorado to Kanab, 241; + from Paria to Kanab, 241 + +Desolation, Canyon of, enter it, 77; + perforations in walls of, 82; + width of river in, 83, 89; + height of walls, 84, 85; + natural arches in, 87, 88; + end of, 91; + length of, 91 + +Diamond Butte, how named, 192 + +Diamond Creek mouth astronomically determined, 95 + +Diary, of Professor Thompson, vii.; + of John F. Steward, vii.; + of F. S. Dellenbaugh, vii.; + of Jack Summer, 7 + +Dinwiddie, Lieut., 258 + +Dirty Devil Mountains, _see_ Unknown Mountains + +Dirty Devil (Frémont) River, viii.; + point of junction with Colorado, 3; + failure to get to it overland, 70, 99; + arrive at mouth by river, 133; + overland trip to, 195; + on head of, according to Dodds, 199; + mistake discovered, 199, 200; + reach mouth of, overland, 209 + +Disaster Falls, 39; + dinner from wreckage of _No-name_, 40; + fall of river at, 42 + +Distance, from Union Pacific Railway to Gate of Lodore, 33; + to Echo Park, 48; + to junction of Green and Grand, 114; + to Dirty Devil, 135; + Paria to Little Colorado, 223; + Little Colorado to Kanab Canyon, 241; + Wonsits Valley to Gunnison Crossing, 93. + _See also_ Appendix, _Romance of the Colorado River_ + +Dixie, name for Virgin Valley, 164 + +Dodds, Captain Pardyn, fails to reach Dirty Devil River, 70; + meet him at El Vado, 143 + +Dog, Dandie Dinmont, of Mrs. Thompson, 166, 195 + +Douglas Boy, first meeting with, 64; + comes to mouth of Uinta, 70; + an eloper, 71; + farewell to, 76 + +Dummy and his prophecy, 9 + +Dunn, William H., vi.; + name carved in Music Temple, 141; + killed by Shewits, 141, 259 + +Dunn's Cliff, 43 + +Dutch oven, 4 + +Dutton, Major, vii. + + +E + +Echo, Cliff, 49; + Park, 49; + Rock, 53; + Peaks, how named, 151 + +Eight Mile Spring, camp at, 165 + +El Vado de los Padres (Crossing of the Fathers), 7, 8, 41, 95, 96; + first white man to ford after Escalante, 96; + arrive at, 1871, 143; + description of, 168; + arrive at, 1872, 210; + early known by Richard Campbell, 96 + +Emma, Sister, a wife of John D. Lee, 211 + +Endowment garment, Adams wears one, 259 + +Epizoötic visits Utah, 262 + +Escalante, his crossing of the Colorado, 7; + Sierra, 43; + of Green River, 67; + his name for Green River, 67; + for White River, 67; + River, 210; + river named by Professor Thompson, 210 + + +F + +Failure Creek, 129 + +Fennemore, joins party, 187; + falls sick, 212; + leaves party, 216; + in Salt Lake, 267 + +Field, 5; + arm-chair obtained from, 8; + breakfast at, 9 + +Flaming Gorge, 1, 2; + height of walls, 17; + Green River enters, 17; + accessibility, 20; + gateway to the series of canyons, 22 + +Frank, _see_ Richardson + +Frank, Pai Ute, _see_ Chuarooumpeak + +Frémont, River, 3; + _see_ Dirty Devil; + General, 95; + +First Granite Gorge of the Grand Canyon, declivity in, 43 + +First Powell Expedition, v.; + plat of river by, vi., 2, 96; + boats of, x. + +Food supply exhausted, 141 + +Fort Davy Crockett, 30 + +Fort Defiance, Jacob Hamblin goes there, 143 + +Fort Pierce, 188 + +Fort Robideau, 67; + only house on the river, 72 + +Fretwater Falls, 83 + +Fuzz, Mrs. Thompson's dog, 166, 195 + + +G + +Gate of Lodore, 32 + +Gentile frontier town compared with Mormon, 174 + +Gila monster, 245 + +Gilbert, G. K., vii., 136 + +Glen Canyon, beginning, 137; + width of river in, 139; + height of walls, 139-143; + end of, 151 + +Glencove, attempt to reach Dirty Devil River from, 99 + +Glendale, Mormon settlement, 262 + +Goblin City, journey to, 68; + description of, 69 + +Gold, found on Colorado, 144; + at mouth of Kanab, 174; + miners go after, 185 + +Golden to Provo, waggon road, 67 + +Gosi-Utes, Gunnison killed by, 95 + +Gould's ranch, 190 + +Grand Canyon, Jacob Hamblin circumtours it, 96; + Powell finds way in to the mouth of the Kanab, 174; + Dodds and Jones get to it, 188; + Whitmore describes a crossing, 188; + Dodds and Johnson reach river, 189; + Dodds and Dellenbaugh go to river at Lava Falls, 192; + Marble division begins, 216; + length of, including Marble Canyon, 217; + beginning of, 223; + enter it, 223 + +Grand River, 109 + +Grand Wash, 96; + altitude of, 217 + +Granite, the, runs up, 225 + +Grant, news of election of, 256 + +Graves, ancient, discovered, 77 + +Gray Canyon, enter it, 91; + colour, height, and character of walls, 91, 92; + end of, 93; + length of, 93 + +Gray Cliffs, 164 + +Great Basin, 164 + +Green River, points on, astronomically fixed before Powell, 19, 95 + +Green River City, arrive there, 3; + described, 5; + settlements below, 8 + +Green River Suck, 20 + +Green River Valley, 1, 2 + +Grizzly bears, 26 + +Gunnison, Captain, crossed Green River, 95; + killed, 95 + +Gunnison Butte, 93, 99 + +Gunnison Crossing, Powell plans to rejoin his party there, 70 + +Gypsum Canyon, 127 + + +H + +Habasu (Havasu), 96 + +Haight, 153, 157 + +Hamblin, Frank, 254 + +Hamblin, Fred, 99 + +Hamblin, Jacob, scout and pioneer, 96; + first after Escalante to cross at El Vado, 96; + circumtours the Marble and Grand canyons, 96; + arrives at Paria, 153; + treaty with Navajos, 168; + title of his book, 169; + Indian engagements, 170; + goes to Mt. Trumbull with Powell, 170; + wives of, 174; + hears plot to ambush, 243 + +Hamblin, Joseph, 156, 241 + +Hamblin, Lyman, 99 + +Hanson, name assumed by J. H. Beadle, 215 + +Harrell brothers, camp in Brown's Park, 30 + +Hastele, Navajo chief, 169 + +Hattan, Andrew, 4; + place in boat, 11; + his call to meals, 11; + departure, 260 + +Headquarters, winter, of, 1872-73, 260 + +Hell's Half Mill, 44 + +Henry Mountains (Unknown Mts., _q. v._), 207 + +Henry's Fork, mouth of, 17; + astronomically fixed, 95 + +Henry, Professor Joseph, vi. + +Henry (Azure) Cliffs, 99 + +Hidden Lakes, the, 201 + +High Plateaus of Utah, continuation of Wasatch Range, 95; + end of, 164 + +Hillers, John K., joins party, 7; + catches fish, 15; + songs of, 52, 74; + catches salmon, 98; + photographer, 217; + hurts his back, 225; + trip to Moki towns, 248 + +Hog-backs, topographical feature described, 198 + +Hook, Theodore, drowned, 25; + grave of, 25 + +Horse discovered, 90 + +Horse sense, 258, 264 + +Horseshoe Canyon, why so called, 21 + +Hotel Tovar, 232 + +House ruins, Shinumo, 112, 137, 138 + +House Rock Spring, 157, 160 + +House Rock Valley, 160, 175 + +Howland, Seneca, and O. G., 141 + +Howlands and Dunn, vi., vii.; + why killed by Shewits, 171; + left first party, 242; + killed near Mt. Dellenbaugh, 259 + +Hurricane Hill, 190 + +Hurricane Ledge, 190 + + +I + +Illustrations in Powell's _Report_, x. + +Innupin, definition of, 252 + +Innupin Picavu (Water-pocket), 251 + +Island Park, 56 + +Ives, comes up Colorado, 1858, 2; + reconnoitres south of Grand Canyon, 96; + names North Side Mountains, 186 + + +J + +Jack, _see_ Hillers + +Jacob, _see_ Hamblin + +Jacob's Pools, 159 + +Johnson, Will, 186; + leaves party, 211 + +Johnson's, Mormon settlement 166 + +Jones, S. V., 10; + place in boat, 11; + falls ill, 152; + leaves, 260 + +Julien, D., inscriptions by, 108, 113, 118 + +Junction, the, of the Grand and Green, 113; + summit at, 116; + trail to, 118 + + +K + +Kaibab (Buckskin Mountain), seen from Echo Peaks, 150; + band of Pai Utes, 177; + trip to south-west corner of, 182; + Point F established on, 184; + seen from Marble Canyon, 222 + +Kanab, settlement of, 8; + headquarters, 145; + headquarters, winter of 1872-73, 260; + description of, 166; + base line near, 173; + Christmas dance, 173 + +Kanab Canyon, journey up, 185, 244; + supplies to be brought in there, 224 + +Kapurats, Pai Ute name for Major Powell, 171 + +Kettle Creek, 24 + +Killiloo, refrain, 75, 81, 226, 267 + +Kingfisher Canyon, 22; + why so called, 22 + +Kingfisher Creek, 21 + +Kit Carson, 95 + +Koneco, Navajo chief, 154 + + +L + +Labyrinth Canyon, enter it, 105; + end of, 110; + length of, 110 + +La Sal, Sierra, 103, 109, 127 + +Latter-Day Saints, 212 + +Lava Falls, Dodds and Dellenbaugh climb to river there, 192 + +Leaping Brook, 46 + +Lee, John Doyle, 195; + settles at Paria, 210; + meet him, 210; + wife Rachel, 210; + wife Emma (his XVIII.), 210; + called Naguts, 211; + executed, 211 + +Lee Ferry, 215 + +Lehi, Mormon town, 262, 266 + +Let-down, 26; + method of accomplishing a, 90 + +Letters from Clement Powell to the Chicago _Tribune_, v.; + from F. S. Dellenbaugh to the Buffalo _Express_, vii. + +Life preservers, 8; + indispensable, 237 + +Light, the controversy of the, 63 + +Lighthouse Rock, 80 + +Lignite Canyon, 91 + +Line portage, 26 + +Little Brown's Hole, 29; + name changed to Red Canyon Park, 29 + +Little Canyon, 31 + +Little Colorado, canyon of, forms division between Marble and + Grand Canyons, 217; + mouth of, 222; + altitude of mouth, 223 + +Little White, or Price River, 92 + +Little Zion Valley, 190 + +Lodore Canyon, party goes through on the ice, 2; + gate of, 32; + why so called, 32; + we enter it, 34; + width of river in, 35, 42, 43; + velocity of current in, 35, 42; + sunlight in, 36; + wreckage found in, 41; + height of walls, 42, 43, 46; + character of 42; + declivity in, 43; + end of, 48; + length of, 48 + +Logan, Mt., 188 + +Log-cabin Cliff, 84 + +Lonely Dell, 211 + +Long Valley, route _via_, 262 + +Lost Creek (Crescent Creek), 209 + +Louisa, a wife of Jacob Hamblin, 174, 195, 250 + +Lower Disaster Falls, 42 + + +M + +MacEntee, 166; + leaves party, 179; + in Salt Lake, 267 + +Mackenzie, General, ix., + map A, facing page 95 + +Macomb, 95 + +"Major, The" viii., _see_ Powell, John Wesley + +Mangum, Joseph, 153; + the lost guide, 155, 157 + +Manti, Mormon settlement, 99, 174 + +Map, accuracy of plat of Colorado River, vi., vii., 243; + sheets giving Colorado River, viii.; + preliminary, finished, 262; + sent to Washington, 267 + +Marble Canyon, 150; + miners wrecked in, 195, 217; + enter it, 216; + total length with Grand Canyon, 217; + height of walls, 216, 217-222; + end of 222; + descent in, 223; + number of rapids in, 223 + +Markargunt Plateau, 191 + +Meek, Joseph, goes through Lodore on the ice, 95 + +Melvin Falls, 86 + +Millecrag Bend, 129, 132 + +Moki (Hopi) ruin, 79 + +Monument built 1869 by Powell, 78 + +Mookoontoweap or Little Zion Valley, 190 + +Mormon, settlements, 96; + method of pioneering, 167, 174; + dance, 173 + +Mt. Carmel, Mormon settlement, 262 + +Mount Dellenbaugh, named, 254; + altitude, 259; + Shinumo remains on, 259 + +Mount Ellen, Henry Mountains, 208 + +Mount Hillers, Henry Mountains, 208 + +Mount Logan, 188, 253 + +Mount Nebo, 266 + +Mount Pennell, Henry Mountains, 207, 208 + +Mount Seneca Howland (Navajo Mt.), 141 + +Mountain Meadows massacre, 195; + Lee's version, 211 + +Music Temple, grotto, 141, 210 + + +N + +Narrow Canyon, 3, 133 + +Natural arches in Canyon of Desolation, 87, 88 + +Navajos, agency, 143; + meet with, 146; + afraid of our boats, 153; + dance with, 154; + ceremonial, 177 + +Navajo Creek, 149 + +Navajo Mountain, 139, 141, 201 + +Navajo Well, 175, 248 + +Nephi, 266 + +New Year's Day, 1872, 174; + 1873, 260 + +_No-name_, boat, wreck of, 38 + +North Side Mountains (Uinkaret Mts.), 186 + + +O + +Oak Spring, 187, 188, 191 + +Old Jacob, _see_ Jacob Hamblin + +Old Spanish Trail, 95, 246 + +Oonupits, sound made by, 252; + described, 252; + Indian shoots at, 252 + +Orange Cliffs, 110 + +Order of going, 11, 72, 136, 215 + +Overland Stage Co. road, Salt Lake to Denver _via_ Provo, + Robideau Crossing, and Golden, 67 + + +P + +Paantung, Thompson's Shewits guide, 259 + +Painted Desert, 150 + +Pai Ute women, Jacob Hamblin, scaled to, 174; + language without an "F," 250; + name for Major Powell, 250; + name for Professor Thompson, 250; + name for Dellenbaugh, 250; + George, Waytoots, Chuar, 250; + _see also_ Chuarooumpeak; + method of cooking rabbits, 252 + +Pai Utes, despised by Navajos, 170; + Kaibab band of, 177; + wickiups, 177; + arms, 178; + rabbit skin robe, 178; + fire obtained by drill, 178; + ceremonial, 178; + songs, 178, 179; + stone arrowhead making, 178 + +Panguitch, arrive at, 265 + +Paria, 95, 151, 197; + up cliffs at, 155; + settlement, 166 + +Parowan, 248 + +Patnish, chief of renegades, 8, 167, 250 + +Photographic outfit, 6, 58 + +Pictographs, 61 + +Pierce, Fort, 188, 191 + +Pine Valley Mountains, 189, 190 + +Pink Cliffs, 164 + +Pipe Spring, 185; + Wash, 185 + +Plateau Province, the, 109 + +Point F, 184 + +Portage, line, 26; + method of making, 40 + +Potato Valley, 199 + +Powell, Clement, letters from to Chicago _Tribune_, v.; + place in boat, 11; + duties of, 11; + leaves party, 259 + +Powell, Emma Dean (Mrs. J. W.), 7; + and infant daughter, 165; + in Middle Park, 172; + leaves for Washington, 179 + +Powell, John Wesley (The Major), the conqueror of the Colorado, 2; + title in Volunteer Army, 2; + first descent of Colorado; v., 3, 96, + no right arm, 8; + titles of reports, v., vi., + position in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + goes up Yampa, 50; + on Yampa River 1868, 50; + goes ahead to Uinta, 56; + to Salt Lake, 67, 70, 99, 144, 179, 259, 266; + songs of, 73; + rejoins party, 98; + fails to reach Dirty Devil overland, 99; + leaves for Washington, 179, 259; + reports through Smithsonian Institution, vi.; + runs course of river, vii; + buried at Arlington, 267 + +Price River, 92 + +"Prof.," viii., + _see_ Thompson, A. H. + +Provo to Golden, waggon road, 67 + +_Putnam's Magazine_, copy found, 43 + + +R + +Rabbits, Pai Ute method of cooking, 252 + +Rain cascades, 105, 106, 132 + +Rapid, the first, 21; + method of running, 35, 36; + tails of, 36; + eddys at, 36; + Catastrophe, vi., 242, 243 + +Rations, 4, 111, 119 + +Red Canyon, 2; + entrance of, 22; + upset of _Nellie Powell_ in, 23; + width of river in, 24; + speed of current, 24; + height of cliffs, 24, 28; + end of, 30 + +Red Canyon Park, 29 + +Red Cliff, 176 + +Red Lake Utes, Jacob pacifies them, 170; + meet with band of, 204 + +Regiment marches from Salt Lake to Denver, 68 + +Renshawe, John, joins party, 259 + +Richardson, Frank C. A., 10; + position in boats, 11; + skill in dressing deer, 16; + leaves party, 31 + +Riggs, 157 + +Riggs, Charley, 248 + +Riley, George, 143; + head of pack train, 156; + cook, 260 + +Rio, San Buenaventura, 67; + San Clemente, 67; + San Rafael, 95, 103; + San Juan, 140, 210 + +Robideau, crossing of Green River, 67; + Fort, 67 + +Rocking stones in current, 127 + +Roundy, Lorenzo W., 153 + +Rudder useless on the Colorado, x. + + +S + +Sag, the, at Disaster Falls, 38 + +St. George, Mormon settlement, 194 + +Salmon, white, caught, 98 + +Salt Lake City, 7, 17; + the major goes to, 67, 70, 99, 144, 179, 259, 266 + +Salt Lake to Denver, waggon road, _via_ Provo and Golden, 67 + +San Clemente, Rio, Escalante's name for White River, 67 + +San Francisco Mts., seen from Mt. Trumbull, 187; + from Echo Peaks, 250 + +San Juan River, mouth of, 140; + pass it, 1872, 210 + +San Rafael River, 95; + arrive at, 103 + +Santa Fé and Los Angeles trail, 94 + +Santa Fé Railway to the Grand Canyon, x. + +Scorpions, 132 + +Second Powell expedition, the, vi., 3; + material used for report on first expedition, vi.; + supplies of, 4; + method of sacking rations, 6; + ready to start, 8; + personnel of, 11 + +Selden, 95 + +Sentinel Rock and Sentinel Creek, 149 + +Sevier Canyon, 266 + +Sharp Mountain Falls, 91 + +Shewits, killed Powell's men, vii., 96; + territory of, 186; + afraid of us, 191; + plan to ambush us, 243; + meet us, 253; + conference and agreement, 253; + Thompson's guide, 259 + +Shinumo, the, 112, 149; + trail, 113, 145; + caves, 132; + Canyon, 184; + ruin on Mt. Dellenbaugh, 259 + +Shower Bath Spring, 245 + +Shunesburg, Powell descends Virgin River to, 248 + +Sierra, Escalante, 43; + La Lal, 103; + Abajo, 127 + +Simpson, Captain, 95 + +Sinav-to-weap, 117 + +Sister Emma, 211 + +Sister Louisa, 174 + +Smithsonian Institution, Powell reported through, vi. + +Snowblind, 266 + +Soap Creek, 159; + Frank M. Brown, drowned near mouth of, 159, 217; + Rapid, 217 + +"Sockdologer, of the World," 222; + rapid, 226 + +Songs of the camp, 73, 74 + +Sorghum molasses, 172 + +Spanish Fork, 266 + +Spanish Trail, Old, 95 + +Split Mountain Canyon, 57; + enter it, 58; + end of, 60; + length of, 60 + +Springs in river bottom, 103 + +Stanton, R. B., proves the White story incorrect, v.; + completed Brown expedition, ix.; + Canyon Railway project, x + +Steward, John F., place in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + on a raft, 16; + discovers gigantic fossil, 20; + determines nature of Unknown Mts., 136; + ill, 146; + recovers, 152; + leaves party, 160 + +Stewart, Bishop, of Kanab, 167; + saw-mill of, on Kaibab, 181 + +Stewart, John, goes with Powell to Grand Canyon, 172; + returns with news of gold find, 174 + +Stillwater Canyon, beginning of, 110; + nature of walls, 111, 113; + house ruins in, 112; + width, 113; + end of, 113; + length, 114 + +Summit Valley, 164 + +Sumner Amphitheatre, 79 + +Sumner, Jack, 7 + +Supplies, nature of, 4; + to be brought in at three places, 7 + +Surprise Valley, 241 + +Swallow Canyon, 31 + +Swallow Park, 197 + + +T + +Table Mountain, 198 + +Tapeats Creek, 240 + +Tavaputs Plateau, 80 + +Teemaroomtekai, Uinkaret chief, 253 + +Teram Picavu, 254 + +Thompson, Professor Alvin Harris, vi., vii., ix., 7; + place in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + first white man to explore Shewits country, 254; + to climb Mt. Dellenbaugh, 259; + buried at Arlington, 267 + +Thompson, Mrs. Ellen Powell, 7, 165, 166, 172, 181, 195, 216, 259 + +Tiravu Picavu, 254 + +Tirtaan Aigles, slogan, 75, 267 + +Tokerville, Mormon settlement, 190 + +Tom, Pai Ute guide, 197; + leaves party, 199 + +Toroweap Valley, 192 + +Trachyte Creek, 208 + +Trail up cliffs of Paria, 155 + +_Tribune_, Chicago, letters to, from Clement Powell, v. + +Trin Alcove, 107 + +Triplet Falls, 43 + +Trumbull, Mt., why so called, 186; + climbed, 187, 192; + height of, 187 + +Trumbull, Senator, 186 + +Tuba, a Moki (Hopi), goes home with Jacob, 169; + ceremony on crossing Colorado River, 169 + + +U + +Uinkaret, Indians, 186; + region, 186; + plateau, 190; + chief, 253 + +Uinta, Indian Agency, 7, 8, 71 + +Uinta Mountains, 1; + first view of from river, 15 + +Uinta River, pass mouth of, 76; + arrival at, 66; + Powell goes ahead to, 56; + mouth astronomically determined, 95 + +Uinta Utes, 61 + +Undine Springs, 103 + +Union Pacific Railway, crossing of Green River, 3; + _see_ Descent _and_ Distance + +Unknown country, the, 95, 96, 199, 200, 201, 202 + +Unknown Mountains (Henry Mts.) viii., 104, 127, 133; + Steward determines nature of, 136; + position of Dirty Devil (Frémont) River with reference to, 199; + arrive at, 207; + map of, 207 + +Untokarowits, Pai Ute name for F. S. Dellenbaugh, 250 + +Utah Southern Railway finished to Lehi, 262 + +Utah, from, into Colorado, 31 + +Utes of Wonsits Valley, Uinta and White River, 61 + +Ute Crossing of Colorado in Uinkaret region, 188 + +Ute Ford, the (El Vado de los Padres), 148 + +Ute law as applied to capture, 71 + + +V + +Van Buren, Gentile settler on the Sevier, 266 + +Vasey's Paradise, 219 + +Vermilion Cliffs, 158, 164; + length of, 164 + +Vermilion River, 31 + +Virgin Mountains, 194 + +Virgin River, canyon of, explored down to Shunesburg, 248; + Little Zion or Mookoontoweap Valley of, 190 + +Volunteers march from Salt Lake to Denver, 68 + +Voyage, Canyon, the end of, 242 + + +W + +Walcott, Professor, vii. + +Walker House, Salt Lake City, 267 + +Wasatch Cliffs, 200 + +Wheeler, Lieut. George M., goes up Colorado to Diamond Creek, 145 + +Whirlpool Canyon, 53; + end of, 55; + descent in, 56 + +Whirlpools described, 239 + +Whiskey not taken, 6 + +White, James, 2; + story of his trip through canyons disproved, v. + +White River, 66; + journey down, 69; + pass mouth, 76 + +White River Utes, 61 + +Whitmore, Dr., killed by Navajos, 169; + ranch, 188 + +Wild Band Pocket, 251 + +Winnie's Grotto, 35 + +Winsor, of Pipe Spring, 185; + Castle, 185 + +Winter quarters, 1872-73, 260 + +Witch Water-pocket (Innupin Picavu), 251 + +Wolfskill, William, pioneer, 94 + +Wolves, 161, 162, 165 + +Wonsits Tiravu, 254 + +Wonsits Valley, 60 + +Woonoopits, _see_ Oonupits + +Workman's Ranch, 190 + +Wreckage found in Lodore, 41 + +Wyoming, from, into Utah, 16 + + +Y + +Yampa River, 48, 49; + Powell on it in 1868, 50; + goes up, in boat, 50 + +Young, Brigham, 170, 185; + Alfred, 187 + + +----------------------------------------------------------------- +| Transcriber's Notes: | +| | +| The original contained inconsistencies in spelling and | +| hypenation. The following variations were retained: | +| | +| air-line airline | +| arm-chair armchair | +| arrow-heads arrowheads | +| ball-room ballroom | +| bow-knot bowknot | +| near-by nearby | +| row-lock rowlock | +| sand-bank sandbank | +| school-house schoolhouse | +| ship-shape shipshape | +| south-westerly southwesterly | +| up-stream upstream | +| Clarkson Clarkston | +| Frémont Fremont | +| Konéco Koneco | +| De Motte DeMotte | +| | +| The following typographical errors in the original were | +| corrected: | +| | +| Pg 62: "eaving" to "leaving" | +| ("leaving us hardly a rock") | +| | +| Pg 175: "bame" to "came" | +| ("came to the edge") | +| | +| Pg 198: added "of" | +| ("like the roof of a house") | +| | +| Pg 220: "bat-battened" to "battened" | +| ("hatches firmly battened") | +| | +| Pg 229: "dashig" to "dashing" | +| ("water was dashing") | +| | +| Pg 250: "prononnced" to "pronounced" | +| ("in their language pronounced") | +| | +| Pg 273: "Canyon" to "Kanab Canyon" | +| ("Kanab Canyon, Journey up") | +| | +----------------------------------------------------------------- + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Canyon Voyage, by Frederick S. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/20667-8.zip b/old/20667-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..943a700 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/20667-8.zip diff --git a/old/20667-page-images.zip b/old/20667-page-images.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a68da8b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/20667-page-images.zip diff --git a/old/20667.txt b/old/20667.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7ea3203 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/20667.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12084 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Canyon Voyage, by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Canyon Voyage + The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition down the + Green-Colorado River from Wyoming, and the Explorations + on Land, in the Years 1871 and 1872 + +Author: Frederick S. Dellenbaugh + +Release Date: February 25, 2007 [EBook #20667] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CANYON VOYAGE *** + + + + +Produced by Audrey Longhurst and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +By F. S. DELLENBAUGH + + +The North-Americans of Yesterday + + A Comparative Study of North-American Indian Life, Customs, + and Products, on the Theory of the Ethnic Unity of the Race. + 8º. Fully illustrated. net, $4.00 + + +The Romance of the Colorado River + + A Complete Account of the Discovery and of the Explorations + from 1540 to the Present Time, with Particular Reference to + the Two Voyages of Powell through the Line of the Great + Canyons. + + 8º. Fully illustrated. net, $3.50 + + +Breaking the Wilderness + + The Story of the Conquest of the Far West, from the Wanderings + of Cabeza de Vaca to the First Descent of the Colorado by + Powell, and the Completion of the Union Pacific Railway, with + Particular Account of the Exploits of Trappers and Traders. + + 8º. Fully illustrated. net, $3.50 + + +A Canyon Voyage + + The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition down the + Green-Colorado River from Wyoming, and the Explorations on + Land in the Years 1871 and 1872. + + 8º. Fully illustrated. net, $3.50 + + +G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS +NEW YORK LONDON + + + + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon + +Looking south from the Kaibab Plateau, North Rim, near the head of +Bright Angel Creek, the canyon of which is seen in the foreground. The +San Francisco Mountains are in the distance. On the South Rim to the +right, out of the picture, is the location of the Hotel Tovar. The +width of the canyon at the top in this region is about twelve miles, +with a depth of near 6000 feet on the north side, and over 5000 on the +south. Total length, including Marble Canyon division, 283 miles. + +Sketch made in colour on the spot by F. S. Dellenbaugh, June 4, 1903.] + + + + + A Canyon Voyage + +The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition down the Green-Colorado + River from Wyoming, and the Explorations on + Land, in the Years 1871 and 1872 + + + By + + Frederick S. Dellenbaugh + Artist and Assistant Topographer of the Expedition + + + "Come on, sir; here's the place. Stand still. How fearful + And dizzy 't is to cast one's eyes so low!" + _King Lear._ + + + With Fifty Illustrations + + + G. P. Putnam's Sons + New York and London + The Knickerbocker Press + 1908 + + + + +Copyright, 1908 +by +FREDERICK S. DELLENBAUGH + + +The Knickerbocker Press, New York + + + + +TO +H. O. D. +MY COMPANION +ON THE +VOYAGE OF LIFE. + + + + +PREFACE + + +This volume presents the narrative, from my point of view, of an +important government expedition of nearly forty years ago: an expedition +which, strangely enough, never before has been fully treated. In fact in +all these years it never has been written about by any one besides +myself, barring a few letters in 1871 from Clement Powell, through his +brother, to the Chicago _Tribune_, and an extremely brief mention by +Major Powell, its organiser and leader, in a pamphlet entitled _Report +of Explorations in 1873 of the Colorado of the West and its +Tributaries_ (Government Printing Office, 1874). In my history, _The +Romance of the Colorado River_, of which this is practically volume two, +I gave a synopsis, and in several other places I have written in +condensed form concerning it; but the present work for the first time +gives the full story. + +In 1869, Major Powell made his famous first descent of the +Green-Colorado River from the Union Pacific Railway in Wyoming to the +mouth of the Virgin River in Nevada, a feat of exploration unsurpassed, +perhaps unequalled, on this continent. Several of the upper canyons had +been before penetrated, but a vague mystery hung over even these, and +there was no recorded, or even oral, knowledge on the subject when +Powell turned his attention to it. There was a tale that a man named +James White had previously descended through the great canyons, but Mr. +Robert Brewster Stanton has thoroughly investigated this and definitely +proven it to be incorrect. Powell's first expedition was designed as an +exploration to cover ten months, part of which was to be in winter +quarters; circumstances reduced the time to three. It was also more or +less of a private venture with which the Government of the United States +had nothing to do. It became necessary to supplement it then by a second +expedition, herein described, which Congress supported, with, of course, +Major Powell in charge, and nominally under the direction of the +Smithsonian Institution, of which Professor Henry was then Secretary and +Professor Baird his able coadjutor, the latter taking the deeper +interest in this venture. Powell reported through the Smithsonian; that +was about all there was in the way of control. + +The material collected by this expedition was utilised in preparing the +well-known report by Major Powell, _Exploration of the Colorado River of +the West, 1869-1872_, the second party having continued the work +inaugurated by the first and enlarged upon it, but receiving no credit +in that or any other government publication. + +As pointed out in the text of this work, a vast portion of the basin of +the Colorado was a complete blank on the maps until our party +accomplished its end; even some of the most general features were before +that not understood. No canyon above the Virgin had been recorded +topographically, and the physiography was unknown. The record of the +first expedition is one of heroic daring, and it demonstrated that the +river could be descended throughout in boats, but unforeseen obstacles +prevented the acquisition of scientific data which ours was specially +planned to secure in the light of the former developments. The map, the +hypsometric and hydrographic data, the geologic sections and geologic +data, the photographs, ethnography, and indeed about all the first +information concerning the drainage area in question were the results of +the labours of the second expedition. Owing, perhaps, to Major Powell's +considering our work merely in the line of routine survey, no special +record, as mentioned above, was ever made of the second expedition. We +inherited from the first a plat of the river itself down to the mouth of +the Paria, which, according to Professor Thompson, was fairly good, but +we did not rely on it; from the mouth of the Paria to Catastrophe Rapid, +the point below Diamond Creek where the Howlands and Dunn separated from +the boat party, a plat that was broken in places. This was approximately +correct as far as Kanab Canyon, though not so good as above the Paria. +From the Kanab Canyon, where we ended our work with the boats, to the +mouth of the Virgin we received fragments of the course owing to the +mistake made in dividing the notes at the time of the separation; a +division decided on because each group thought the other doomed to +destruction. Thus Howland took out with him parts of both copies which +were destroyed by the Shewits when they killed the men. After Howland's +departure, the Major ran in the course to the mouth of the Virgin. +Professor Thompson was confident that our plat of the course, which is +the basis of all maps to-day, is accurate from the Union Pacific Railway +in Wyoming to Catastrophe Rapid, for though we left the river at the +Kanab Canyon, we were able by our previous and subsequent work on land +to verify the data of the first party and to fill in the blanks, but he +felt ready to accept corrections below Catastrophe Rapid to the Virgin. + +For a list of the canyons, height of walls, etc., I must refer to the +appendix in my previous volume. While two names cover the canyon from +the Paria to the Grand Wash, the gorge is practically one with a total +length of 283 miles. I have not tried to give geological data for these +are easily obtainable in the reports of Powell, Dutton, Gilbert, +Walcott, and others, and I lacked space to introduce them properly. In +fact I have endeavored to avoid a mere perfunctory record, full of data +well stated elsewhere. While trying to give our daily experiences and +actual camp life in a readable way, I have adhered to accuracy of +statement. I believe that any one who wishes to do so can use this book +as a guide for navigating the river as far as Kanab Canyon. I have not +relied on memory but have kept for continual reference at my elbow not +only my own careful diary of the journey, but also the manuscript diary +of Professor Thompson, and a typewritten copy of the diary of John F. +Steward as far as the day of his departure from our camp. I have also +consulted letters that I wrote home at the time and to the Buffalo +_Express_, and a detailed draft of events up to the autumn of 1871 which +I prepared in 1877 when all was still vividly fresh in mind. In +addition, I possess a great many letters which Professor Thompson wrote +me up to within a few weeks of his death (July, 1906), often in reply to +questions I raised on various points that were not clear to me. Each +member of the party I have called by the name familiarly used on the +expedition, for naturally there was no "Mistering" on a trip of this +kind. Powell was known throughout the length and breadth of the Rocky +Mountain Region as "the Major," while Thompson was quite as widely known +as "Prof." Some of the geographic terms, like Dirty Devil River, Unknown +Mountains, etc., were those employed before permanent names were +adopted. In my other books I have used the term Amerind for American +Indian, and I intend to continue its use, but in the pages of this +volume, being a narrative, and the word not having been used or known to +us at that time, it did not seem exactly appropriate. + +Some readers may wish to provide themselves with full maps of the course +of the river, and I will state that the U. S. Geological Survey has +published map-sheets each 20 by 16-1/2 inches, of the whole course of +the Green-Colorado. These sheets are sent to any person desiring them +who remits the price, five cents the sheet, by post-office money order +addressed: "Director U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, D. C.," with +the names of the sheets wanted. The names of the seventeen sheets +covering the canyoned part are: Green River(?), Ashley, Yampa,(?) Price +River, East Tavaputs, San Rafael, La Sal, Henry Mountains, Escalante, +Echo Cliffs, San Francisco Mountains, Kaibab, Mount Trumbull, Chino, +Diamond Creek, St. Thomas, and Camp Mohave. + +Several parties have tried the descent through the canyons since our +voyage. Some have been successful, some sadly disastrous. The river is +always a new problem in its details, though the general conditions +remain the same. + +Major Powell was a man of prompt decision, with a cool, comprehensive, +far-reaching mind. He was genial, kind, never despondent, always +resolute, resourceful, masterful, determined to overcome every obstacle. +To him alone belongs the credit for solving the problem of the great +canyons, and to Professor Thompson that for conducting most successfully +the geographic side of the work under difficulties that can hardly be +appreciated in these days when survey work is an accepted item of +government expenditure and Congress treats it with an open hand. + +I am indebted to Mr. Robert Brewster Stanton, who completed the Brown +Expedition triumphantly, for valuable information and photographs and +for many interesting conversations comparing his experiences with ours; +to the Geological Survey for maps and for the privilege of using +photographs from negatives in the possession of the Survey; and to Mr. +John K. Hillers for making most of the prints used in illustrating this +book. My thanks are due to Brigadier-General Mackenzie, U. S. Engineers, +for copies of rare early maps of the region embraced in our operations, +now nearly impossible to obtain. + +In 1902 when I informed Major Powell that I was preparing my history of +the Colorado River, he said he hoped that I would put on record the +second trip and the men who were members of that expedition, which I +accordingly did. He never ceased to take a lively interest in my +affairs, and the year before he wrote me: "I always delight in your +successes and your prosperity, and I ever cherish the memory of those +days when we were on the great river together." Professor Thompson only +a month before he died sent me a letter in which he said: "You are heir +to all the Colorado material and I am getting what I have together." +These sentiments cause me to feel like an authorised and rightful +historian of the expedition with which I was so intimately connected, +and I sincerely hope that I have performed my task in a way that would +meet the approval of my old leader and his colleague, as well as of my +other comrades. One learns microscopically the inner nature of his +companions on a trip of this kind, and I am happy to avow that a finer +set of men could not have been selected for the trying work which they +accomplished with unremitting good-nature and devotion, without +pecuniary reward. Professor Thompson possessed invaluable qualities for +this expedition: rare balance of mind, great cheerfulness, and a sunny +way of looking on difficulties and obstacles as if they were mere +problems in chess. His foresight and resourcefulness were phenomenal, +and no threatening situation found him without some good remedy. + +Some of the illustrations in Powell's _Report_ are misleading, and I +feel it my duty to specially note three of them. The one opposite page 8 +shows boats of the type we used on the second voyage with a middle +cabin. The boats of the first expedition had cabins only at the bow and +stern. The picture of the wreck at Disaster Falls, opposite page 27, is +nothing like the place, and the one opposite page 82 gives boats in +impossible positions, steered by rudders. A rudder is useless on such a +river. Long steering sweeps were used. + +Time's changes have come to pass. You may now go by a luxurious Santa Fe +train direct to the south rim of the greatest chasm of the series, the +Grand Canyon, and stop there in a beautiful hotel surrounded by every +comfort, yet when we were making the first map no railway short of +Denver existed and there was but one line across the Rocky Mountains. +Perhaps before many more years are gone we will see Mr. Stanton's +Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railway accomplished through the +canyons, and if I then have not "crossed to Killiloo" I will surely +claim a free pass over the entire length in defiance of all +commerce-regulating laws. + +Frederick S. Dellenbaugh. +Cragsmoor, +August, 1908 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I + + A River Entrapped--Acquaintance not Desired--Ives Explores the + Lower Reaches--Powell the Conqueror--Reason for a Second + Descent--Congressional Appropriation--Preparation--The Three + Boats--The Mighty Wilderness--Ready for the Start 1 + +CHAPTER II + + Into the Wilderness--The Order of Sailing--Tobacco for the + Indians Comes Handy--A Lone Fisherman and Some Trappers--Jack + Catches Strange Fish--The Snow-clad Uintas in View--A Larder + Full of Venison--Entrance into Flaming Gorge 9 + + +CHAPTER III + + The First Rapid--Horseshoe and Kingfisher Canyons--A Rough + Entrance into Red Canyon--Capsize of the _Nell_--The Grave of + a Bold Navigator--Discovery of a White Man's Camp--Good-bye to + Frank--At the Gate of Lodore 19 + + +CHAPTER IV + + Locked in the Chasm of Lodore--Rapids with Railway Speed--A + Treacherous Approach to Falls of Disaster--Numerous Loadings + and Unloadings--Over the Rocks with Cargoes--Library Increased + by _Putnam's Magazine_--Triplet Falls and Hell's Half + Mile--Fire in Camp--Exit from Turmoil to Peace 34 + + +CHAPTER V + + A Remarkable Echo--Up the Canyon of the Yampa--Steward and + Clem Try a Moonlight Swim--Whirlpool Canyon and Mountain + Sheep--A Grand Fourth-of-July Dinner--A Rainbow-Coloured + Valley--The Major Proceeds in Advance--A Split Mountain with + Rapids a Plenty--Enter a Big Valley at Last 49 + +CHAPTER VI + + A Lookout for Redskins--The River a Sluggard--A + Gunshot!--Someone Comes!--The Tale of a Mysterious Light--How, + How! from Douglas Boy--At the Mouth of the Uinta--A Tramp to + Goblin City and a Trip down White River on a Raft--A + Waggon-load of Supplies from Salt Lake by Way of Uinta + Agency--The Major Goes Out to Find a Way In 61 + + +CHAPTER VII + + On to Battle--A Concert Repertory--Good-bye to Douglas + Boy--The Busy, Busy Beaver--In the Embrace of the Rocks Once + More--A Relic of the Cliff-Dwellers--Low Water and Hard + Work--A Canyon of Desolation--Log-cabin Cliff--Rapids and + Rapids and Rapids--A Horse, whose Horse?--Through Gray Canyon + to the Rendezvous 72 + + +CHAPTER VIII + + Return of the Major--Some Mormon Friends--No Rations at the + Elusive Dirty Devil--Captain Gunnison's Crossing--An All-night + Vigil for Cap. and Clem--The Land of a Thousand Cascades--A + Bend Like a Bow-knot and a Canyon Labyrinthian--Cleaving an + Unknown World--Signs of the Oldest Inhabitant--Through the + Canyon of Stillwater to the Jaws of the Colorado 94 + + +CHAPTER IX + + A Wonderland of Crags and Pinnacles--Poverty Rations--Fast and + Furious Plunging Waters--Boulders Boom along the + Bottom--Chilly Days and Shivering--A Wild Tumultuous Chasm--A + Bad Passage by Twilight and a Tornado With a Picture + Moonrise--Out of One Canyon into Another--At the Mouth of the + Dirty Devil at Last 115 + + +CHAPTER X + + The _Canonita_ Left Behind--Shinumo Ruins--Troublesome Ledges + in the River--Alcoves and Amphitheatres--The Mouth of the San + Juan--Starvation Days and a Lookout for Rations--El Vado de + Los Padres--White Men Again--Given up for Lost--Navajo + Visitors--Peaks with a Great Echo--At the Mouth of the Paria + 135 + + +CHAPTER XI + + More Navajos Arrive with Old Jacob--The Lost Pack-train and a + Famished Guide--From Boat to Broncho--On to Kanab--Winter + Arrives--Wolf Neighbours too Intimate--Preparing for Geodetic + Work--Over the Kaibab to Eight-mile Spring--A Frontier + Town--Camp below Kanab--A Mormon Christmas Dance 152 + + +CHAPTER XII + + Reconnoitring and Triangulating--A Pai Ute New Year's + Dance--The Major Goes to Salt Lake--Snowy Days on the + Kaibab--At Pipe Spring--Gold Hunters to the Colorado--Visits + to the Uinkaret County--Craters and Lava--Finding the + Hurricane Ledge--An Interview with a Cougar--Back to Kanab + 174 + + +CHAPTER XIII + + Off for the Unknown Country--A Lonely Grave--Climbing a + Hog-back to a Green Grassy Valley--Surprising a Ute + Camp--Towich-a-tick-a-boo--Following a Blind Trail--The + Unknown Mountains Become Known--Down a Deep Canyon--To the + Paria with the _Canonita_--John D. Lee and Lonely Dell 195 + + +CHAPTER XIV + + A Company of Seven--The _Nellie Powell_ Abandoned--Into Marble + Canyon--Vasey's Paradise--A Furious Descent to the Little + Colorado--A Mighty Fall in the Dismal Granite Gorge--Caught in + a Trap--Upside Down--A Deep Plunge and a Predicament--At the + Mouth of the Kanab 215 + + +CHAPTER XV + + A New Departure--Farewell to the Boats--Out to the World + Through Kanab Canyon--A Midnight Ride--At the Innupin + Picavu--Prof. Reconnoitres the Shewits Country--Winter + Quarters in Kanab--Making the Preliminary Map--Another New + Year--Across a High Divide in a Snow-storm--Down the Sevier in + Winter--The Last Summons 242 + + +Index 269 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + FACING + PAGE + + +The Grand Canyon _Frontispiece_ + + Looking south from the Kaibab Plateau, North Rim, near the + head of Bright Angel Creek, the canyon of which is seen in the + foreground. The San Francisco Mountains are in the distance. + On the South Rim to the right, out of the picture, is the + location of the Hotel Tovar. The width of the canyon at top in + this region is about twelve miles, with a depth of near 6000 + feet on the north side, and over 5000 on the south. Total + length, including Marble Canyon division, 283 miles. + + Sketch made in colour on the spot by F. S. Dellenbaugh, June + 4, 1903. + + +The Toll 1 + + Unidentified skeleton found April, 1906, by C. C. Spaulding in + the Grand Canyon 300 feet above the river, some miles below + Bright Angel trail. There were daily papers in the pocket of + the clothes of the early spring of 1900. + + Photograph by Kolb Bros. 1906, Grand Canyon, Arizona. + + +Red Canyon 6 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Before the Start at Green River City, Wyoming 9 + + The dark box open. Andy, Clem, Beaman, Prof. Steward, Cap., + Frank, Jones, Jack, the Major, Fred, _Canonita_, _Emma Dean_, + _Nellie Powell_. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Flaming Gorge 17 + + The beginning of the Colorado River Canyons, N. E. Utah. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Horseshoe Canyon 21 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Red Canyon 25 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Red Canyon 28 + + Ashley Falls from below. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +In Red Canyon Park 29 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +The Head of the Canyon of Lodore 34 + + Just inside the gate. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Canyon of Lodore 37 + + Low water. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1874. + + +The Heart of Lodore 40 + + F. S. Dellenbaugh. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Canyon of Lodore--Dunn's Cliff 43 + + 2800 feet above river. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Canyon of Lodore 44 + + Jones, Hillers, Dellenbaugh. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Echo Park 49 + + Mouth of Yampa River in foreground, Green River on right. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Whirlpool Canyon 54 + + Mouth of Bishop Creek--Fourth of July camp. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Split Mountain Canyon 59 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Canyon of Desolation 81 + + Steward. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Colorado River White Salmon 98 + + Photograph by the Denver, Colorado Canyon and Pacific Railway + Survey under Robert Brewster Stanton, 1889. + + +Dellenbaugh Butte 102 + + Near mouth of San Rafael. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Labyrinth Canyon--Bowknot Bend 108 + + The great loop is behind the spectator. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Stillwater Canyon 110 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Cataract Canyon 119 + + Clement Powell. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Cataract Canyon 128 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Narrow Canyon 133 + + Photograph by Best Expedition, 1891. + + +Mouth of the Fremont River (Dirty Devil) 135 + + Photograph by the Brown Expedition, 1889. + + +Glen Canyon 140 + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +Looking Down Upon Glen Canyon 142 + + Cut through homogeneous sandstone. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, U. S. Colo. Riv. Exp. + + +Tom 147 + + A typical Navajo. Tom became educated and no longer looked + like an Indian. + + Photograph by Wittick. + + +Glen Canyon 149 + + Sentinel Rock--about 300 feet high. + + Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871. + + +The Grand Canyon 162 + + From Havasupai Point, South Rim, showing Inner Gorge. + + From a sketch in colour by F. S. Dellenbaugh, 1907. + + +The Grand Canyon 168 + + From South Rim near Bright Angel Creek. + + +The Grand Canyon 174 + + From part way down south side above Bright Angel Creek. + + +Winsor Castle, the Defensive House at Pipe Springs 186 + + Photograph by H. Arthur Pomroy, 1903. + + +Little Zion Valley, or the Mookoontoweap, Upper Virgin River 186 + + Photograph by H. Arthur Pomroy, 1903. + + +In the Unknown Country 195 + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872. + + +Navajo Mountain From Near Kaiparowits Peak 201 + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872. + + +Tantalus Creek 206 + + Tributary of Fremont River. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers. + + +Example of Lakes on the Aquarius Plateau 211 + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers. + + +The Grand Canyon 215 + + Near mouth of Shinumo Creek. The river is in flood and the + water is "colorado." + + Sketch made in colour on the spot by F. S. Dellenbaugh, July + 26, 1907. + + +Marble Canyon 219 + + Thompson. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872. + + +Canyon of the Little Colorado 222 + + Photograph by C. Barthelmess. + + +The Grand Canyon 224 + + From just below the Little Colorado. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872. + + +The Grand Canyon 227 + + Running the Sockdologer. + + From a sketch afterwards by F. S. Dellenbaugh. + + +The Grand Canyon 232 + + From top of Granite, south side near Bright Angel Creek. + + +The Grand Canyon 238 + + Character of river in rapids. + + Photograph by F. S. Dellenbaugh, 1907. + + +The Grand Canyon 242 + + At a rapid--low water. + + +The Grand Canyon 248 + + At the bottom near foot of Bass Trail. + + +The Grand Canyon 254 + + From north side near foot of Toroweap Valley, Uinkaret + District. + + Photograph by J. K. Hillers. + + +The Grand Canyon 258 + + Storm effect from South Rim. + + + + +MAPS + + +A. + Map by the U. S. War Department, 1868. Supplied by the + courtesy of General Mackenzie, U. S. A., showing the knowledge + of the Colorado River basin just before Major Powell began + operations. The topography above the junction of the Green and + Grand is largely pictorial and approximate. The white space + from the San Rafael to the mouth of the Virgin is the unknown + country referred to in this volume which was investigated in + 1871-72-73. Preliminary maps B, C, and D at pages 244-46, and + 207 respectively, partly give the results of the work which + filled in this area. 95 + +B. + Preliminary map of a portion of the southern part of the + unknown country indicated by blank space on Map A, at page 95, + showing the Hurricane Ledge, Uinkaret and Shewits Mountains + and the course of the Grand Canyon from the mouth of Kanab + Canyon to the Grand Wash. The Howlands and Dunn left the first + expedition at Catastrophe Rapid at the sharp bend a few miles + below the intersection of the river and longitude 113 deg. 30', + climbed out to the north and were killed near Mt. Dellenbaugh. + 244 + +C. + Preliminary map of a portion of the central part of the + unknown country indicated by the blank space on Map A, at page + 95, showing the Kaibab Plateau, mouth of the Paria, Echo + Peaks, House Rock Valley and the course of part of Glen Canyon + and of Marble Canyon and the Grand Canyon to the mouth of the + Kanab Canyon. El Vado is at the western intersection of the + 37th parallel and the Colorado River, and Kanab is in the + upper left-hand corner of the map--just above the 37th + parallel which is the boundary between Utah and Arizona. The + words "Old Spanish Trail from Santa Fe to Los Angeles" near El + Vado were added in Washington and are incorrect. The old + Spanish trail crossed at Gunnison Crossing far north of this + point which was barely known before 1858. 246 + +D. + Preliminary map of a portion of the northern part of the + unknown country indicated by the blank space on Map A, at page + 95, showing the course of part of Glen Canyon, the mouth of + the Fremont (Dirty Devil) River, the Henry (Unknown) + Mountains, and the trail of the first known party of white men + to cross this area. The Escalante River which was mistaken for + the Dirty Devil enters the Colorado just above the first + letter "o" of Colorado at the bottom of the map. The Dirty + Devil enters from the north at the upper right-hand side. + 207 + +E. + Showing results of recent re-survey of part of the Grand + Canyon near Bright Angel Creek by the Geological Survey with + ample time for detail. Compare with Map C at page 246--the + south end of Kaibab Plateau. 250 + + + + +A CANYON VOYAGE + + + + +CHAPTER I + + A River Entrapped--Acquaintance not Desired--Ives Explores the + Lower Reaches--Powell the Conqueror--Reason for a Second + Descent--Congressional Appropriation--Preparation--The Three + Boats--The Mighty Wilderness--Ready for the Start. + + +The upper continuation of the Colorado River of the West is Green River +which heads in the Wind River Mountains at Fremont Peak. From this range +southward to the Uinta Mountains, on the southern boundary of Wyoming, +the river flows through an open country celebrated in the early days of +Western exploration and fur trading as "Green River Valley," and at that +period the meeting ground and "rendezvous" of the various companies and +organisations, and of free trappers. By the year 1840 the vast region +west of the Missouri had been completely investigated by the trappers +and fur-hunters in the pursuit of trade, with the exception of the +Green-and-Colorado River from the foot of Green River Valley to the +termination of the now famous Grand Canyon of Arizona. The reason for +this exception was that at the southern extremity of Green River Valley +the solid obstacle of the Uinta Range was thrown in an easterly and +westerly trend directly across the course of the river, which, finding +no alternative, had carved its way, in the course of a long geological +epoch, through the foundations of the mountains in a series of gorges +with extremely precipitous sides; continuous parallel cliffs between +whose forbidding precipices dashed the torrent towards the sea. Having +thus entrapped itself, the turbulent stream, by the configuration of the +succeeding region, was forced to continue its assault on the rocks, to +reach the Gulf, and ground its fierce progress through canyon after +canyon, with scarcely an intermission of open country, for a full +thousand miles from the beginning of its entombment, the entrance of +Flaming Gorge, at the foot of the historical Green River Valley. Some +few attempts had been made to fathom the mystery of this long series of +chasms, but with such small success that the exploration of the river +was given up as too difficult and too dangerous. Ashley had gone through +Red Canyon in 1825 and in one of the succeeding winters of that period a +party had passed through Lodore on the ice. These trips proved that the +canyons were not the haunt of beaver, that the navigation of them was +vastly difficult, and that no man could tell what might befall in those +gorges further down, that were deeper, longer, and still more remote +from any touch with the outer world. Indeed it was even reported that +there were places where the whole river disappeared underground. The +Indians, as a rule, kept away from the canyons, for there was little to +attract them. One bold Ute who attempted to shorten his trail by means +of the river, shortened it to the Happy Hunting Grounds immediately, and +there was nothing in his fate to inspire emulation. + +The years then wore on and the Colorado remained unknown through its +canyon division. Ives had come up to near the mouth of the Virgin from +the Gulf of California in 1858, and the portion above Flaming Gorge, +from the foot of Green River Valley, was fairly well known, with the +Union Pacific Railway finally bridging it in Wyoming. One James White +was picked up (1867) at a point below the mouth of the Virgin in an +exhausted state, and it was assumed that he had made a large part of the +terrible voyage on a raft, but this was not the case, and the Colorado +River Canyons still waited for a conqueror. He came in 1869 in the +person of John Wesley Powell, a late Major[1] in the Civil War, whose +scientific studies had led him to the then territory of Colorado where +his mind became fired with the intention of exploring the canyons. The +idea was carried out, and the river was descended from the Union Pacific +Railway crossing to the mouth of the Virgin, and two of the men went on +to the sea. Thus the great feat was accomplished--one of the greatest +feats of exploration ever executed on this continent.[2] + +[Illustration: The Toll. + +Unidentified skeleton found April 1906 by C. C. Spaulding in the Grand +Canyon 300 feet above the river, some miles below Bright Angel trail. +There were daily papers of the early spring of 1900 in the pocket of the +clothes. Photograph 1906 by Kolb Bros.] + +Circumstances had rendered the data collected both insufficient and +incomplete. A second expedition was projected to supply deficiencies and +to extend the work; an expedition so well equipped and planned that time +could be taken for the purely scientific side of the venture. This +expedition was the first one under the government, the former expedition +having been a more or less private enterprise. Congress made +appropriations and the party were to start in 1870. This was found to be +inexpedient for several reasons, among which was the necessity of +exploring a route by which rations could be brought in to them at the +mouth of what we called Dirty Devil River--a euphonious title applied by +the men of the first expedition. This stream entered the Colorado at the +foot of what is now known as Narrow Canyon, a little below the 38th +parallel,--the Fremont River of the present geographies. Arrangements +for supplies to be brought in to the second expedition at this place +were made by the Major during a special visit to southern Utah for the +purpose. + +By great good fortune I became a member of the second expedition. Scores +of men were turned away, disappointed. The party was a small one, and it +was full. We were to begin our voyage through the chain of great +canyons, at the same point where the first expedition started, the point +where the recently completed Union Pacific Railway crossed Green River +in Wyoming, and we arrived there from the East early on the morning of +April 29, 1871. We were all ravenous after the long night on the train +and breakfast was the first consideration, but when this had +re-established our energy we went to look for the flat car with our +boats which had been sent ahead from Chicago. The car was soon found on +a siding and with the help of some railroad employes we pushed it along +to the eastern end of the bridge over Green River and there, on the +down side, put the boats into the waters against whose onslaughts they +were to be our salvation. It was lucky perhaps that we did not pause to +ponder on the importance of these little craft; on how much depended on +their staunchness and stability; and on our possible success in +preventing their destruction. The river was high from melting snows and +the current was swift though ordinarily it is not a large river at this +point. This season had been selected for the start because of the high +water, which would tide us over the rocks till tributary streams should +swell the normal volume; for our boats were to be well loaded, there +being no chance to get supplies after leaving. We had some trouble in +making a landing where we wanted to, in a little cove on the east side +about half a mile down, which had been selected as a good place for our +preparatory operations. Here the three boats were hauled out to receive +the final touches. They were named _Emma Dean_, _Nellie Powell_, and +_Canonita_. A space was cleared in the thick willows for our general +camp over which Andy was to be master of ceremonies, at least so far as +the banqueting division was concerned, and here he became initiated into +the chemistry necessary to transform raw materials into comparatively +edible food. But it was not so hard a task, for our supplies were flour, +beans, bacon, dried apples, and dried peaches, tea and coffee, with, of +course, plenty of sugar. Canned goods at that time were not common, and +besides, would have been too heavy. Bread must be baked three times a +day in the Dutch oven, a sort of skillet of cast iron, about three +inches deep, ten or twelve inches in diameter, with short legs, and a +cast-iron cover with a turned-up rim that would hold hot coals. We had +no other bread than was made in this oven, or in a frying-pan, with +saleratus and cream of tartar to raise it. It was Andy's first +experience as a cook, though he had been a soldier in the Civil War, as +had almost every member of the party except the youngest three, Clem, +Frank, and myself, I being the youngest of all. + +For sleeping quarters we were disposed in two vacant wooden shanties +about two hundred yards apart and a somewhat greater distance from the +cook-camp. These shanties were mansions left over, like a group of +roofless adobe ruins near by, from the opulent days of a year or two +back when this place had been the terminus of the line during building +operations. Little remained of its whilom grandeur; a section house, a +railway station, a number of canvas-roofed domiciles, Field's +"Outfitting Store," and the aforesaid shanties in which we secured +refuge, being about all there was of the place. The region round about +suggested the strangeness of the wild country below, through the midst +of which led our trail. Arid and gravelly hills met the eye on all +sides, accentuated by huge buttes and cliffs of brilliant colours, +which in their turn were intensified by a clear sky of deep azure. In +the midst of our operations, we found time to note the passing of the +single express train each way daily. These trains seemed very friendly +and the passengers gazed wonderingly from the windows at us and waved +handkerchiefs. They perceived what we were about by the sign which I +painted on cloth and fastened across the front of our house, which was +near the track: "Powell's Colorado River Exploring Expedition." Above +this was flying our general flag, the Stars and Stripes. + +The white boats were thoroughly gone over with caulking-iron and paint. +Upon the decks of the cabins, canvas, painted green, was stretched in +such a way that it could be unbuttoned at the edges on three sides and +thrown back when we wanted to take off the hatches. When in place this +canvas kept the water, perfectly, out of the hatch joints. Each boat had +three compartments, the middle one being about four feet long, about +one-fifth the length of the boat, which was twenty-two feet over the +top. Two places were left for the rowers, before and abaft the middle +compartment, while the steersman with his long oar thrust behind was to +sit on the deck of the after-cabin, all the decks being flush with the +gunwale, except that of the forward cabin the deck of which was carried +back in a straighter line than the sheer of the boat and thus formed a +nose to help throw off the waves. It was believed that when the hatches +were firmly in place and the canvases drawn taut over the decks, even if +a boat turned over, as was expected sometimes might be the case, the +contents of these cabins would remain intact and dry. As so much +depended on keeping our goods dry, and as we knew from Powell's previous +experience that the voyage would be a wet one, everything was carefully +put in rubber sacks, each having a soft mouth inside a double lip with a +row of eyelets in each lip through which ran a strong cord. When the +soft mouth was rolled up and the bag squeezed, the air was forced out, +and the lips could be drawn to a bunch by means of the cord. When in +this condition the bag could be soaked a long time in water without +wetting the contents. Each rubber bag was encased in a heavy cotton one +to protect it; in short, we spared no effort to render our provisions +proof against the destroying elements. At first we put the bacon into +rubber, but it spoiled the rubber and then we saw that bacon can take +care of itself, nothing can hurt it anyhow, and a gunny-sack was all +that was necessary. Though the boats were five feet in the beam and +about twenty-four inches in depth, their capacity was limited and the +supplies we could take must correspond. Each man was restricted to one +hundred pounds of baggage, including his blankets. He had one rubber bag +for the latter and another for his clothing and personal effects. In the +provision line we had twenty-two sacks of flour of fifty pounds each. +There was no whiskey, so far as I ever knew, except a small flask +containing about one gill which I had been given with a ditty-bag for +the journey. This flask was never drawn upon and was intact till needed +as medicine in October. Smoking was abandoned, though a case of smoking +tobacco was taken for any Indians we might meet. Our photographic outfit +was extremely bulky and heavy, for the dry plate had not been invented. +We had to carry a large amount of glass and chemicals, as well as +apparatus. + +The numerous scientific instruments also were bulky, as they had to be +fitted into wooden cases that were covered with canvas and then with +rubber. Rations in quantity were not obtainable short of Salt Lake or +Fort Bridger, and we had Congressional authority to draw on the military +posts for supplies. The Major and his colleague, Professor Thompson, +went to Fort Bridger and to Salt Lake to secure what was necessary, and +to make further arrangements for the supplies which were to be brought +in to us at the three established points: the mouth of the Uinta, by way +of the Uinta Indian Agency; the mouth of the Dirty Devil; and the place +where Escalante had succeeded in crossing the Colorado in 1776, known as +the Crossing of the Fathers, about on the line between Utah and Arizona. + +[Illustration: Red Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Powell, who had come out on the same train with +us, had gone on to Salt Lake, where they were to wait for news from the +expedition, when we should get in touch with the Uinta Agency at the +mouth of the Uinta River, something over two hundred miles further down. +At length all was provided for and the Major and Prof. returned to our +camp from Salt Lake bringing a new member of the party, Jack Hillers, to +take the place of Jack Sumner of the former party who was unable to get +to us on account of the deep snows in the mountains which surrounded the +retreat where he had spent the winter trapping. Prof. brought back also +an American flag for each boat with the name of the boat embroidered in +the field of blue on one side while the stars were on the other. We all +admired these flags greatly, especially as they had been made by Mrs. +Thompson's own hands. + +We had with us a diary which Jack Sumner had kept on the former voyage, +and the casual way in which he repeatedly referred to running through a +"hell of foam" gave us an inkling, if nothing more, of what was coming. +Our careful preparations gave us a feeling of security against disaster, +or, at least, induced us to expect some degree of liberality from +Fortune. We had done our best to insure success and could go forward in +some confidence. A delay was caused by the non-arrival of some extra +heavy oars ordered from Chicago, but at length they came, and it was +well we waited, for the lighter ones were quickly found to be too frail. +Our preparations had taken three weeks. Considering that we were obliged +to provide against every contingency that might occur in descending this +torrent so completely locked in from assistance and supplies, the time +was not too long. Below Green River City, Wyoming, where we were to +start, there was not a single settler, nor a settlement of any kind, on +or near the river for a distance of more than a thousand miles. From the +river out, a hundred miles in an air line westward, across a practically +trackless region, would be required to measure the distance to the +nearest Mormon settlements on the Sevier, while eastward it was more +than twice as far to the few pioneers who had crossed the Backbone of +the Continent. The Uinta Indian Agency was the nearest establishment to +Green River. It was forty miles west of the mouth of the Uinta. In +southern Utah the newly formed Mormon settlement of Kanab offered the +next haven, but no one understood exactly its relationship to the +topography of the Colorado, except from the vicinity of the Crossing of +the Fathers. Thus the country through which we were to pass was then a +real wilderness, while the river itself was walled in for almost the +entire way by more or less unscalable cliffs of great height. + +Finally all of our preparations were completed to the last detail. The +cabins of the boats were packed as one packs a trunk. A wooden arm-chair +was obtained from Field and fastened to the middle deck of our boat by +straps, as a seat for the Major, and to the left side of it--he had no +right arm--his rubber life-preserver was attached. Each man had a +similar life-preserver in a convenient place, and he was to keep this +always ready to put on when we reached particularly dangerous rapids. On +the evening of the 21st of May nothing more remained to be done. The +Second Powell Expedition was ready to start. + +[Illustration: Before the Start at Green River City, Wyoming. + +The dark box open. _Canonita_; Andy, Clem, Beaman. _Emma Dean_; Jones, +Jack, the Major, Fred. _Nellie Powell_; Prof., Steward, Cap., Frank. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 1: Powell had received an appointment as Colonel before he +left the Volunteer Service, but he was always called Major.] + +[Footnote 2: For the history of the Colorado River the reader is +referred to _The Romance of the Colorado River_, by F. S. Dellenbaugh.] + + + + +CHAPTER II + + Into the Wilderness--The Order of Sailing--Tobacco for the + Indians Comes Handy--A Lone Fisherman and Some Trappers--Jack + Catches Strange Fish--The Snow-clad Uintas in View--A Larder + Full of Venison--Entrance into Flaming Gorge. + + +The 22d of May, 1871, gave us a brilliant sun and a sky of sapphire with +a sparkling atmosphere characteristic of the Rocky Mountain Region. The +great buttes near the station, which Moran has since made famous, shone +with a splendour that was inspiring. To enable us to pick up the last +ends more easily and to make our departure in general more convenient, +we had breakfast that morning at Field's outfitting place, and an +excellent breakfast it was. It was further distinguished by being the +last meal that we should eat at a table for many a month. We were +followed to the cove, where our loaded boats were moored, by a number of +people; about the whole population in fact, and that did not make a +crowd. None of the Chinamen came down, and there were no Indians in town +that day. The only unpleasant circumstance was the persistent repetition +by a deaf-mute of a pantomimic representation of the disaster that he +believed was to overwhelm us. "Dummy," as we called him, showed us that +we would be upset, and, unable to scale the cliffs, would surely all be +drowned. This picture, as vividly presented as possible, seemed to give +him and his brother great satisfaction. We laughed at his prophecy, but +his efforts to talk were distressing. It may be said in excuse for him, +that in some paddling up the river from that point, he had arrived at +perhaps an honest conviction of what would happen to any one going +below; and also, that other wise men of the town predicted that we would +never see "Brown's Hole," at the end of Red Canyon. + +At ten o'clock we pushed out into the current. There were "Good-bye and +God-speed" from the shore with a cheer, and we responded with three and +then we passed out of sight. The settlement, the railway, the people, +were gone; the magnificent wilderness was ours. We swept down with a +four-mile current between rather low banks, using the oars mainly for +guidance, and meeting no difficulty worse than a shoal, on which the +boats all grounded for a few moments, and the breaking of his oar by +Jones who steered our boat. About noon having run three miles, a landing +was made on a broad gravelly island, to enable Andy to concoct a dinner. +A heavy gale was tearing fiercely across the bleak spot. The sand flew +in stinging clouds, but we got a fire started and then it burned like a +furnace. Andy made another sample of his biscuits, this time liberally +incorporated with sand, and he fried some bacon. The sand mainly settled +to the bottom of the frying pan, for this bacon was no fancy breakfast +table variety but was clear fat three or four inches thick. But how good +it was! And the grease poured on bread! And yet while at the railway I +had scorned it; in fact I had even declared that I would never touch it, +whereat the others only smiled a grim and confident smile. And now, at +the first noon camp, I was ready to pronounce it one of the greatest +delicacies I had ever tasted! They jeered at me, but their jeers were +kind, friendly jeers, and I recall them with pleasure. In warm-hearted +companionship no set of men that I have ever since been associated with +has been superior to these fellow voyageurs, and the Major's big way of +treating things has been a lesson all my life. We had all become fast +true friends at once. With the exception of the Major, whom I had first +met about two months before, and Frank whom I had known for a year or +two, I had been acquainted with them only since we had met on the train +on the way out. + +In the scant shelter of some greasewood bushes we devoured the repast +which the morning's exercise and the crisp air had made so welcome, and +each drank several cups of tea dipped from the camp-kettle wherein Andy +had boiled it. We had no formal table. When all was ready, the magic +words, "Well go fur it, boys," which Andy uttered stepping back from the +fire were ceremony enough. Each man took a tin plate and a cup and +served himself. Clem and Frank were sent back overland to the town for a +box of thermometers forgotten and for an extra steering oar left behind, +and the _Canonita_ waited for their return. + +During the afternoon, as we glided on, the hills began to close in upon +us, and occasionally the river would cut into one making a high +precipitous wall, a forerunner of the character of the river banks +below. The order of going was, our boat, the _Emma Dean_, first, with +Major Powell on the deck of the middle cabin, or compartment, sitting in +his arm-chair, which was securely fastened there, but was easily +removable. S. V. Jones was at the steering oar, Jack Hillers pulled his +pair of oars in the after standing-room, while I was at the bow oars. +The second in line was the _Nellie Powell_, Professor A. H. Thompson +steering, J. F. Steward rowing aft, Captain F. M. Bishop forward, and +Frank Richardson sitting rather uncomfortably on the middle deck. The +third and last boat was the _Canonita_, which E. O. Beaman, the +photographer steered, while Andrew Hattan, rowed aft, and Clement +Powell, assistant photographer, forward. This order was preserved, with +a few exceptions, throughout the first season's work. It was the duty of +Prof. and Jones to make a traverse (or meander) of the river as we +descended. They were to sight ahead at each bend with prismatic +compasses and make estimates of the length of each sight, height of +walls, width of stream, etc., and Cap was to put the results on paper. +The Major on his first boat, kept a general lookout and gave commands +according to circumstances. He remembered the general character of the +river from his former descent, but he had to be on the _qui-vive_ as to +details. Besides every stage of water makes a change in the nature of +the river at every point. In addition to this outlook, the Major kept an +eye on the geology, as he was chief geologist; and Steward, being +assistant geologist did the same. Richardson was assistant to Steward. +Jack was general assistant and afterwards photographer. I was artist, +and later, assistant topographer also. It was my duty to make any sketch +that the geologists might want, and of course, as in the case of +everybody, to help in the navigation or anything else that came along. +Each man had a rifle and some had also revolvers. Most of the rifles +were Winchesters.[3] We had plenty of ammunition, and the rifles were +generally kept where we could get at them quickly. + +In this order, and with these duties, we ran on down the Green, and so +far at least as I was concerned, feeling as if we had suddenly stepped +off into another world. Late in the afternoon we were astonished to +discover a solitary old man sitting on the right bank fishing. Who he +was we did not know but we gave him a cheer as we dashed by and were +carried beyond his surprised vision. As the sun began to reach the +horizon a lookout was kept for a good place for camp. I, for one, was +deeply interested, as I had never yet slept in the open. At length we +reached a spot where the hills were some distance back on the right +leaving quite a bottom where there were a number of cottonwood trees. A +deserted log cabin silently invited us to land and, as this was cordial +for the wilderness, we responded in the affirmative. The sky had a look +of storm about it and I was glad of even this excuse for a roof, though +the cabin was too small to shelter our whole party, except standing up, +and the beds were all put down on the ground outside. The night was very +cold and the fire which we made for Andy's operations was most +comforting. We had for supper another instalment of bacon, +saleratus-bread, and tea, which tasted just as good as had that prepared +at noon. Sitting on rocks and stumps we ate this meal, and presently the +raw air reminded some of the smokers that, while they had thrown their +tobacco away there was, in the boats, the quite large supply designed +for our Red friends, should we meet any. Of course we had more than was +absolutely necessary for them, and in a few minutes the pipes which had +been cast away at Green River appeared well filled and burning. Perhaps +we had pipes for the Indians too! I had not thrown my pipe away for it +was a beautifully carved meerschaum--a present. I knew just where it was +and lighted it up, though I was not a great smoker. The Indians did not +get as much of that tobacco as they might have wished. + +To make our blankets go farther we bunked together two and two, and +Jones and I were bed-fellows. It was some time before I could go to +sleep. I kept studying the sky; watching the stars through the ragged +breaks in the flying clouds. The night was silent after the gale. The +river flowed on with little noise. The fire flickered and flickered, and +the cottonwoods appeared dark and strange as I finally went to sleep. I +had not been long in that happy state before I saw some men trying to +steal our boats on which our lives depended and I immediately attacked +them, pinning one to the ground. It was only Jones I was holding down, +and his shouts and struggles to reach his pistol woke me, and startled +the camp. He believed a real enemy was on him. There was a laugh at my +expense, and then sleep ruled again till about daylight when I was +roused by rain falling on my face. All were soon up. The rain changed to +snow which fell so heavily that we were driven to the cabin where a +glorious fire was made on the hearth, and by it Andy got the bread and +bacon and coffee ready for breakfast, and also for dinner, for the snow +was so thick we could not venture on the river till it stopped, and that +was not till afternoon. + +The country through which we now passed was more broken. Cliffs, buttes, +mesas, were everywhere. Sometimes we were between high rocky banks, then +we saw a valley several miles wide, always without a sign of occupation +by white men, even though as yet we were not far from the railway in a +direct course. Very late in the afternoon we saw something moving in the +distance on the right. Our glasses made it out to be two or three men +on horseback. A signal was made which they saw, and consequently stopped +to await developments, and a bag of fossils, the Major had collected, +was sent out to them with a request to take it to Green River Station, +in which direction they were headed. They proved to be a party of +prospectors who agreed to deliver the fossils, and we went on our way. + +The mornings and evenings were very cold and frosty, but during the day +the temperature was perfectly comfortable, and this was gratifying, for +the river in places spread into several channels, so that no one of them +was everywhere deep enough for the boats which drew, so heavily laden, +sixteen or eighteen inches. The keels grated frequently on the bottom +and we had to jump overboard to lighten the boats and pull them off into +deep water. We found as we went on that we must be ready every moment, +in all kinds of water, to get over into the river, and it was necessary +to do so with our clothes on, including our shoes, for the reason that +the rocky bottom would bruise and cut our feet without the shoes, rocks +would do the same to our legs, and for the further reason that there was +no time to remove garments. In the rapids further on we always shipped +water and consequently we were wet from this cause most of the time +anyhow. We had two suits of clothes, one for wear on the river in the +day time, and the other for evening in camp, the latter being kept in a +rubber bag, so that we always managed to be dry and warm at night. On +making camp the day suit was spread out on rocks or on a branch of a +tree if one were near, or on a bush to dry, and it was generally, though +not always, comfortably so, in the morning when it was again put on for +the river work. Sometimes, being still damp, the sensation for a few +moments was not agreeable. + +We snapped several of the lighter oars in the cross currents, as the +boats were heavy and did not mind quickly, and to backwater suddenly on +one of the slender oars broke it like a reed. Some of the longer, +heavier oars were then cut down to eight feet and were found to be +entirely serviceable. The steering oars were cut down from eighteen to +sixteen feet. Extra oars were carried slung on each side of the boats +just under the gunwales, for the Major on the former journey had been +much hampered by being obliged to halt to search for timber suitable for +oars and then to make them. There was one thing about the boats which we +soon discovered was a mistake. This was the lack of iron on the keels. +The iron had been left off for the purpose of reducing the weight when +it should be necessary to carry the boats around bad places, but the +rocks and gravel cut the keels down alarmingly, till there was danger of +wearing out the bottoms in the long voyage to come.[4] + +Jack was a great fisherman, and it was not long before he tried his luck +in the waters of the Green. No one knew what kind of fish might be +taken--at least no one in our party--and he began his fishing with some +curiosity. It was rewarded by a species of fish none of us had ever +before seen, a fish about ten to sixteen inches long, slim, with fine +scales and large fins. Their heads came down with a sudden curve to the +mouth, and their bodies tapered off to a very small circumference just +before the tail spread out. They were good to eat, and formed a welcome +addition to our larder. We were all eager for something fresh, and when +we saw a couple of deer run across the bluffs just before we reached our +fourth camp, our hopes of venison were roused to a high degree. Camp +number four was opposite the mouth of Black's Fork at an altitude above +sea level of 5940 feet, a descent of 135 feet from the railway bridge. +After this the channel was steadier and the water deeper, Black's Fork +being one of the largest tributaries of the upper river. We now came in +view of the snowy line of the Uinta Range stretching east and west +across our route and adding a beautiful alpine note to the wide barren +array of cliffs and buttes. It was twenty or thirty miles off, but so +clear was the air that we seemed to be almost upon it. + +As we were drifting along with a swift current in the afternoon, the day +after passing Black's Fork, one of the party saw a deer on an island. A +rifle shot from our boat missed, and the animal dashing into the river +swam across and disappeared in the wide valley. But another was seen. A +landing was made immediately, and while some of the men held the boats +ready to pick up a prize, the others beat the island. I was assigned to +man our boat, and as we waited up against the bank under the bushes, we +could hear the rifles crack. Then all was still. Suddenly I heard a +crashing of bushes and a hundred yards above us a superb black-tail +sprang into the water and swam for the east bank. My sensation was +divided between a desire to see the deer escape, and a desire to +supplant the bacon with venison for a time. My cartridges were under the +hatches as it chanced, so I was unable to take action myself. With deep +interest I watched the animal swim and with regret that our fresh meat +was so fortunate, for it was two-thirds of the way across, before a +rifle cracked. The deer's efforts ceased instantly and she began to +drift down with the current. We ran our boat out and hauled the carcass +on board. At the same time as we were being carried down by the swift +current we got a view of the other side of the island where Cap. up to +his arms in the stream was trying to pull another deer ashore by the +horns. It looked as if both deer and Cap. would sail away and forever, +till another boat went to his rescue. Presently the third boat came down +bearing still another deer. The successful shots were from Prof., Andy, +and Steward. Our prospects for a feast were bright, and we had it. The +deer were speedily dressed, Frank displaying exceptional skill in this +line. Had we been able to stay in this region we would never have been +in want of fresh meat, but when we entered the canyons the conditions +were so different and the task of pursuing game so baffling and +exhausting that we never had such success again. The whole of the next +day we remained in a favourable spot at the foot of a strangely tilted +ledge, where we jerked the venison by the aid of sun and fire to +preserve it. Near this point as observations showed later we passed from +Wyoming into Utah. + +About dusk we were surprised to discover a small craft with a single +individual aboard coming down the river. Then we saw it was a raft. We +watched its approach with deep interest wondering who the stranger could +be, but he turned out to be Steward who had gone geologising and had +taken this easier means of coming back. He tried it again farther down +and met with an experience which taught him to trust to the land +thereafter. + +[Illustration: Flaming Gorge. + +The Beginning of the Colorado River Canyons, N. E. Utah. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The next day our boat was held back for some special work while the +others proceeded toward a high spur of the Uintas, directly in front of +us. We followed with a fierce and blinding gale sweeping the river and +filling our eyes with sharp sand. Nevertheless we could see high up +before us some bright red rocks marking the first canyon of the +wonderful series that separates this river from the common world. From +these bright rocks glowing in the sunlight like a flame above the +grey-green of the ridge, the Major had bestowed on this place the name +of Flaming Gorge. As we passed down towards the mountain it seemed that +the river surely must end there, but suddenly just below the mouth of +Henry's Fork it doubled to the left and we found ourselves between two +low cliffs, then in a moment we dashed to the right into the beautiful +canyon, with the cliffs whose summit we had seen, rising about 1300 feet +on the right, and a steep slope on the left at the base of which was a +small bottom covered with tall cottonwood trees, whose green shone +resplendent against the red rocks. The other boats were swinging at +their lines and the smoke of Andy's fire whirling on the wind was a +cheerful sight to the ever-hungry inner-man. Constant exercise in the +open air produces a constant appetite. As long as we could protect our +cargoes, and make our connections with our supplies as planned, we would +surely not have to go hungry, but we had to consider that there was room +for some variation or degree of success. There was at least one +comforting feature about the river work and that was we never suffered +for drinking water. It was only on side trips, away from the river that +we met this difficulty, so common in the Rocky Mountain Region and all +the South-west. + +When the barometrical observations were worked out we found we had now +descended 262 feet from our starting-point. That was four and a quarter +feet for each mile of the sixty-two we had put behind. We always +counted the miles put behind, for we knew they could not be retraced, +but it was ever the miles and the rapids ahead that we kept most in our +minds. We were now at the beginning of the real battle with the "Sunken +River." Henceforth, high and forbidding cliffs with few breaks, would +imprison the stream on both sides. + +A loss of our provisions would mean a journey on foot, after climbing +out of the canyon, to Green River (Wyoming) to Salt Lake City or to the +Uinta Indian Agency. There was a trail from Brown's Hole (now Brown's +Park) back to the railway, but the difficulty would be to reach it if we +should be wrecked in Red Canyon. We did not give these matters great +concern at the time, but I emphasise them now to indicate some of the +difficulties of the situation and the importance of preventing the wreck +of even one boat. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 3: Two were of the original Henry pattern.] + +[Footnote 4: For further description of these boats the reader is +referred to _The Romance of the Colorado River_, page 236, by F. S. +Dellenbaugh.] + + + + +CHAPTER III + + The First Rapid--Horseshoe and Kingfisher Canyons--A Rough + Entrance into Red Canyon--Capsize of the _Nell_--The Grave of + a Bold Navigator--Discovery of a White Man's Camp--Good-bye to + Frank--At the Gate of Lodore. + + +Prof. now took observations for time and latitude in order to fix with +accuracy the geographical location of the camp in Flaming Gorge, and to +check the estimates of the topographers as they sighted the various +stretches of the river. It has been found that estimates of this kind +are quite accurate and that the variation from exactness is generally +the same in[5] the same individual. Hence one man may underestimate and +another may overestimate, but each will always make the same error, and +this error can be readily corrected by frequent observations to +determine latitude and longitude. A series of barometrical observations +was kept going whether we were on the move or not. That is, a mercurial +barometer was read three times a day, regularly, at seven, at one, and +at nine. We had aneroid barometers for work away from the river and +these were constantly compared with and adjusted to the mercurials. The +tubes of mercury sometimes got broken, and then a new one had to be +boiled to replace it. I believe the boiling of tubes has since that time +been abandoned, as there is not enough air in the tube to interfere with +the action of the mercury, but at that time it was deemed necessary for +accuracy, and it gave Prof. endless trouble. The wind was always +blowing, and no tent we could contrive from blankets, and waggon sheets +(we had no regular tents), sufficed to keep the flame of the alcohol +lamp from flickering. Nevertheless, Prof. whose patience and dexterity +were unlimited, always succeeded. The mercurial barometers were of the +kind with a buckskin pocket at the bottom of the cistern with a screw +for adjusting the column of mercury to a fixed point. + +Most of the men climbed out in various directions and for various +objects. Prof. reached a high altitude whence he obtained a broad view +of the country, a grand sight with the quiet river below and snow-capped +mountains around, with rolling smoke and leaping flame, for there were +great mountain fires not far off. The Major and Steward went +geologising. Steward was rewarded by discovering a number of fossils, +among them the bones of an immense animal of the world's early day, with +a femur ten inches in diameter, and ribs two inches thick and six inches +wide. These bones were much exposed and could have been dug out, but we +had no means of transporting them. + +Flaming Gorge is an easy place to get in and out of, even with a horse, +and doubtless in the old beaver-hunting days it was a favourite resort +of trappers. I am inclined to think that the double turn of the swirling +river where it enters Flaming Gorge is the place known at that time as +the Green River Suck. Our camp under the cottonwoods was delightful. We +took advantage of the halt to write up notes, clean guns, mend clothes, +do our washing, and all the other little things incident to a breathing +spell on a voyage of this kind. It was Sunday too, and when possible we +stopped on that account, though, of course, progress could not be +deferred for that reason alone. + +Monday morning we left the pleasant camp in the grove and went on with +the tide. The river was rough from a heavy gale, but otherwise offered +no obstacle. At a sudden bend we cut to the left deeper into the +mountain till on both sides we were enclosed by almost perpendicular +precipices of carboniferous formation, limestone, about 1600 feet high. +The canyon was surprisingly beautiful and romantic. The river seemed to +change its mood here, and began to flow with an impetus it had exhibited +nowhere above. It swept on with a directness and a concentration of +purpose that had about it something ominous. And just here, at the foot +of the right hand wall which was perpendicular for 800 feet, with the +left more sloping, and clothed with cedar shrubs, we beheld our first +real rapid, gleaming like a jewel from its setting in the sunlight which +fell into the gorge, and it had as majestic a setting as could be +desired. For myself I can say that the place appeared the acme of the +romantic and picturesque. The rapid was small and swift, a mere chute, +and perhaps hardly worthy of mention had it not been the point where the +character of the river current changes making it distinguished because +of being the first of hundreds to come below. The river above had held a +continual descent accelerating here and retarding there with an average +current of two and a half miles an hour, but here began the quick drops +for which the canyons are now famous. There was one place where Prof. +noted a small rapid but it was not like this one, and I did not count it +at all. + +[Illustration: Horseshoe Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The gorge we ran into so suddenly was short and by dinner-time we had +emerged into a wider, more broken place, though we were still bound in +by tremendous heights. We saw that we had described a complete horseshoe +and this fact determined the canyon's name--number two of the series. +When we landed for dinner, an examination was made of the locality from +that base before we dropped down a little distance to the mouth of a +fine clear creek coming in from the right. This was a fascinating place. +The great slopes were clothed with verdure and trees, and the creek ran +through luxuriant vegetation. A halt of a day was made for observation +purposes. The air was full of kingfishers darting about and we +immediately called the creek by their name. + +I was sent with Steward on a geological expedition out over the right or +western cliffs. We consumed two hours in getting out, having to climb up +about 1000 feet over a difficult way. After a good deal of going up and +down across rough ridges, we finally worked our way around to the head +of Flaming Gorge. Here we reckoned up and found that eight steep ridges +intervened between us and camp by the way we had come, and we concluded +that we could get back easier through Flaming Gorge and thence by +climbing over the tongue or base of the horseshoe which was lower than +the end. Steward grew decidedly weary and I felt my legs getting heavy +too. Rain had fallen at intervals all day and we were wet as well as +tired and famished. We struck an old trail and followed it as long as it +went our way. Then it became too dark to see which way it went and we +climbed on as best we could. It was about half-past eight when we +reached our camp to find a splendid fire burning and a good supper +waiting for us. + +The new canyon which closed in the next day had walls about 1500 feet in +height, that being the general height of the spur of the Uintas through +which we were travelling. The changes from one canyon to another were +only changes in the character of the bounding mountain walls, for there +was no break into open country. The name of Kingfisher we gave to the +new gorge for the same reason we had called the creek at our camp by +that name, and so numerous were these birds at one rounded promontory +that there was no escape from calling it Beehive Point, the resemblance +to a gigantic hive being perfect. Kingfisher Canyon like its two +predecessors was short, all three making a distance by the river of only +about ten miles. Flaming Gorge is the gateway, Horseshoe the vestibule, +and Kingfisher the ante-chamber to the whole grand series. At the foot +of Kingfisher the rocks fell back a little and steep slopes took their +place. Where the rocks closed in again, we halted on the threshold of +the next gorge, in a fine grove of cottonwoods. A significant roar came +to us out of the gate to Red Canyon, rolling up on the air with a +steady, unvarying monotony that had a sinister meaning. It was plain +that we were nearing something that was no paltry gem like the rapid we +had so much admired in Horseshoe Canyon. + +The remainder of that day and all the next, which was June 1st, we +stayed at this camp completing records, investigating the surroundings, +and preparing for rough work ahead. On Friday morning the cabins were +packed carefully, the life preservers were inflated, and we pulled out +into the current. The cliffs shot up around us and rough water began at +once. The descent was almost continuous for a considerable distance, but +we divided it into three rapids in our notes, before we reached a sharp +turn to the right, and then one just as sharp to the left, with vertical +walls on both sides and a roaring torrent, broken by rocks, whirling +between. Our boat shot down with fierce rapidity and would have gone +through without a mishap had not the current dashed us so close to the +right-hand wall that Jack's starboard row-lock was ripped off by a +projection of the cliff as we were hurled along its rugged base. At the +same moment we saw the _Nell_ upsetting against some rocks on the left. +Then we swept out of view and I was obliged to pull with all my +strength, Jack's one oar being useless. We succeeded in gaining a little +cove on the left, and jumped out as soon as shallow enough, the Major +immediately climbing the cliffs to a high point where he could look down +on the unfortunate second boat. Prof., it seems, had misunderstood the +Major's signal and had done just what he did not think he ought to do. +He thought it meant to land on the left and he had tried to reach a +small strip of beach, but finding this was not possible he turned the +boat again into the current to retrieve his former position, but this +was not successful and the _Nell_ was thrown on some rocks projecting +from the left wall, in the midst of wild waters, striking hard enough to +crush some upper planks of the port side. She immediately rolled over, +and Frank slid under. Prof. clutched him and pulled him back while the +men all sprang for the rocks and saved themselves and the boat from +being washed away in this demoralised condition. With marvellous +celerity Cap. took a turn with a rope around a small tree which he +managed to reach, while Steward jumped to a position where he could +prevent the boat from pounding. In a minute she was righted and they got +her to the little beach where they had tried to land. Here they pulled +her out and, partially unloading, repaired her temporarily as well as +they could. This done they towed up to a point of vantage and made a +fresh start and cleared the rapid with no further incident. Meanwhile +the _Canonita_ had come in to where we were lying, and both boats were +held ready to rescue the men of the other. After about three-quarters of +an hour the unfortunate came down, her crew being rather elated over the +experience and the distinction of having the first capsize. + +Setting out on the current again we passed two beautiful creeks entering +from the right, and they were immediately named respectively, Compass +and Kettle creeks, to commemorate the loss of these articles in the +capsize. At the mouth of Kettle Creek, about a mile and a half below the +capsize rapid, we stopped for dinner. Then running several small drops, +we arrived at a long descent that compelled careful action. We always +landed, where possible, to make an examination and learn the trend of +the main current. Our not being able to do this above was the cause of +the _Nell's_ trouble. We now saw that we had here landed on the wrong +side and would have to make a somewhat hazardous crossing to the +opposite, or right bank. Our boat tried it first. In spite of vigorous +pulling we were carried faster down towards the rapid than to the +objective landing. When we reached water about waist deep we all sprang +overboard, and I got to shore with the line as quickly as I could. We +were able to turn and catch the _Nell_ as she came in, but the +_Canonita_ following ran too far down. We all dashed into the stream +almost at the head of the rapid, and there caught her in time. The load +was taken out of our boat and she was let down by lines over the worst +part. Loading again we lowered to another bad place where we went into +camp on the same spot where the Major had camped two years before. We +unloaded the other boats and got them down before dark, but we ate +supper by firelight. The river averaged about 250 feet wide, with a +current of not less than six miles an hour and waves in the rapids over +five feet in vertical height. These waves broke up stream as waves do in +a swift current, and as the boats cut into them at a high velocity we +shipped quantities of water and were constantly drenched, especially the +bow-oarsmen. The cliffs on each side, wonderfully picturesque, soon ran +up to 1200 or 1500 feet, and steadily increased their altitude. Owing to +the dip of the strata across the east and west trend of the canyon the +walls on the north were steeper than those on the south, but they seldom +rose vertically from the river. Masses of talus, and often alluvial +stretches with rocks and trees, were strung along their base, usually +offering numerous excellent landings and camping places. We were able to +stop about as we wished and had no trouble as to camps, though they were +frequently not just what we would have preferred. There was always +smooth sand to sleep on, and often plenty of willows to cut and lay in +rows for a mattress. It must not be imagined that these great canyons +are dark and gloomy in the daytime. They are no more so than an ordinary +city street flanked with very high buildings. Some lateral canyons are +narrow and so deep that the sun enters them but briefly, but even these +are only shady, not dark. + +[Illustration: Red Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +We remained on the Major's old camp ground a day so that Jones and Cap. +could climb to the top of the cliff to get the topography. The next +morning though it was Sunday was not to be one of rest. We began by +lowering the boats about forty rods farther and there pulled out into +the stream and were dashed along by a fierce current with rapid +following rapid closely. The descent was nearly continuous with greater +declivities thrown in here and there. As usual we took in a good deal of +water and were saturated. We were growing accustomed to this, and the +boats being built to float even when the open parts were full, we did +not mind sitting with our legs in cold water till opportunity came to +bail out with the camp kettle left in each open space for the purpose. +One rapid where Theodore Hook, of Cheyenne, was drowned in 1869, while +attempting to follow the first party, gave us no trouble. We sailed +through it easily. Hook had declared that if Powell could descend the +river he could too, and he headed a party to follow.[6] The motive I +believe was prospecting. I do not know how far they expected to go but +this was as far as they got. Their abandoned boats, flat-bottomed and +inadequate, still lay half buried in sand on the left-hand bank, and not +far off on a sandy knoll was the grave of the unfortunate leader marked +by a pine board set up, with his name painted on it. Old sacks, ropes, +oars, etc., emphasised the completeness of the disaster. + +Not far below this we made what we called a "line portage," that is, the +boats were worked along the edge of the rapid, one at a time, in and out +among the boulders with three or four men clinging to them to fend them +off the rocks and several more holding on to the hundred-foot hawser, so +that there was no possibility of one getting loose and smashing up, or +leaving us altogether. It was then noon and a camp was made for the +remainder of the day on the left bank in a very comfortable spot. We had +accomplished three and a half miles, with four distinct rapids run and +one "let-down." I went up from the camp along a sandy stretch and was +surprised to discover what I took to be the fresh print of the bare +foot of a man. Mentioning this when I returned, my companions laughed +and warned me to be cautious and give this strange man a wide berth +unless I had my rifle and plenty of ammunition. It was the track of a +grizzly bear. I saw many tracks on this expedition and on others +afterwards but I have never seen a bear yet, except in captivity. The +grizzly seemed to shun me; but I believe they will not often attack a +man unprovoked, and will lie perfectly still while one may pass within a +few feet of their hiding-place. + +Three or four deer were seen but with no opportunity to get a shot. All +through these upper canyons there was then a great abundance of game of +every description, and had our object been to kill for sport, we +undoubtedly could have made a pile of carcasses. One or two deer would +have been welcome but we had no time to pursue them. Steward came in +towards night from his geologising with a splendid bouquet of wild +flowers which was greatly admired. Prof. and the Major climbed west of +camp to a height of 1200 feet where they obtained a wide outlook and +secured valuable notes on the topography. The view was superb as it is +anywhere from a high point in this region. When they came back, the +Major entertained us by reading aloud _The Lay of the Last Minstrel_, +thus delightfully closing a beautiful Sunday which every man had +enjoyed. + +In the morning soon after leaving this camp a dull roar ahead told of +our approach to Ashley Falls, for which we were on the lookout. The left +bank was immediately hugged as closely as possible and we dropped +cautiously down to the head of the descent. An immense rock stuck up in +the middle of the river and the water divided on this and shot down on +each side in a sharp fall of about eight feet. Each was a clear chute +and not dangerous to look at, but the effect of so sudden a plunge on +one of our loaded boats was too much of a problem for trial. A portage +was decided on. The left bank where we were was a mass of enormous +broken rocks where it seemed next to impossible to haul a boat. A foot +trail was first built which led up some fifty feet above the river, and +over, under and around huge boulders to a place down below where it was +proposed to carry the boats on skids. The cargoes were first taken over +on our backs and when this was done we were about tired out. Our united +strength was required to work the _Dean_ down to the selected haven +without injury. This was such extremely hard work that the Major and +Prof. concluded to shoot the _Canonita_ through, light, with no men in +her, but controlled by one of our hundred-foot hawsers attached to each +end. She was started down and went through well enough, but filling with +water and knocking on hidden rocks. Prudence condemned this method and +we resorted to sliding and carrying the _Nell_ over the rocks as we had +done with the _Dean_, certain that sleep and food would wipe out our +weariness, but not injury to the boats which must be avoided by all +means in our power. By the time we had placed the _Nell_ beside the +other boats at the bottom it was sunset and too late to do anything but +make a camp. Just above the head of the fall was a rather level place in +a clump of pines at the very edge of the river forming as picturesque a +camp-ground as I have ever seen. A brilliant moon hung over the canyon, +lighting up the foam of the water in strong contrast to the red fire +crackling its accompaniment to the roar of the rapid. A lunar rainbow +danced fairy-like in the mists rising from the turmoil of the river. The +night air was calm and mild. Prof. read aloud from _Hiawatha_ and it +seemed to fit the time and place admirably. We had few books with us; +poems of Longfellow, Whittier, Emerson, and Scott, are all I remember, +except a Bible my mother had given me. I suppose Cap. had a Bible also, +as he was very religious. + +The huge boulders which dammed the river had fallen from the cliffs on +the left within a comparatively recent time, transforming an ordinary +rapid into the fall; actually damming the water till it is smooth for +half a mile above. The largest block of stone is the one in the middle. +It is about twenty five feet square. The only white men on record to +reach this place except the Major's other party, was General Ashley, the +distinguished fur trader with a number of trappers. In his search for +fresh beaver grounds he led his party in rude buffalo-skin boats through +this canyon in 1825. They had a hard time and nearly starved to death as +they depended for food on finding beaver and other game, in which they +were disappointed. On one of my trips over the rocks with cargo I made a +slight detour on the return to see the boulder where the Major had +discovered Ashley's name with a date. The letters were in black, just +under a slight projection and were surprisingly distinct considering the +forty-six years of exposure. The "2" was illegible and looked like a +"3." None of our party seemed to know that it could have been only a "2" +for by the year 1835 Ashley had sold out and had given up the fur +business in the mountains. Considering his ability, his prominence, his +high character, and his identification with the early history of the +West, there ought to be greater recognition of him than there has been. + +[Illustration: Red Canyon. + +Ashley Falls from Below. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Below Ashley Falls the declivity of the river was very great with a +correspondingly swift current, in one rapid reaching a velocity of at +least fifteen miles an hour, and with waves that tossed our heavy boats +like feathers. These were the most violent rapids we had yet met, not +excepting the ones we had portaged. The cliffs, about 2500 feet high, of +red sandstone, were often almost perpendicular on both sides, or at +least they impressed us so at the time. There was much vegetation, pine, +spruce, willow-leaved cottonwood, aspens, alder, etc., which added to +the beauty and picturesqueness of the wild scenery. Beaman stopped each +day where possible and desirable to take photographs, and at these times +the others investigated the surroundings and climbed up side canyons +when they existed. Late in the afternoon we came out suddenly into a +small valley or park formerly called Little Brown's Hole, a noted +rendezvous for trappers, and which we rechristened Red Canyon Park. This +was a beautiful place bounded by round mountains, into which our great +cliffs had temporarily resolved themselves, particularly on the right, +the left side remaining pretty steep. Our camp was pitched under two +large pine trees and every one was prepared, in the intervals of other +duties, to take advantage of this respite to patch up clothing, shoes, +etc., as well as to do what laundering was necessary. The river ran so +quietly that we felt oppressed after the constant roaring since we had +entered Red Canyon. I remember climbing up at evening with one of my +companions, to a high altitude where the silence was deathlike and +overpowering. Prof. and some of the others climbed to greater heights +for topographical purposes, easily reaching an altitude of about 4000 +feet above the river in an air-line distance of about five miles. Here +they obtained a magnificent panorama in all directions, limited on the +west by the snowy chain of the Wasatch, and on the north by the Wind +River Range like white clouds on the horizon 200 miles away, and they +could trace the deep gorges of the river as they cleave the mountains +from distance to distance. + +Here we saw signs of abundant game, elk, deer, bear, etc., but we had no +time to go hunting as a business and the game refused to come to us. +Each man had his work to accomplish so that we could get on. It was +impracticable to go wandering over the mountains for game, much as we +would have enjoyed a change from our bacon and beans. One day, only, was +spent here for all purposes, geologising, topographic climbing, and +working out the notes from up the river, making repairs and all the +other needful things that crowded upon us. Here it was that I did my +first tailoring and performed a feat of which I have ever since been +proud; namely, transferring some coattails, from where they were of no +use, to the knees and seat of my trousers where they were invaluable. + +On June 8th, we left this "Camp Number 13" regretfully and plunged in +between the cliffs again for about eight miles, running five rapids, +when we emerged into a large valley known as Brown's Hole, where our +cliffs fell back for two or three miles on each side and became mountain +ranges. Pulling along for a couple of miles on a quiet river we were +surprised to discover on the left a white man's camp. Quickly landing we +learned that it was some cattlemen's temporary headquarters (Harrell +Brothers), and some of the men had been to Green River Station since our +departure from that place, the distance by trail not being half that by +river. They were expecting us and had brought some mail which was a glad +sight for our eyes. These men had wintered about 2000 head of Texas +cattle in this valley, noted for the salubrity of its winter climate +since the days of the fur-hunters, and were on their way to the Pacific +coast. We made a camp near by, with a cottonwood of a peculiar "Y" +shape, more stump than tree, to give what shade-comfort it could, and +enjoyed the relaxation which came with the feeling that we had put +twenty-five miles of hard canyon behind, and were again in touch, though +so briefly and at long range, with the outer world. As some of these men +were to go out to the railway the following Sunday and offered to carry +mail for us, we began to write letters to let our friends know how we +were faring on our peculiar voyage. This "Brown's Hole" was the place +selected by a man who pretended to have been with the former party, for +the scene of that party's destruction which he reported to the +newspapers. He thought as it was called a "hole" it must be one of the +worst places on this raging river, not knowing that in the old trapper +days when a man found a snug valley and dwelt there for a time it became +known as his "hole" in the nomenclature of the mountains. The Major did +not think this a satisfactory name and he changed it to "Brown's Park" +which it now bears. I met an "old timer" on a western train several +years afterward, who was greatly irritated because of this liberty which +the Major took with the cherished designation of the early days. Fort +Davy Crockett of the fur-trading period was located somewhere in this +valley. + +[Illustration: In Red Canyon Park. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The next morning after reaching Harrell's camp we were told that, as +Frank did not seem able to stand the voyage he was to leave us here, to +go over the mountains back to the railway, whence he would go home. We +were all sorry to hear this and doubly sorry when on Sunday the 11th he +mounted a mule and regretfully rode away with Mr. Harrell. The latter +was to telegraph to Salt Lake to Mrs. Powell, to send our mail back to +Green River Station so that it could be brought out to us on Mr. +Harrell's return. Meanwhile we dropped down the river, now tranquil as a +pond, with low banks covered with cottonwood groves. There were two +small canyons the first of which we called "Little" about one-half mile +long, and the second "Swallow," about two miles long. The cliffs were +red sandstone about three hundred feet high, often vertical on both +sides. Thousands of swallows swarmed there, and we did not resist giving +it an obvious name. Below this the water spread out more and was full of +islands. The current was sluggish, two miles an hour perhaps, and we +indulged in the novelty of rowing the boats, though we did not try to +make speed, for we had to wait for Mr. Harrell's return anyhow. The +boats had been lightened by trading to Harrell some of our flour, of +which we had an over abundance when it came to portages, for fresh beef, +of which we were very much in need. At a convenient place we landed +where there was a fine cottonwood grove and remained while Prof. made a +climb and to jerk the beef. It was cut into thin strips and hung on a +willow framework in the sun with a slow fire beneath. As the thermometer +now stood at ninety-nine in the shade the beef was fairly well cured by +the 13th and we went on, seeing one of the cattlemen and a Mexican boy +on the left bank. In this neighbourhood we passed from Utah into +Colorado. The river was six hundred feet broad and about six feet deep. +We had no trouble from shoals, and finally lashed the three boats side +by side and let them drift along in the slow current. The Major sitting +in his arm-chair on the middle boat read aloud selections from _The Lady +of the Lake_ which seemed to fit the scene well. Steward and Andy amused +themselves by swimming along with the boats and occasionally diving +under them. + +From our noon camp in a grove of cottonwoods opposite the mouth of +Vermilion River, we could plainly see the great portal a mile or two +away, the Gate of Lodore, where all this tranquillity would end, for the +river cuts straight into the heart of the mountains forming one of the +finest canyons of the series where the water comes down as Southey +described it at Lodore, and the Major gave it that name. Before night we +were at the very entrance and made our camp there in a grove of +box-elders. Every man was looking forward to this canyon with some dread +and before losing ourselves within its depths we expected to enjoy the +letters from home which Mr. Harrell was to bring back from the railway +for us. Myriads of mosquitoes gave us something else to think of, for +they were exceedingly ferocious and persistent, driving us to a high +bluff where a smudge was built to fight them off. We were nearly +devoured. I fared best, a friend having given me a net for my head, and +this, with buckskin gloves on my hands enabled me to exist with some +comfort. The mountains rose abruptly just beyond our camp, and the river +cleaved the solid mass at one stroke, forming the extraordinary and +magnificent portal we named the "Gate of Lodore," one of the most +striking entrances of a river into mountains to be found in all the +world. It is visible for miles. Prof. climbed the left side of the Gate +and also took observations for time. + +I was sent back to the valley to make some sketches and also to +accompany Steward on a geological tramp. We had an uncomfortable +experience because of the excessive heat and aridity. I learned several +things about mountaineering that I never forgot, one of which was to +always thoroughly note and mark a place where anything is left to be +picked up on a return, for, leaving our haversack under a cedar it +eluded all search till the next day, and meanwhile we were compelled to +go to the river two or three miles away for water. We had a rubber +poncho and a blanket. Using the rubber for a mattress and the blanket +for a covering we passed the night, starting early for the mountains, +where at last we found our food bag. After eating a biscuit we went back +to the river and made tea and toasted some beef on the end of a ramrod, +when we struck for the main camp, arriving at dinner-time. + +The Gate of Lodore seemed naturally the beginning of a new stage in our +voyage to which we turned with some anxiety, for it was in the gorge now +before us that on the first trip a boat had been irretrievably smashed. +We were now 130 miles by river from the Union Pacific Railway crossing, +and in this distance we had descended 700 feet in altitude, more than +400 feet of it in Red Canyon. Lodore was said to have an even greater +declivity. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 5: Three points on Green River below the Union Pacific +crossing had been determined by previous explorers, the mouth of Henry's +Fork, the mouth of the Uinta, and Gunnison Crossing.] + +[Footnote 6: I do not know the number of men composing this party.] + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + Locked in the Chasm of Lodore--Rapids with Railway Speed--A + Treacherous Approach to Falls of Disaster--Numerous Loadings + and Unloadings--Over the Rocks with Cargoes--Library + Increased by _Putnam's Magazine_--Triplet Falls and Hell's + Half Mile--Fire in Camp--Exit from Turmoil to Peace. + + +On Saturday the 17th of June, the member of the Harrell party who was to +travel overland from Green River Station with mail for us from Salt Lake +arrived with only two letters. The despatch had been too late to stop +the packet which already had been started for the Uinta Indian Agency, +whence it would reach us at the mouth of the Uinta River. It would be +another month, at least, before we could receive those longed for words +from home. There was nothing now to delay us further, and after dinner +the boats were prepared for canyon work again. Through Brown's Park we +had not been obliged to pay much attention to "ship-shape" arrangements, +but now the story was to be different. The cabins were packed with +unusual care, the life-preservers were inflated and put where they could +be quickly seized on the approach to a bad descent, and at four o'clock +we were afloat. The wide horizon vanished. The cliffs, red and majestic, +rose at one bound to a height of about 2000 feet on each side, the most +abrupt and magnificent gateway to a canyon imaginable. We entered +slowly, for the current in the beginning is not swift, and we watched +the mighty precipices while they appeared to fold themselves together +behind and shut us more than ever away from the surrounding wilderness. +For a short time the stream was quite tame. Then the murmur of distant +troubled waters reached us and we prepared for work. The first rapid was +not a bad one; we ran it without halting and ran three more in quick +succession, one of which was rather ugly. + +[Illustration: The Head of the Canyon of Lodore. + +Just inside the Gate. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +This success caused some of us prematurely to conclude that perhaps "the +way the water comes down at Lodore," was not so terrific as had been +anticipated. The Major said nothing. He kept his eyes directed ahead. +The river ran about 300 feet wide, with a current of 10 to 15 miles an +hour in the rapids. At every bend new vistas of beauty were exhibited, +and the cliffs impressed us more and more by their increasing height and +sublimity. Landing places were numerous. Presently there came to our +ears a roar with an undertone which spoke a language now familiar, and +we kept as close to the right bank as possible, so that a stop could be +instantly made at the proper moment. When this moment arrived a landing +was effected for examination, and it revealed a furious descent, studded +with large rocks, with a possibility of safely running through it if an +exact course could be held, but the hour being now late a camp was made +at the head and further investigation deferred till the next morning. + +This morning was Sunday, and the sun shone into the canyon with dazzling +brilliancy, all being tranquil except the foaming rapid. The locality +was so fascinating that we lingered to explore, finding especial +interest in a delightful grotto carved out of the red sandstone by the +waters of a small brook. The entrance was narrow, barely 20 feet, a mere +cleft in the beginning, but as one proceeded up it between walls 1500 +feet high, the cleft widened, till at 15 rods it ended in an +amphitheatre 100 feet in diameter, with a domed top. Clear, cold water +trickled and dropped in thousands of diamond-like globules from +everything. Mosses and ferns filled all the crevices adding a brilliant +green to the picture, while far up overhead a little ribbon of blue sky +could be seen; and, beyond the mouth, the yellow river. It was an +exquisite scene. At the request of Steward, it's discoverer, it was +named after his little daughter, "Winnie's Grotto." So charming was it +here that we did not get off till ten o'clock, Beaman meanwhile taking +several views. + +It was decided to run the rapid, for there was a comparatively straight +channel about ten feet wide, and it was only a question of steering +right. As our boat was to take it first the other crews came to a point +where they could watch us to advantage and profit by our experience. +Sticks, as usual, had been thrown in to determine the trend of the main +current which must always be considered in dealing with any rapid. If it +dashes against a cliff below, means must be found to cut across before +reaching that point. On the other hand, if the main current has a +comparatively clear chute, running through is not a difficult matter as +in the present case. We pulled up-stream a short distance before putting +out into the middle. Then we took the rapid as squarely as possible. We +saw that we would have to go sharply to the left to avoid one line of +rocks, and then to the right to clear another, both of which actions +were successfully accomplished. Then we waited below for the others. +They had no trouble either, and the three boats sped on and on into the +greater depths beyond where wilder waters were foaming. + +All rapids have "tails" of waves tapering out below, that is the waves +grow smaller as they increase the distance from the initial wave. These +waves are the reverse of sea waves, the form remaining in practically +one place while the water flies through. In many rapids there is an eddy +on each side of this tail in which a current runs up-river with great +force. If a boat is caught in this eddy it may be carried a second time +through a part of the rapid. We soon arrived at another rapid in which +this very thing happened to our boat. We were caught by the eddy and +carried up-stream to be launched directly into the path of the _Nell_, +which had started down. Prof. skilfully threw his boat to one side and +succeeded in avoiding a collision. Nothing could be done with our boat +but to let her go where she would for the moment. We then ran two other +rapids, rough ones too, but there was no trouble in them for any of the +boats. The velocity at this stage of water was astonishing, and the +opportunities to land in quiet water between the rapids now were few. + +[Illustration: Canyon of Lodore. + +Low water. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1874.] + +About dinner-time as we emerged at high speed from one rapid we saw +immediately below lying in ominous shadow, another. It had a forbidding +look. In Red Canyon owing to the east-and-west trend the sun fell to the +bottom for many more hours than in Lodore which has a north-and-south +trend. Hence here even at high noon, one side or the other might be in +deep shadow. In this particular case it was the left wall which came +down very straight to the river, the outside of a bend. Opposite was a +rocky, wooded point. Between these the rapid swept down. There was no +slack water separating the end of the rapid we left from the beginning +of this one so obscurely situated. Landing was no easy task at the speed +with which we were flying, but it would not do to try to run the rapid +without an examination. The only possible place to stop was on the right +where there was a cove with a little strip of beach, and we headed for +it instantly, pulling with every muscle. Yet we continued going on down +at railway speed. When at last we arrived within a few feet of the bank +the problem was how to stop. The water appeared shallow, though we could +not see bottom on account of its murky character, and there was only one +course, which was to jump out and make anchors of our legs. As we did so +we sank to our waists and were pulled along for a moment but our feet, +braced against the large rocks on the bottom, served the purpose and the +momentum was overcome. Once the velocity was gone it was easy to get the +boat to the beach, and she was tied there just in time to allow us to +rush to the help of the _Nell_.[7] Scarcely had the _Nell_ been tied up +than the _Canonita_ came darting for the same spot like a locomotive. +With the force on hand she was easily controlled, and the fact that she +carried the cook outfit as well as the cook added to our joy at having +her so speedily on the beach. Andy went to work immediately to build a +fire and prepare dinner while the rest overhauled the boats, took +observations, plotted notes, or did other necessary things, and the +Major and Prof. went down to take a close look at the rapid which had +caused us such sudden and violent exertion. They reported a clear +channel in the middle, and when we continued after dinner, we went +through easily and safely, as of course we could have done in the first +place if the Major had been willing to take an unknown risk. But in the +shadow the fall might have been almost anything and it would have been +foolhardy to run it without examination, even though we found it so hard +to stop. Below the rapid that had halted us so abruptly there was +nothing for about a mile but easy running, when we stopped in a cove to +examine another rapid. Prof. here started up eleven mountain sheep, but +by the time he had come back to the boats for a gun they were beyond +reach. Though this rapid could be easily run, there was just below it +only a short distance the fall where the _No-Name_ was wrecked on the +first trip, and we would have to be cautious, for the approach to that +fall we knew was treacherous. + +The river comes at this point from the east, bends south, then west, and +it is just at the western bend that the steep rush of the big fall +begins and continues for three-quarters of a mile. On the right the +waters beat fiercely against the foot of the perpendicular wall, while +on the left they are confined by a rocky point, the end of which is +composed of enormous blocks. The space for the stream between this point +and the opposite cliff is narrow, while the river above it spreads +rather wide with a deep bay on the left where there is quiet water. This +bay is protected a quarter of a mile up by a jutting point, and is +merely back water. Just off the point the whole river suddenly becomes +saucer-like, and quite smooth, with all the currents drawing strongly in +from every direction and pouring toward and over the falls. An object +once within the grip of this "sag," as we called it, is obliged to pass +over the falls. The situation is peculiar and it occurs nowhere else on +the whole river. Not being understood on the first voyage one of the +boats, the _No-Name_, was trapped, driven over the falls, and broken to +fragments, though the men were rescued below. The disaster was the cause +of some unpleasantness on that voyage, the men blaming the Major for not +signalling properly and he blaming them for not landing quickly when he +signalled. + +We were on the lookout for it and the Major having the wreck to +emphasise the peculiarities of the "sag" desired to have every boat turn +the point at the correct moment. Ours ran through the preliminary rapid +easily and we dropped cautiously down upon our great enemy, hugging the +left bank as closely as we could to reach the jutting point around which +the boat must pass to arrive in the safe waters of the bay. We turned +the point with no difficulty, and proceeded a distance across the bay +where we landed on a beach to watch for the other boats, the steersmen +having been informed as to the precariousness of the locality. +Nevertheless it was so deceptive that when the _Nell_ came in sight she +was not close enough to the left shore for safety. The Major signalled +vigorously with his hat, and Prof. took the warning instantly and turned +in, but when the _Canonita_ appeared we saw at once that she was +altogether too far out and for some seconds we stood almost petrified +while the Major again signalled with all his might. It seemed an even +chance; then she gained on the current and finally reached good water +whence she came to our position. Beaman had been a pilot on the Great +Lakes and was expert with a steering-oar, and probably for that reason +he was somewhat careless. There was hardly an excuse in this instance +for a boat not to take the proper course for the experience of the +_No-Name_ told the whole story, yet the place is so peculiar and unusual +that one even forewarned may fail. Across the bay pulling was safe and +we ran to a beach very close to the head of the falls where we made our +camp, the sun now being low and the huge cliffs casting a profound and +sombre shadow into the bottom. It was a wild, a fierce, an impressive +situation. The unending heavy roar of the tumbling river, the difficulty +if not impossibility of turning back even if such a thing had been +desired, the equal difficulty if not impossibility of scaling the walls +that stood more than 2000 feet above us, and the general sublimity of +the entire surroundings, rendered our position to my mind intensely +dramatic. Two years before, on this identical spot the Major had camped +with the loss of one of his boats bearing heavily on his mind, though +his magnificent will, his cheerful self-reliance, and his unconquerable +determination to dominate any situation gave him power and allied him to +the river itself. The place practically chose its own name, Disaster +Falls, and it was so recorded by the topographers. + +A hard portage was ahead of us and all turned in early to prepare by a +good sleep for the long work of the next day. No tent as a rule was +erected unless there was rain, and then a large canvas from each boat +was put up on oars or other sticks, the ends being left open. In a +driving storm a blanket would answer to fill in. As there was now no +indication of a storm our beds were placed on the sand as usual with the +sides of the canyon for chamber walls and the multitudinous stars for +roof. + +A short distance below the great rapid near which we were camped was a +second equally bad, the two together making up the three-quarter mile +descent of Disaster Falls. Between them the river became level for a +brief space and wider, and a deposit of boulders and gravel appeared +there in the middle above the surface at the present stage of water. It +was this island which had saved the occupants of the _No-Name_, and from +which they were rescued. + +We were up very early in the morning, and began to carry the cargoes by +a trail we made over and around the huge boulders to a place below the +bad water of the first fall. The temperature was in the 90's and it was +hot work climbing with a fifty-pound sack on one's back, but at last +after many trips back and forth every article was below. Then the empty +boats were taken one at a time, and by pulling, lifting, and sliding on +skids of driftwood, and by floating wherever practicable in the quieter +edges of the water, we got them successfully past the first fall. Here +the loads were replaced, and with our good long and strong lines an inch +thick, the boats were sent down several hundred yards in the rather +level water referred to intervening between the foot of the upper fall +and the head of the lower, to the beginning of the second descent. This +all occupied much time, for nothing could be done rapidly, and noon +came, in the midst of our work. Anticipating this event Andy had gone +ahead with his cook outfit and had baked the dinner bread in his Dutch +oven. With the usual fried bacon and coffee the inner man was speedily +fortified for another wrestle with the difficult and laborious +situation. The dinner bread was baked from flour taken out of a +hundred-pound sack that was found lying on top of an immense boulder far +above the river. This was flour that had been rescued by the former +party from the wreckage of the _No-Name_, but as they could not add it +to their remaining heavily laden boats, the Major had been compelled to +leave it lying here. They needed it badly enough towards the end. It was +still sweet and good, but we could not take it either. We were so much +better provisioned than the former party that it was, besides, not +necessary for us, and we also left it where it was. Our supplies were +not likely to fail us at the mouth of the Uinta, and beyond that there +was not yet need to worry. Although there were only two points below +Gunnison Crossing in a distance of nearly 600 miles where it was known +that the river could be reached, the Crossing of the Fathers and the +mouth of the Paria not far below it, we felt sure that those who had +been charged with the bringing of supplies to the mouth of the "Dirty +Devil" would be able to get there, and as we were to stop for the season +at the Paria, we would have time to plan for beyond. In any case our +boats were carrying now all they could, and without a regret we turned +our backs on the outcast flour. It was an ordinary sack of bolted wheat +flour, first in a cotton bag then in a gunny bag and had been lying +unbroken for two years. The outside for half an inch was hard, but +inside of that the flour was in excellent condition. Two oars were also +found. They were doubtless from the _No-Name_. + +[Illustration: F. S. Dellenbaugh + +The Heart of Lodore. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +After dinner we once more unloaded the boats and carried everything on +our backs up and across a long rocky hill, or point, down to a spot, +about a third of a mile altogether, where the goods were piled on a +smooth little beach at the margin of a quiet bay. It took many trips, +and it was exhausting work, but in addition to bringing the cargoes +down, we also by half past five got one of the boats there, by working +it over the rocks and along the edge. Here we camped and had supper as +soon as Andy could get it ready. It may be asked by some not familiar +with scientific work, how we always knew the time, but as we had the +necessary instruments for taking time astronomically, there was nothing +difficult about it. We also carried fine chronometers, and had a number +of watches. + +In the sand near the camp, which place at highest water might have +formed an eddy behind some huge rocks, a few old knives, forks, a rusty +bake oven, and other articles were found, the wreckage from some party +prior to that of the Major's first. He said they had not left anything +of that sort, and he had noticed the same things on the former trip. + +The total fall of the river here is about fifty feet, and no boat could +get through without smashing. + +The morning of June 20th found us early at work bringing down the two +boats we had left, and as soon as this was accomplished the cargoes were +put on once more, and we lowered the three one at a time, along the left +bank by means of our hundred-foot hawsers, with everything in them, +about a quarter of a mile to another bad place which we called Lower +Disaster Falls. Here we unloaded and made a short portage while Andy was +getting dinner. When we had disposed of this and reloaded, we pulled +into the river, which averaged about 350 feet wide, with a current in +places of 15 miles or more, and quickly arrived at three bad rapids in +succession, all of which we ran triumphantly, though the former party +made portages around them. In the third our boat took in so much water +that we made a landing in order to bail out. Continuing immediately we +reached another heavy rapid, but ran it without even stopping to +reconnoitre, as the way seemed perfectly clear. We took the next rapid +with equal success, though our boat got caught in an eddy and was turned +completely round, while the others ran past us. They landed to wait, and +there we all took a little breathing spell before attempting to run +another rapid just below which we made camp in a grove of cedars, at the +beginning of a descent that looked so ugly it was decided to make a +"let-down" on the following day. Everybody was wet to the skin and glad +to get on some dry clothes, as soon as we could pull out our bags. The +cliffs had now reached an altitude of at least 2500 feet, and they +appeared to be nearly perpendicular, but generally not from the water's +edge where there was usually a bank of some kind or the foot of a steep +talus. There were box-elder and cottonwood trees here and there, and +cedars up the cliffs wherever they could find a footing. On the heights +tall pine trees could be seen. The cliff just opposite camp was almost +vertical from the rapid at its foot to the brink 2500 feet above, and +flame red. + +After supper as we all sat in admiration and peering with some awe at +the narrow belt of sky, narrower than we had before seen it, the stars +slowly came out, and presently on the exact edge of the magnificent +precipice, set there like a diadem, appeared the Constellation of the +Harp. It was an impressive sight, and immediately the name was bestowed +"The Cliff of the Harp."[8] + +Prof. read _Marmion_ aloud, and Jack gave us a song or two, before we +went to sleep feeling well satisfied with our progress into the heart of +Lodore. + +This portion of the river has a very great declivity, the greatest as we +afterwards determined on the entire Green and Colorado with the +exception of a section of Cataract and a part of the First Granite Gorge +of the Grand Canyon, where the declivity is much the same, with Cataract +Canyon in the lead. A quarter-mile above our camp a fine little stream, +Cascade Creek, came in on the right. Beaman made some photographs in the +morning, and we began to work the boats down along the edge of the rapid +beside which we had camped. This took us till noon, and we had dinner +before venturing on. When we set forth we had good luck, and soon put +four rapids behind, running the first, letting down past two and running +the fourth which was a pretty bad one. Three-quarters of a mile of +smooth water then gave us a respite much appreciated, when we arrived at +a wild descent about as bad as Disaster Falls, though more safely +approached. This was called Triplet Falls by the first party. We went +into camp at the head of it on the left bank. This day we found a number +of fragments of the _No-Name_ here and there, besides an axe and a vise +abandoned by the first party, and a welcome addition to our library in a +copy of _Putnam's Magazine_. This was the first magazine ever to +penetrate to these extreme wilds. The river was from 300 to 400 feet +wide, and the walls ran along with little change, about 2500 feet high. +Opposite camp was Dunn's Cliff, the end of the Sierra Escalante, about +2800 feet high, named for one of the first party who was killed by the +Indians down in Arizona. We remained a day here to let the topographers +climb out if they could. They had little trouble in doing this, and +after a pleasant climb reached the top through a gulch at an altitude +above the river of 3200 feet. The view was extensive and their efforts +were rewarded by obtaining much topographical information. Late in the +day the sky grew dark, the thunder rolled, and just before supper we had +a good shower. + +[Illustration: Canyon of Lodore--Dunn's Cliff. + +2800 Feet above River. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +On the 23d progress was continued and every one felt well after the +cessation for a day of the knocking about amidst the foam and boulders. +It took us, with hard work, till two o'clock to get past Triplet Falls +by means of a double portage. About half a mile below this we were +confronted by one of the worst looking places we had yet seen, and at +the suggestion of Steward it received the significant name of "Hell's +Half Mile." The entire river for more than half a mile was one sheet of +white foam. There was not a quiet spot in the whole distance, and the +water plunged and pounded in its fierce descent and sent up a deafening +roar. The only way one could be heard was to yell with full lung power. +Landing at the head of it easily we there unloaded the _Dean_ and let +her down by line for some distance. In the worst place she capsized but +was not damaged. Then the water, near the shore we were on, though +turbulent in the extreme became so shallow on account of the great width +of the rapid here that when we had again loaded the _Dean_ there were +places where we were forced to walk alongside and lift her over rocks, +but several men at the same time always had a strong hold on the shore +end of the line. In this way we got her down as far as was practicable +by that method. At this point the river changed. The water became more +concentrated and consequently deeper. It was necessary to unload the +boat again and work her on down with a couple of men in her and the rest +holding the line on shore as we had done above. When the roughest part +was past in this manner, we made her fast and proceeded to carry her +cargo down to this spot which took some time. It was there put on board +again and the hatches firmly secured. The boat was held firmly behind a +huge sheltering rock and when all was ready her crew took their places. +With the Major clinging to the middle cabin, as his chair had been left +above and would be carried down later, we shoved out into the swift +current, here free from rocks, and literally bounded over the waves that +formed the end of the descent, to clear water where we landed on a snug +little beach and made the boat secure for the night. Picking our way +along shore back to the head of the rapid, camp was made there as the +darkness was falling and nothing more could be done that night. + +[Illustration: Jones, Hillers, F. S. Dellenbaugh + +Canyon of Lodore. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +It was next to impossible to converse, but every one being very tired it +was not long after supper before we took to the blankets and not a man +was kept awake by the noise. It seemed only a few moments before it was +time to go at it again. All hands were up early and the other two boats +were taken laboriously down in the same manner as the _Dean_ had been +engineered, but though we toiled steadily it was one o'clock by the time +we succeeded in placing them alongside that boat. Anticipating this, +Andy's utensils were taken down on the _Nell_, and while we were working +with the _Canonita_, our good chef prepared the dinner and we stopped +long enough to fortify ourselves with it. Having to build a trail in +some places in order to carry the goods across ridges and boulders, it +was not alone the work on lowering the boats which delayed us. While we +were absorbed in these operations the camp-fire of the morning in some +way spread unperceived into the thick sage-brush and cedars which +covered the point, and we vacated the place none too soon, for the +flames were leaping high, and by the time we had finished our dinner at +the foot of the rapid, the point we had so recently left was a horrible +furnace. The fire was jumping and playing amidst dense smoke which +rolled a mighty column, a thousand feet it seemed to me above the top of +the canyon; that is over 3000 feet into the tranquil air. + +At two o'clock all three boats were again charging down on a stiff +current with rather bad conditions, though we ran two sharp rapids +without much trouble. In one the _Nell_ got on a smooth rock and came +near capsizing. The current at the spot happened to be not so swift and +she escaped with no damage. Then we were brought up by another rapid, a +very bad one. Evening was drawing on and every man was feeling somewhat +used up by the severe exertions of the day. Camp was therefore ordered +at the head of this rapid in the midst of scenery that has probably as +great beauty, picturesqueness, and grandeur as any to be found in the +whole West. I hardly know how to describe it. All day long the +surroundings had been supremely beautiful, majestic, but at this camp +everything was on a superlative scale and words seem colourless and +futile. The precipices on both sides, about 2200 feet high, conveyed the +impression of being almost vertical. Our camp was several hundred yards +from the rapid and we could talk with some comfort. After supper I +wandered alone down beside the furiously plunging waters and came upon a +brood of young magpies airing themselves on the sand. The roar of the +fall prevented their hearing and I walked among them, picked one up and +took it to camp to show their comicality, when I let it go back to the +rendezvous. I was censured especially by the Major, for cruelty to +animals. + +The next day was Sunday and it came with a radiance that further +enhanced the remarkable grandeur around us. Near by was a side canyon of +the most picturesque type, down which a clear little brook danced from +ledge to ledge and from pool to pool, twenty to thirty feet at a time. +We named it Leaping Brook. The rocks were mossy, and fir trees, pines, +cedars, and cottonwoods added the charm of foliage to the brilliant +colours of the rocks and the sheen of falling water, here and there lost +in the most profound shadows. Beaman made a number of views while the +rest of the men climbed for various purposes. Steward, Clem, and I by a +circuitous route arrived at a point high up on Leaping Brook where the +scene was beyond description. To save trouble on the return we descended +the brook as it was easy to slide down places that could not be climbed. +In this manner we succeeded in getting to the last descent near camp, to +discover that it was higher than we thought and almost vertical with +rough rocks at the bottom. As we could not go back and had no desire to +break a leg, we were in trouble. Then we spied Jack in the camp a short +distance away and called to him to put a tree up for us. Good-natured +Jack, always ready to help, assumed a gruff tone and pretended he would +never help us, but we knew better, and presently he threw up a long dead +pine which we could reach by a short slide, and thus got to the river +level. It was now noon, and as soon as dinner was over the boats were +lowered by lines past the rapid beside camp and once below this we shot +on our way with a fine current, soon arriving at two moderate rapids +close together, which we ran. This brought us to a third with an ugly +look, but on examination Prof. and the Major decided to run it. Getting +a good entrance all the boats went through without the slightest mishap. +A mile below this place we landed at the mouth of a pretty little stream +entering through a picturesque and narrow canyon on the left. We called +it Alcove Brook. + +Beaman took some negatives here. This was not the easy matter that the +dry-plate afterwards made it, for the dark tent had to be set up, the +glass plate flowed with collodion, then placed in the silver bath, and +exposed wet in the camera, to be immediately developed and washed and +placed in a special box for carriage. + +This would have been an ideal place for a hunter. Numerous fresh tracks +of grizzlies were noticed all around, but we did not have the good luck +to see any of the animals themselves. Happy grounds these canyons were +at that time for the bears, and they may still be enjoying the seclusion +the depths afford. The spot had an additional interest for us because it +was here that on the first trip the brush caught fire soon after the +party had landed, and they were forced to take to the boats so +unceremoniously that they lost part of their mess-kit and some clothing. + +On leaving Alcove Brook we ran a rapid and then another a little farther +on, but they were easy and the river was much calmer though the current +was still very swift. At the same time the walls to our satisfaction +began to give indications of breaking. They became less high, less +compact, and we ventured to hope that our battle with the waters of +Lodore was about over. The Major said that, as nearly as he could +remember, the end of the great gorge was not very far below. Though the +sky was beginning to show the evening tints we kept on and ever on, +swiftly but smoothly, looking up at the sky and at the splendid walls. +The sun went down. The chasm grew hazy with the soft light of evening +and the mystery of the bends deepened. There was no obstruction and in +about three miles from Alcove Brook we rather abruptly emerged into a +beautiful small opening, where the immediate walls were no more than six +hundred feet high. A river of considerable size flowed in on the left, +through a deep and narrow canyon. This was the Yampa, sometimes then +called Bear River. By seven o'clock we had moored the boats a few yards +up its mouth and we made a comfortable camp in a box-elder grove. We +had won the fight without disaster and we slept that night in peace. + +Lodore is wholly within the State of Colorado. It is 20-3/4 miles long +with a descent of 420 feet,[9] mostly concentrated between Disaster +Falls and Hell's Half-Mile, a distance of about 12 miles. The total +descent from the Union Pacific crossing was 975 feet in a distance, as +the river runs, of about 153 miles. + +[Illustration: Echo Park. + +Mouth of Yampa River in Foreground, Green River on Right. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 7: Professor Thompson's diary says he landed first after a +hard pull, "and then caught the other boats below, they not succeeding +in getting in."] + +[Footnote 8: In his report the Major ascribes the naming of this cliff +to an evening on the first voyage. The incident could hardly have +occurred twice even had the camps been in the same place.] + +[Footnote 9: In my _Romance of the Colorado River_ these figures were +changed to 275 because of barometrical data supplied me which was +supposed to be accurate. I have concluded that it was not.] + + + + +CHAPTER V + + A Remarkable Echo--Up the Canyon of the Yampa--Steward and + Clem Try a Moonlight Swim--Whirlpool Canyon and Mountain + Sheep--A Grand Fourth-of-July Dinner--A Rainbow-Coloured + Valley--The Major Proceeds in Advance--A Split Mountain with + Rapids a Plenty--Enter a Big Valley at Last. + + +The little opening between canyons we named Echo Park, first because +after the close quarters of Lodore it seemed very park-like, and second +because from the smooth bare cliff directly opposite our landing a +distinct echo of ten words was returned to the speaker. I had never +before, and have never since, heard so clear and perfect an echo with so +many words repeated. We were camped on the right bank of the Yampa as +the left was a bottom land covered with cedars and we preferred higher +ground. This bottom was an alluvial deposit triangular in shape about a +mile long and a quarter of a mile wide with the Yampa and Green on two +sides and a vertical sandstone wall on the third. Behind our camp the +rocks broke back in a rough, steep slope for perhaps a quarter of a +mile, and this with the bottom-land and the lack of height in the walls +near the river conveyed an impression of wide expanse when compared with +the narrow limits in which we had for eight days been confined. The +Green was here about 400 feet wide and was held in on the western side +of the park by the Echo Cliff which was a vertical wall some 600 feet +high composed of homogeneous sandstone, and consequently almost without +a crack from top to bottom where its smooth expanse dropped below the +surface of the water. It extended down river about three-fourths of a +mile, the river doubling around its southern end. + +The next day after arriving here most of us did not feel like doing any +climbing and remained around camp, mending clothes and other articles, +adjusting things that had become deranged by our rough work in the last +canyon, recording notes, and making entries in diaries. Prof. took +observations for latitude and longitude to establish the position of the +Yampa so that it could be properly placed on the map. The Major during +an exploring trip from the eastward in 1868 had reached the Yampa +Canyon, but he could not cross it. He now decided to go up with a boat +as far as possible in three days to supplement his former observations +as well as to study the canyon in general. He had estimated its length +at thirty miles, and this has proved to be correct. The _Dean_ was +unloaded, and with three days' rations the Major started with her in the +morning manned by Jack, Beaman, Jones, and Andy. Of course they were all +still tired from the strain of Lodore, and they were not enthusiastic +about seeing the Yampa. In such work as was common through Lodore, it is +as much the tension on the nerves, even though this is not realised at +the time, as it is the strain on the muscles in transporting the cargoes +and the boats, which makes one tired. I was entirely satisfied not to +go with the Yampa party and I believe all the others left behind felt +much the same. + +Steward with Clem, when the Yampa expedition had gone, started back over +the cliffs for Alcove Brook to geologise, leaving Prof. busy with +observation, Cap. plotting the topographical notes and making his map +thereby, and me with no special duty at the time. Every man who wants to +be efficient in the field must learn to cook. This was my opportunity as +Andy was absent and the others had their special work on hand, so I +turned my attention to the culinary realm. A few directions and an +example from Cap. who was a veteran gave me the method and I succeeded +as my first offering, in placing before my comrades some biscuits hot +from the Dutch oven, which compared favourably with those of Andy +himself. With the constant practice Andy by this time had become an +expert. The day wore away and at evening I got supper with more biscuits +of which I was proud, but Steward and Clem failed to come to partake of +them as we expected. Darkness fell and still there was dead silence +outside of our camp. Much concerned we then ate supper momentarily +expecting to hear their voices, but they did not come. Something had +happened, but we could not follow their trail till morning to find out +what it was. At ten o'clock we gave them up for the night deeply +troubled about them. I had been sitting alone by the fire keeping the +coffee hot and listening, when suddenly I heard a crackling of the +bushes between me and the river and in a second or two Clem, laughing as +over a joke, came to the fire with the water running off him in streams. +While I was trying to get an explanation Steward also appeared in the +same condition. At first they would not tell what had occurred but +finally they confessed on condition that I would keep the matter a +secret. They had made a long hard climb and late in the afternoon had +come to a place where Steward found it necessary to descend to the river +in examining the strata. They intended to climb back, but when the work +was done the sun had set and it was too late to venture up as they could +not climb in the dark. Rather than stay there all night they made a raft +of two little dead cedars and tying their shoes upon it, they waited for +the moon to rise. This was very soon and they slipped into the current +relying on the raft merely to keep their heads above water. They knew +there were no rapids between them and camp but they did not properly +estimate the velocity of the river and the eddies and whirlpools. They +kept near the left wall so as not to be carried past camp and in this +they made a great mistake for they were caught in a whirlpool caused by +a projection, and the raft was wrenched from them while they were +violently thrown around. Steward being a powerful swimmer succeeded +after nearly going under for good in regaining the raft which Clem +meanwhile had been losing and recovering quickly several times. He was +not a good swimmer. After this whirlpool was passed they reached the +locality of our camp with no further adventure. They were very desirous +that the story be kept from the rest of the party but they had hardly +finished telling me when Prof. came and insisted on knowing what had +occurred. Their punishment for this indiscretion was the hard climb back +again to where they had left a rifle and other things that must be +recovered. + +A delightful episode of this camp was a row which several of us made up +the Yampa in the moonlight. As far as we went the current was not swift +and we were able to pull gently along under the great cliffs in shadows +made luminous by the brilliancy of the moon. A song the Major was fond +of singing, _Softly and Sweetly it Comes from Afar_, almost +involuntarily, sprang from us all, though our great songster, Jack, was +not with us. Jack had an extensive repertory, an excellent voice, and a +hearty, exuberant spirit. He would sing _Write Me a Letter from Home_, +_The Colleen Bawn_, _The Lone Starry Hours_, _Beautiful Isle of the +Sea_, and many others in a way that brought tranquillity to our souls. +We missed him on this evening but nevertheless our song sounded well, +echoing from wall to wall, and we liked it. Somehow or other that night +remains one of the fairest pictures I have ever seen. + +Another day I went with Steward down across the triangular bottom to the +lower end of the park where we climbed out through the canyon of a +little brook to a sandy and desolate plateau. Currant bushes laden with +fruit abounded and there were tracks of grizzlies to be seen. Possibly +some may have been lying in the dense underbrush, but if so they kept +their lairs as these bears generally do unless directly disturbed. + +On the 30th of June Prof., Steward, and Cap. went for a climb. They +proceeded to the lower end of the park by boat and through the little +canyon that came in there, got out to the plateau where Steward and I +had before been, but there they went farther. After a very hard climb +they succeeded in reaching the crest where they had a broad view and +could see nearly all of the next canyon with its rapids which we would +have to pass through; the canyon the Major had called Whirlpool on his +first trip. They could also see the Yampa River for twenty miles and +discovered the _Dean_ coming back down that stream, their attention +being attracted by a gunshot in that direction, which they knew could be +only from our own men. In camp during the day I again experimented in +the culinary department, and produced two dried-apple pies, one of which +Clem and I ate with an indescribable zest, and the other we kept to +astonish the absentees with when they should reach camp. I have since +learned that my method of pie-making was original I soaked the dried +apples till they were soft then made a crust which had plenty of bacon +grease in it for shortening and put the apples with sugar between, +baking the production in the Dutch oven. + +About five o'clock the Yampa explorers came. They were ragged, tired, +and hungry having had nothing to eat all day, and not enough any day, as +the Major had not taken sufficient supplies in his desire to make the +boat light. They were all rather cross, the only time on the whole +expedition that such a state existed, but when they had eaten and rested +their genial spirits came back, they even liked my pie, and they told us +about their struggle up the canyon. + +We were all rather sorry to pull away from this comfortable camp at the +mouth of the Yampa on July 3d, but the rapids of Whirlpool were +challenging and we had to go and meet them. At the foot of Echo Park the +Green doubles directly back on itself for a mile as it turns Echo Rock, +the narrow peninsula of sandstone 600 feet high. The canyon became +suddenly very close and assumed a formidable appearance. We listened for +the roar of a rapid but for some time nothing was heard. The splendour +of the walls impressed us deeply rising 2000 feet, many coloured, +carved, and terraced elaborately. Our admiration was interrupted by a +suggestive roar approaching and suddenly a violent rapid appeared. There +was ample room and we got below it by a let-down, that is by lowering +the boats one at a time with their cargoes on board, along the margin, +working in and out of the side currents. Then we had dinner while +waiting for the _Canonita_ which had remained behind for pictures. + +A part of my work was to make a continuous outline sketch of the left +wall for the use of the geologists and this I was able to do as we went +along. I had a pocket on the bulkhead in front of my seat in which I +kept a sole leather portfolio, which I could use quickly and replace in +the waterproof pocket. + +The walls of the canyon became more flaring as soon as the rapid was +passed at noon, but they lost none of their majesty. We now expected +very bad river and whirlpools from the experience of the first party, +but the river is never twice alike. Not only does its bottom shift, but +every variation in stage of water brings new problems or does away with +them entirely. It was an agreeable surprise to be able to run three +rapids with ease by four o'clock, when we saw on some rocks two hundred +feet above the stream a flock of mountain sheep. An immediate landing +was made with fresh mutton in prospect. Unluckily our guns in +anticipation of severe work had all been securely packed away, and it +was some moments before they could be brought out. By that time the +sheep had nimbly gone around a corner of the wall where a large side +canyon was now discovered bringing in a fine creek. It was useless to +follow the sheep though one or two made a brief trial, and camp was made +in a cottonwood grove at the mouth of the creek. Cottonwoods fringed the +stream as far as it could be seen from our position. Brush Creek we +called it believing it to be the mouth of a stream in the back country +known by that name. The next day, two or three miles up, a branch was +found to come from the south, and as this was thought to be Brush Creek, +the larger one was named after Cap., and "Bishop's Creek" was put on our +map. Doubtless there are plenty of trout in this creek and in others we +had passed, but we had no proper tackle for trout and besides seldom had +time for fishing when at these places. Jack, when not too tired, fished +in the Green and generally had good success. Our present locality would +have been a rare place for a month or two's sojourn had we been +sportsmen with time on our hands. Sheep, deer, and bear existed in +abundance as well as smaller game, but we had to forget it though none +of us cared about shooting for fun. Our minds were on other things. +Often we went out leaving rifles behind as they were heavy in a climb. + +[Illustration: Whirlpool Canyon. + +Mouth of Bishop Creek--Fourth of July Camp. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Scarcely had we settled ourselves in this beautiful camp when we +discovered that we ourselves were the hunted, and by an enemy that we +could not vanquish--ants. There was no place in the neighbourhood that +was out of their range. The best I could do was to make my bed two feet +from the nearest hill and let them have their way. Morning was hailed +with unusual delight for this reason and also because it was the +"glorious Fourth," a day that every American remembers wherever he may +be. We fired several rounds as a salute, and the Major concluded to keep +this camp till the next morning. To enable Andy to have a day off and a +climb out with a party to the open, I agreed to run the cook outfit, and +felt highly complimented that they were willing to trust me after the +pie episode. I immediately resolved to try my skill again in that +quarter and expected to astonish the camp. I succeeded. The bill of fare +which I evolved was ham, dried-apple pie, dried apples stewed, canned +peaches, sugar syrup, bread, coffee, and some candy from Gunther's in +Chicago. The candy had been presented to me at Green River Station by +some passing friends, and I had hidden it in my bag waiting for this +grand occasion. Ham was quite as much of a luxury as candy, for we had +started with but three or four, and only used them on special days. As +for the canned peaches, they were the only ones we had. The supper was a +memorable one; not a grumble was heard from anybody, indeed they all +praised it, and the only drawback, from my point of view, was that the +scouting party did not return early enough to taste it in its prime. The +Major threatened to expel the member who had smuggled in the candy as +all the men declared they would go no farther unless they could have a +plate of it for desert at every meal! + +The next morning we were on the river early, glad to get away from the +army of ants. The canyon walls ran along at about the same height as on +the previous day, about 2400 feet, and while the river was swift and +full of rapids everything seemed to favour us. Before halting for dinner +we had run five rapids, three rather ugly, as well as letting down past +one with lines. From where a stop was made for Andy's noonday +operations, a flock of sheep was seen on the opposite side, and several +went after them with no result but disappointment. When we started again +we ran a rapid at once, then let down past the next, and followed that +by running two more, the last the worst. The boats bumped occasionally +on hidden rocks, but no harm was done them. The whole canyon was +exceedingly beautiful, nevertheless we did not mourn when late in the +afternoon, just after running the last rapid, the magnificent cliffs +fell back and we saw more sky than at any time since leaving Brown's +Park. On the right the rocks melted away into beautiful rainbow-coloured +hills while on the left they remained steep, though retreating a mile or +so from the water. The stretch of sky seemed enormous. Breathing +appeared to be easier. The eye grows weary with the short range views, +and yearns for space in which to roam. + +The valley we were now in was not long; about four miles in a straight +line, with a width of two. In this space the river meanders nine miles, +one detour being very long. It spreads also amongst a number of islands, +and the numerous channels became shallow till our keels grated here and +there. Then they concentrated once more and we floated along on waters +deep and black and slow. The marvellous colouring in the surrounding +landscape impressed us, and the Major was for a time uncertain whether +to call this "Rainbow" or "Island" Park, the decision finally being +given to the latter. Shortly before sunset our meanderings terminated at +the foot of the valley where the river once more entered the rocks, in a +gateway as abrupt, though not as imposing as that of Lodore. A fine +grove of box-elders on the right just above this gate, offered an +attractive camping place, and there we stopped. + +We were now in Utah again, having crossed the boundary somewhere in +Whirlpool Canyon. The altitude was 4940 feet, showing a descent in +Whirlpool Canyon of 140 feet in a distance of 14-1/4 miles. The next day +I went with Beaman and Clem with a boat back to the foot of Whirlpool +Canyon, in order that Beaman might get some views. It was a hard pull, +and we discovered that what appears sluggish going down, is often the +reverse to a boat going up. We could make headway only by keeping very +close to the bank. It was supper-time when we again reached camp. The +Major now announced that he intended to take the _Dean_ and go on ahead, +without stopping anywhere, to the mouth of the Uinta River, leaving us +to follow as we could in doing the work. Cap. was to be taken in my +place because of his previous experience in the army and in the West. +That evening all was made ready. By break of day the camp was astir, +breakfast was disposed of as quickly as possible, the _Dean_ was manned, +the Major went to his place on the middle cabin, they cast off and +disappeared in the canyon gate. We then called this "Craggy Canyon," but +later it was changed to Split Mountain. + +All of the others crossed the river to climb to the top of the cliffs +for observations and for photographs. I was left alone to watch camp. I +longed to experiment further in the cooking line, and discovering a bag +of ground coffee leaning against the foot of a tree, I said to myself, +"coffee cake." I had heard of it, I had eaten it, I would again surprise +the boys. I had no eggs, no butter, no milk (condensed milk was unknown +at that time), but I had flour, water, cream of tartar, saleratus, +sugar, salt, and ground coffee. I thought these quite enough, and went +at my task. The mixture I made I put in a small tin and baked in the +Dutch oven. I was so much occupied with this interesting experiment that +I forgot all about time and about having something substantial ready for +the return of the hungry climbers, so when they did come about noon, as +famished as coyotes and dead tired, all I could offer was _the_ cake, +ever after famous on that trip, a brown, sugary solid, some six inches +in diameter, two inches thick, and betraying its flavour everywhere by +the coffee-grounds scattered lavishly through it. Andy gave it one brief +sad look, and then went to work to get dinner. But they were such a rare +lot of good fellows that they actually praised that cake and not only +that, they ate it. The cake led to the discovery that the Major's party +had left behind all their coffee, which was what I had used for +flavouring, and they would have to content themselves with tea. From the +heights our men had reached they could see, with a glass, the _Dean_ +working rapidly down the river. Next day another party went up to the +same place, and I went along. The photographic outfit had been left +there because rain the day before had spoiled the view, and we were to +bring it down when more views had been taken. After a strong, steep +climb we found ourselves on a peak or pinnacle about 3000 feet above the +river, and therefore 7940 above sea-level. + +The view from this point was extraordinary. Far below gleamed the river +cleaving the rocks at our feet, and visible for several miles in the +canyon churning its way down, the rapids indicated by bars of white. One +hardly knew which way to look. Crags about us projected into the canyon, +and I was inspired to creep out upon a long finger of sandstone where I +could sit astride as on a horse and comfortably peer down into the +abyss. It was an absolutely safe place, but Beaman and Clem feared the +crag might break off with me, and they compelled me to come back to +relieve their minds. Seldom does one have such a chance to see below as +well as I could there. The long, narrow mountain stretched off to the +west, seeming not more than a half-mile wide, and split open for its +whole length by the river, which has washed its canyon longitudinally +through it. In all directions were mountains, canyons, and crags in +bewildering profusion. + +When Beaman had ended his labours we started down the cliffs with his +apparatus. This was the terror of the party. The camera in its strong +box was a heavy load to carry up the rocks, but it was nothing to the +chemical and plate-holder box, which in turn was a featherweight +compared to the imitation hand-organ which served for a dark room. This +dark box was the special sorrow of the expedition, as it had to be +dragged up the heights from 500 to 3000 feet. With this machinery we +reached camp pretty tired and glad to rest the remainder of the day, +especially as Prof. said we would enter the new canyon the next morning. +This was Sunday. A few minutes after starting we passed between +perpendicular strata rising out of the water, and gradually bending +above over to the horizontal, then breaking into crags. I never saw +anything more like an artificial wall, so evenly were the rocky beds +laid one against another. As we passed into the more broken portion a +flock of sheep came into view high up on the crags on the right standing +motionless evidently puzzled by the sound of our oars. We fired from the +moving boats, but without result. Recovering from their surprise the +sheep bounded lightly away. Our attention was required the next moment +by a rapid which we ran--it was a small one--to find it followed by many +thickly set with rocks. At the first we let down by line for half a +mile, when we had dinner. Then we let down by line another half-mile, +and ran half a mile more in easy water to the head of a very bad place, +one of the worst we had seen, where we made another let-down. There was +never any difficulty about landing when we desired, which made the work +comparatively easy. The _Canonita_ got some hard knocks and had to be +repaired at one place before we could go on. The total distance made was +only about three miles, but we could have gone farther had we not +stopped for investigations, and to mend the boat. + +[Illustration: Split Mountain Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871] + +Wet and weary we welcomed the order to camp, about five o'clock, and +made ourselves comfortable with dry clothes from our rubber bags, the +wet ones being spread, as was our custom, on rocks to dry. At high water +many of these rapids would be rendered much easier. A quarter of a mile +below camp was a small cave thirty or forty feet deep, very picturesque, +with the river dashing into it, and in the water in front a rock twenty +feet high, which had dropped down from somewhere above. Beaman got a +very good picture here. + +The river was falling fast and as the water lowered rocks more and more +showed themselves in the rapids. Low water increases the labour but it +increases the safety as well, for the velocity is less and the boats are +more easily controlled. + +The next day, July 10th, we did not start on down the river till one +o'clock. Then we lowered the boats past two rapids and ran six, of which +four were very bad on account of numerous rocks. Occasionally a boat +would strike but none was injured seriously. The sun was directly in our +faces blinding us, and a high wind was blowing which added to the +difficulties. The walls were often vertical for a thousand feet or more, +and the river was wide and shallow. There was a scorching hot sun, the +temperature being near 100 in the shade. The rocks and even the sand +became so hot that they were uncomfortable to the touch, but there was +one advantage in this dry heat--our clothes were soon dry. During this +day we landed on the wrong side to examine one rapid and had to run it +from there. Both boats got through with only slight raps and we went on +a short distance to camp at the head of a bad descent which was not +runable at this stage of water. In the morning a line-portage was easily +accomplished and we ran down a short distance farther when we stopped +for dinner on a sandy beach. The sand scorched my feet for I had been +without shoes for several days. All our shoes were giving out and mine +were the first to go completely. Fortunately Beaman had an extra pair of +army brogans which he lent me till we should reach Uinta. I had ordered, +by advice in Chicago, two pairs of fine shoes at thirteen dollars a +pair, but I now discovered that I ought to have bought shoes at two +dollars instead for such work as this. We hoped to be able to get some +new shoes from Salt Lake when we reached the Uinta River and again would +be in touch, even though a very long touch, with the outside world. Our +soap was all gone too, and supplies of every kind were getting low. + +In the afternoon three more rapids were run and at a fourth we were +compelled to make a line-portage. Then we saw the strata begin to curve +over and down and finally drop into the river just as they had come out +of it at the beginning. The crevices were filled with ferns and in +places clear water was dripping from these little green cliff gardens. +As we ran along the foot of the left wall we saw a peculiar and +beautiful spring which had carved out a dainty basin where a multitude +of ferns and kindred plants were thriving, a silvery rill dropping down +from them. We emerged from the canyon as abruptly as we had entered it, +and saw a broad valley stretching before us. Running a quarter of a mile +on a smooth river camp was made on the right on a level floor carpeted +with grass and surrounded by thickets of oak. We were in the beginning +of what is now called Wonsits (Antelope) Valley, about eighty-seven +miles long, the only large valley on the river above the end of Black +Canyon. Split-Mountain Canyon eight miles long has one of the greatest +declivities on the river, coming next to Lodore, though it differs from +the latter in that the descent is more continuous and not broken into +short, violent stretches. There would be plain sailing now to the head +of the Canyon of Desolation. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + A Lookout for Redskins--The River a Sluggard--A + Gunshot!--Someone Comes!--The Tale of a Mysterious Light--How, + How! from Douglas Boy--At the Mouth of the Uinta--A Tramp to + Goblin City and a Trip down White River on a Raft--A + Waggon-load of Supplies from Salt Lake by Way of Uinta + Agency--The Major Goes Out to Find a Way In. + + +Our thoughts now were mainly directed to pushing on to the mouth of the +Uinta River and picking up our advance party, which by this time must +have gotten in touch with the Uinta Agency. We felt gratified that +another of the long line of canyons was a thing of the past and that for +a brief time we would have easy water, so far as rapids were concerned. +We were reminded that this was Indian country by discovering on a smooth +face of rock wall not far from camp a lot of drawings pecked into the +stone. They represented figures of natives, bison, elk, deer, mountain +sheep, grizzly tracks, etc., and as they were the first pictographs I +had ever seen I was particularly interested. The bison pictures +indicated the former presence here in this valley of that fine animal. +Numbers indeed once ranged these hills and valleys, but they had all +disappeared many years before our voyage. We were on the lookout for +Indians. As long as we were encompassed by the mighty walls of the +canyons there was little probability of our meeting with any of the +original people of this soil, but the valley now opening wide before us +was their favourite haunt. Two divisions of Utes roamed the surrounding +region. On the west it was the Uinta Utes who, we knew, were peaceable, +and on the east it was the White River Utes, whose status as to peace +and war was at that period somewhat vague and uncertain. We expected no +trouble with any of them, yet the possibility of running at any moment +on a band gave added interest and colour to the voyage. This was +intensified by the feeling that we had suddenly been thrown out of +doors, unprotected, as the huge, dominating precipices broke so suddenly +back on both sides, leaving us hardly a rock with which, in case of +necessity, to emulate the example of Roderick Dhu. Probably if we had +travelled here on horseback in the open there would not have been this +sense of having left our fortification behind. + +July 12th the boats proceeded down a river so sluggish that the term +"down" seemed a misnomer, and we actually had to row; had to work at the +oars to make the boats go; these same boats which so recently had +behaved like wild horses. This was not to our taste at all, the weather +being extremely hot. But there was no help for it. The boats fairly went +to sleep and we tugged away at their dull, heavy weight, putting the +miles behind and recalling the express-train manner of their recent +action. On each side of us there were occasional groves of cottonwoods +and wide bottoms bounded by low hills. After about ten miles of steady +pulling we discovered that we were only 2-1/2 miles from our starting +place in a straight line. Here there was a superb cottonwood grove, +massive trees with huge trunks like oaks, on the left. We found the +remains of a camp-fire and decided that our advance party had come this +far from Island Park the first day. They had accomplished a phenomenal +run, but it showed what might be done with light boats and a full crew. +As Steward desired to make some geological examinations at this point, +Prof. announced that we would stay till morning. Another cause for +stopping was a gale which blew with great force, making rowing +exceedingly hard work, and it was hard enough anyhow with no good +current to help. + +Steward wished to go across the river, and I went with him. We tramped +with our Winchesters on our shoulders for several hours, examining rocks +and fossils. On our return we found that Andy was occupied in boiling a +goose which Prof.'s sure aim had bestowed on the larder, and we had the +bird for supper. If it was not one of the fossils it certainly was one +of the "oldest inhabitants," which are found in every locality, and +though a steady diet of bacon enthused us with an ambition to masticate +this noble morsel, it had to be relegated to the impossibilities. We had +a good deal of entertainment out of it, and while so engaged every ear +caught the sound of a faint, distant gunshot. This was proof that we +were no longer alone, and the question was, "How many Indians are +there?" We simply waited developments. Night came on and the fierce wind +died away completely as the sun went down. We gave no more thought to +the shot, but all went to bed without even leaving a watch, so confident +was Prof. that there was no enemy, and no danger of a surprise. He was +always "level-headed" and never went off on a tangent doing wild or +unwarranted things. He was a man of unusually sound judgment. + +In the absence of Cap. the duty of reading barometer had fallen to me, +and sometimes, when waiting for the hour to arrive, I had to sit alone +for a time when the others already had turned in. It was that way on +this night, and I waited with some impatience for nine o'clock to come. +For the purpose of reading the scale we used a small bull's-eye lantern +belonging to a transit instrument, and it threw out a long beam of +light. I entertained myself by flashing this beam of light in various +directions to the distress of one member lying near not asleep, who was +somewhat nervous as to the character of the Indians responsible for the +shot. + +"Confound it," he growled, "you'll have the whole Ute tribe down on us! +You know they are not far off!" + +Of course I desisted in my "signalling," but Prof., not yet asleep, +spoke up saying he did not believe any Indians would bother us. +Finishing the observations I put out the lantern, and settled in my +blankets. At that instant there was the flash of a light through the +trees and then it glowed steadily for a moment and went out. My nervous +neighbour saw it too. "There," he cried, "an answer to your confounded +signal!" Several saw it. "The evening star setting beyond the hill," +they declared, derisively, but we two maintained that it was nothing +less than a light near by. Then sleep ruled the camp. In the middle of +the night there was a sudden terrific cracking, rending, and crashing, +starting all to their feet except Clem, who was not wakened by it. What +had happened? We perceived in a second. One of the enormous limbs, +weakened by the wind, had broken off and dropped to the ground in the +middle of the camp. Luckily no one was under it and no harm was done, +but for a moment, in connection with the light episode and the gunshot, +it gave us a shock. Every one laughed, and soon the camp was still +again. The sun was well up before we awoke. Immediately the discussion +of the strange light came up, and it formed a lively and amusing topic, +not only then, but ever after for months. Breakfast became a stirring +debating scene, when plump into the midst of our hilarity, as if to +emphasise the declarations of the nervous member, there came a sharp +call from beyond a line of bushes. Almost on the instant appeared an +Indian mounted on a dark bay horse trotting towards us exclaiming, "How, +how!" and holding out his hand in token of friendship. His long black +hair hung behind in two tails braided with red and black cotton cloth. +The scalp at the part was painted vermilion, and around each eye was a +ring of the same bright colour. His shirt was of the kind called +hickory, and his leggins were of red woollen stuff. Altogether he was a +good looking specimen of his race, and about twenty-five years old. How +many more might be behind we could not tell. + +He dismounted and Clem grasped him warmly by the hand, exclaiming with +his most cordial smile, "Well, how are all the folks at home?" to which +the visitor of course made no answer. Not one of our party understood +Ute, and I had never seen a "wild" Indian at such close quarters before. +The man motioned for something to eat, so Andy gave him a plate of +breakfast, but there was a twinkle in Andy's blue eye, for the breakfast +consisted largely of the rejected goose. When the red man's vision +rested on the goose he gave a grunt of disgust and made no effort to +even taste it, though he relished the other things and a cup of hot +coffee. I have noticed that all Indians are very fond of coffee. We +gleaned that he was alone with his squaw, and had a wickiup down the +river a short distance. Doubtless he had examined our camp the previous +night. The barometer hanging to a tree-branch caught his eye, and I +tried by signs to explain it to him with no success except to convulse +the whole crew. At length with the exclamation "Squaw," he rode away and +came back with his fair partner riding behind. By this time we were +packed up and we pushed off, the pair watching us with deep interest. +About a mile and a half below by the river, we came on them again at +their camp, they having easily beaten us by a short cut. Here was his +wickiup made of a few cottonwood boughs, and in front of it the ashes of +a fire. Our side immediately claimed this was the light we had seen, and +the discussion of this point continued until another night put an end to +it. In the bough shelter sat the blooming bride of "Douglas Boy," as he +called himself, Douglas being the chief of the White River Utes. She was +dressed well in a neat suit of navy-blue flannel and was lavishly +adorned with ornaments. Her dress was bound at the waist by a heavy belt +of leather, four inches wide, profusely decorated with brass discs and +fastened by a brass buckle. She was young and quite pretty, and they +were a handsome couple. He intimated that he would be grateful to be +ferried across the river, here almost half a mile wide, so his blankets, +saddles, and whole paraphernalia were piled on the boats, while the two +horses were driven into the water and pelted with stones till they made +up their minds that the farther shore offered greater hospitality, and +swam for it. Then the squaw and the brave were taken on separate boats. +She hesitated long before finally trusting herself, and was exceedingly +coy about it. She had probably never seen a boat before. At last, +overcoming her fear she stepped tremblingly on board and in a few +minutes we had them landed on the other side, where we said farewell and +went on. + +In the afternoon we discovered a number of natives on the right bank and +landed to see what they were. Nothing more terrible than several badly +frightened squaws and children occupied the place, the men being away. +We thought this call on the ladies would suffice, and presenting them +with a quantity of tobacco for their absent lords, we pulled away, +leaving them still almost paralysed with fright and astonishment at our +sudden and unexpected appearance and disappearance. The valley was now +very wide, and the river spread to a great width also, giving conditions +totally different from any we had found above. Rowing was real labour +here, but Prof. was eager to arrive at the mouth of the Uinta the next +day so it was row, row, with a strong, steady, monotonous stroke, hour +after hour till we had put twenty miles behind when we stopped for the +night. Next morning the same programme was continued from seven o'clock +on, with a brief halt for dinner. About four a storm came up, compelling +us to wait an hour, when on we pulled, with a temperature something like +100 deg.F., in the shade, till sunset, when about forty miles from our +starting point, we arrived at the mouth of a river on the right, which +we thought must be the Uinta. But finally as there was no sign of our +advance party we concluded there must be a mistake. There was so little +current in the tributary we thought it might be something besides a +river, the mouth of a lake perhaps, and that the Uinta was farther on. +About a mile down in the dim light there appeared to be a river mouth, +but on reaching the place there was nothing of the kind. Several signal +shots were fired. They fell dead on the dull stillness of the night +which was dropping fast upon us. We took to the oars once more and +pulled down nearly another mile till the dark grew so thick it was not +prudent to proceed, and Prof. ordered a landing on the left where we +made a hasty cup of coffee to refresh the inner man, and turned in, much +puzzled and troubled by the absence of any kind of a signal from the +advance party. Some one suggested that they had all been killed, but +Prof. met this with scornful ridicule and went to sleep. When daylight +came a river was discovered less than half a mile below our camp coming +in from the east. Prof. knew this to be White River from the map, the +mouths of White and Uinta rivers having long been quite accurately +established. The mouth of the Uinta must therefore be where we had been +the night before, and Prof. walked back till he came opposite to it. We +then got the boats back by rowing and towing, and landed on the right or +west bank about a quarter of a mile above the mouth of the Uinta, where +the old time crossing had been, and which we had passed unnoticed in the +evening light. Here were the ashes of a camp-fire, and after much +searching a tin can was found with a note in it from the Major, saying +they had all gone out to the Agency, and that we were to wait here. + +A large cottonwood tree stood on the low bank where travellers before +had camped, not in going up and down the river, but on their way across +country. It was a very old tree and its bark presented many marks, +names, and dates, and I regret now that I did not copy them for +reference. This was one of the known crossings for a long period, in +fact, it was through this valley that Escalante, the first white man to +cross Green River, travelled in 1776, and it is possible that he may +have camped under this very tree.[10] We settled there to wait, harassed +by multitudes of voracious mosquitoes. All day we remained, expecting +the absentees, but the sun went down and still there was no word. About +seven o'clock while we were eating supper, some shots and yells from the +west took us to the top of the bank, and we saw two horsemen galloping +towards our position. We soon made them out to be Cap. and Jones. They +brought a large mail, a portion of it the same we had tried to stop at +Salt Lake, and have returned to us at the Gate of Lodore, and they +reported that the Major had gone out to Salt Lake. We built up a good +fire, and by its light everyone was quickly lost in letters from home. + +The next morning we got the _Dean_ out of the bushes where she had been +well hidden, and moved across the river with the whole outfit, to a +place in front of a half-finished log cabin called Fort Robideau, after +the trapper of that name, who years before had roamed this country. A +road crossing here from Golden to Provo, 413 miles long, was laid out in +1861 by Berthoud and Bridger for the Overland Stage Company, but the +Civil War and the building of the Union Pacific had prevented its +realisation.[11] The cabin had no windows or doors, but for summer that +was not a defect. The mud roof was intact, and we used the cabin for +headquarters, though we preferred to sleep out on the ground. Back of +the building a wide level plain spread away and deer and antelope ranged +there in large numbers. Any short walk would start up antelope, but we +had other matters on our mind, and made no special effort to shoot any. +It would have been easy for a trained hunter to get all he wanted, or +even for one of us to do it had we dropped other things and given our +minds to the work. + +The following Monday, July 17th, Prof. and Beaman left for the Agency, +and on Friday of the same week Jack returned accompanied by a man named +Basor, driving a large four-horse waggon loaded with supplies for us. We +were in need of them. We had been completely out of soap for two weeks +or more, and a box of that essential article was broken open the first +thing. Jack also brought from the Agency garden some lettuce, new +potatoes, and turnips. Not having tasted any vegetables for two months, +these were a great treat. The same afternoon Basor went away taking +letters from us with him to be sent to Salt Lake. One of the special +things he had brought was three long, narrow pieces of flat iron made by +the Agency blacksmith from old wagon tires, for the keels of the boats, +which were badly worn by scraping on shoals and rocks in our portaging +and letting-down operations. + +On the next Monday, Cap., Steward, and I with five days' rations on our +backs as well as blankets enough for the warm nights, and our rifles, +started on a journey up White River to a place called Goblin City by one +of the earlier explorers who had crossed the valley. As we were going +through some heavy willows about noon, I discovered standing still +before me and not a hundred feet away the finest stag I have ever seen. +He stood like a Landseer picture, head erect and alert with huge +branching antlers poised in the air. He was listening to my companions +who were a little distance from me. My gun being tied to my pack for +easy travelling I could not quickly extricate it and before I could +bring it to bear he dashed through the willows and a sensible shot was +impossible. I admired him so much that I was rather glad I could not +shoot. We came across a great deal of game, antelope, mountain sheep, +and deer but we never seemed to have the opportunity to stalk it +properly. When we finally came in sight of the Goblin City it was six +o'clock of the second day and we had travelled steadily. At the farther +end of a level little valley surrounded by cliffs were numerous small +buttes and square rocks, almost in rows and about the size of small +buildings, so that there was a striking suggestion of a town. We slept +near the river and spent the next morning in examining the locality. +When we had completed the observations I got dinner while Steward and +Cap. with our gun-straps and some buckskin strings made a raft from +small cottonwood logs we found on the bank. Upon this weaving affair we +all three embarked to descend the river in order to meander the course +as well as to save our legs. Steward and Cap. stood at either end with +long poles while I sat in the middle and took the compass sights as we +passed along. There were some sharp little rapids full of rocks, and +sometimes it was all we could do to stick on, for the raft being +flexible naturally would straddle a big rock and take the form of a very +steep house roof. The banks were thick with currant bushes loaded with +ripe fruit and we kept a supply of branches on the raft to pick off the +currants as we went along. Everywhere there were many fresh tracks of +bears for they are fond of this fruit, but if they saw us we failed to +see them, though some of the tracks appeared to have been made not more +than a few minutes before. As we drifted between high banks there was a +violent crashing of bushes and a beautiful fawn, evidently pursued by +bear or wolf, plunged through and dropped into the stream. Cap. took a +shot at it from the wobbling raft but of course failed. The fawn landed +at the bottom of a mud wall ten feet high and for a moment seemed dazed, +but by some herculean effort it gained the plain and sped away to +freedom and we were not at all sorry to see it go. All the next day we +kept on down White River on the raft and at seven o'clock were still +five miles from camp in a direct course and no food left. As the stream +meandered a great deal we parted from it and went to headquarters on +foot. + +We now expected hourly the return of Prof. and the Major, but another +day passed without them or any message. The next day was Saturday and it +faded away also without any event. Just after supper there was a hail +from the west bank and on going over with a boat we found there Prof., +Beaman, and an Indian. The Major had not come because Captain Dodds, +commanding the party which was charged with the taking of rations for us +to the mouth of the Dirty Devil River, our next supply station, had sent +word that he could not find a way through the unknown region. The Major +concluded that he would have to go and try it himself. His plan was for +us to go on and he would join us again August 25th at Gunnison Crossing, +at the end of the Canyon of Desolation, the next canyon of the series. +Gunnison Crossing was an established point with a trail leading there +from east and west. We were to wait for him till September 3d in that +neighbourhood, and if he failed to arrive we were to go on and get +through as best we could on the rations remaining. Our present +intercourse with the world was now terminated by our sending the Indian +who had come with Prof. back to the Agency with our mail. Prof. had +brought in some fresh beef which was a great treat but there was little +of it and after a couple of meals we were on bacon and beans again. Had +an Indian from the Agency been hired for the purpose of hunting, we +might have had plenty of venison during our stop here. Sunday our old +acquaintance Douglas Boy came to camp and was employed to make moccasins +to save our shoes. Some new shoes had been sent in to us, but for +climbing and walking the rawhide-soled moccasins were excellent and +would save our shoes for river work. The Indian had a beaded cap pouch +which I secured from him for some vermilion and he was ready to trade, +but the next day Jack caught him trying to steal our buckskin by hiding +it in his blankets which rudely sundered our business relations. Jack +himself acquired the art of moccasin-making and he made each of us an +excellent pair in his spare time. Steward and I went back up White River +to finish our work but the raft timbers were gone and we could find no +others, so we had to do what we could on foot. When we returned I +discovered some ginger among the supplies and thinking it time for +variety in our bill of fare, and it being Cap.'s birthday, I made a +large ginger-cake which was voted prime. We ate half of it at one +sitting with an accompaniment of lime-juice "lemonade." + +At the Agency Prof. found out that Douglas Boy had eloped from the White +River country with his squaw, who was betrothed to another, and when we +first met him he was engaged in eluding pursuit. According to Ute law if +he could avoid capture for a certain time he would be free to return +without molestation to his village. Beaman photographed him and a number +of the Uintas under the direction of the Major, who wished to secure all +the information possible about the natives, their language, customs, and +costumes. We now spent several days arranging our new supplies in the +rubber sacks, putting the iron strips on the boat-keels, and doing what +final repairing was necessary. The topographers plotted the map work, +and all finished up their necessary notes and data. By the afternoon of +Friday, August 4th, all was in readiness for continuing the voyage. We +had now descended 1450 feet from our starting point towards sea-level +and we knew that the next canyon would add considerably to these +figures. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 10: Two days after crossing the San Clemente, as he called +White River, Escalante crossed the Rio San Buenaventura (Green River) +somewhere above the mouth of White River. Here were six large "black +poplars," on one of which they left an inscription. After resting two +days they went south-west along the Buenaventura, ten leagues, and from +a hill saw the junction of the San Clemente. He evidently went very near +the mouth of the Uinta, and then struck westward. The Uinta he called +Rio de San Cosme.] + +[Footnote 11: A regiment of California volunteers marched this way from +Salt Lake on the way to Denver during the Civil War.] + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + On to Battle--A Concert Repertory--Good-bye to Douglas + Boy--The Busy, Busy Beaver--In the Embrace of the Rocks Once + More--A Relic of the Cliff-Dwellers--Low Water and Hard + Work--A Canyon of Desolation--Log-cabin Cliff--Rapids and + Rapids and Rapids--A Horse, Whose Horse?--Through Gray Canyon + to the Rendezvous. + + +We were up early on the morning of August 5th prepared to leave Camp +32. Prof. took a lunar observation, and at eight we entered the boats +and turned our backs on "Fort" Robideau, the only house on or near the +whole river at that time from the mouth of the Virgin, to our Camp No. 1 +where we had the snow-storm, a distance of about one thousand miles. We +had vanquished many rapids and now we pushed on ready for our next +battle with the river in the Canyon of Desolation, just before us. The +order of going was slightly changed in the absence of the Major, for +Prof., being now in sole command, went ahead with his boat, the _Nellie +Powell_, while ours, the _Emma Dean_, for the time being took second +place. The river for a brief distance ran smoothly with only enough +current, about two miles an hour, to help us along without hard rowing. +I missed the Major while we were on the water, probably more than any +one else in the party, for as we were facing each other the whole time +and were not separated enough to interfere with conversation we had +frequent talks. He sometimes described incidents which happened on the +first voyage, or told me something about the men of that famous and +unrivalled journey. Besides this he was very apt to sing, especially +where the river was not turbulent and the outlook was tranquil, some +favourite song, and these songs greatly interested me. While he had no +fine voice he sang from his heart, and the songs were those he had +learned at home singing with his brothers and sisters. One of these was +an old-fashioned hymn, _The Home of the Soul_, or rather the first two +verses of it. These verses were among his special favourites.[12] + + "I will sing you a song of that beautiful land, + The far away home of the soul, + Where no storms ever beat on the glittering strand, + While the years of eternity roll, + While the years of eternity roll; + Where no storms ever beat on the glittering strand + While the years of eternity roll. + + "Oh! that home of the soul in my visions and dreams, + Its bright jasper walls I can see; + Till I fancy but thinly the veil intervenes + Between the fair city and me + Till I fancy, etc." + +Another was a pretty four-part song, _The Laugh of a Child_, of which he +sang the air. The words ran: + + "I love it, I love it, the laugh of a child. + Now rippling, now gentle, now merry and wild. + It rings through the air with an innocent gush, + Like the trill of a bird at the twilight's soft hush, + It floats on the breeze like the tones of a bell, + Or music that dwells in the heart of a shell. + Oh, the laugh of a child is so wild and so free + 'T is the merriest sound in the world to me." + +Still another of which he sang the English words often was the +well-known air from _Figaro_. I give a few bars: + +[Illustration: + +_NON PIU ANDRAI_--PLAY NO MORE. +Air. Figaro. + + Non piu andrai, far-fal-lo-ne a-mo-ro-so, + Not-te gior-no d'in-tor-no gi-ran-do; + Del-le bel-le tur-ban-do il ri-po-so, + Nar-ci-set-to, A-don-ci-no d'a-mor! + Del-le bel-le tur-ban-do il ri-po-so, + Nar-ci-set-to, A-don-ci-no d'a-mor! + + Play no more, boy, the part of a lov-er, + Nor a-bout beau-ty fool-ish-ly hov-er; + In the wars you'll more pleasure dis-cov-er, + When your heart beats to glo-ry and fame! + In the wars you'll more pleasure dis-cov-er, + When your heart beats to glo-ry and fame!] + +At times he imitated a certain pathetic yet comical old woman he had +heard singing at some camp-meeting, "The dear blessed Bible, the +Fam-i-ly Bible," etc. He told me one day that this fondness for singing, +especially amid extremely unpromising or gloomy circumstances, had on +more than one occasion led the men of the first expedition to suspect +his sanity. When he was singing, I could see that frequently he was +really not thinking about his song at all, but of something quite +foreign to it, and the singing was a mere accompaniment. Our party as a +whole commanded an extensive repertory of song for an exploring +expedition and while most of the voices were somewhat below concert +requirement, there was no one to object, and one of us, Jack, did have +an excellent voice. A song often heard was, _Shells of Ocean_ and also +that one most appropriate, _What Are the Wild Waves Saying?_ Then there +was _If I Had but a Thousand a Year, Gaffer Green_, and of course, +_Annie Laurie_. Never was there an American or an English expedition to +anywhere that did not have that song, as well as _Way Down upon the +Suwanee River_. In addition to all these and the ones previously +mentioned of which + + "Oh, the lone starry hours give me Love + When still is the beautiful night," + +was a special favourite, Jack's individual repertory contained an +exhaustless number, both sad and gay. There were _Carry me Back to Old +Tennessee_, _The Sailor's Grave_, _Aura Lee_, with her golden hair, who +brought sunshine and swallows indiscriminately to each locality which +she graced with the said golden hair, and _Come where my Love Lies +Dreaming_, _Seeing Nellie Home_, and scores or at least dozens that I +fail to recall. + +But while we had a great store of songs we were deficient to the last +degree in musical instruments, the one solitary example being an humble +mouth-organ which in a moment of weakness I had thrown in with my +outfit. We just escaped having a flute. Frank, who left us on the 10th +of June, possessed one, and when he was preparing to go Steward +negotiated for this instrument. He gave Cap. his revolver to trade for +it, considering the flute more desirable property for the expedition. +Cap., being an old soldier, concluded to fire at a mark before letting +the revolver pass forever from our possession. Presently there was an +explosion which demolished the pistol and all our prospects of acquiring +the musical treasure at one and the same moment. Possibly Fortune was +kinder to us than we dreamed. The mouth-organ then remained the sole +music machine in all that immense area. I did not feel equal to the +position of organist but Steward boldly took up the study, and practised +so faithfully that he became a real virtuoso. + +As a boy in New York Jack, though not a Hibernian himself, had +associated closely with descendants of the Shamrock Isle, and he could +speak with a fine emerald brogue. A refrain of one of his songs in this +line was: "And if the rocks, they don't sthop us, We will cross to +Killiloo, whacky-whay!" This sounded our situation exactly, and it +became a regular accompaniment to the roaring of the rapids. Jack had +many times followed in the wake of the Thirteen Eagles fire company, one +of the bright jewels with a green setting, of the old volunteer service. +The foreman, fitting the rest of the company, was Irish too, and his +stentorian shout through the trumpet "Tirtaan Aigles, dis wai!" never +failed to rise above the din, and when the joyful cry smote the ears of +the gallant "Tirtaan," the rocks nor the ruts nor the crowds nor +anything could stop them; through thick and through thin they went to +the front, for there was rivalry in those days and when the Aigles time +after time got first water on, they won triumphs which we of this +mercenary epoch cannot understand. The Aigles were in for glory, nothing +else. So when we heard the roar of a rapid and sniffed the mist in the +air, "Tirtaan Aigles dis wai," was our slogan. + +Where the river now ran smoothly, as it did for a considerable distance +below the Robideau crossing we could drift with the slow current and +enjoy the study of the surroundings, the boats requiring no attention. +Passing the mouths of the Uinta and the White, both rivers entering very +quietly through a level valley, we pulled gently along watching the +banks for something new. When we had thus gone a couple of miles we +discovered our first acquaintance of this valley, Douglas Boy, encamped +on the right with his runaway bride. They had a snug and secluded +hiding-place protected by the river and some low cliffs. We landed to +pay our parting call. Both had their faces completely smeared with the +bright vermilion obtained by trade from us, and they presented in our +eyes a ludicrous appearance. They had recently killed a fat deer and +seemed very happy. Prof. exchanged some sugar for enough venison for our +dinner and we said farewell to them, the first as well as the last human +beings we had met with in this valley. Clem, as usual, gave them various +messages for the "folks at home" and assured them with gracious smiles, +that they "would ever be the subject of his most distinguished +consideration." They smiled after us and we were soon beyond their +vision. Presently low cliffs, 100 to 150 feet began to show themselves, +on one side or the other, and the wide valley vanished. The great canyon +below was reaching out for us. There were numerous islands covered with +immense accumulations of driftwood or with growing cottonwoods where +high enough. Hundreds of beaver swam about. Occasionally a shot from the +boats would kill or wound one, but it was next to impossible to secure +any as they seemed to sink immediately to the bottom and we gave up +trying as long as they were in deep water. The stream being so tranquil +reading poetry was more to our taste than hunting the beaver, and Prof. +read aloud from Emerson as we slowly advanced upon the enemy. + +After about nine miles of this sort of thing we stopped for dinner in a +pretty cottonwood grove at the foot of a cliff on the right with beaver +swimming around as if they did not know what a human being was. When our +venison had been disposed of the boats were shoved out into the river +again and we continued our approach to the canyon. The surrounding +region became a desolate waste; a broken desert plateau elevated above +us about two hundred feet. Some deer seen on an island caused us to land +and try to get a good shot at one, but we failed to get near enough for +success and they quickly disappeared. The ground was too difficult for +pursuit. After some seventeen miles, camp for the night was made in +another grove of rather small cottonwoods at 5.30. We were on a large +island with the surrounding waters thick with beaver busy every moment +though their great work is done at night. Many trees felled, some of +them of a considerable diameter, attested the skill and energy of these +animals as woodchoppers. Cap. tried to get one so that we could eat it, +but though he killed several he failed to reach them before they sank, +and gave it up. + +As we looked around we saw that almost imperceptibly we had entered the +new canyon and at this camp (33) we were fairly within the embrace of +its rugged cliffs which, devoid of all vegetation, rose up four hundred +feet, sombre in colour, but picturesque from a tendency to columnar +weathering that imparted to them a Gothic character suggestive of +cathedrals, castles, and turrets. The next day was Sunday and as Beaman +felt sick and we were not in a hurry, no advance was made but instead +Prof. accompanied by Steward, Cap., and Jones climbed out for notes and +observations. They easily reached the top by means of a small gulch. +They got back early, reporting an increasing desolation in the country +on both sides as far as they could see. They also saw two graves of +great age, covered by stones. In the afternoon Prof. entertained us by +reading aloud from Scott and so the day passed and night fell. Then the +beavers became more active and worked and splashed around camp +incessantly. They kept it up all through the dark hours as is their +habit, but only Steward was disturbed by it. This would have been an +excellent opportunity to learn something about their ways, but for my +part I did not then even think of it. + +By 7.30 in the morning of August 7th we were again on our way towards +the depths ahead, between walls of rapidly increasing altitude showing +that we were cutting into some great rock structure. Here and there we +came to shoals that compelled us to get overboard and wade alongside +lifting the boats at times. As these shoals had the peculiarity of +beginning gradually and ending very abruptly we got some unexpected +plunge baths during this kind of progression. But the air was hot, the +thermometer being about 90 deg. F., and being soaked through was not +uncomfortable. At one place Prof. succeeded in shooting a beaver which +was near the bank and it was secured before it could get to its hole, +being badly wounded. Steward caught it around the middle from behind and +threw it into the boat--he had jumped into the water--and there it was +finished with an oar. It measured three feet from tip to tip. We had +heard a good deal about beaver as food and would now have a chance to +try it. About eleven o'clock, we stopped for examinations and for dinner +on the right but, of course, could not yet cook the beaver. Prof., +Steward, and Cap. climbed to the top of a butte 1050 feet above the +river upon which they found a small monument left there by the Major on +the former trip. Though this butte was so high the average of the walls +was only about five hundred feet. We made seventeen miles this day. + +That night our camp (No. 35) was again on an island. There Cap. skinned +and dressed the beaver and turned over the edible portions to Andy who +cooked some steak for breakfast the next morning. It tasted something +like beef, but we were not enthusiastic for I fear this beaver belonged +to the same geological epoch as the goose we had cooked at the upper end +of the valley. Fortified by the beaver steak we pushed off and ran about +a mile on a smooth river when a stop was made for pictures and +geologising. This consumed the whole morning, a fact Andy took advantage +of to make some beaver soup for dinner. This concoction was voted not a +success and we turned to bacon and beans as preferable thereafter. +Opposite this dinner place was a rough lateral canyon full of turrets +and minarets which had the remarkable property of twice distinctly +repeating a shout as loud as the original, and multiplying a rifle shot +to peals of thunder. There had been people here before any white men, +for Steward found an artificial wall across an indentation of the cliff, +the first work of the ancient builders we had encountered. It was +mysterious at the time, the South-western ruins having then not been +discovered with one or two exceptions. We ascribed this wall, however, +to the ancestors of the Moki (Hopi). + +In the afternoon as we pulled along we came to a small rapid and the +walls by this time being closer together and growing constantly higher, +we knew that we were now fairly within the Canyon of Desolation and for +about one hundred miles would have a rough river. Not more than two +miles below our dinner camp we reached a locality where the stream +doubled back on itself forming a vast and beautiful amphitheatre. We +could not pass this by without taking a picture of it and Beaman was +soon at work with his apparatus while I got out my pencils. The +photograph did not turn out well, and Prof. determined to remain till +the next day. Our camp was on the left in a thick grove of cottonwoods, +and box-elders or ash-leaved maples, at the end of the point. As the sun +sank away bats flew about and an insect orchestra began a demoniacal +concert that shrilled through the night and made us feel like +slaughtering the myriads if we could. The noises ceased with the day, or +most of them, though some seemed to intensify with the light. We helped +Beaman get his dark box and other paraphernalia up to the summit of the +ridge back of camp, which was easy so far as climbing was concerned, the +rocks rising by a series of shelves or steps. I made several pencil +sketches there, which I have never seen since the close of the +expedition. The crest of the promontory was about forty yards wide at +its maximum and three yards at the minimum, with a length of +three-fourths of a mile. From the middle ridge one could look down into +the river on both sides, and it seemed as if a stone could almost be +thrown into each from one standpoint. The opposite amphitheatre was +perhaps one thousand feet high, beautifully carved by the rains and +winds. It was named Sumner's Amphitheatre after Jack Sumner of the first +expedition. Several of our men climbed in different directions, but all +did not succeed in getting out. The day turned out very cloudy with +sprinkles of rain and Prof. decided to wait still longer to see if +Beaman could get a good photograph, and we had another night of insect +opera. The next day by noon the photographer had caught the scene and we +continued our descending way. The river was perfectly smooth, except a +small rapid late in the day, with walls on both sides steadily +increasing their altitude. Desolation in its beginning is exactly the +reverse of Lodore and Split Mountain. In the latter the entrance could +hardly be more sudden, whereas the Canyon of Desolation pushes its rock +walls around one so diplomatically that it is some little time before +the traveller realises that he is caught. The walls were ragged, barren, +and dreary, yet majestic. We missed the numerous trees which in the +upper canyons had been so ornamental wherever they could find a footing +on the rocks. Here there were only low shrubs as a rule and these mainly +along the immediate edge of the water, though high up on north slopes +pines began to appear. Altitude, latitude, and aridity combine to modify +vegetation so that in an arid region one notices extraordinary changes +often in a single locality. The walls still had the tendency to break +into turrets and towers, and opposite our next camp a pinnacle stood +detached from the wall on a shelf high above the water suggesting a +beacon and it was named Lighthouse Rock. Prof. with Steward and Cap. in +the morning, August 11th, climbed out to study the contiguous region +which was found to be not a mountain range but a bleak and desolate +plateau through which we were cutting along Green River toward a still +higher portion. This was afterwards named the Tavaputs Plateau, East and +West divisions, the river being the line of separation. + +The walls now began to take on a vertical character rising above the +water 1200 to 1800 feet, and at that height they were about a quarter of +a mile apart. From their edges they broke back irregularly to a +separation as nearly as could be determined of from three to five miles, +the extreme summit being 2500 feet above the river. + +[Illustration: Steward. + +Canyon of Desolation. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +While waiting for Prof. to come down from the cliffs, Beaman made some +photographs and then two boats dropped down a quarter of a mile where he +made some more and Andy got dinner. I remained with the _Nell_ and about +eleven o'clock the climbers came. We went down on the boat to the noon +camp, and as soon as we had refreshed the inner man we proceeded +thinking it about time for rapids to appear. We had not gone far before +we distinguished a familiar roar just preceding the turn of a bend which +disclosed three lying within half a mile. They were not bad but the +river was wide and shallow, making the descent more difficult than it +would ordinarily have been. The river was now approaching its lowest +stage, and we saw an uncomfortable looking lot of rocks. High water +makes easy going but increases the risk of disaster; low water makes +hard work, batters the boats, and delays progress, but as a rule it is +less risky. All the boats cleared the first rapid without any +difficulty, but in the second the _Nell_ struck a sunken rock, though +lightly, while our boat landed squarely on the top of a large boulder +partially submerged, where we hung fast with the water boiling furiously +around and almost coming over the sides. I tried to get out over the +port bow but the current drew me under the boat and I had to get back. +Jack concluded we were only fast by the extreme end of the keel and +Jones coming forward Jack slid cautiously out over the stern and felt +around with his feet till he touched the rock and put his weight on it. +Thus relieved, the boat lifted slightly and shot away like an arrow but +not before Jack leaped on again. As soon as we could we made land and +watched the _Canonita_ which fared still worse. She struck so hard that +two of the after ribs and some planks were stove in. They then +extricated her and pulling her up on the rocky shore we went to work to +repair with cleats made from a broken oar. This delayed us an hour and a +half. Then saws and hammers were stowed away and the third rapid was run +without a mishap. It was only the low stage of water that caused the +trouble. A little farther on a fourth rapid was vanquished and we went +into camp on the left bank in a cottonwood grove at the head of another. +"If the rocks, they don't sthop us," sang Jack, "We will cross to +Killiloo, whacky-whay!" And there were plenty of rocks in the midst of +foaming waters, but one great advantage of low water is the decreased +velocity, and velocity on a river like this with so heavy and constant a +fall is one of the chief factors to reckon with in navigation. + +The high cliffs, two thousand feet, red and towering in the bright sun, +became sombre and mysterious as the night shadows crept over them, the +summits remaining bright from the last western rays when the river level +was dim and uncertain. There was plenty of driftwood, and our fires were +always cheery and comfortable. The nights were now quite cold, or at +least chilly, while the days were hot as soon as the sun came over the +edge of the cliffs. Through some of the narrow promontories at this +particular camp there were peculiar perforations suggesting immense +windows looking into some fairer land. I would have been glad to examine +some of these closely, but as it was not necessary they were passed by. +It would also have been difficult to reach them as they were very high +up. + +The rapid at our camp was a starter the next day on a line of them +following one after the other till we had run without accident nine +before halting for dinner; and nine in 6-3/4 miles was not a bad record. +We landed for noon on the same spot where the first party had stopped +and our last night's camp was also coincident with theirs, according to +their map which we had for consultation. Prof. decided to remain here +for the rest of the day and also the next one which was Sunday. Up in a +high gulch some pine trees were visible, and Jack and I climbed up to +them and collected several pounds of gum for repairing the boats. Sunday +morning Prof., Jones, and Steward struck for the summit up the cliffs to +get observations. An hour and a half of steady hard work put them 2576 +feet above the river, but they were still three hundred feet below the +general level of the great plateau which we were bisecting. Prof. +thought he would like to make better time down the river, which we could +easily have done up to this point, but if we arrived at the end of the +canyon too soon we would have to wait there and it was better to +distribute the wait as we went along. It was now August 14th and we were +not due below till September 3d. + +On Monday morning we pushed and pulled and lifted the boats through a +shallow rapid half a mile long. It was hard work. Then came one which we +ran, but the following drop was deemed too risky to trust our boats in, +and they were lowered by lines. Then in a short distance this same +process was repeated with hard work in a very bad place, and when we had +finished that we were tired, hungry, wet, and cold, so under a +cottonwood tree on the right we stopped for needed refreshment, and +while it was preparing most of us hung our clothes on the branches of a +fallen tree to dry. The rapid foaming and fuming presented so vigorous +an appearance and made so much noise we thought it ought to be named, +and it was called Fretwater Falls. At three o'clock we took up our oars +again and were whirled along at runaway speed through a continuous +descent for half a mile. After another half-mile a small rapid appeared, +which we dashed through without a second thought, and then came our +final effort of the day, a line-portage over a particularly bad spot. It +was a difficult job, requiring great exertion in lifting and pushing and +fending off, so when Prof. gave the word to camp on the left, we were +all glad enough to do so. We had made only 5-1/4 miles and seven rapids. +The let-downs had been hard ones, with a couple of men on board to fend +off and two or three on the hawser holding back. + +The next morning, August 15th, we made another let-down around a bad +piece of river, and ran two or three small rapids before dinner. At the +let-down the water dropped at least ten feet in two hundred yards, and +Prof. estimated thirty in half a mile. The river was also narrow, not +more than sixty or seventy feet in one place. Many rocks studded the +rapids, and great caution had to be exercised both in let-downs and in +runs, lest the boats should be seriously injured. With two or three more +feet of water we could have run some that were now impossible. +Fortunately there was always plenty of room on both banks, the cliffs +being well back from the water. A series of small rapids gave us no +special trouble, and having put them behind, we ran in at the head of a +rough-looking one, had dinner, and then made a let-down. Starting on, we +soon came to a very sharp rapid, which we ran, and found it was only an +introduction to one following that demanded careful treatment. Another +let-down was the necessary course, and when it was accomplished we +stopped for the night where we were on the sand, every man tired, wet, +and hungry. We had made only four miles. A significant note of warning +was found here in the shape of fragments of the unfortunate _No-Name_ +mixed up with the driftwood, fully two hundred miles below the falls +where the wreck occurred. + +The precipices surrounding us had now reached truly magnificent +proportions, one section near our camp springing almost vertically to a +height of 2800 or 3000 feet. On the dizzy summit we could discern what +had the appearance of an old-fashioned log-cabin, and from this we +called it "Log-cabin Cliff." The cabin was in reality a butte of shale, +as we could see by means of our glasses, and of course of far greater +size than a real cabin, but from below the illusion was complete. At +this camp, No. 40, we remained the next day, Prof. wishing to make some +investigations. He and Jones crossed to the other side and went down on +foot two or three miles; then returning he went up some distance, while +the rest of us mended our clothes, worked up notes, and did a score of +little duties that had been neglected in the river work. Jack and I +climbed up the cliffs and got more pine gum, with which we caulked up +the seams in our boat. Cap. kindly turned barber and redeemed me from +the danger of being classed as orang-outang. The air was too hazy for +photographing or for getting observations from the summit, and Prof. +concluded to stay till next day at this place and then go to the top of +the world; in other words, to the summit. Very early in the morning, +August 17th, Steward and Cap. started with Prof. for the climb. Keeping +up the main canyon for a mile they came to a side gorge where Prof. had +been the day before, which they followed for half a mile and then boldly +mounted the cliffs, reaching an altitude of 3100 feet above the river. +While they were gone, Jack and I climbed after more pine gum, and +succeeded in getting five or six pounds for future use. As I was +descending along a terrace, Jack being some distance behind and above, a +fine, large mountain sheep, sleek and clean, with beautiful strong +horns, sprang along four or five hundred feet from me, and stopped in +full view listening to Jack's footsteps. I had no gun, and could only +admire him till he bounded lightly away. + +About one o'clock the climbing party came back. Steward had shot a +mountain sheep with a revolver, only to find that a deep canyon +intervened between him and his prize and there was no way of getting it. + +About half past two we shoved out into the river again, running a small +rapid immediately. The water was so shallow that our keel struck a +number of times but no damage was done. We had hardly cleared this when +we arrived at a drop of about six feet in a few yards with the whole +river filled with bad rocks. At this place, according to the map made by +the first party, their _Emma Dean_ was capsised. We made a let-down and +a quarter of a mile farther on repeated the operation should be. +Following this were some swift shoals which brought us to another ugly +descent where the _Nell_ stove a hole in her side and came near +upsetting. Prof. was knocked half out of the boat but got in again. The +other boats we lowered by lines and they passed through uninjured. Near +this point a fine clear little stream about a rod wide entered from the +west. After running two more rapids Prof. decided to camp which we did +on the right, Camp 41. Our run footed up 3-3/4 miles. Our camp was in +some cottonwoods and we had to cross a wide rocky bar to get to it but +it was preferable to camping on the sand. In this canyon there was +generally a valley about one-quarter mile wide on one side or the other, +and with the abundant supply of driftwood for fires and a whole river +for drink we fared well. The great canyon now appeared deeper than at +any point above, about three thousand feet we estimated, the walls being +extremely precipitous. One cliff not far from camp appeared to be +nearly perpendicular. + +Steward got up very early the next morning in order to mend his shoes, +and he succeeded so well as cobbler, we declared he had missed his +calling, but we did not start till ten o'clock, waiting for Beaman to +take views. The first thing we then did was to run a very shallow rapid, +followed by another, long, difficult, narrow, and rocky. Then there was +a short, easy one, with the next below compelling a very hard let-down. +There was nothing but rocks, large rocks, so close together that it was +all we could do to manoeuvre the boats between them. There was no +channel anywhere. For the greater part of the way we had to pull them +empty over the rocks on driftwood skids which taxed our muscles +considerably and of course saturated our clothing for half the time we +were in the water, as was always the case at let-downs. This over we had +our noon ration of bread, bacon, and coffee and took a fresh start by +running a nice, clear rapid and then another a half-mile below, and we +thought we were getting on well when we saw ahead a fall of some ten +feet in fourteen rods, turbulent and fierce. The only prudent thing for +this rapid was a let-down and we went at it at once. It was the usual +pulling, hauling, fending, and pushing, but we got through with it after +a while and naming it at the suggestion of some one, Melvin Falls, we +went on to the eighth and last rapid for the day. This was half a mile +long and very rocky, but it was thought we could run it and all went +through safely except the _Nell_ which caught her keel on a rock and +hung for a moment, then cleared and finished with no damage. We made +Camp 42 on a sand-hill. These hills were a feature of the wide banks, +being blown up by the winds, sometimes to a height of fifteen or twenty +feet. Our run for the day was less than five miles, yet as we had passed +eight rapids one way and another, we were all pretty tired and of course +wet and hungry. A good big camp-fire was quickly started, our dry +garments from the rubber bags donned in place of the flapping wet ones, +and we were entirely comfortable, with the bread baking in the Dutch +oven, the coffee or tea steaming away, and the inspiring fragrance of +frying bacon wafted on the evening air. When we stopped long enough Andy +would give us boiled beans or stewed dried apples as a treat. If we +desired to enliven the conversation all that was necessary was to start +the subject of the "light" back at the camp where we first met Douglas +Boy. Every one would soon be involved except Prof. who only laughed and +inserted from time to time a well-chosen remark to keep up the interest. +Jack would always give us a half-dozen songs and to this Steward would +add a solo on the mouth-organ. The evenings were growing longer, and we +sat closer to the fire. Sometimes Cap. and Clem would play a game of +euchre, but no one else seemed to care anything about cards. Our beds, +when possible, were made by first putting down willows or cedar twigs in +regular order, on which the blankets would be spread making a luxurious +bed on which sleep instantly overtook us, with the sound of falling +water generally the last thing and the first in our ears. + +At 7.30 the next morning, August 19th, we were speeding on our way and +ran the rapid which had sent its lullaby to our camp. Another came right +after it, shallow and bad, and then one more where the channel was beset +with innumerable boulders hidden under the surface. Happily the boats +were not seriously damaged, they needed no repairs, and we kept on to +the next barrier which proved to be not runable with any prospect of +getting through whole so we made a portage. Then there was a rapid we +ran easily, but as if to revenge itself for making one gentle for us, +the river obliged us to work a laborious passage at the next two. We had +good hard work, lowering by lines, wading alongside where necessary to +ease the boats, or clinging to their sides where the water was deep, +while the men on shore at the hawser's end lowered away to a shallow +place. We were glad to halt at 11.30 for dinner, and a short rest. + +There was a heavy rapid beside us as we ate, and Steward named it +Chandler Falls. It had a descent of about twelve feet in twenty rods. On +the opposite side of the river a clear little creek came in, and this +was named Chandler Creek, Chandler being the maiden name of Steward's +wife. Beaman and Clem selected a position with their photographic outfit +and made some photographs of us as we were working the boats through. A +mile below we halted on the right for Beaman to get more views. None of +his photographs of the rapids came out well as the plates were too slow. +Up a gulch on the right we could see a remarkable topographic feature, +nothing less than a gigantic aperture, or natural arch, in the cliff. It +had a span of at least 300 feet with a height of about half as much. It +was 1500 or 1800 feet above the river. Hundreds of cedar trees grew +around the arch on the ledges of the huge wall through which it was cut +by the action of the elements. + +The cliffs everywhere were now becoming more broken, and there was an +entrance somewhere from the back country, or it may have been up the +canyon, for we discovered remains of tipis and camps with metates or +grinding stones, the first evidences of human beings we had seen since +the "Moki" wall. This and the breaking of the cliffs caused us to +believe that we were nearing the end of the canyon. Prof. with Jones and +Steward went down-stream on foot for a distance to see what was coming +next and found a stretch of very bad water. On the return a rattlesnake +struck at Steward but luckily failed to hit him. Steward killed it. We +concluded to stop for the night where we were with the day's +record--four rapids run, three let-downs, and 4-5/8 miles in distance. +This camp was not satisfactory and we got out of it early the next +morning. While Beaman was making some views across the river we lowered +the other two boats through one rapid and then ran them through a second +in three-quarters of a mile to a better camping place, from which we +went back and helped the third boat, the _Canonita_, do the same. Prof. +wanted to climb out, but the morning being half gone he planned to start +after dinner and meanwhile he read Emerson aloud to us till Andy shouted +his "Go fur it boys!" Accompanied by Steward and Clem, in the afternoon +he climbed up 1200 or 1500 feet to a point where he could see down the +river two or three miles. They counted seven rapids, and confirmed the +belief that the walls were breaking. The surrounding country was made up +of huge ridges that ran in toward the river from five miles back. + +Our Camp 44 was in a little valley about a quarter of a mile wide, the +bottom covered with cedars and greasewood. The scenery was still on a +magnificent scale but barren and desolate. The next morning, August +21st, we were under way at 7.30 and plunged almost immediately into the +rapids which had been sighted from the cliffs above. In a little over +four miles we let down six times. A seventh rapid we ran and then +stopped for noon on the left, every man, as usual, soaking wet. A little +rain fell but not enough to consider. After dinner four more rapids were +put behind; we ran all but one at which we made a let-down. Our record +for this day was eleven rapids in a trifle less than seven miles, and we +were camped at the head of another rapid which was to form our +eye-opener in the morning. The walls receded from the river +three-fourths of a mile and now, though still very high, had more the +appearance of isolated cliffs. + +We had not a single unpleasant incident till Beaman on this day ran one +rapid contrary to Prof.'s orders. He was sharply reprimanded, and for +the time being his tendency to insubordination and recklessness was +checked. He probably did not mean to be either, but his confidence in +his ability to steer through anything led him astray. In the evening by +the camp-fire light Prof. read aloud from _Miles Standish_. Although a +heavy wind blew sand all over us, no one seemed to complain. + +The next morning, August 22d, the first thing we did was to run the +rapid beside our camp, a beautiful chute, swift, long, and free from +rocks. Immediately below this was one half a mile long in the form of a +crescent, the river making a sharp bend with a bad current, but we ran +it. This was, in fact, a part of the other rapid, or it might be so +classed, as was frequently the case where the descent was nearly +continuous from one rapid to another. The river was very narrow at this +place, not more than seventy-five feet wide. We had not gone far before +we reached a rapid where it was prudent to lower the boats, and not more +than a few hundred yards below this there was another of a similar +character but necessitating harder work. Then we were brought face to +face with one more that could not be run with safety on the present +stage of water, though we ran a part of it and made a let-down past the +remainder. When this was finally accomplished with everything in good +order, we found ourselves in front of still another that refused to +grant us clear passage, and we worked the boats down with lines as in +the previous rapids without removing the cargoes. The method was the +usual one for the let-downs, three or four men on the line and a couple +on board the boat to manoeuvre and protect her. Having by this time +advanced three and one-eighth miles from last night's camp we stopped +for dinner. On taking up the oars again the first rapid was a fine, +clear descent with extremely large waves, through which all three boats +dashed with exhilarating speed, leaping part of their length out of the +water as their velocity carried them zipping over the crests. Our boat +happened to strike near the finish on a submerged rock to the right of +the main channel and near shore and there she hung for some moments. The +first boat had landed below and some of the men quickly came up to where +I could throw them our line, and this pulled us off without any damage +worth mentioning. A little below this we ran another successfully and +had not gone far before we were astonished at the sight of a horse +grazing unconcernedly on some low bluffs on the right. Prof. had +discovered this horse with his field glass while we stopped above to +examine one of the rapids. He thought it might indicate the presence of +the Major, or of Indians, but he did not mention the matter to any of +us. When we were at a good point, and just as all hands had discovered +the animal, he ordered a sharp landing on the same side. We ran in +quickly. Prof. went up the bank and gave several shouts while we held +ourselves ready for action. There was no response. He then went to the +horse and found it very lame which, coupled with the absence of any +indication of visitors within recent months, caused us to conclude that +the horse had been abandoned by Indians who had been encamped here a +good while before. We left the place and running another rapid, a little +one, we came to a fine spot for a camp on the right at the beginning of +a heavy rapid, and there we stayed for the night. + +There was now a marked change in the geology, and fossiliferous beds, +which for a long time had been absent, appeared. The canyon walls also +broke away considerably. The next morning it was decided that we should +remain at this camp till after dinner for observation work. I went out +with Steward to help him gather fossils, and Beaman took some views, +while the others occupied themselves with various duties. The afternoon +began by letting the boats by line past the rapid at camp which Beaman +called Sharp Mountain Falls, from a pointed peak overhead. There was a +drop of about fifteen feet in thirty rods. Beaman wanted to photograph +us in the midst of our work, and got ready for it, but a rain-storm came +on and we had to wait till it cleared for him to get the picture. We +then went ahead dashing through a pretty rapid with a swift current, and +next had a long stretch of rapid, though not difficult river, making in +all 2-3/4 miles, and camping at five o'clock on the left. The only +trouble we had was that in choosing one of four channels our boat got +where she was inevitably drawn into the top of a sunken dead tree lodged +in the rocks and my starboard row lock was broken off. On shore Steward +killed another rattlesnake, of which there seemed to be a good many +along the river. + +We were now actually out of the Canyon of Desolation and in the +beginning of what the Major at first called Coal Canyon, then Lignite, +and finally Gray, the name it bears to-day, because of the colour of the +walls. The division between the two canyons was the break down where we +had seen the horse. Casting up we found that the Canyon of Desolation is +ninety-seven miles long. Early the next morning, August 24th, we pulled +away from Camp 47 soon running two small rapids of no consequence, and +in three miles came to a descent of some ten feet in a very short space, +where we made a let-down. Three fair rapids were next run easily when we +halted to examine a hard-looking place where we let down again. An +encounter with three more, two of them each a quarter of a mile long, +took us till noon, though we ran them and we came to a stop for dinner. +Now the walls had narrowed, the canyon being about half a mile wide at +the top--sometimes not more than a quarter. The colour was buff, and +there were seams of coal and lignite in places. On one or the other side +the cliffs were nearly vertical for about three hundred feet then +breaking back to jagged heights reaching about two thousand feet. After +dinner having run two more rapids without trouble we arrived at a very +difficult locality where the first cliffs, six hundred feet high, came +down vertically on both sides quite close to the water. We saw how we +could navigate it, but at flood time it would be a most serious +proposition, as there would be no footing on either side, unless, +perhaps on the huge masses of fallen rock. At the present stage we were +able to let the boats down by lines. Then we had two easy rapids, +followed by another not more difficult but less safe. A little farther +on we ran two more which completed the record for the day, and we were +glad to camp with a total run of 12-3/8 miles, and many rapids with +three let-downs. A feature of the cliffs this day was numerous alcoves +and grottoes worn into the sandstone some of them like great caverns +with extremely narrow canyons leading into them. + +In the morning Prof. with Jones, Cap., and Steward climbed out. The +country was elevated above the river about two thousand feet, a wild +labyrinth of ragged gulches, gullies, and sharp peaks devoid of +vegetation except a few pinons on some slopes, the whole presenting a +picture of complete desolation. At a quarter past twelve we were again +gliding down on a stiff current. We ran seven easy rapids and let-down +by lines twice, before arriving about three o'clock at the mouth of a +stream-bed sixty feet wide, which Prof. said was Little White, or Price +River. The mouth was so devoid of water that we camped on the smooth +sand, it being the only ground free from brush. A sudden rise or +cloud-burst would have made it an active place for us but we decided to +take the risk for one night. Prof. and Jones tried to get out by +following up this river bed but they were not successful. Game was +abundant and they thought there might be an Indian trail but they saw +none. In the evening Steward gave us a mouth-organ recital and Jack sang +a lot of his songs in fine style. The air was soft and tranquil, and +knowing we had now conquered the Canyon of Desolation without a serious +mishap we all felt well satisfied. + +In the morning, August 25th, breakfast was disposed of early, the boats +were put in trim and away we went again on a good current running many +rapids and making one let-down in a distance of eight miles. I counted +fourteen rapids, Steward ten or eleven, Prof. only eight, showing that +it is not always easy to separate the rapids where they come so close +together. In one the river was no more than thirty feet wide with big +waves that made the boats jump and ship water. We reached a bend and +saw the end of the canyon only a mile or two away, but we had to make +the let-down mentioned before we got there. Our camp, Number 50, was +made about noon, just inside the mouth of the canyon on the left, +opposite a high, beautiful pinnacle we called Cathedral Butte afterwards +changing the name to Gunnison. Here we would wait till the time +appointed for the Major to join us according to the plan. Gray Canyon +was now also behind us with its thirty-six miles and numerous rapids. +Adding to it the ninety-seven miles of Desolation made the total canyon +from Wonsits Valley 133 miles with a descent of about 550 feet +distributed through a hundred rapids, some small, some heavy. The entire +fall from our starting point was now some two thousand feet. Prof. and +Jones went down the valley two miles with the hope of seeing signs of +the Major but not a human being was to be found anywhere. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 12: Many, many years after the canyon voyage as Major Powell +with his sister, Mrs. Thompson, and Professor Thompson were approaching +Fort Wingate in New Mexico, the sun was setting, and sky and rocks +combined to produce a glorious picture. Suddenly he asked his companions +to halt and sitting on their horses looking into the wonderful sky he +sang with them the above two stanzas.] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + Return of the Major--Some Mormon Friends--No Rations at the + Elusive Dirty Devil--Captain Gunnison's Crossing--An All-night + Vigil for Cap. and Clem--The Land of a Thousand Cascades--A + Bend Like a Bow-knot and a Canyon Labyrinthian--Cleaving an + Unknown World--Signs of the Oldest Inhabitant--Through the + Canyon of Stillwater to the Jaws of the Colorado. + + +There was little energy in our camp the day after our arrival at the end +of the long struggle with Desolation and Gray canyons, and, also, it +being Sunday, we lounged around in a state of relaxation, joyful that we +did not have to roll up our blankets and stow them and everything else +in the rubber bags and pack the cabins to go on. The boats had been +unloaded and hauled on the beach, which was smooth sand, to dry out +preparatory to our caulking and repairing them with the pine gum +collected in Desolation. During the morning Prof. sent Jack and me down +the river a short distance to put up a signal, a small American flag, on +the lower end of an island, where it could easily be seen by any one +looking for us. All hands kept an ear open for signal shots, which we +hoped to hear soon, and have the Major once more in our company. After +dinner Prof. and Steward took another walk down the open valley about +five miles to reconnoitre, but though they came upon remains of a great +many Indian camps, all were old, and the valley appeared as silent and +deserted as it was desolate and barren. Along the river there were a few +groves of cottonwood, the only vegetation of any consequence to be seen. + +[Illustration: A. Map by the U. S. War Department--1868. + +Supplied by the courtesy of General Mackenzie, U. S. A., showing the +knowledge of the Colorado River basin just before Major Powell began +operations. The topography above the junction of the Green and Grand is +largely pictorial and approximate. The white space from the San Rafael +to the mouth of the Virgin is the unknown country referred to in this +volume, which was investigated in 1871-72-73. Preliminary Maps B, C, and +D, at pages 244, 246, and 207, respectively, partly give the results of +the work which filled in this area.] + +Through this valley passed the famous trail from Santa Fe to Los +Angeles, laid out in 1830 by that splendid pioneer, William Wolfskill. +The reason he came so far north was because there was no place to cross +the canyons below that was known.[13] This path was occasionally +travelled for years, and became celebrated as the "Old Spanish Trail." +Here it was that Captain Gunnison of our army in his notable +explorations crossed in 1853 on his westward journey, which a few days +later proved fatal to him, as he was killed by the Gosi-Utes. Before +leaving he established the latitude and longitude of this crossing, +which ever after bore his name.[14] Together with the mouth of the +Uinta, the mouth of Henry's Fork, and the mouth of Diamond Creek, this +made four points astronomically fixed before the Major came between the +Union Pacific crossing and the end of the Grand Canyon. Diamond Creek +mouth was determined accurately by Ives in 1858. The trappers and fur +hunters between 1824 and 1840, men like Jim Bridger and Kit Carson, had +roamed more or less over the region we had come through, and +occasionally they had tried to see the river in the canyons. The aridity +of the country generally held them back. Ashley, as already noted, had +made the passage of Red Canyon, and the trapper Meek with several +companions had gone through Lodore and Whirlpool one winter on the ice. +Fremont, Simpson, Berthoud, Selden, and some other scientific explorers +had passed here and there reconnoitring, and Macomb in 1859 had made a +reconnaissance to the south and south-west of Gunnison Crossing, so that +a general idea of the character of the region had been obtained and a +kind of approximate topography had been tentatively thrown in, yet it +was mainly an unknown wilderness so far as record went, particularly +contiguous to the river. But south from the San Rafael to the Paria and +west to the High Plateaus forming the southward continuation of the +Wasatch Range, an area of at least 10,000 square miles, there was still +a completely unknown country. Indeed, even from the Paria on down to the +Grand Wash the region on the right was hardly better understood, though +there were several Mormon settlements on the headwaters of the Virgin, +and recently the settlement of Kanab had been made farther east. On the +south of the Grand Canyon Ives had reconnoitred to some extent, reaching +the river at the mouth of Diamond Creek, but at no other point above +that did he come to the river nor get anywhere near its canyon above the +tributary Habasu (Cataract). + +In the entire stretch from Gunnison Crossing to the end of the Grand +Canyon, a distance of 587-1/2 miles, but two points were known where +the river could be crossed, the Crossing of the Fathers (El Vado de los +Padres), about latitude 37, and the mouth of the Paria, only thirty-five +miles lower down. This latter place had been discovered by Jacob +Hamblin, or "Old Jacob," as he was familiarly called, and he was the +first white man to cross there, which he did in October, 1869. He was a +well-known Mormon scout and pioneer of those days. He forded at El Vado +his first time in 1858, possibly the first white man after Escalante, +though the ford was known to at least Richard Campbell, the trapper, in +1840 or earlier. In 1862 Jacob circumtoured the Grand and Marble +canyons, going from St. George by way of the Grand Wash to the Moki +Towns and returning by way of El Vado. Thus the region below us to the +left or east had been reconnoitred in a general way by Macomb, while +that to the right or west had not had even bird's-eye exploration. Until +the Major's unrivalled first descent in 1869 the river was equally +unknown. Even above Gunnison Crossing, despite the spasmodic efforts at +exploration referred to, the river had remained a geographical enigma, +and to the Major belongs the sole credit for solving this great problem +throughout its length from the Union Pacific crossing in Wyoming to the +mouth of the Virgin River--the last problem of this kind within the +United States. Hampered as the first party was by loss of provisions and +instruments, they nevertheless made a plat of the immediate course of +the stream, portions of which were lost with the men who were killed by +the Shewits on leaving the party near the end of the Grand Canyon. So +far we had not been bothered in the least by lack of provisions, +instruments, time, health, or strength, and we had been able to make an +accurate meander of the river, note the topography and geology as we +went along, climb out frequently to examine the surrounding country, and +in every way carry forward the scientific work as planned. It was now a +question whether or not we would get our supplies at the next appointed +station, the mouth of the Dirty Devil River, or whether we would be +obliged to weigh out what we had, and by limiting ourselves to strict +rations put the work through anyhow. By September 5th we would probably +have information on this point, that being the limit set for our +waiting. Should the Major not arrive by that time, it would mean that +we were to go on as best we could with the supplies on hand. + +Monday was devoted to overhauling the boats, while Prof. took +observations. During a rest he also read aloud to us from Tennyson, + + "A land of streams! some, like a downward smoke, + Slow dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go; + And some thro' wavering lights and shadows broke, + Rolling a slumbrous sheet of foam below. + They saw the gleaming river seaward flow + From the inner land; far off three mountain-tops, + Three silent pinnacles of aged snow, + Stood sunset-flushed; and, dew'd with showery drops, + Up-clomb the shadowy pine above the copse." + +He was an excellent reader and we enjoyed his various selections. They +gave variety and new drift to our thought which was refreshing and +beneficial. When the boats were completed they were returned to the +river, but for the time being the rations and other things forming their +cargoes were permitted to remain on shore covered by the paulins. The +boats swung gracefully at their lines and Jack was tempted to get out +his fishing tackle in the early evening and seat himself on one of the +cabins to wait patiently for a bite. Softly the river rippled by with an +innocent murmur as if it had never been guilty of anything but the +calmest and best-behaved motion such as now reflected the great pinnacle +across the way standing 1200 feet clear cut against the glowing sky. The +air was balmy, no wind blew, and a universal quiet prevailed when +suddenly Jack uttered several exclamations not entirely in harmony with +the moment. He thought his precious hook was caught on a snag. Pulling +gently in order not to break his line the snag lifted with it and +presently he was astounded to see, not the branch of a tree or a +water-logged stick, but the head of an enormous fish appear above the +surface. Had there been some splashing he would have been prepared for +the extraordinary sight but the monster came with barely a wriggle as if +he did not know what it was to be caught. He was successfully landed in +the middle cabin of the boat, which was empty except for some water, and +lay there unhurt as if it were the natural place for him. Casting again +another of the same kind came forth and then a third. The longest +appeared to be the length of the cabin, as he floated in the water, and +that was four feet. He was at least thirty or thirty-six inches with a +circumference of fifteen inches. The others were considerably shorter +but nevertheless very large fish. The big one was killed for food and +Steward noted that the heart after removal kept up pulsations of twenty +beats to the minute for half an hour. These fish are now called Colorado +River salmon. The flesh was white and they seemed to us good eating. + +[Illustration: Colorado River White Salmon. + +Photograph by the Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railway Survey +under Robert Brewster Stanton, 1889.] + +On Tuesday, August 29th, the third day of our waiting, as we were about +to return to various occupations after dinner three rapid shots broke +suddenly on the quiet air from down the valley. It was our signal. "The +Major" cried all in a breath, and a reply signal was instantly fired. +Clem and I were sent immediately to the end of the island, carrying our +rifles, of course, for while we had little doubt as to who it was, there +might be a surprise. We hurried down while the others watched the bank +beyond. As soon as we cleared the bushes and could see the western shore +we distinguished the Major and a stranger by his side, with horses. We +shouted to them directions for reaching our camp and they rode up till +they came opposite to it whence they were ferried over while Jones took +the horses down to their camp about four miles below. The Major reported +an absolute failure in the attempt to find a way to the mouth of the +Dirty Devil River and he had not himself been able to do anything about +it. The first trial was eastward from Glencove, a Mormon settlement on +the Sevier. It failed because the Indian guides refused to proceed +beyond fifty miles and it was not practicable to go on without them. A +second party was then sent in a little later under Old Jacob +north-eastward from Kanab. They reached a river flowing to the Colorado +at about the right place and for many miles followed it with extreme +difficulty and hazard even at the low stage of water prevailing, down +through a deep, narrow canyon. Sometimes they were compelled to swim +their horses where the rapid stream filled the chasm from wall to wall, +and continual crossing and re-crossing were necessary from one footing +to another. This perilous effort was also abandoned. The Major had gone +to Salt Lake and from there, being informed of these results, down to a +village called Manti whence he made his way across country to our +present position, with several pack animals bringing three hundred +pounds of flour, a quantity of jerked beef, and twenty pounds of sugar. +This was not exactly adequate to the circumstances but he probably +thought it was all he could get through with to the meeting place +appointed in the time alloted. While he and Fred Hamblin, the man +accompanying him, were eating their dinner, we packed the boats, and +when all was ready took them on board, the Major in his old place in the +armchair on our boat, and Hamblin on the middle deck of another. In the +run down to the camp Hamblin was very uncomfortable for he was not +accustomed to boats, especially to boats that ran so fast. There were +two little rapids, some swift chutes, and in several places the river +shoaled and we grated slightly on the gravel. + +Stretching away westward from Gunnison Butte we saw an exquisitely +modelled line of cliffs, some portions being a clear azure blue. At +first it was proposed to name them Henry Cliffs, but they were finally +called from their colour, Azure. Presently we arrived at the camp where +we found another man, Lyman Hamblin, a son of Jacob and nephew of Fred. +They were both Mormons from Kanab near the Arizona line in southern +Utah. They had a large amount of mail for us and every one fell to +reading letters and papers. August 30th and 31st were spent here getting +our work in shape, making sketches and observations, as well as writing +letters and helping the Hamblins prepare for their trip back through the +wild country. They had met with no Indians on the way in and they hoped +to be equally fortunate going back having no desire to see any. In this, +as they told me afterwards, they were not successful. They mounted their +horses, Friday, September 1st, about four in the afternoon when the west +was taking on a rich evening glow and turning in that direction +vanished, with a wave of the hand and a good-bye, into the mystery of +colour, bearing our letters, the geographic data, the geologic notes, +and all the other material which we had collected since leaving the +mouth of the Uinta, and which it was thought advisable to send out both +for safety and to relieve our crowded cabins. They said that the next +evening before they realised it they found themselves so near a large +encampment of Indians that there was no getting away, and they did the +only thing they could sensibly do, rode boldly on straight into the +midst of the strangers with the hope that the band belonged where they +were on the west side of the river, in which case they were surely +peaceful. Both men spoke Ute well and they had had long experience. The +Indians proved to be entirely friendly, and the Hamblins camped with +them for the night; not because they wanted to but because they thought +it inexpedient to do otherwise. When they left us we felt that they were +old friends for they were fine men and most agreeable. Besides, with the +exception of Basor who had driven the team down from Salt Lake to the +Uinta with our rations, they were the only white men which those of us +who had not visited the Uinta Agency had seen since the Harrells in +Brown's Park, nearly three months before. An hour after their departure +we pushed off and ran down about half a mile, passing one little rapid, +to the old crossing where we stopped on the left for the night. Beaman +and I were commissioned to go back to our Camp Gunnison to get a saw +which had been forgotten there; we could not afford to lose so valuable +an implement. A well-beaten Indian trail leading up the river gave us +easy going and we made good time. The effects of light and colour all +around us playing over the mountains and valley gave the surroundings a +weird interest. The day was ending. Long shadows stole across the +strange topography while the lights on the variegated buttes became +kaleidoscopic. As for us, we appeared ridiculously inadequate. We ought +to have been at least twenty feet high to fit the hour and the scene. +Gradually the lights faded, the shadows faded, then both began to merge +till a soft grey-blue dropped over all blending into the sky everywhere +except west where the burnish of sunset remained. Before dark the old +camp was reached; we found the saw by the last dying rays and then +picked our backward path by starlight following the trail as we had +come. Silence and the night were one as in the countless years that had +carved the dim buttes from the rocks of the world primeval when man was +not. Beautiful is the wilderness at all times, at all times lovely, but +under the spell of the twilight it seems to enfold one in a tender +embrace, pushing back the sordid, the commonplace, and obliterating +those magnified nothings that form the weary burden of civilised man. +With keen appreciation we tramped steadily on till at last we perceived +through the night gloom the cheerful flicker of our camp-fire, a sight +always welcome, for the camp-fire to the explorer is home. + +At eight the next morning our business was resumed with the Major happy +in his accustomed place. We made a nice run of eighteen miles on a +smooth, shallow river, with broken, picturesque low cliffs and isolated +buttes everywhere. The valley was wide and filled with these rocky +hills. For a quarter of a mile on each side of the river there were +cottonwood groves offering fine spots for camping, before and after +crossing. There seemed to be several places where crossing was +accomplished. At one of these we discovered where some Indians had been +in camp a few hours before. The placidity of the river permitted the +lashing together of the boats once more for a time and while we drifted +this way down with the easy current the Major and Prof. took turns at +reading aloud from Whittier. _Mogg Megone_ was one selection that was +quite in harmony with the surroundings while other poems offered a +delightful contrast. There were songs, too, and I specially identify +with this particular locality that old college favourite, _Dear Evelina, +Sweet Evelina_ which everybody sang, and which the Major often sang +alone as he peered ahead into the vista unfolding. + +Before night the valley narrowed, the banks looked more like low canyon +walls, and the current stiffened. A clump of small cottonwoods suggested +a camp as the sun ran down and there we halted. Nor did we go on the +next day as the Major desired to go out to a ridge lying to the west, +which he had seen from his horse on his way to us across country. Jones +went with him and they came back with a fine collection of Cretaceous +fossils. Steward and Cap. also went collecting and were successful. Our +surroundings were now even more peculiar than heretofore. In many places +the region was absolutely barren of all vegetation; thousands of acres +at a time had upon them hardly a living plant of any description, being +simply bare and barren rock, as devoid of soil as the deck of a ship. +Prof. took observations for latitude and longitude and the rest of us +were busy at our usual affairs. We had very little time to spare when +the various necessary duties had been regularly attended to. + +[Illustration: Dellenbaugh Butte. + +Near Mouth of San Rafael. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +As we went on the next morning the desolation of the surroundings +increased, if that were possible, and it was easy to read in this one +cause of the tardiness of its exploration. The acreage of bare rock grew +wider and broader. The buttes now often turned to walls about 150 feet +high, all much broken, but indicating the approach to another closing in +of the rocks upon us. Many of these buttes were beautiful in their +castellated form as well as because of a picturesque banded character, +and opposite our dinner-camp, which was on a ledge of rock, was one +surprisingly symmetrical, resembling an artificial structure. I thought +it looked like an art gallery, and the Major said it ought to be named +after the artist, so he called it "Dellenbaugh's Butte" then and there. +Another singular feature of this day was a number of alkaline springs +discovered bubbling up from the bottom of a sort of bayou or branch of +the river. There were at least seventy-five of them, one throwing a +column six or eight inches above the surface of the water here about two +feet deep. We thought the place worth a name, and called it Undine +Springs. Three or four miles below the butte named after me we arrived +at the mouth of a river, twenty-five feet wide and eight or ten inches +deep, coming in from the right. This was the San Rafael. Our camp was +made near some cottonwoods between its left bank and the Green. As soon +as we landed we perceived that the ground was strewn with flaked chips +of chalcedony, jasper, and similar stones. It was plain that here was a +favourite workshop of the native arrowhead maker, an artisan now +vanished forever. Numerous well-finished beautiful arrow-heads of stone +were found, all being placed in the general collection for the +Smithsonian Institution. Our Camp 54 was elevated considerably above the +river, and the surroundings being open, we had views in all directions. +Towards the east we could see the Sierra La Sal, two clusters of rounded +peaks, forty or fifty miles away, forming a majestic picture. The place +was easy of access, and had been a favourite resort for natives, several +acres of camp remains being found. In the morning Prof. began a series +of observations to fix the position of the mouth of the San Rafael, +while the Major and Jones, with rations, blankets, etc., on their backs +for a two days' trip, started early up the tributary stream to see what +kind of a country it flowed through. Steward feeling somewhat under the +weather did not attempt to do anything, while the photographer and the +others busied themselves in their respective lines. The following day +the Major and Jones returned as planned, having traced the San Rafael +for twenty-five miles. Before they arrived Cap. and Clem went across the +Green to travel eastward to some high red buttes, one of which they +intended to climb for topographical purposes. These buttes loomed up in +a striking way, and appeared to be no more than six miles off even to +Cap.'s experienced eye. The Major described the drainage basin of the +San Rafael as wofully barren and desolate, like the rest of our +surroundings. They had seen mountains lying beyond the Dirty Devil +River, which were the range we then called the Unknown Mountains, there +being no record of any one ever having seen them before the Major on his +first trip. + +Steward, recovering his poise, walked back alone on the east bank of the +Green four miles to Dellenbaugh's Butte to examine it and the +intervening geology. He found the butte to be about four hundred feet +high and composed of stratified gypsum, thinly bedded and of fine +quality. + +As evening approached we looked for the return of Cap. and Clem, +especially when the supper hour arrived, but twilight came, then +darkness, and still their footfall was not heard. The Major was greatly +disturbed over their failure to come, fearing they had gotten out of +water, missed their way, and might now be suffering or demoralised in +the arid wastes to eastward. He ordered a large fire to be built on a +high spot near camp, where it would be visible for miles in the +direction the missing men had gone. We divided into watches of two hours +each to keep the fire going, in order that the men should have a guide +if they were trying to reach the river in the night. I was called for +my turn at two in the morning, and read Whittier while feeding the +flames. The sky was mottled with clouds driving impetuously across the +zenith, the bright moon gleaming through the interstices as they rapidly +passed along. My attention was divided between the Quaker poet, the +blazing fire, the mysterious environment into which I peered from time +to time, and the flying scud playing hide-and-seek with the moon. At +three I called Andy, who had breakfast ready before five, and all hands +were up prepared to start on a search. By the time we had eaten there +was light enough for operations to begin, and the Major, accompanied by +Jack, carrying between them two days' rations and as much water as +possible, were put across the Green to strike out directly eastward. A +couple of hours later Prof. took a boat, with Steward and me to man it +and another supply of food and water, and ran down the river a mile, +where we headed back into the dry region to intersect at a distance the +route the Major was following. We had not gone far before signal shots +came to our ears, and through a glass turned in that direction we +rejoiced to see that the Major and Jack had met the lost ones and all +was well. + +Prof. directed me to go back on foot to our camp with instructions for +the other boats to come down, while he, in response to further signals, +dropped his boat to a point nearer to the position of the rescue party +and easier for them to reach. Cap. had underestimated the distance to +the butte, which was twice as far as he thought. They walked eight hours +to get there only to discover that scaling it was out of the question. A +mile and a half beyond they found one they could climb, but by the time +they had completed their observations on top of this evening overtook +them and they were at least fifteen miles from camp. Having consumed +their lunch at noon and drank all their water they were in something of +a predicament, but luckily found some water-pockets in the barren rock, +recently filled by the rains, so they did not suffer for thirst, and +going hungry is not dangerous. Over the wide surfaces of bare rock they +travelled toward camp till night forced them to wait for daylight, when +they kept on till they met the Major and Jack with water and food. + +No sooner had I arrived at the camp than the sky which was leaden and +low began to drop its burden upon us. Packing up could not be done till +the rain slackened, and we sheltered ourselves as well as we could. As +we waited a deep roaring sound from not far off presently fell on our +ears and we were puzzled to explain it till an examination showed a +recently dry gulch filled with a muddy torrent which leaped the low +cliff into the river, a sullen cascade. The San Rafael, too, was a +booming flood. We packed the boats as soon as we could and ran down +about two miles and a half to where the first boat was. Cliffs bordered +the river again, 50 to 100 feet high, then 200 or 300, and we saw we +were in the beginning of the next canyon called from its winding course, +Labyrinth. Over these straight walls hundreds of beautiful cascades born +of the rain were plunging into the river. They were of all sizes, all +heights, and almost all colours, chocolate, amber, and red +predominating. The rocky walls, mainly of a low purplish-red tint, were +cut into by the river till the outside curves of the bends were +perpendicular and sometimes slightly more than perpendicular, so that +some of the cascades fell clear without a break. The acres of bare rock +composing the surface of the land on both sides collected the rain as +does the roof of a house, and the rills and rivulets rapidly uniting +soon formed veritable floods of considerable proportions seeking the +bosom of the river. This seemed the most fantastic region we had yet +encountered. Buttes, pinnacles, turrets, spires, castles, gulches, +alcoves, canyons and canyons, all hewn, "as the years of eternity roll" +out of the verdureless labyrinth of solid rock, made us feel more than +ever a sense of intruding into a forbidden realm, and having permanently +parted from the world we formerly knew. + +About noon we caught up to the other boat and all had dinner together, +happy that nothing serious had befallen Cap. and Clem. During the whole +afternoon rain steadily fell upon the top of this rock-roofed world till +the river rose several inches while its colour turned to a dull yellow, +then to a red, showing how heavy the rainfall had been in the back +country. We had our rubber ponchos on but we were more or less damp and +we began to notice that summer had passed for the air was chilly. The +river was perfectly smooth making navigation easy and we were able to +pull steadily along with no interruption from rapids. The walls ever +increased their height while over the edges the numberless astonishing +rain cascades continued to play, varying their volume according to the +downpour from the sky. Before long the cliffs were from 800 to 1000 feet +high, often perpendicular, giving the waterfalls grand plunges. These +graceful tributaries were now occasionally perfectly clear and they +sometimes fell so far without a break that they vanished in feathery +white spray. A projecting ledge at times might gather this spray again +to form a second cascade before the river level was reached. The scene +was quite magical and considering the general aridity for a large part +of the year, it appeared almost like a phantasm. + + "A land of streams! some, like a downward smoke, + Slow dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go." + +The river twisted this way and that with the tongues of the bends filled +with alluvial deposit bearing dense clumps of scrub-oak, and grass. Each +new bend presented a fresh picture with the changing waterfalls leaping +over by the dozen till we might have thought ourselves in some Norwegian +fiord, and we gave far more attention to admiring the scenery than to +navigating the boats. Late in the day we landed at the left on the point +of a bend and chopped a path through the thick oak brush to a grassy +glade, where we soon had the paulins stretched across oars supported by +other oars forming comfortable shelters in front of which huge fires of +dead oak and driftwood were kept going to dry things out. Andy set his +pots to boiling and supper was soon prepared. + +All night the rain fell but our shelters kept us dry and every one had a +good rest. When the morning of September 8th dawned clear and bracing we +met it with good spirits, though the spirits of our party seldom varied +no matter what the circumstances, and every man took as much personal +interest in the success of the expedition as if he were entirely +responsible for it. + +In order that Beaman might take some pictures and the topographers get +notes, no move was made. Prof. climbed out obtaining a wide view in all +directions and securing valuable data. I also went up on the cliffs and +made a pencil sketch, and in the afternoon we explored a peculiar +three-mouthed side canyon across the river. Three canyons came together +at their mouths and we called the place Trin Alcove. Prof. and the Major +walked up it some distance and then sent for Beaman to come to +photograph. At nightfall rain began once more, and the shelters were +again erected over the oars. Another morning came fair and we went on +leaving Beaman to finish up views and the _Nell_ crew for other work. As +we proceeded we would occasionally halt to wait but it was noon before +they overtook us. Rain had begun before this and continued at intervals +during the dinner stop. As soon as we started we ran into a heavy +downpour and while pulling along in the midst of this our boat ran on a +sand-bar and got so far and fast aground that it required all ten men to +get her off, the other crews walking in the water to where we were, as +the shoal was very wide. While thus engaged a beautiful colour effect +developed softly before us through an opalescent, vaporous shroud. The +sun came forth with brilliant power upon the retreating mists creating a +clear, luminous, prismatic bow ahead of us arching in perfect symmetry +from foot to foot of the glistening walls, while high above it resting +each end on the first terraces a second one equally distinct bridged the +chasm; and, exactly where these gorgeous rainbows touched the rocks, +roaring rain cascades leaped down to add their charm to the enchanting +picture. + +We were now at the beginning of a very long loop of the river, which we +named Bow-knot Bend. Just at the start of this great turn we camped with +a record for the whole day of 15-1/8 miles. Steward found some fragments +of pottery. The next morning we remained here till ten for views, and +then we left Beaman on the summit of the low dividing ridge, where one +could look into the river on either side and see a point which we rowed +more than five miles to reach.[15] On the right bank we stopped for +dinner, and when it was about ready several of us crossed, and, helping +Beaman down with his heavy boxes, ferried him to our side. The opposite +bank was no more than one thousand feet in a straight line from our +starting-place of the morning. Instead of now going on, a halt was +made, because Steward, prowling around after his custom, had found some +fossils that were important and he wanted more. The Major, with Jack, +crossed the river for further geological investigations, while Prof. and +Jones started to climb out, though the prospect was not encouraging. +They ascended over rock, strangely eroded by water into caverns and +holes, then along a ledge till Jones, being a taller man than Prof., got +up and pulled Prof. after him with his revolver belt. They obtained a +remarkable view. Buttes, ridges, mountains stood all round, with the +river so completely lost in the abruptness of its chasm that a mile from +the brink the whole region was apparently solid, and the existence of +the gorge with a river at bottom would not even be suspected. They could +trace the line of Grand River by tower-like buttes and long ridges, and +just at the gap formed by the junction with the Green a blue mountain +arose. The Sierra La Sal, too, could be seen lying on the horizon like +blue clouds. "Weird and wild, barren and ghost-like, it seemed like an +unknown world," said Prof. The country was a vast plateau similar to the +one through which the Canyon of Desolation is carved, that is tilting +northward and increasing in altitude towards the south, so that as the +river runs on its canyon becomes deeper from this cause as well as its +cutting. These great terraces sloping to the north were not before +understood. They terminate on the south in vertical cliffs through which +the river emerges abruptly. From such features as these the Major named +this the Plateau Province. The cliffs terminating each plateau form +intricate escarpments, meandering for many miles, and they might be +likened to a series of irregular and complicated steps. Occasional high +buttes and mountain masses break the surface, but in general the whole +area forming the major part of the basin of the Colorado may be +described as a plateau country--a land of mesas, cliffs, and canyons. + +[Illustration: Labyrinth Canyon--Bowknot Bend. + +The Great Loop Is behind the Spectator. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The next day, September 11th, we were on the river at 7.30, and ran +about seven miles on smooth water before we stopped for a mid-day rest +and dinner on the right bank, as well as to enable Beaman to take some +views he desired. Another three miles and we halted again for +geologising and for photographs, while Prof., taking Andy in his boat, +went ahead to establish a camp somewhere below for the night, in order +that we would not be so late getting supper. The days were now growing +short, and supper by firelight was a common thing. Rain soon began again +and put a stop to the work, driving us forward between the scores of +cascades which soon began to leap anew from every height to the river. +At one place a waterfall shot out from behind an arch set against the +wall, making a singular but beautiful effect, and revealing to us one +method by which some of the arches are formed. The place Prof. had +selected for camp was reached almost the same time that he got there. It +was on the left among the greasewood bushes, and there we put up our +paulins for shelter on oars as before. We had made about fifteen miles. +The walls receded from the river, forming what the Major named the +Orange Cliffs, and were much broken, while the back country could be +seen in places from our boats. Scores, hundreds, multitudes of buttes of +bare rock of all shapes and sizes were in sight, and one was called the +Butte of the Cross, because it suggested a cross lying down from one +position, though from another it was seen to be in reality two distinct +masses. Here ended Labyrinth Canyon according to the Major's decision. +We credited it with a length of 62-1/2 miles. Although winding through +an extremely arid country, it had for us been a place of rain and +waterfalls, and even though rapids were absent we had been nevertheless +kept rather wet. + +There was not much change in structure between Labyrinth Canyon and the +following one of the series, Stillwater. The interval was one of +lowered, much broken walls, well back from the river, leaving wide +bottom lands on the sides. We went ahead in the morning on quiet water +for seven or eight miles, and stopped on a high bank for dinner and for +examinations. Prof., Cap., Steward, and the Major climbed out. Steward +got separated from the others by trying to reach a rather distant butte, +and when he tried to rejoin us he had considerable difficulty in doing +so. For half an hour he searched for a place to get down, and we looked +for one also from the bottom, and finally he was compelled to go down +half a mile farther, where he made the descent only to find himself in a +dense jungle of rose-bushes, willows, and other plants. We had to cut a +way in to relieve him. The luxuriant growth of these plants seemed to +indicate that the barrenness of the plateau was due not so much to +aridity as to the peculiar rock formation, which, disintegrating easily +under the frosts and rains, prevented the accumulation of soil. The soil +was washed away by every rain and carried by thousands of cataracts into +the river. Only when the country reaches the "base level of erosion," as +the Major called it, would vegetation succeed in holding its place; that +is when the declivity of the surrounding region became reduced till the +rain torrents should lack the velocity necessary to transport any great +load of detritus, and the disintegrated material would accumulate, give +a footing to plants, and thus further protect itself and the rocks. + +[Illustration: Stillwater Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +The Major and Prof. now decided to use up all the photographic material +between this point and the Dirty Devil, and leave one boat at the latter +place till the next season, when a party would come in for it and take +it down to the Paria. We would be obliged to examine the Dirty Devil +region then in any event. Three miles below our dinner camp we arrived +at a remarkably picturesque bend, and on the outer circumference we made +our sixtieth camp, but so late that supper was eaten by firelight. The +bend was named by Beaman "Bonito," and in the morning he made a number +of views. The bottom lands along the river had evidently been utilised +by the aboriginal inhabitants for farming, as fragments of pottery +occasionally found indicated their presence here in former days. It was +afternoon when we pushed off and left Bonito Bend behind. After a few +miles the Major and Prof. tried to climb out, but they failed. A buff +sandstone, resting on red shale, was vertical for about 140 feet +everywhere and could not be surmounted. Above this stood another +vertical wall of five hundred feet, an orange coloured sandstone, in +which no break was apparent. These walls closed in on the river, +leaving barely a margin in many places. There were few landings, the +current, rather swift and smooth, swirling along the foot of the rocks, +which rose vertically for 250 feet and were about four hundred feet +apart. As the evening came on we could find no place to stop that +offered room enough for a camp, and we drifted on and on till almost +dark, when we discovered a patch of soil on the right that would give us +sufficient space. The 13th of September happened to be my birthday, and +Andy had promised to stew a mess of dried apples in celebration. This +does not sound like a tremendous treat, but circumstances give the test. +Our supply of rations being limited and now running low, Andy for some +time had been curbing our appetites. Stewed dried apples were granted +about once a week, and boiled beans were an equal luxury. It was +consequently a disappointment not to get the promised extra allowance of +apples on this occasion. Not only was the hour late, but there was +little wood to be had, though diligent raking around produced enough +driftwood to cook our supper of bacon, coffee, and bread. Our camp was +beneath an overhanging cliff about six hundred feet high, and the walls +near us were so heavily coated with salt that it could be broken off in +chunks anywhere. The quarters were not roomy, but we got a good sleep. +In the morning before he was fairly awake Steward discovered fossils in +the rocks over his head, and we remained till one o'clock in order that +an investigation could be made. He collected about a peck of fine +specimens. When we started again the canyon was so interesting, +particularly to the geologists, that we stopped several times in a run +of five miles between vertical walls not over six hundred feet apart. +Camp was finally made on the right in a sort of alcove, with a level +fertile bottom of several acres, where the ancients had grown corn. +Evidences of their former life here were numerous. Steward, climbing on +the cliffs, suddenly gave a loud shout, announcing a discovery. He had +found two small huts built into the rocks. Several of us went up to look +at them. They were of great age and so small that they could have been +only storage places. Withered and hardened corncobs were found within +them. + +On returning to camp we learned that the Major had found some larger +house ruins on a terrace some distance up the river. Around the +camp-fire that evening he told us something about the Shinumos, as he +called them, who long ago had inhabited this region, and in imagination +we now beheld them again climbing the cliffs or toiling at their +agriculture in the small bottom land. + +At daylight Steward, Clem, and I went up to the ruins, which stood on a +terrace projecting in such a way that a clear view could be had up and +down the river. There were two houses built of stone slabs, each about +13 x 15 feet, and about six feet of wall were still standing. Thirty +feet or more below ran the river, and there were remains of an old +stairway leading down through a crevice to the river, but too much +disintegrated for us to descend. These were the first ruins of the kind +I had ever seen, and I was as much interested in them as I afterwards +was in the Colosseum. + +Prof., being desirous of arriving as speedily as possible at the +junction of the Grand with the Green, which was now not far off, for the +purpose of getting an observation for time, left us at seven o'clock and +proceeded in advance, while the remainder of the party turned their +attention to the locality where we were. We could see traces of an old +trail up the cliffs, and the Major, Jack, Andy, and Jones started to +follow this out. With the aid of ropes taken along and stones piled up, +as well as a cottonwood pole that had been placed as a ladder by the +ancients, they succeeded in reaching the summit. Clem and I went back to +the large house ruins for a re-examination, and looked over the +quantities of broken arrowheads of jasper and the potsherds strewing the +place in search of specimens of value. On the return trip of the +climbers Andy discovered an earthen jar, fifteen inches high and about +twelve inches in diameter, of the "pinched-coil" type, under a +sheltering rock, covered by a piece of flat stone, where it had rested +for many a decade if not for a century. It contained a small coil of +split-willow, such as is used in basketry, tied with cord of aboriginal +make. Some one had placed it there for a few moments. + +After dinner we continued down the canyon, taking the pot with us. The +walls were nearly vertical on both sides, or at any rate appeared so to +us from the boats, and they often came straight into the water, with +here and there a few willows. They were not more than 450 feet apart. +No rapids troubled us, and the current was less than three miles an +hour, but we seemed to be going swiftly even without rowing. After about +seven miles the trend of the chasm became easterly, and we saw the mouth +of the Grand, the Junction, that hidden mystery which, unless we count +D. Julien, only nine white men, the Major's first party, had ever seen +before us. The Grand entered through a canyon similar to that of the +Green, all the immediate walls being at least 800 feet and the summit of +the plateau about 1500 feet above the river. On the right was a small +bench, perhaps one-third of a mile long and several rods wide, fringed +by a sand-bank, on which we found the crew of the _Nell_ established in +Camp 62. Between the two rivers was another footing of about two acres, +bearing several hackberry trees, and it was on this bank up the Grand +River side that the first party camped. Across on the east shore we +could see still another strip with some bushes, but there was no more +horizontal land to be found here. The two rivers blended gracefully on +nearly equal terms, and the doubled volume started down with reckless +impetuosity. This was the end of Stillwater Canyon, with a length of +42-3/4 miles. At last we had finished the canyons of the Green, with +every boat in good condition and not a man injured in any way, and now +we stood before the grim jaws of the Colorado. Our descent from Gunnison +Crossing was 215 feet, with not a rapid that was worth recording, and +from the Union Pacific crossing in feet, 2215, and in miles, 539. The +altitude of the Junction is 3860 feet above sea-level. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 13: In fact there was only one practicable place, El Vado de +los Padres, and that was difficult. The alternative would have been to +cross Arizona south of the Colorado. By this Gunnison Crossing route +there were better wood, water, and grass to compensate for distance.] + +[Footnote 14: It is here that the Denver and Rio Grande railway crossed, +bridging the river in 1883. From here also the Brown Expedition started +in May, 1889, and the Best Expedition in 1891.] + +[Footnote 15: Many years afterward on a rock face half-way round this +bend the inscription, D. Julien 1836 3 Mai, was found. The same +inscription was also found in two other places just below the mouth of +Grand River and near the end of Cataract Canyon.] + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + A Wonderland of Crags and Pinnacles--Poverty Rations--Fast and + Furious Plunging Waters--Boulders Boom along the + Bottom--Chilly Days and Shivering--A Wild Tumultuous Chasm--A + Bad Passage by Twilight and a Tornado with a Picture + Moonrise--Out of one Canyon into Another--At the Mouth of the + Dirty Devil at Last. + + +We were on the threshold of what the Major had previously named Cataract +Canyon, because the declivity within it is so great and the water +descends with such tremendous velocity and continuity that he thought +the term rapid failed to interpret the conditions. The addition of the +almost equal volume of the Grand--indeed it was now a little greater +owing to extra heavy rains along its course--doubled the depth and +velocity of the river till it swirled on into the new canyon before us +with a fierce, threatening intensity, sapping the flat sand-bank on +which our camp was laid and rapidly eating it away. Large masses with a +sudden splash would drop out of sight and dissolve like sugar in a cup +of tea. We were obliged to be on the watch lest the moorings of the +boats should be loosened, allowing them to sweep pell-mell before us +down the gorge. The long ropes were carried back to their limit and made +fast to stakes driven deep into the hard sand. Jack and I became +dissatisfied with the position of our boat and dropped it down two or +three hundred yards to a place where the conditions were better, and +camped by it. There were a few small cottonwoods against the cliff +behind the sand-bank, but they were too far off to be reached by our +lines, and the ground beneath them was too irregular and rocky for a +camp. These trees, with the hackberry trees across the river and +numerous stramonium bushes in full blossom, composed the chief +vegetation of this extraordinary locality. No more remote place existed +at that time within the United States--no place more difficult of +access. Macomb in his reconnaissance in 1859 had tried hard to arrive +here, but he got no nearer than the edge of the plateau about thirty +miles up Grand River. + +It was necessary that we should secure topographic notes and +observations from the summit, and we scanned the surroundings for the +most promising place for exit. The Major was sure we could make a +successful ascent to the upper regions by way of a narrow cleft on the +right or west some distance back up the Green, which he had noted as we +came along; so in the morning of Saturday, September 16th, he and Jack, +Beaman, Clem, Jones, and I rowed up in the _Canonita_, the current being +slow along the west bank, and started up the crevice, dragging the +cumbrous photographic outfit along. Prof. remained below for +observations for time. The cleft was filled with fallen rocks, and we +had no trouble mounting, except that the photographic boxes were like +lead and the straps across one's chest made breathing difficult. The +climb was tiring, but there was no obstacle, and we presently emerged on +the surface of the country 1300 feet above the river and 5160 above the +sea. Here was revealed a wide cyclorama that was astounding. Nothing was +in sight but barren sandstone, red, yellow, brown, grey, carved into an +amazing multitude of towers, buttes, spires, pinnacles, some of them +several hundred feet high, and all shimmering under a dazzling sun. It +was a marvellous mighty desert of bare rock, chiselled by the ages out +of the foundations of the globe; fantastic, extraordinary, antediluvian, +labyrinthian, and slashed in all directions by crevices; crevices wide, +crevices narrow, crevices medium, some shallow, some dropping till a +falling stone clanked resounding into the far hollow depths. Scarcely +could we travel a hundred yards but we were compelled to leap some deep, +dark crack. Often they were so wide a running jump was necessary, and at +times the smooth rock sloped on both sides toward the crevice rather +steeply. Once the Major came sliding down a bare slope till at a point +where he caught sight of the edge of a sombre fissure just where he +must land. He could not see its width; he could not return, and there he +hung. Luckily I was where by another path I could quickly reach the +rock below, and I saw that the crevice was not six inches wide, and I +shouted the joyful news. Steward had not come up with us, but had +succeeded in ascending through a narrow crevice below camp. He soon +arrived within speaking distance, but there he was foiled by a crack too +wide to jump, and he had to remain a stranger to us the rest of the day. +At a little distance back from the brink these crevices were not so +numerous nor so wide, and there we discovered a series of extremely +pretty "parks" lost amidst the million turreted rocks. I made a pencil +sketch looking out into this Sinav-to-weap, as the Major called it from +information obtained from the Utes.[16] Beaman secured a number of +photographs, but not all that were desired, and, as we did not have +rations for stopping on the summit, we went back to camp and made the +climb again the next day. Fortunately the recent rains had filled many +hollows in the bare rock, forming pockets of delicious, pure water, +where we could drink, but on a hot and dry summer's day travelling here +would be intolerable, if not impossible. Fragments of arrow-heads, chips +of chalcedony, and quantities of potsherds scattered around proved that +our ancient Shinumos had known the region well. Doubtless some of their +old trails would lead to large and deep water-pockets. There are +pot-holes in this bare sandstone of enormous size, often several feet in +depth and of similar diameter, which become filled with rain-water that +lasts a long time. The Shinumos had numerous dwellings all through this +country, with trails leading from place to place, highways and byways. + +The following day the Major and Jones climbed out on the side opposite +camp, that is on the east side, where they found an old trail and +evidences of camping during the summer just closed, probably by the +Utes. That night, Jones, in attempting to enter our boat in the +moonlight, stepped on the corner of the hatch of the middle cabin, which +was not on securely; it tipped, and he was thrown in such a way as to +severely injure his leg below the knee. This was the first mishap thus +far to any one of the party. + +The Major entertained some idea of making a boat trip up the Grand, but +he abandoned it, and we prepared for the work ahead. The rations, which +were now fallen to poverty bulk, were carefully overhauled and evenly +distributed among the boats, so that the wrecking of any one would not +deprive us of more than a portion of each article. The amount for daily +use was also determined; of the bacon we were to have at a meal only +half the usual quantity. We knew Cataract Canyon was rough, but by this +time we were in excellent training and thoroughly competent for the kind +of navigation required; ready for anything that strong boats like ours +could live through. At ten o'clock on Tuesday, September 19th, the +cabins were all packed, the life preservers were inflated, and casting +off from Camp 62 we were borne down with the swift current. The water +was muddy, of a coffee-and-cream colour, and the river was falling. Not +far below our camp we saw a beaten trail coming down a singular canyon +on the left or east side, showing again that the natives understood the +way in to the Junction.[17] We knew it was not far to rapids, as we had +seen two heavy ones from the brink above, and we soon heard the familiar +roar of plunging water, a sound which had been absent since the end of +Gray Canyon. Presently we were bearing down on the first one, looking +for the way to pass it. On landing at the head it was seen to be a +rather rough place, and it was deemed advisable to avoid running it. The +boats were carefully let down by lines and we went on. In a short +distance we reached a second rapid, where we decided to repeat the +operation that took us past the other, but these two let-downs consumed +much time and gave us hard work. The water was cold, we were wet and +hungry, and when we arrived at a third that was more forbidding than the +ones above we halted for dinner at its beginning. The muddy water boomed +and plunged over innumerable rocks--a mad, irresistible flood. So great +was the declivity of the river bed that boulders were rolled along under +water with a sound like distant thunder. We had noticed this also in +Lodore, but in Cataract it was more common. The rumbling was +particularly noticeable if one were standing in the water, as we so +continually were. After dinner the boats were lowered past the rapid, +but we had no respite, for presently we came upon another big one, then +another, and another, and then still another, all following quickly and +giving us plenty of extremely hard work, for we would not risk the boats +in any of them. When these were behind us we went on a distance and came +to one that we ran, and then, wet through and shivering till our teeth +chattered, as well as being hungry and tired, every one was glad to hear +the decision to go into camp when we arrived at the top of another very +ugly pair of them. The canyon having a north and south trend and it +being autumn, the sun disappeared early so far as we were concerned; the +shadows were deep, the mountain air was penetrating. As soon as possible +our soaking river garments were thrown off, the dry clothing from the +rubber bags was put on, the limited bacon was sending its fragrance into +the troubled air, the bread took on a nice deep brown in the Dutch oven, +the coffee's aromatic steam drifted from the fire, and warm and +comfortable we sat down to the welcome though meagre meal. The rule was +three little strips of bacon, a chunk of bread about the size of one's +fist, and coffee without stint for each man three times a day. Sugar was +a scarce article, and I learned to like coffee without it so well that I +have never taken it with sugar since. The "Tirtaan Aigles" needed now +all the muscle and energy they could command, and an early hour found +every man sound asleep. The record for the first day in Cataract Canyon +was nine miles, with eight bad rapids or cataracts, as they might +properly be called, and out of the eight we ran but one.[18] The river +was about 250 feet wide. + +[Illustration: Clement Powell + +Cataract Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871] + +The Major decided the next morning that he would try to get out on the +right, and he took me with him. We had no great trouble in reaching the +plateau at an elevation of eighteen hundred feet above the river, where +we could see an immense area of unknown country. The broken and +pinnacled character was not so marked as it had been at the Junction, +but it was still a strange, barren land. We expected to find +water-pockets on the top, and we had carried with us only one quart +canteen of water. While the Major was taking notes from the summit of a +butte, I made a zealous search for water, but not a drop could I find; +every hole was dry. The sun burned down from a clear sky that melted +black into eternal space. The yellow sand threw the hot rays upward, and +so also did the smooth bare rock. No bird, no bee, no thing of life +could be seen. I came to a whitish cliff upon which I thought there +might be water-pockets, and I mounted by a steep slope of broken stones. +Suddenly, almost within touch, I saw before me a golden yellow +rattlesnake gliding upward in the direction I was going along the cliff +wall. I killed it with a stone, and cut off the rattles and continued my +reconnaissance. At length I gave up the search. By the time I had +returned to the foot of the butte on which the Major was making his +observations, the heat had exhausted me till I was obliged to rest a few +moments before ascending the sixty feet to where he was. I had carried +the canteen all the time, and the water in it was hot from exposure to +the sun. The Major bade me rest while he made a little fire, and by the +aid of a can and ground coffee we had brought he made a strong decoction +with the whole quart. This gave us two cups apiece, and we had some +bread to go with it. The effect was magical. My fatigue vanished. I felt +equal to anything, and we began the return. + +The Major having no right arm, he sometimes got in a difficult situation +when climbing, if his right side came against a smooth surface where +there was nothing opposite. We had learned to go down by the same route +followed up, because otherwise one is never sure of arriving at the +bottom, as a ledge half-way down might compel a return to the summit. We +remembered that at one point there was no way for him to hold on, the +cliff being smooth on the right, while on the left was empty air, with a +sheer drop of several hundred feet. The footing too was narrow. I +climbed down first, and, bracing myself below with my back to the abyss, +I was able to plant my right foot securely in such a manner that my +right knee formed a solid step for him at the critical moment. On this +improvised step he placed his left foot, and in a twinkling had made the +passage in safety. + +During our absence the men below had been at work. Camp was moved down +the river some three quarters of a mile, while the boats had been +lowered past the ugly pair of rapids, and were moored at the camp below +the second. In one the current had "got the bulge," as we called it, on +the men on the line; that is, the powerful current had hit the bow in +such a way that the boat took the diagonal of forces and travelled up +and out into the river. For the men it was either let go or be pulled +in. They let go, and the boat dashed down with her cargo on board. +Fortune was on our side. She went through without injury and shot into +an eddy below. With all speed the men rushed down, and Jack, plunging +in, swam to her and got on before she could take a fresh start. It was a +narrow escape, but it taught a lesson that was not forgotten. Prof. had +succeeded in getting some observations, and all was well. It was bean +day, too, according to our calendar, and all hands had a treat. + +By eight o'clock the next morning, Thursday, September 21st, we were on +the way again, with the boats "close reefed," as it were, for trouble, +but one, two, three and one half miles slid easily behind. Then, as if +to make up for this bit of leniency, six rapids came in close +succession, though they were of a kind that we could safely run, and all +the boats went flying through them without a mishap of any kind. The +next was a plunger so mixed up with rocks that we made a let-down and +again proceeded a short distance before we were halted by one more of +the same sort, though we were able to run the lower portion of it. A +little below this we met a friendly drop, and whizzed through its rush +and roar in triumph. But there was nothing triumphant about the one +which followed, so far as our work was concerned. We manoeuvred past +it with much difficulty only to find ourselves upon two more bad ones. +Bad as they were, they were nevertheless runable, and away we dashed +with breakneck speed, certainly not less than twenty miles an hour, down +both of them, to land on the left immediately at the beginning of a +great and forbidding descent. These let-downs were difficult, often +requiring all hands to each boat, except the Major, whose one-armed +condition made it too hard for him to assist in the midst of rocks and +rushing water, where one had to be very nimble and leap and balance with +exactness. Two good arms were barely sufficient. Sometimes, in order to +pass the gigantic boulders that stretched far off from the shore, the +boat had to be shot around and hauled in below, an operation requiring +skill, strength, and celerity. + +The walls, very craggy at the top, increased in altitude till they were +now about sixteen hundred feet, separated from each other by one third +of a mile. The flaring character of the upper miles of the canyon began +to change to a narrower gorge, the cliffs showing a nearer approach to +verticality. At the head of the forbidding plunge we had our slice of +bacon, with bread and coffee, and then we fought our way down alongside +amongst immense boulders and roaring water. It was an exceedingly hard +place to vanquish, and required two and a half hours of the most violent +exertion to accomplish it. All were necessary to handle each boat. +Hardly had we passed beyond the turmoil of its fierce opposition than we +fell upon another scarcely less antagonistic, but yet apparently so free +from rocks that the Major concluded it could be run. At the outset our +boat struck on a concealed rock, and for a moment it seemed that we +might capsize, but luckily she righted, swung free, and swept down with +no further trouble. The _Nell_ struck the same rock and so did the +_Canonita_, but neither was injured or even halted. These boats were +somewhat lighter than ours, having one man less in each, and therefore +did not hit the rock so hard. The boats were now heavy from being +water-soaked, for the paint was gone from the bottoms. This would have +made no difference in any ordinary waters, but it did here, where we +were obliged to lift them so constantly. + +This was an extremely rough and wet day's work, and the moment the great +cliffs cut off the warmth of the direct sun we were thrown suddenly from +summer to winter, and our saturated clothing, uncomfortably cool in +sunlight, became icy with the evaporation and the cold shadow-air. We +turned blue, and no matter how firmly I tried to shut my teeth they +rattled like a pair of castanets. Though it was only half-past three, +the Major decided to camp as soon as he saw this effect, much as we had +need to push on. We landed on the right, and were soon revived by dry +clothes and a big fire of driftwood. We had made during the day a total +distance of a trifle less than seven miles, one and three quarters since +dinner. There were fourteen rapids and cataracts, nine of which we ran, +on a river about two hundred feet wide. We had sand to sleep on, but all +around us were rocks, rocks, rocks, with the mighty bounding cliffs +lifting up to the sky. Our books for the time being were not disturbed, +but Whittier's lines, read further up, seemed here exactly appropriate +to the Colorado: + + "Hurrying down to its grave, the sea, + And slow through the rock its pathway hewing! + Far down, through the mist of the falling river, + Which rises up like an incense ever, + The splintered points of the crags are seen, + With water howling and vexed between, + While the scooping whirl of the pool beneath + Seems an open throat, with its granite teeth!" + +It was not long before the blankets were taken from the rubber bags and +spread on the sand, and the rapids, the rocks, and all our troubles were +forgotten. + +The next day was almost a repetition of the preceding one. We began by +running a graceful little rapid, just beyond which we came to a very bad +place. The river was narrow and deep, with a high velocity, and the +channel was filled with enormous rocks. Two hours of the hardest kind of +work in and out of the water, climbing over gigantic boulders along the +bank, lifting the boats and sliding them on driftwood skids, tugging, +pulling, shoving every minute with might and main put us at the bottom. +No sooner were we past this one than we engaged in a similar battle with +another of the same nature, and below it we stopped for dinner, amidst +some huge boulders under a hackberry tree, near another roarer. One of +these cataracts had a fall of not less than twenty feet in six hundred, +which gave the water terrific force and violence. The canyon walls +closed in more and more and ran up to two thousand feet, apparently +nearly vertical as one looked up at them, but there was always plenty of +space for landings and camps. Opposite the noon camp we could see to a +height beyond of at least three thousand feet. We were in the heart of +another great plateau. After noon we attacked the very bad rapid beside +whose head we had eaten, and it was half-past three when we had finished +it. The boats had been considerably pounded and there was a hole in the +_Dean_, and a plank sprung in the _Nell_ so that her middle cabin was +half full of water. The iron strip on the _Dean's_ keel was breaking +off. Repairs were imperative, and on the right, near the beginning of +one of the worst falls we had yet seen, we went into camp for the rest +of the day. With false ribs made from oars we strengthened the boats and +put them in condition for another day's hammering. It seemed as if we +must have gone this day quite a long distance, but on footing up it was +found to be no more than a mile and a quarter. Darkness now fell early +and big driftwood fires made the evenings cheerful. There was a vast +amount of driftwood in tremendous piles, trees, limbs, boughs, railroad +ties; a great mixture of all kinds, some of it lying full fifty feet +above the present level of the river. There were large and small +tree-trunks battered and limbless, the ends pounded to a spongy mass of +splinters. Our bright fires enabled us to read, or to write up notes and +diaries. I think each one but the Major and Andy kept a diary and +faithfully wrote it up. Jack occasionally gave us a song or two from the +repertory already described, and Steward did not forget the mouth-organ, +but through the hardest part of Cataract Canyon we were usually tired +enough to take to our blankets early. + +In the morning we began the day by running a little rapid between our +camp and the big one that we saw from there, and then we had to exert +some careful engineering to pass below by means of the lines. This +accomplished we found a repetition of the same kind of work necessary +almost immediately, at the next rapid. In places we had to lift the +boats out and slide them along on driftwood skids. These rapids were +largely formed by enormous rocks which had fallen from the cliffs, and +over, around, and between these it was necessary to manoeuvre the +boats by lines to avoid the furious waters of the outer river. After +dinner we arrived at a descent which at first glance seemed as bad as +anything we had met in the morning but an examination showed a prospect +of a successful run through it. The fall was nearly twenty feet in about +as many yards. The Major and Prof. examined it long and carefully. A +successful run would take two minutes, while a let-down would occupy us +for at least two hours and it had some difficult points. They hesitated +about running the place, for they would not take a risk that was not +necessary, but finally they concluded it could be safely accomplished, +and we pulled the _Dean_ as quickly as possible into the middle of the +river and swung down into it. On both sides the water was hammered to +foam amidst great boulders and the roar as usual was deafening. Just +through the centre was a clean, clear chute followed by a long tail of +waves breaking and snapping like some demon's jaws. As we struck into +them they swept over us like combers on the beach in a great storm. It +seemed to me here and at other similar places that we went through some +of the waves like a needle and jumped to the top of others, to balance +half-length out of water for an instant before diving to another trough. +Being in the very bow the waves, it appeared to me, sometimes completely +submerged me and almost took my breath away with the sudden impact. At +any rate it was lively work, with a current of fifteen or eighteen miles +an hour. Beaman had stationed himself where he could get a negative of +us ploughing through these breakers, but his wet-plates were too slow +and he had no success. After this came a place which permitted no such +jaunty treatment. It was in fact three or four rapids following each +other so closely that, though some might be successfully run, the last +was not safe, and no landing could be made at its head, so a very long +let-down was obligatory; but it was an easy one, for each crew could +take its own boat down without help from the others. Then, tired, wet, +and cold as usual, we landed on the left in a little cove where there +was a sandy beach for our Camp 67. We had made less than four miles, in +which distance there were six rapids, only two of which we ran. At +another stage of water the number and character of these rapids would be +changed; some would be easier at higher water, some harder, and the same +would be true of lower water. Rapids also change their character from +time to time as rocks are shifted along the bottom and more rocks fall +from the cliffs or are brought in by side floods. The walls were now +about two thousand feet, of limestone, with a reddish stain, and they +were so near together that the sun shone to the bottom only during the +middle hours of the day in September. + +It was now September 24th; a bright and beautiful Sunday broke, the sky +above clear and tranquil, the river below foaming and fuming between the +ragged walls in one continuous rapid with merely variations of descent. +In three quarters of a mile we arrived before the greatest portion of +the declivity, where, though there seemed to be a clear chute, we did +not consider it advisable to make the run because of conditions +following; neither could we make a regular let-down or a portage. The +least risky method was to carry a line down and when all was ready start +the boat in at the top alone. In this way when she had gone through, the +men on the line below were able to bring her up and haul her in before +reaching the next bad plunge. There was no quiet river anywhere; nothing +but rushing, swirling, plunging water and rocks. We got past the bad +spot successfully and went on making one let-down after another for +about four miles, when we halted at noon for the rest of the day, well +satisfied with our progress though in distance it appeared so slight. +The afternoon was spent in repairing boats, working up notes, and taking +observations. The cliffs were now some 2500 feet in height, ragged and +broken on their faces, but close together, the narrowest deep chasm we +had seen. It was truly a terrible place, with the fierce river, the +giant walls, and the separation from any known path to the outer world. +I thought of the Major's first trip, when it was not known what kind of +waters were here. Vertical and impassable falls might easily have barred +his way and cataracts behind prevented return, so that here in a death +trap they would have been compelled to plunge into the river or wait for +starvation. Happly he had encountered no such conditions. + +An interesting feature of this canyon was the manner in which huge +masses of rock lying in the river had been ground into each other by the +force of the current. One block of sandstone, weighing not less than six +hundred tons, being thirty or forty feet long by twenty feet square, had +been oscillated till the limestone boulders on which it rested had +ground into it at least two feet, fitting closely. Another enormous +piece was slowly and regularly rocking as the furious current beat upon +it, and one could feel the movement distinctly. A good night's sleep +made all of us fresh again, and we began the Monday early. Some worked +on the boats, while Beaman and Clem went up "Gypsum" Canyon, as Steward +named it, for views, and the Major and I climbed out for topographic +observations. We reached an altitude above camp of 3135 feet at a point +seven or eight miles back from the brink. The view in all directions +was beyond words to describe. Mountains and mountains, canyons, cliffs, +pinnacles, buttes surrounded us as far as we could see, and the range +was extensive. The Sierra La Sal, the Sierra Abajo, and other short +ranges lay blue in the distance, while comparatively near in the +south-west rose the five beautiful peaks just beyond the mouth of the +Dirty Devil, composing the unknown range before mentioned. At noon we +made coffee, had lunch, and then went on. It was four o'clock by the +time we concluded to start back, and darkness overtook us before we were +fairly down the cliffs, but there was a bright moon, and by its aid we +reached camp. + +At half-past eight in the morning of September 26th we were again +working our way down the torrential river. Anybody who tries to go +through here in any haphazard fashion will surely come to grief. It is a +passage that can safely be made only with the most extreme caution. The +walls grew straighter, and they grew higher till the gorge assumed +proportions that seemed to me the acme of the stupendous and +magnificent. The scenery may not have been beautiful in the sense that +an Alpine lake is beautiful, but in the exhibition of the power and +majesty of nature it was sublime. There was the same general barrenness: +only a few hackberry trees, willows, and a cottonwood or two along the +margin of the river made up the vegetation. Our first task was a +difficult let-down, which we accomplished safely, to find that we could +run two rapids following it and half of another, landing then to +complete it by a let-down. Then came a very sharp drop that we ran, +which put us before another easy one, that was followed by a difficult +bit of navigation through a bad descent, after which we stopped for +dinner on the right at the head of another rapid. The cliffs now on both +sides were about 2800 feet, one quarter mile wide at top, and in places +striking me as being perpendicular, especially in the outer curve of the +bends. The boats seemed to be scarcely more than chips on the sweeping +current and we not worth mentioning. During the afternoon we halted a +number of times for Beaman to make photographs, but the proportions were +almost too great for any camera. The foreground parts are always +magnified, while the distances are diminished, till the view is not that +which the eye perceives. Before stopping for the night we ran three +more rapids, and camped on the right on a sandbank at the head of +another forbidding place. The record for the whole day was six and three +quarter miles, with ten runs and two let-downs. At one bad place the +_Nell_ got too far over and laboured so heavily in the enormous billows +that Cap., who pulled the bow oars, was completely lost to sight and the +boat was filled with water. Only about thirty degrees of sky were +visible as one looked directly up from our camp. A pretty canyon came in +near camp, and some of us took a walk up its narrow way. + +[Illustration: Cataract Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +In the morning Beaman made some pictures, and it was eleven o'clock +before we resumed our navigation. Our first work was a let-down, which +took an hour, and about a mile below we stopped for dinner on the left. +Then we continued, making eight miles more, in which distance we ran six +rapids and made two line-portages. The last rapid was a bad one, and +there we made one of the portages, camping at its foot on the left bank. +The walls began to diminish in height and the river was less +precipitous, as is apparent from the progress we were able to make. +September 28th we began by running two rapids immediately below camp, +and the _Nell_ remained at the foot of the second to signal Beaman in +the _Canonita_, as he had stayed behind to take some views. Another mile +brought us to a rather bad place, the right having a vertical cliff +about 2700 feet high, but the left was composed of boulders spread over +a wide stretch, so that an excellent footing was offered. The Major and +Prof. concluded to climb out here, instead of a point farther down +called Millecrag Bend, and, appointing Steward master of the let-down +which was necessary, they left us. It was dinner-time when we got the +boats below to a safe cove, and we were quite ready for the meal which +Andy meanwhile had been cooking. A beautiful little brook came down a +narrow canyon on the left, and it was up this stream that the Major went +for a mile and a half and then climbed on the side. They were obliged to +give it up and come back to the bottom. By this time it was too late to +make another attempt, so they turned their backs on "Failure Creek," +and, returning to us, said we would go on as soon as we had eaten the +supper which Andy was preparing. They would climb out at Millecrag Bend. +Andy had cooked a mess of beans, about the last we had, and what we did +not eat we put on board in the kettle, which had a tight cover. The +Major's manner for a day or two had been rather moody, and when Prof. +intimated to me that we would have a lively time before we saw another +camp, I knew some difficult passage ahead was on his mind; some place +which had given him trouble on the first trip. + +About five o'clock we were ready; everything was made snug and tight on +the boats, nothing being left out of the cabins but a camp kettle in +each standing-room for bailing, and we cast off. Each man had his +life-preserver where he could get it quickly, and the Major put his on, +for with only one arm he could not do this readily in case of necessity. +The current was swift. We were carried rapidly down to where the gorge +narrowed up with walls vertical on each side for a height of fifty to +one hundred feet. We soon dashed through a small rough rapid. A splash +of water over our bow dampened my clothes and made the air feel chilly. +The canyon was growing dim with the evening light. High above our heads +some lazy clouds were flecked with the sunset glow. Not far below the +small rapid we saw before us a complicated situation at the prevailing +stage of water, and immediately landed on the left, where there was +footing to reconnoitre. A considerable fall was divided by a rocky +island, a low mass that would be submerged with two or three feet more +water, and the river plunging down on each side boiled against the +cliffs. Between us and the island the stream was studded by immense +boulders which had dropped from the cliffs and almost like pinnacles +stood above the surface. One view was enough to show that on this stage +of water we could not safely run either side of the cataract; indeed +destruction would surely have rewarded any attempt. The right-hand +channel from the foot of the island swept powerfully across to meet the +left-hand one and together they boomed along the base of the left-hand +cliffs before swinging sharply to the right with the trend of the chasm +in that direction. There was no choice of a course. The only way was to +manoeuvre between the great boulders and keep in the dividing line of +the current till a landing could be effected on the head of the island +between the two falls. The difficulty was to avoid being drawn to either +side. Our boat went first and we succeeded, under the Major's quick eye +and fine judgment, in easily following the proposed course till the +_Dean_ began to bump on the rocks some twenty yards above the exposed +part of the island. I tested the depth of water here with an oar as Jack +pulled slowly along, the current being quite slack in the dividing line, +and as soon as practicable we jumped overboard and guided our craft +safely to the island. Prof. in the _Nell_ was equally precise, and as he +came in we waded out to catch his boat; but the _Canonita_ passed on the +wrong side of one of the pinnacles and, caught in the left current, came +near making a run of it down that side, which would have resulted +disastrously. Luckily they were able to extricate themselves and Beaman +steered in to us. Had the water been only high enough to prevent landing +on this island we would have been in a bad trap, but had it been so high +as to make navigation down the centre possible the rapid might perhaps +have been run safely. + +We were now on the island, with darkness falling, and the problem was to +get off. While Prof. and the Major went down to the foot to make a plan +we sat in the diminishing light and waited. It was decided to pull the +boats down the right-hand side of the island as far as the foot of the +worst part of the right-hand rapid, and from there cut out into the tail +of waves, pulling through as quickly as we could to avoid contact with +the base of the left wall along which the current dashed. We must pull +fast enough to get across in the very short time it would take the river +to sweep us down to the crucial point. The gorge by this time was quite +sombre; even the clouds above were losing their evening colour. We must +act quickly. Our boat as usual made the first trial. As we shot out, +Jack and I bent to our oars with every muscle we possessed, the boat +headed slightly upstream, and in a few seconds we were flying along the +base of the cliffs, and so close that our starboard oars had to be +quickly unshipped to prevent their being broken. In a few seconds more +we were able to get out into the middle, and then we halted in an eddy +to wait for the other boats. They came on successfully and in the +gloaming we continued down the canyon looking for a place to camp, our +hearts much lightened with our triumph over the difficult rapid. Before +long night was full upon us and our wet clothes made us shiver. About a +mile below a warning roar dead ahead told us to make land at once, for +it would be far from prudent to attack a rapid in the dark. Fortunately +there was here room to camp on some rocks and sand on the right. +Scarcely had we become settled than a tornado broke over the canyon and +we were enveloped in a blinding whirl of rain and sand. Each man clung +to his blankets to prevent their departure and waited for the wind to +pass, which it did in less than ten minutes. The storm-clouds were +shattered and up the gorge, directly east from our position, from behind +a thousand needle-like spires that serrated the top of the cliffs, the +moon like a globe of dazzling silver rolled up with serene majesty, +flooding the canyon with a bright radiance. No moon-rise could have been +more dramatic. The storm-clouds were edged with light and the wet cliffs +sparkled and glittered as if set with jewels. Even the rapid below was +resplendent and silvery, the leaping waves and the spray scintillating +under the lustrous glare. + +Morning brought a continuation of the rain, which fell in a deluge, +driving us to the shelter of a projecting ledge, from which +comparatively dry retreat we watched the rain cascades that soon began +their display. Everywhere they came plunging over the walls, all sizes, +and varying their volume with every variation in the downpour. Some +dropped a thousand feet to vanish in spray; others were broken into many +falls. By half-past eight we were able to proceed, running the rapid +without any trouble, but a wave drenched me so that all my efforts to +keep out of the rain went for nothing. By ten o'clock we had run four +more rapids, and arrived at the place the Major had named Millecrag +Bend, from the multitude of ragged pinnacles into which the cliffs +broke. On the left we camped to permit the Major and Prof. to make their +prospective climb to the top. A large canyon entered from the left, +terminating Cataract Canyon, which we credited with forty-one miles, and +in which I counted sixty-two rapids and cataracts, enough to give any +set of boatmen all the work they could desire. The Major and Prof. +reached the summit at an altitude of fifteen hundred feet. They had a +wide view over the unknown country, and saw mountains to the west with +snow on their summits. Snow in the canyons would not have surprised us +now, for the nights were cold and we had warmth only in the middle of +the day. Near our camp some caves were discovered, twenty feet deep and +nearly six feet in height, which had once been occupied by natives. +Walls had been laid across the entrances, and inside were corncobs and +other evidences usual in this region, now so well known. Pottery +fragments were also abundant. Another thing we found in the caves and +also in other places was a species of small scorpion. These venomous +creatures were always ready to strike, and somehow one got into Andy's +shoe, and when he put on the shoe he was bitten. No serious result +seemed to follow, but his general health was not so good after this for +a long time. He put tobacco on the wound and let it go. This was the +second accident to a member of the party, which now had been out four +months. + +[Illustration: Narrow Canyon. + +Photograph by Best Expedition, 1891.] + +The last day of September found us up before daylight, and as soon as +breakfast was eaten, a small matter these days both in preparation and +consumption, we pulled away, intending to reach the mouth of the Dirty +Devil as soon as possible. The morning was decidedly autumnal, and when +we arrived at a small rapid, where we had to get overboard to help the +boats, nothing ever came harder than this cold bath, though it was +confined to our legs. Presently we saw a clear little rivulet coming in +on the left, and we ran up to that shore to examine it, hoping it was +drinkable. Like the first party, we were on the lookout for better water +to drink than the muddy Colorado. The rivulet proved to be sulphurous +and also hot, the temperature being about 91 F. We could not drink it, +but we warmed our feet by standing in the water. The walls of this new +canyon at their highest were about thirteen hundred feet, and so close +together and straight that the Major named it Narrow Canyon. Its length +is about nine miles. Through half of the next rapid we made a let-down, +running the remainder, and then, running two more below which were easy, +we could see through to the end of the canyon, and the picture framed by +the precipices was beautiful. The world seemed suddenly to open out +before us, and in the middle of it, clear and strong against a sky of +azure, accented by the daylight moon, stood the Unknown Mountains, weird +and silent in their untrodden mystery. By this token we knew that the +river of the Satanic name was near, and we had scarcely emerged from +Narrow Canyon, and noted the low bluffs of homogeneous red sandstone +which took the place of the high cliffs, when we perceived a sluggish +stream about 150 feet wide flowing through the barren sandstone on our +right. Landing on its west bank, we instantly agreed with Jack Sumner +when on the first trip he had proclaimed it a "Dirty Devil." Muddy, +alkaline, undrinkable, it slipped along between the low walls of smooth +sandstone to add its volume to that of the Colorado. Near us were the +remains of the Major's camp-fire of the other voyage, and there Steward +found a jack-knife lost at that time. At the Major's request he gave it +to him as a souvenir. + +Our rising had been so early and our progress from Millecrag Bend so +easy that when our camp was established the hour was only nine o'clock, +giving us still a whole day. The Major and Prof. started off on an old +Indian trail to see if there was a way in to this place for horses, Cap. +took observations for time, and the others occupied themselves in +various ways, Andy counting the rations still left in our larder. + +That night around our camp-fire we felt especially contented, for +Cataract and Narrow canyons were behind, and never would we be called +upon to battle with their rapids again. The descent from the mouth of +Grand River was 430 feet, most of it in the middle stretch of Cataract +Canyon. + +[Illustration: The Mouth of Fremont River (The Dirty Devil River) + +Photograph by the Brown Expedition, 1889] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 16: The pencil sketches I made on this trip were taken to +Washington, but I do not know what became of them.] + +[Footnote 17: As mentioned in a previous footnote, the name D. +Julien--1836, was later found near this point and in two other places. +All these inscriptions appear to be on the same side of the river, the +east, and at accessible places.] + +[Footnote 18: The next party to pass through this canyon was the Brown +Expedition, conducting a survey for the Denver, Colorado Canyon, and +Pacific Railway in 1889. At the first rapid they lost a raft, with +almost all their provisions, and they had much trouble. See _The Romance +of the Colorado River_, Chapter xiv. Another expedition in 1891--the +Best Expedition--was wrecked here.] + + + + +CHAPTER X + + The _Canonita_ Left Behind--Shinumo Ruins--Troublesome Ledges + in the River--Alcoves and Amphitheatres--The Mouth of the San + Juan--Starvation Days and a Lookout for Rations--El Vado de + Los Padres--White Men Again--Given up for Lost--Navajo + Visitors--Peaks with a Great Echo--At the Mouth of the Paria. + + +Having now accomplished a distance down this turbulent river of nearly +six hundred miles, with a descent toward sea-level of 2645 feet, without +a serious accident, we were all in a happy frame of mind, +notwithstanding the exceedingly diminutive food supply that remained. We +felt that we could overcome almost anything in the line of rapids the +world might afford, and Steward declared our party was so efficient he +would be willing to "run the Gates of Hell" with them! Barring an +absence of heat Cataract Canyon had been quite a near approach to that +unwelcome entrance, and the locality of the mouth of the Dirty Devil +certainly resembled some of the more favoured portions of Satan's +notorious realm. Circumstances would prohibit our lingering here, for +our long stretch on short rations made the small amount we could allow +ourselves at each meal seem almost like nothing at all, and we were +desirous of reaching as soon as possible El Vado, something over a +hundred miles below, where our pack-train was doubtless now waiting. + +The plan of leaving a boat at this place for a party to bring down, +which should penetrate the unknown country the next year and then +complete what we might now be compelled to slight, was carried out. +The _Canonita_ was chosen and the day after our arrival, Sunday, +October 1st, we ran her down a short distance on the right, and there +carried her back about two hundred feet to a low cliff and up thirty +or forty feet above the prevailing stage of water, where we hid her +under an enormous mass of rock which had so fallen from the top as to +lodge against the wall, forming a perfect shelter somewhat longer than +the boat. All of her cargo had been left at camp and we filled her +cabins and standing-rooms with sand, also piling sand and stones all +about her to prevent high water from carrying her off. When we were +satisfied that we had done our best we turned away feeling as one +might on leaving a friend, and hoping that she would be found intact +the following year. As nine o'clock only had arrived, the Major and +Jones then climbed out from this place, while Prof. with the _Nell_ +ran down about a mile and a half to the mouth of a gulch on the right +where he and the Major had traced the old trail. The rest of us +returned to camp. Prof. and Cap. climbed out, after following the +trail up the gulch six miles, and they saw that it went toward the +Unknown Mountains, which now lay very near us on the west. Steward got +out by an attempt not so far up the canyon and reached an altitude of +1950 feet, where he had a clear, full view of the mountains. With his +glass he was able to study their formation and determined that lava +from below had spread out between the sedimentary strata, forming what +he called "blisters." He could see where one side of a blister had +been eroded, showing the surrounding stratification.[19] + +When the Major and Jones came back we put the cargo of the _Canonita_ on +the _Dean_, and all of us embarked, seven in number, and ran down to +where the _Nell_ was moored. Here we camped for the night. The crews +were then rearranged, Beaman being assigned to my bow oars, Clem and +Andy going in the _Nell_, while I was to sit on the middle cabin of the +_Dean_ in front of the Major, where I could carry on my sketching. We +were now a shaggy-looking lot, for our clothes had been almost worn off +our bodies in the rapids. Our shoes, notwithstanding that the Major had +brought us a fresh supply at Gunnison Crossing, were about gone, and we +were tanned till we could hardly have been distinguished from the old +Shinumos themselves; but we were clean. Steward was a great lover of +Burns and could quote him by the page, though what he most liked to +repeat just now was: + + "O wad some Power the giftie gie us + To see oursels as others see us!" + +I think the _Address to the Deil_ would have been appropriate for this +particular environment, but I do not remember that Steward quoted: + + "Hear me, auld Hangie, for a wee, + An' let poor damned bodies be; + I'm sure sma' pleasure it can gie, + E'en to the deil, + To skelp an' scaud poor dogs like me, + An' hear us squeel!" + +The cargo of the _Canonita_ was distributed among the cabins of the +_Dean_ and the _Nell_, and Cap. was somewhat disturbed by having an +addition to the bow compartment in the _Nell_. Each man had charge of a +cabin and this was Cap.'s special pride. He daily packed it so +methodically that it became a standing joke with us, and we often asked +him whether he always placed that thermometer back of the fifth rib or +in front of the third, or some such nonsensical question, which of +course Cap. took in good part and only arranged his cabin still more +carefully. + +The next morning, the 2d of October, at eight o'clock, we continued our +voyage, now entering a new canyon, then called Mound, but it was +afterwards consolidated with the portion below called Monument, and +together they now stand as Glen Canyon. In about three and one half +miles we ran several sharp little rapids, but they were not of much +consequence, and we stopped to examine a house ruin we saw standing up +boldly on a cliff on the left. It could be seen for a long distance in +both directions, and correspondingly its inmates in the old days could +see every approach. Doubtless the trail we had seen on the right had its +exit on the other side near it. The walls, neatly built of thin +sandstone slabs, still stood about fifteen feet high and fifteen inches +thick. The dimensions on the ground were 12 x 22 feet outside. It had +been of two or three stories, and exhibited considerable skill on the +part of the builders, the corners being plumb and square. Under the +brink of the cliff was a sort of gallery formed by the erosion of a soft +shale between heavy sandstone beds, forming a floor and roof about eight +or ten feet wide, separated by six or seven feet in vertical height. A +wall had been carried along the outer edge, and the space thus made was +divided by cross walls into a number of rooms. Potsherds and +arrow-heads, mostly broken ones, were strewn everywhere. There were also +numerous picture-writings, of which I made copies. + +As we pulled on and on the Major frequently recited selections from the +poets, and one that he seemed to like very much, and said sometimes half +in reverie, was Longfellow's: + + "Often I think of the beautiful town + That is seated by the sea; + Often in thought go up and down + The pleasant streets of that dear old town, + And my youth comes back to me. + And a verse of a Lapland song + Is haunting my memory still: + 'A boy's will is the wind's will, + And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts.'" + +He would repeat several times, with much feeling: + + "A boy's will is the wind's will, + And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts." + +Another thing he enjoyed repeating was Whittier's _Skipper Ireson's +Ride_: + + "Old Floyd Ireson, for his hard heart, + Tarred and feathered and carried in a cart + By the women of Marblehead!" + +Towards evening we came to another Shinumo ruin, where we made camp, +having run altogether sixteen miles, with ten rapids, all small, between +walls of red, homogeneous sandstone, averaging about one thousand feet +in height. The river, some three hundred and fifty feet wide, was low, +causing many shoals, which formed the small rapids. We often had to wade +alongside to lighten the boats, but otherwise these places were easy. A +trifle more water would have done away with them, or at least would have +enabled us to ignore them completely. The house ruin at our camp was +very old and broken down and had dimensions of about 20 x 30 feet. Prof. +climbed out to a point 1215 feet above the river, where he saw plainly +the Unknown Mountains, Navajo Mountain, and a wide sweep of country +formed largely of barren sandstone. Steward felt considerably under the +weather and remained as quiet as possible. + +In the morning we were quickly on the water, pushing along under +conditions similar to those of the previous day, making twenty-seven +miles and passing eleven very small rapids, with a river four hundred +feet wide and the same walls of homogeneous red sandstone about one +thousand feet high. The cliffs in the bends were often slightly +overhanging, that is, the brink was outside of a perpendicular line, +but the opposite side would then generally be very much cut down, +usually to irregular, rounded slopes of smooth rock. The vertical +portions were unbroken by cracks or crevices or ledges, being extensive +flat surfaces, beautifully stained by iron, till one could imagine all +manner of tapestry effects. Along the river there were large patches of +alluvial soil which might easily be irrigated, though it is probable +that at certain periods they would be rapidly cut to pieces by high +water. + +Prof. again climbed out at our noon camp, and saw little but naked +orange sandstone in rounded hills, except the usual mountains. In the +barren sandstone he found many pockets or pot-holes, a feature of this +formation, often thirty or forty feet deep, and frequently containing +water. Wherever we climbed out in this region we saw in the depressions +flat beds of sand, surrounded by hundreds of small round balls of stone +an inch or so in diameter, like marbles--concretions and hard fragments +which had been driven round and round by the winds till they were quite +true spheres.[20] + +The next day, October 4th, we ran into a stratum of sandstone shale, +which at this low stage of water for about five miles gave us some +trouble. Ledge after ledge stretched across the swift river, which at +the same time spread to at least six hundred feet, sometimes one +thousand. We were obliged to walk in the water alongside for great +distances to lighten the boats and ease them over the ridges. +Occasionally the rock bottom was as smooth as a ballroom floor; again it +would be carved in the direction of the current into thousands of +narrow, sharp, polished ridges, from three to twelve inches apart, upon +which the boats pounded badly in spite of all exertions to prevent it. +The water was alternately shallow and ten feet deep, giving us all we +could do to protect the boats and at the same time avoid sudden duckings +in deep water. With all our care the _Nell_ got a bad knock, and leaked +so fast that one man continually bailing could barely keep the water +out. We repaired her at dinner-time, and, the shales running up above +the river, we escaped further annoyance from this cause. Even with this +interference our progress was fairly good, and by camping-time we had +made twenty-one miles. + +We had a rapid shallow river again the following day, October 5th, but +the water was not so widely spread out and there were fewer delays. The +walls were of orange sandstone, strangely cut up by narrow side canyons +some not more than twenty feet wide and twisting back for a quarter of a +mile where they expanded into huge amphitheatres, domed and cave-like. +Alcoves filled with trees and shrubs also opened from the river, and +numerous springs were noted along the cliffs. Twelve miles below our +camp we passed a stream coming in on the left through a canyon about one +thousand feet deep, similar to that of the Colorado. This was the San +Juan, now shallow and some eight rods wide. We did not stop till noon +when we were two miles below it near one of the amphitheatres or +grottoes to which the first party had given the name of "Music Temple." +The entrance was by a narrow gorge which after some distance widened at +the bottom to about five hundred feet in diameter leaving the upper +walls arching over till they formed a dome-shaped cavern about two +hundred feet high with a narrow belt of sky visible above. In the +farther end was a pool of clear water, while five or six green +cottonwoods and some bushes marked the point of expansion. One side was +covered with bright ferns, mosses, and honeysuckle. Every whisper or +cough resounded. This was only one of a hundred such places but we had +no time to examine them. On a smooth space of rock we found carved by +themselves the names of Seneca Howland, O. G. Howland, and William Dunn, +the three men of the first party who were killed by the Shewits in 1869. +Prof. climbed up eight hundred feet and had a fine view of Navajo +Mountain which was now very near. We then chiefly called it Mount +Seneca Howland, applied by the Major in memory of that unfortunate +person but later, the peak already having to some extent been known as +Navajo Mountain, that name was finally adopted. No one had ever been to +it, so far as we knew, and the Major was desirous of reaching the +summit. + +[Illustration: Glen Canyon. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Leaving the Music Temple, which seemed to us a sort of mausoleum to the +three men who had marked it with their names, we soon arrived at a +pretty rapid with a clear chute. It was not large but it was the only +real one we had seen in this canyon and we dashed through it with +pleasure. Just below we halted to look admiringly up at Navajo Mountain +which now loomed beside us on the left to an altitude of 10,416 feet +above sea level or more than 7100 feet above our position, as was later +determined. The Major contemplated stopping long enough for a climb to +the top but on appealing to Andy for information as to the state of the +supplies he found we were near the last crust and he decided that we had +better pull on as steadily as possible towards El Vado. We ran down a +considerable distance through some shallows and camped on the left +having accomplished about twenty miles in the day towards our goal. Here +the remaining food was divided into two portions, one for supper, the +other for breakfast in the morning. Though we were running so close to +the starvation line we felt no great concern about it. We always had +confidence in our ability somehow to get through with success. Andy, +particularly, never failed in his optimism. Generally he took no +interest in the nature of a rapid, lying half asleep while the others +examined the place, and entirely willing to run anything or make a +portage or even swim; he cared not. "Nothing ever happens to any outfit +I belong to," he would declare shifting to an easier position, "Let her +go!" and now so far as Andy's attitude was concerned we might have +possessed unlimited rations. Jack lightened the situation yet more with +his jolly songs and humorous expressions and no one viewing that camp +would have thought the ten men had before them a possibility of several +days without food, except what they might kill in the barren country, +and perhaps a walk from El Vado over an unknown trail about one hundred +miles out to Kanab. In the morning, Friday, October 6th, we got away as +quickly as we could and pulled down the river hoping that El Vado was +not far ahead and feeling somewhat as Escalante must have felt a century +before when he was trying to find it. He had the advantage of having +horses which could be eaten from time to time. Of course we knew from +the position of the San Juan and of Navajo Mountain, that we could reach +El Vado in at most two days, but the question was, "would we find any +one there with rations?" The Major apparently was unconcerned. He told +me a story about a farmer's son in his neighbourhood when himself a boy +who had no shoes, no good clothes, no decent hat, but who went to the +father and declared he wanted a "buzzum pin," and nothing but a buzzum +pin would he have, though his parent called his attention to his lack of +other necessaries, one after the other. "No Pa," the boy would repeat "I +want a buzzum pin." + +[Illustration: Looking down upon Glen Canyon. + +Cut through homogeneous sandstone. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, U. S. Colo. Riv. Exp.] + +As we rowed along the Major sang softly another of his favourites: + + "Flow gently, sweet Afton! among thy green braes, + Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise; + My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream-- + Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream." + +The almost vertical walls ran from two hundred to one thousand feet in +height, cut by many very narrow side canyons opening into large glens or +alcoves. On and on we steadily pulled till noon, making 13-1/2 miles +when we stopped on the right on a sandstone ledge against a high cliff. +Andy had a few scraps left, among them a bit of bacon which Jack +enterprisingly used for baiting a hook and soon drew out several small +fish, so that after all we had quite a dinner. The walls became more +broken as we went on apparently with numerous opportunities for entrance +from the back country, though the sandstone even where not very steep +was so smooth that descent over it would be difficult. We had gone about +three miles after dinner when we saw a burned place in the brush on the +right where there was quite a large piece of bottom land. We thought +this might be some signal for us but we found there only the tracks of +two men and horses all well shod proving that they were not natives. +About three miles farther down we caught a glimpse of a stick with a +white rag dangling from it stuck out from the right bank, and at the +same moment heard a shot. On landing and mounting the bank we found +Captain Pardyn Dodds and two prospectors, George Riley and John +Bonnemort, encamped beside a large pile of rations. Dodds was one of +the men with Old Jacob who had tried desperately to reach the mouth of +the Dirty Devil with our supplies. He thought he had arrived at a point +where he could see it and went back to inform Jacob when they received +an order from the Major to come to this place, El Vado de los Padres, by +September 25th, and here he was. Jacob had come with him but had gone on +to Fort Defiance, the Navajo Agency, to settle some Indian business, +leaving him to guard the rations. Having left Kanab early in September +they had no late news. They had become discouraged by our non-appearance +and concluded that we would never be heard from again. Consequently they +had planned to cache the rations and leave for the settlement on Sunday. +That night Andy was able to summon us to "go fur" the first "square" +meal we had eaten for nearly a month. There was among the supplies some +plug tobacco which we cut up, all but Steward, Prof., and Cap. who did +not smoke, and rolled in cigarettes with thick yellow paper, the only +kind we had, having learned to make them Spanish fashion from the +Hamblins, and we smoked around the fire talking to Dodds and the +prospectors over the general news. They told us they had found small +quantities of gold along the river. A great many papers, magazines, and +letters for everybody were in the packs supplying us with reading matter +enough for weeks. Though the papers were of ancient dates they were new +to us. + +The whole next day was consumed in preparing maps, notes, specimens, +fossils, etc., to be sent by pack-train to the settlement of Kanab one +hundred miles off whither the Major himself had decided to start with +the outfit the next morning and go from there to Salt Lake City about +400 miles north. None of us had a chance to write even a line to +expectant relatives far away and we were naturally disappointed till +Prof. persuaded the Major to hold over till Tuesday which he willingly +did when he realised the situation. We wrote late by the light of a +diminutive fire, wood being scarce. He then left us on October 10th with +Jack, Captain Dodds, and the miners who had waited only to learn +something about the river above as a place for prospecting. The trail up +over the barren sandstone was so steep and smooth that two of the +pack-animals lost their footing and rolled back to the bottom but +received no injury except scraping the skin off their knees. + +Not the least welcome articles among the supplies were a pair of good +heavy shoes and a pair of strong overalls, which the foresight of the +Major had secured for each one of us, our clothing, as before +mentioned, having been completely worn out. My watch, which I had +carried all the way in a little rubber pocket sewed to my shirt near the +neck, where it seldom got wet enough to stop it, though occasionally it +refused to go till I punched it up with a large pin kept for the +purpose, which my wicked companions called my "starting bar," at last +had stopped permanently, and I sent it out by Jack for repairs. After +they had gone we settled down again to our accustomed labours. We were +to run down thirty-five miles farther to the mouth of the Paria, whence +there was another known trail to the settlement, and cache the boats. +The pack-train was to come back to us there with additional supplies and +horses and take us out to Kanab, where we were to make headquarters for +our winter explorations in the practically unknown Grand Canyon region +as well as in that to the eastward. During this interval we expected to +discover some point between the Paria and Diamond Creek where rations +could be brought in to us while working through the Grand Canyon the +next season. We did not then know that the winter is the safest and best +time for making the passage through that wonderful gorge.[21] + +Our appetites were now enormous, and as we could eat all we wanted, the +supplies diminished in an astonishing way, but as we were soon to +receive more we did not care. Every man braced up; all but Steward, who +felt quite sick. Jones began to feel trouble brewing in the leg which he +had hurt at the Junction; Andy showed the effects of the scorpion bite +by becoming thin and pale, thinner than our previous lack of rations +justified; Cap., who had been shot in the Civil War through and through +near the heart, now felt the effects of the long exposure; and neither +Clem nor Beaman considered their health perfect. Altogether, however, we +had come through very well. Our worst work was over for this year, and +the maladies portending seemed not dangerous. Prof., desiring to get +some notes from up the river, went on the 11th, with Cap., Beaman, and +Clem, back six miles in the _Dean_ to the foot of some rapid water they +could not pass. Arriving there about half-past twelve, they spent all +afternoon going up numerous gulches, trying to find a way out. As there +was a large area of bottom land, with old camp-fires and much broken +pottery, they were sure there was a path, but it was late before they +discovered a place where modern natives had piled brush and stones to +make a horse trail, and another where the old Shinumos for fifty feet +had cut steps in the smooth rock. The party followed the Shinumo trail, +finding the steps in places almost worn out by time, in others still +quite good and large enough to get the toe of a shoe in. By the time +they came to the top it was too late for observations, and they returned +to the river for camp, making the same climb by the steps the next day +and securing the observations. They got back to our Camp 79 late in the +afternoon. Meanwhile Steward's illness had increased, and I spent much +of the night trying to relieve his pain. The air was cold and he was +most uncomfortable, the only shelter being a wickiup of boughs we had +built to protect him from the sun. We had opium pills in our medicine +chest, and I had the little flask of brandy referred to. With several of +the pills and my brandy, which I at last persuaded him to take as +medicine (he despised alcoholic drinks), his suffering was somewhat +relieved, and he was able to lie still on his bed of willows. During the +next day his condition was no better, and Prof. returning, was much +distressed by it. By drawing further on the medicine chest, which +contained numerous remedies, he was able to relieve him a little more. +The exposure had brought on a trouble of the back which had originally +developed during the campaigns of the Civil War. + +[Illustration: Tom. + +A Typical Navajo. + +Photograph by Wittick. + +Tom became educated and no longer looked like an Indian.] + +Before leaving this point Prof. wanted some observations from the +heights, and he and Cap. tried to climb the near-by cliffs, but failed. +They then took a hammer and chisel, and by cutting "holds" in the +sandstone after the manner of the old Shinumos, they got up 850 feet and +secured the bearings Prof. desired. The following day they went out on +the trail toward Kanab five miles, trying to find another point of exit +to the summit, but did not succeed. While they were gone we heard a +sudden shout, and saw an Indian standing on the rocks not far away. We +beckoned for him to come, and thereupon he fell back to another, and +together they approached. We saw by their dress, so different from the +Ute (red turbans, loose unbleached cotton shirts, native woven sashes at +the waist, wide unbleached cotton trousers reaching to a little below +the knee and there slashed up on the outer side for seven or eight +inches, bright woven garters twisted around their red buckskin leggins +below the knee, and red moccasins with turned up soles and silver +buttons), that they were Navajos.[22] They indicated that they were +father and son, the father announcing himself in a lordly way as "Agua +Grande." He was over six feet tall and apparently sixty or seventy years +old. The son was a fine young lad of about fifteen. Their bearing was +cordial, yet proud and dignified. They had not long been with us when +Prof. came in, and during the next hour seven more Navajos arrived, all +dressed very much as the first ones were. They expressed great +friendliness by embracing us after their custom and delivering long +speeches, of which we understood not a word. One had a short black +mustache which came straight out sidewise and then turned at right +angles down past the corners of his mouth. I never had heard of an +Indian with a mustache before. They had no visible firearms, being armed +with strong bows and cougar-skin quivers full of iron-headed arrows.[23] +Old Agua Grande became much interested in our sick man, and made signs +by placing two spread fingers of one hand inverted upon one finger held +horizontally of the other hand, and moving them north-westerly to +indicate that he ought to ride out to the Mormon settlement, whither +they were bound, and that they would take him along. As the chief had +exhibited a document, signed by the agent at Fort Defiance, to the +effect that he and his band were peaceable and going on a trading +expedition to the Mormon settlements, we felt certain they would take +good care of the invalid, but Steward said he preferred to remain with +us. + +We now had no further work for this immediate locality, and concluded to +run down a mile or so to separate ourselves from the Navajos, one having +disclosed a tendency to surreptitiously appropriate small articles +belonging to us. A bed was made on the middle deck of one of the boats +for Steward, and when all was ready we carried him down to it. The +Navajos ranged themselves along the bank to see us off, and Clem, with +his customary urbanity, went down the line all smiles, shaking each one +cordially by the hand, and requesting him to "Give my love to all the +folks at home," and "Remember me, please, to Eliza Jane," and similar +expressions. The Navajos did not understand the words, but being +themselves great jokers they saw that it was fun, and they all laughed, +making remarks which doubtless were of the same kind. Just below was El +Vado de los Padres by which these Navajos had now come across. It was +also sometimes called the Ute Ford. The necessary route was indicated by +a line of small piles of stones showing above water. It was not an easy +crossing, feasible only at low water, and quite impossible for waggons, +even had there been a road to it. A shoal was followed up the middle of +the river half a mile with deep channels cutting through it, reached +from the south over a steep slope of bare sandstone and from the north +through a very narrow, small canyon, not over ten feet wide. Escalante +in 1776, after the failure of his attempt to reach California, had great +difficulty in finding the place, which for centuries has been known to +all the tribes of the region. About three miles below our last camp we +landed on the left on a very pretty piece of bottom land, inaccessible +except by river, being bounded behind by a high, vertical, unscalable +wall. Here we made Camp 80, with plenty of food, water, and wood, and +all were comfortable by a fine fire; all but Steward, who, feeling very +sick, was lying on the bed we had prepared for him. He had another bad +night, but after this his condition seemed gradually to improve. + +[Illustration: Glen Canyon. + +Sentinel Rock--about 300 Feet High. + +Photograph by E. O. Beaman, 1871.] + +Prof.'s favourite quotation now was Charles Fenno Hoffman's poem: + + "We were not many--we who stood + Before the iron sleet that day; + Yet many a gallant spirit would + Give half his years if but he could + Have been with us at Monterey." + +In the morning he went with Jones across the river and climbed out while +the rest of us did nothing but lie around camp doing what was possible +to make Steward comfortable. It was Sunday as well and whenever +practicable we rested the whole or part of that day. Monday we started +late and ran only a short distance before dinner which we ate on the +right. Steward still was unable to sit up and he was carried on the +middle deck of the _Nell_ where he had a rope to cling to so that he +should not roll off into the water when the boat lurched. Toward evening +we camped at the head of a small rapid near a fine little stream coming +in from the left which we named Navajo Creek. The river was about four +hundred feet wide with walls on each side of four hundred feet in +height. The next morning Prof., Cap. and I climbed out for bearings +reaching an altitude a mile or so back from the river of 875 feet. +Everywhere we discovered broken pottery, fragments of arrow-heads, and +other evidences of former Shinumo occupancy. Even granting only a few +persons at each possible locality, the canyons of the Colorado and Green +must have been the former home of a rather large population. In the +afternoon we ran the little rapid and kept on for about six miles making +twenty in all from El Vado, when we camped on a heavy talus on the left. +The following morning, October 18th, we had not gone more than a mile +when we came to a singular freak of erosion, a lone sandstone pinnacle +on the right, three hundred or four hundred feet high, the river running +on one side and a beautiful creek eight feet wide on the other. We named +these Sentinel Rock and Sentinel Creek and camped there for Beaman to +get some photographs. Prof. and I went up the creek and tried to climb +out for observations, but though we made three separate attempts we had +to give it up. Steward grew so much better that he was able to walk a +little, but now Jones began to feel more pain in his injured leg. On +Thursday, the 19th, we made nearly seven miles between walls about eight +hundred feet high and one quarter of a mile apart, so nearly vertical +that we could not get out. + +The next day we ran six miles more with walls one thousand feet high, +camping at a place where there was a wide bottom with many signs of old +native camps, probably Navajo. In the morning Prof., Cap., and I climbed +a steep slope of bright orange sand a little below our camp, a rather +hard task as the sand was loose, causing us to slip backward at every +step. After twelve hundred or fifteen hundred feet of this kind of +climbing we reached the base of three rocky peaks several hundred feet +higher. We had considerable difficulty in surmounting one of these, +being forced around to the opposite side, where there was a sheer +descent from our position of some fifteen hundred feet, with sharp black +rocks at the bottom where any one slipping would fall. There were some +narrow transverse crevices in the rock by means of which we got up. One +man, having been pushed aloft from the solid ledge by the two below, +would lie back against the slope, brace himself with one heel in a +transverse fissure, and lower the free foot as a handhold for the +others to mount by. The next trouble was a crevice wide enough for us +to pass through to the top, but holding exactly midway a large rock +lodged in such a manner that we could not crawl under and yet seeming +in danger of rolling down if we went over it. It was precarious not only +for the man ahead who tried to pass but for those below waiting for +results, but it was more firmly wedged than it appeared to be and each +one in turn climbed over it. Emerging from this crack we were on the +summit 2190 feet above the river and 5360 above the sea, with standing +room no more than six or eight feet square. The view was superb. The +peaks formed the northern end of a long line of cliffs running back to +the south at the end of Glen Canyon, and we looked out across a +wonderful region, part of that on the south being the "Painted Desert," +so called by Ives. Mountains solid and solitary rose up here and there +and line upon line of strangely coloured cliffs broke across the wide +area, while from our feet stretching off to the south-west like a great +dark dragon extending miles into the blue was the deep gorge of Marble +Canyon, its tributary chasms appearing like mighty sprawling legs. Far +away west were the San Francisco Mountains, and the Kaibab, while behind +we saw Navajo Mountain and others. + +This peak, or cluster of peaks, of course had never been named, had +never been climbed before, but they soon named themselves. For amusement +I tried to shoot into the river with Cap.'s 44 Remington revolver. As I +pulled the trigger the noise was absolutely staggering. The violent +report was followed by dead silence. While we were remarking the +intensity of the crash, from far away on some distant cliffs northward +the sound waves were hurled back to us with a rattle like that of +musketry. We tried again with the same result, the interval between the +great roar and the echo being twenty-four seconds by the watch. We could +call the place nothing but Echo Peaks, and since then the name has been +applied also to the line of cliffs breaking to the south. Our descent +was easy and we reached camp without any incident except the loss of my +sheath knife. + +Nobody did anything the next day, for it was Sunday, so when Monday +morning came we were eager to be off for the mouth of the Paria, which +we had seen from the top of Echo Peaks. Two or three miles down we +reached it; a small river coming through a great canyon on the right. +The cliffs of Glen Canyon broke back south-westerly and south-easterly +in a V form with the point at the foot of Glen Canyon, leaving a wide +platform of different rock rising gently from under them and mounting +steadily toward the south. Into the middle of this the river immediately +slashed a narrow gorge very much as a staircase might be cut through a +floor, beginning the next canyon of the series, called Marble, through +which we would not descend till the following year. We went into camp on +the left bank of the Paria and the right of the Colorado, Camp 86, in +the tall willows. A rough scow lay there, which the Major had built the +year before when on his way from Kanab to the Moki Towns, for there is +no ford. + +We were to wait here for our pack-train which the Major, on arriving at +Kanab, was to start back with rations and some extra horses. Our +altitude was 3170 feet, showing a total descent for the season of 2905 +feet, 913 feet from Gunnison Crossing. Our work on the water for the +present was now over; we would pursue it with mule and pack instead of +with boats. As the 23d of October had arrived we were glad to avoid +daily saturation. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 19: These blisters were later called laccolites by G. K. +Gilbert after his careful study of the locality. See his _Geology of the +Henry Mountains_, published by the government.] + +[Footnote 20: The illustration on page 43 of _The Romance of the +Colorado_ well shows the character of the Glen Canyon country, and that +on page 63 the nature of the pot-holes.] + +[Footnote 21: We learned later that while we were working through +Cataract Canyon, Lieutenant George M. Wheeler, U. S. Engineers, was +coming up from Fort Mohave. After great labour he reached the mouth of +Diamond Creek, See _The Romance of the Colorado_, Chapter XII.] + +[Footnote 22: For further description of the Navajo costume, see _The +North Americans of Yesterday_, by F. S. Dellenbaugh, pp. 148, 150.] + +[Footnote 23: Like all the tribes of the region of that time, the +Navajos considered the Mormons a different people from the Americans. +They had been at war with the Mormons, from whom they stole horses and +cattle, and there had been some bloodshed. Old Jacob had induced them to +make peace, and this party now on its way to trade was the first to try +the experiment. Vanquished by our troops, a few years before, the +Navajos were very poor and anxious to acquire live stock and firearms, +for which they had blankets and other articles of their own make to +trade.] + + + + +CHAPTER XI + + More Navajos Arrive with Old Jacob--The Lost Pack-train and a + Famished Guide--From Boat to Broncho--On to Kanab--Winter + Arrives--Wolf Neighbours too Intimate--Preparing for Geodetic + Work--Over the Kaibab to Eight-mile Spring--A Frontier + Town--Camp below Kanab--A Mormon Christmas Dance. + + +At the mouth of the Paria we established ourselves for a stay of several +days. Not only did we have the pack-train to wait for, but there were +maps to finish, boats to cache, and all manner of things to attend to +before we could leave for the winter. Steward recovered so that he could +slowly walk around, but to balance this Jones developed inflammatory +rheumatism in both knees, but especially in the one which had been +injured by the fall at the Junction. Though he was perfectly cheerful +about it, he suffered excruciating pain, and was unable to move from the +bed of willows which we made for him. The medicine chest was drawn on +again, and we hoped that the attack would not last long. Andy remained +wan and thin, but he insisted on sticking to his work. So liberally had +we used our rations that we were nearing the end, and we began to look +hopefully in the direction from which we expected the pack-train to +arrive. Four days passed and still there was no sign of it. We had to +put ourselves on half-rations once more, and Prof. declared that if the +train did not soon arrive either he or I, being the only entirely well +members of the party, would have to walk out to Kanab and obtain relief. +None of us knew anything about the trail. On the 26th Prof. and I +climbed the cliffs back of camp to a height of two thousand feet, and +had a remarkable view similar to that from Echo Peaks. On Saturday, +October 28th, in the morning we were surprised to hear from the opposite +or south side of the river an Indian yell, and looking across we +perceived what appeared to be three natives, with horses, standing on +the edge of the canyon wall, here very low. We prepared one of the boats +to cross and find out what was wanted, when a fourth figure joined the +group, and in good English came the words, "G-o-o-d m-o-r-n-i-n-g," long +drawn out. On landing we were met by a slow-moving, very quiet +individual, who said he was Jacob Hamblin. His voice was so low, his +manner so simple, his clothing so usual, that I could hardly believe +that this was Utah's famous Indian-fighter and manager. With him were +three other white men, Isaac Haight, George Adair, Joe Mangum, and nine +Navajos, all on their way to the Mormon settlements. They desired to be +put across the river, and we willingly offered the services of ourselves +and our boats. Some of the Navajos had never before seen so large a +stream, and were free to express their surprise. We took on board Jacob +and one or two others, and after landing them made several trips with +both boats to ferry the rest over, including all their saddles and +baggage. The Navajos were rather afraid of the boats, which to them +probably looked small and wobbly, but they all got on board with much +hilarity, except one who preferred to swim. He struck boldly out with a +sort of dog-paddle stroke. Having no confidence in his swimming ability, +we followed closely. The water was cold; the distance greater than the +Navajo had imagined. Before he was one third of the way over he +consented to be pulled into our boat and finish the passage that way. +The horses were towed over, swimming behind the boats, a rope being held +by a man sitting in the stern. There was a rapid not far below, and we +feared if driven in to swim loose they might be drawn into it. One horse +refused to swim or even to try, and made repeated efforts to plunge his +head under, giving us a lot of trouble, but by holding his head close to +the boat we towed him across in spite of his opposition. Without the +boat he would surely have gone down the river. When everybody and +everything were safely across the hour was so late that Jacob concluded +to camp with us for the night.[24] + +The Navajos were found to be a very jolly set of fellows, ready to take +or give any amount of chaff, and perfectly honest. They were taking +blankets of their manufacture to trade for horses and sheep. Their +spirits ran high, they sang their wild songs for us, and we had the +liveliest evening we had seen in many a month. Finally we joined in a +circle with them, dancing and singing around the smouldering fire, while +the chief Koneco, a noble-looking fellow, sitting at one side, with a +patriarchal expression, monotonously drummed an accompaniment with a +willow root on the bottom of one of the camp-kettles. When any of us +would stumble on a stick they were all convulsed with laughter. The +blankets they had were beautiful, and Jacob possessed one valued at $40, +which had taken seventy days to make. After the Navajos had gone to rest +we listened to some Mormon songs by Jacob's party. They left us the next +morning, Sunday, October 29th, Prof. obtaining from Jacob some red +Mexican beans to eke out our supplies; also a description of the trail. +I traded a cap I happened to have to one of the Navajos for his feather +plume, and a pair of shoes to one of the white men for some Mishongnuvi +moccasins. Monday we took the _Dean_ across the river, and some distance +down we hauled her by means of ropes up high above the water under a +large rock, where we concealed her well. Then we made five caches near +camp of goods not needed till next year, covering our traces by fires +and other devices. Jones was so much improved that he managed to hobble +about on a pair of crutches I had made for him out of strong willow +sticks, and we felt much encouraged as to his ability to stand riding +when the time came to start for Kanab. + +On Tuesday we built a shelter back of camp for the _Nell_ and housed +her there. The next day was the first of November and we thought surely +the pack-train would come, but the sun went down behind the cliffs and +no one arrived. Prof. could not understand what the trouble was, but he +went on with his observations. The next morning, as we were about to eat +our bean breakfast beside the fire, we were astonished by the extremely +cautious appearance through the willows, without a word of announcement, +of a single, ragged, woebegone, silent old man on as skinny and +tottering a pony as ever I saw. The old man was apparently much +surprised to find himself here, and with the exclamation, "My God! I +have found you!" he dropped to the ground. When at last he spoke he said +his name was Mangum of Kanab, and that he had been employed to guide our +pack-train, of which Riley, one of the prospectors we had met at El +Vado, was leader. "Well, where is the train?" we asked, for if he were +all that remained of it we wanted to know it soon. "Several miles back +on the trail," he said. Not having eaten a mouthful since the morning +before it was no wonder he was weak and silent. We gave him the best +breakfast we could command from our meagre stock and then like a spectre +he vanished on his scrawny steed up the Paria Canyon. All the day long +we watched and waited for his triumphal return with the longed-for +supplies at his back, but the sun departed without his approach and the +twilight died into that mystery which leaves the world formless against +the night. And still we had faith in the stranger's story. Early the +next morning Prof., Clem, and I started on his track thinking we would +soon meet the train. It led us up the valley of the Paria, between the +great cliffs about three miles, and then we had another surprise, for it +swung sharply to the right and climbed a steep sandy slope towards the +only apparent place where the two-thousand-foot cliffs could possibly be +scaled with horses. We saw that he had followed a very old Indian trail. +When we had mounted to the base of the vertical rocks we travelled +zig-zagging back and forth across the face of the precipice till +presently the trail passed through a notch out upon the plateau. From an +eminence we now scanned the whole visible area without discovering +anything that apparently had not been there for several thousand years. +Save the coming and going tracks of our strange visitor there was +nothing to show that any living animal had trod this place in centuries. +We could see to where Prof. and I previously climbed to this same +plateau, and to-day was like yesterday and yesterday like the year +before last. Time and the years were as little grains of drifting sand. + +Leaving Clem as a sentinel on our observation point Prof. followed the +out track and told me to follow the in till three o'clock. It was now +high noon. I walked on and on through an arid, wonderful maze of sand, +rocks, and cacti, feeling that the old horseman was no more than a +phantom, when in half an hour I almost fell upon our lost pack-train +meandering slowly and silently through a depression. I fired our signal +shots and Prof. soon joined us. The situation was precarious. The +animals were nearly dead from thirst, one had been abandoned, and Riley +was in a state of pent-up rage that was dangerous for the spectre guide, +who had nearly been the destruction of the whole outfit, for he did not +know the trail and was himself lost. Of course he blamed Riley--it was +his only defence. Riley broke loose in a string of fiery oaths, +declaring he would shoot "the old fool," then and there. But receiving +no encouragement from Prof. or me he didn't. There was a third member of +the party, Joe Hamblin, a son of Jacob, a very sturdy young fellow. He +said afterwards that he thought often that Riley would "sure let +daylight through the old man." Our next care was to successfully +manoeuvre the pack-animals down the difficult trail across the face of +the cliff, which had not seen a horse for many a year and probably never +had been traversed by animals with packs on their backs. We had to watch +that they did not crowd each other off, but with all our exertions one +fell and rolled down a few feet. He was not injured and we continued the +descent, finally reaching the bottom without so much as a scratch of any +consequence. There, at the Paria, the horses enjoyed the first full +drink for several days and we followed it down to camp. Riley had +started from Kanab October 23d and had been twelve days making a journey +that required at most only four or five by the regular trail. Mangum had +not known the way, had led toward El Vado, and his finding the Indian +trail to the mouth of the Paria was an accident. + +Provisions were now plenty again, and by the light of a big fire we +overhauled the mail, finding letters, newspapers and magazines enough to +satisfy any party. Word was received from the Major to move to a place +called House Rock Spring, and Prof. said we would leave Camp 86 on +November 5th, which gave us a day intervening in which to pack up. About +noon of this packing day we were not surprised when two horsemen, Haight +and Riggs, galloped into camp at full speed leading a lightly laden +pack-mule. They had come through in two and one half days, at top speed, +by direction of Jacob, who on reaching Kanab with the Navajos learned +that our pack-train had left long before, and he had seen nothing of +it. On the pack-mule were fifty pounds of flour and several rolls of +butter; the first time we had seen any of this latter article since the +final breakfast at Field's on May 22d. They were greatly relieved to +know that the train was found and that all was well. They brought news +of the burning of Chicago about a month before. In the evening Isaac +Haight favoured us with some Mormon songs and recited examples of the +marvellous curative effects of the Mormon "laying on of hands." Heavy +clouds had settled along the face of the cliffs and the air grew wintry. +We felt the chill keenly, as we were not clad for cold weather. In the +morning snow began to drop gently out of the leaden sky and continued +all day, preventing any one from starting. Soon the cliffs and Echo +Peaks were white and we knew that now autumn was gone. Toward evening +the sun flared across the rocky landscape, turning everything to gold, +and we believed the next day would be fair. We were not disappointed. +Monday the 6th of November came sharp and cold. Haight, Riggs, Mangum, +and Joe Hamblin left early and we got under way as soon as we could. +With two very sick men and a new method of travel it was not easy. We +had to learn the art of packing on mules and horses from Riley, who was +an expert in this line and who could "sling the diamond hitch" with +great skill. He was just as handy with a lasso and seldom missed if he +wished to catch an animal, but Prof. did not approve of the lasso +method, for it makes stock wild and unmanageable. His way was the quiet +one and he was right, for we soon had the entire herd so that there was +no rumpus at starting-time. With a free use of the lasso preparations to +start partake of the activity of a tornado. + +Steward by this time was able to walk slowly. Andy was well enough to +travel on his feet, but Jones could not move at all without crutches. We +did not have extra horses for all to ride, so Steward and Andy changed +off, while the rest of us had to walk. Jones we lifted as gently as +possible, though it was pain even to be touched in his condition, upon +Riley's special horse called Doc, a well-trained, docile animal, who +walked off with him. It was after noon before the start was +accomplished, and meanwhile I went back on the incoming trail of the +lost pack-train to the foot of the steep precipice for Riley's canteen, +which had been forgotten there, and when I returned all were gone but +Steward, Clem, and Beaman, who had remained behind to round up a young +steer which had been driven in with the train for us to convert into +beef at a convenient opportunity. As the advance party travelled very +slowly we soon caught them, the steer being gentle as a kitten. The +trail followed south along the foot of the cliffs which emerged from +Paria Canyon, and to which the Major had given the name of Vermilion on +account of their rich red colour. We wound in and out of deep alcoves, +around the heads of impassable lateral canyons running to the Colorado, +and past enormous rocks balanced in every conceivable position on +extremely slender pedestals. After about eight miles we arrived at a +diminutive spring, which gave enough water for Andy to make bread and +coffee with, but none for the stock. There we camped. A few armfuls of +scraggy sage-brush furnished wood for a fire, but it was not enough to +make our invalids comfortable, and the night was cold and raw. We did +all we could for them and they did not grumble. + +In the morning a pair of bronchos--that is, recently broken wild +horses--made the camp lively for a time, but they were subdued and the +caravan again got under way. Our next camp was to be Jacob's Pools, so +called from the fact that Jacob was the first white man to camp there. +We had gone only a mile or so when we crossed in a small canyon a little +stream already enjoying two names, Clear and Spring (now called Badger) +Creek, and a little farther on another called Soap Creek, still holding +that name.[25] When first travellers enter a country they naturally +bestow names on important objects, and two or three parties of white men +who had passed this way had named these two creeks. After this we had no +more water, and we pushed slowly ahead, looking for the Pools. Snow +began to fall again in widely scattered, reluctant flakes, but melted on +touching the ground. Late in the afternoon the trail turned the corner +of the cliffs, which here broke to the west, and we saw a wide, desolate +open plain stretching away to the foot of a distant table-land, which we +knew to be the Kaibab Plateau or Buckskin Mountain. None of the party +had been over the trail before, but it was easy to follow, especially +for a man of Riley's experience. It was an old Navajo trail, and was +here fairly well worn. The sun went down as we plodded on, the light +faded from the west, and still we saw no Jacob's Pools. The air was +biting, and with our thin, worn garments we felt it keenly and wished +for a fire. At last just as the darkness began to thicken a patch of +reeds on the right between some low hills was discovered, where it +seemed there might be water, and we could not well go farther. The +ground was moist, and by digging a hole we secured red, muddy liquid +enough for Andy to make a little bread and a cup apiece of very poor +coffee. The men and animals came straggling in out of the darkness. We +gathered a lot of sage-brush and made a fire, and as soon as Jones came +we lifted him off and put him as near the warmth as possible, for he was +chilled through. There was no water for the stock, but the grass was wet +and they did not suffer. Everything was damp and uncomfortable, and the +fire was too small to dry anything out, so all turned in to the limited +blankets and passed a cold, half-sleepless, uncomfortable night. + +Morning was a relief, though the thermometer stood at 11 F. There was +water enough in the holes for breakfast, and as soon as this meal was +over the pack-train was on the move towards Jacob's Pools, which we +found not two miles farther on. There were two of them, each seven or +eight feet long, supplied by fine clear water oozing out of a hill-side. +The lower one we turned over to the animals, reserving the upper for +ourselves. We approached the plateau all day, and late in the afternoon +we were within three or four miles of it, when the right-hand cliffs +turned sharply to the north in a line parallel with the plateau, forming +a long narrow valley. Cedars and pinons now grew about us, so that we +were assured of a good fire. About sunset we passed two large boulders +which had fallen together, forming a rude shelter, under which Riggs or +some one else had slept, and then had jocosely printed above with +charcoal the words "Rock House Hotel." Afterward this had served as +identification, and Jacob and the others had spoken of "House Rock" +Spring and House Rock Valley. We called it the same, and finally it went +on the maps and is now permanent. A few yards beyond the House Rock the +trail led into a gulch, at the head of which was a good spring. Plenty +of cedars and pinons grew about, and we soon had a fire that compensated +for the meagre ones of the preceding nights. The sick men became warm +and dry, and we all felt much better. The whole outfit halted two days, +and on the second the poor little steer, gazing sadly at us, was shot +and cut up. In an hour the quarters were swinging from a tree and some +of the beef was in the pan. Necessity is a sauce that makes every grist +palatable. We were hungry, and nothing could have tasted better than +that fresh beefsteak. The entrails and refuse were left on the ground in +the neighbouring gulley where we had killed the steer, and next morning +the place was about cleaned up by the lurking wolves. + +Prof. decided to go on across the Kaibab to Kanab with the two very sick +men, and leave Cap., Clem, Andy, and me here at House Rock Spring until +the plan for the winter's campaign had been better formulated. Steward +concluded that his condition was too precarious to risk further +exposure, and said he would now leave the expedition permanently, which +we learned with deep regret, but it was plainly imperative. Jones +thought that a week or two of warmth and rest, accompanied by a change +of diet, would make him whole again and enable him to stay till the end +of our special task. On Saturday, November 11th, the party started, with +the invalids riding the gentlest and easiest horses, though Steward +found it less painful at times to walk. I accompanied them to the summit +of the Kaibab to bring back one of the horses we called Thunderbolt, on +which Jones was to be carried to the top and there change to Doc. After +I left them I halted many times to look out into the wonderful land to +the west and north. When I got back to the spring, our Camp 3 of the +land operations, we immediately set up a stout 6 by 8 tent that was in +the outfit brought from Kanab, and it made a very snug sleeping-place +for the four of us. Around the fire we rolled big stones for seats, and +soon had the gulch in a homelike condition. There was an abundance of +dead, fat pinon, which burned like a candle, and we could easily extend +our reading into the evenings. + +From all around us there arose the frequent bay and bark of the wolves. +They were of different kinds, numerous and rather bold. At night they +came in and cleared up what was left of the entrails of the steer, also +securing a fine, large piece of beef which Cap. had hung in a tree, but +not high enough to escape their efforts. We took turns bringing the four +horses left with us to water, and in that way kept ourselves informed +about them. During these trips, especially in the late afternoon, the +wolves were apt to trot along near by, and on one occasion Clem was +obliged to drive one out of the trail with stones, not having his rifle. +One morning, as I was riding along not far from camp, a huge whitish +fellow followed behind like a dog about twenty yards back, licking his +chaps. At first I thought he might be the dog of some Indian camped +near, but remembering that there were none in the valley, and also that +an Indian dog, or any strange dog, would have run from me, I saw that he +was a hungry wolf unused to man. I had no rifle with me, but I took a +walk over the same ground next morning with my Winchester, hoping to see +my acquaintance again, but he discreetly kept out of sight. We had +little now to occupy us except to examine the locality, chop wood for +our fire, and read over and over the newspapers and magazines. The +nights were very cold, the spring always freezing over, but the days +were delightful. The beef had to be jerked to preserve it. We cut it up +into thin long strips, which we strung through the ends on long withes, +these in turn being hung on a framework that left the strips swinging +within two or three feet of a slow fire. One hour's neglect of this +tempting array would have seen it vanish to the four winds, so we kept a +constant watch day and night, taking turns through the dark hours. +Every article which had grease or leather about it had to be carefully +put away to prevent its disappearance. Riley had lost his spurs on the +way out from this cause, the leather on them making sweet morsels for +the watchers. + +Cap. concluded to profit by this appetite, and in an adjoining gulch he +built a trap between two rocks, in which he set his Remington +six-shooter, so that a wolf picking up a scrap of beef would pull the +trigger by a string and receive the ball in his head. That night during +my watch over the beef I roasted a piece on a stick for a lunch, and as +the savory odour drifted off on the crisp winter air howl after howl of +ravenous desire rang out from many directions, followed by the bang of +the revolver in the trap. Cap. went over, but found no game, though +later he often came back with a fine large specimen, bearing a perfect +coat of fur, which Cap. always removed by the firelight at once. About +every night except Sunday, when Cap. refused to set the trap--for he +never did any work on that day that was not absolutely necessary--there +was a fatal shot, and he accumulated a lot of excellent large skins, +which he tacked on trees to preserve them. He thought he had put them up +securely high, but one morning every skin had disappeared. The wolf +relatives had carried them away to the last shred. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From Havasupai Point, South Rim, Showing Inner Gorge. + +From a sketch in colour by F. S. Dellenbaugh, 1907.] + +The Kaibab was too far away for us to go there to hunt deer, and there +were none around the spring, though one night at supper-time, the +western sky being a broad sweep of deep orange, we saw a large wild +animal of some sort on the crest of the hill silhouetted against the +colour. I started for it with my rifle, but of course it did not wait; +no animal ever does if he can help it, unless he is carnivorous and +famished. The weather remained generally fair, though one day we had a +wild gale that nearly relieved us of the tent in the midst of thick +flurries of snow. We often climbed among the cliffs, and everywhere we +found picture-writings, poles laid up, stepping-stones, fragments of +pottery, arrowheads, and other evidences of former occupation. The poles +and stones may have been placed by the Pai Utes as well as by the old +Shinumos, who once were numerous over all this country. Cap. was by no +means well. An extreme nervousness connected with the old gunshot wound +developed, and he said he felt sure he could not continue the work in +the field during the winter, much less go through the Grand Canyon with +us the next year. Clem also felt under the weather, and besides was +growing homesick. He confided to me one day that he also had concluded +not to remain with us. As there was little the matter with him I +undertook to argue him out of his determination not to go through the +Grand Canyon, pointing out the disappointment he would feel when we had +accomplished the passage and he realised that he might as well have come +along. This produced some impression, but I was uncertain as to its +lasting result. + +By November 17th we began with confidence to look for some one to come +over the mountains from Kanab, and just after sunset we heard Riley's +long shrill "ee--ii--oooooooo," which he could deliver upon the air in +such a fashion that it carried for miles. Presently Prof. and he rode +into our camp with fresh supplies and a great bundle of mail that +included papers giving the details of the burning of Chicago. Prof. with +Cap. then reconnoitred the neighbourhood, and on the 21st he returned to +Kanab, leaving us as before, except that Riley remained two days longer. +The Major had not yet arrived at Kanab from Salt Lake and our winter +work could not begin till he came. The days rolled by with occasional +rain and snow and we began to grow impatient with our inaction, +especially when November passed away. The second day of December was +fading when we distinguished in the distance the familiar Riley yell, +and in a little while he came into view with welcome news. We were to +move at once to a spring eight miles from Kanab. He also brought some +apples, native raisins and a large canteen full of fresh wine from +"Dixie" as the country along the Virgin was called. These luxuries +together with a number of letters from home made that night one of the +most cheerful we had known for a long time. Monday morning, December 4th +we left House Rock Spring behind with our pack-train, followed the trail +across the open valley, climbed two thousand feet to the top of the +Kaibab, and were soon traversing the forest on its broad summit. Riley +having been over the trail now several times we went ahead steadily, and +about sunset arrived at the farther side of a narrow longitudinal +depression of the top which Cap. immediately put down in his notes as +Summit Valley, a name that holds to-day. There we threw off our packs +and made camp for the night. Though there was no water the ground was +covered by a thin layer of snow, that made the long bunch grass +palatable to the horses and for ourselves we had sufficient water in two +small kegs and several canteens. A bright fire blazed cheerfully, the +dense cedars broke the wind, and everybody felt that it was a fine camp. +The others spent the evening playing euchre by firelight, but I +preferred to read till bedtime. + +The next morning, after crossing some rough gulches, we came to the +western edge of the great plateau, and emerging from the forest of pine +and cedar we saw again the magnificent, kaleidoscopic, cliff country +lying to the north. First about twenty miles away was a line of low +chocolate-coloured cliffs, then a few miles back of this the splendid +line of the Vermilion Cliffs, the same which began at the mouth of Glen +Canyon and which we had skirted to House Rock Spring. From there the +line continued northward till it passed around the north end of the +Kaibab, when it struck southwesterly far to our left, where it turned +back to the north again, forming one of the longest and finest cliff +ranges anywhere to be seen. Above them and some miles still farther +back, rising higher, was a line of greyish cliffs following the trend of +the Vermilion, and still above these was the broken meandering face of +the Pink Cliffs, frosted with snow, whose crest marks the southeastern +limit of Fremont's "Great Basin," the end of the High Plateaus, and tops +the country at an altitude of some 11,000 feet above sea-level. A more +extraordinary, bewildering landscape, both as to form and colour, could +hardly be found in all the world. Winding our way down to the barren +valley, in itself more a high plateau than a valley, we travelled the +rest of the day in the direction of the great cliffs. The sun was just +gone when we reached the first low line, and passing through a gap +turned into a side gulch thickly studded with cedars, where we saw +before us two white-covered waggons, two or three camp-fires blazing, +and friends. We heard a hearty voice cry, "Tirtaan Aigles dis wai!" and +we sprang from our horses to grasp Jack's welcoming hand and greet all +the others, some of whom were new acquaintances. The fragrance of coffee +and frying bacon filled the sharp air, while from the summits of the +surrounding cliffs the hungry chorus of yelping wolves sent up their +wail of disappointment. + +In an alcove a large tent had been put up, which the Major's family was +occupying, for Mrs. Powell and her baby daughter had come from Salt Lake +with him, arriving a few days before. The daughter was but three months +old and was happy in a big clothes-basket for a cradle. Mrs. Thompson, +Prof.'s wife, and sister of the Major, had also come from Salt Lake and +another large tent sheltered them, while still another of equal size, +not yet erected, was designed for the men. It was a specially +interesting camp to us who had come over from House Rock for it was +novel to see so many people around. The Major himself was absent at +Kanab. Before the camp was asleep the hour was late, and so soundly did +every one rest that the sneaking wolves without the least molestation +carried off two large sacks of the jerked beef from near our heads, +where we had put it against a huge rock thinking they would not come so +close; but as they had pulled a ham the night before from under the head +of Captain Dodds where he had placed it for safety, we ought to have +been more sensible. Two or three nights later, as I was sleeping in a +special bed one of the men then absent had made by a big rock some yards +from the main camp, I was awakened by a wolf crunching bones by the fire +not eight feet from my head. I wanted to shoot the impertinent wretch, +but his form was indistinct and my rifle lying by my side had to be +trained his way. This took some time, as I had to move cautiously, and +in the midst of my effort my elbow slipped. Like a shadow he flitted +into the deeper gloom and I went to sleep again. I did not want to +shoot without certainty, though some nights later I did shoot with +Riley's huge double-barrelled shotgun loaded with buckshot straight into +our mess kit, not killing the wolf that was there, but putting holes in +numerous tin plates through which bean soup delighted to percolate, so +that I never heard the last of this midnight effort of mine to diminish +the wolf family. + +The day following our arrival the Major came from Kanab and the plans +for our winter's campaign were put in operation. A base line for our +geographic work was necessary and this was to run south from Kanab, so +Prof. on December 7th, with Mrs. Thompson, Cap., Clem, Andy, Jones (who +had recovered his health), and one of the new men named MacEntee, left +us with loaded waggons to establish another camp nearer to the scene of +this work. Another member of the party was Fuzz, Mrs. Thompson's dog, an +intelligent Dandie Dinmont. As I was much interested to see Kanab, of +which so much had been said, and as it was now nearly seven months since +I had seen an occupied house, I decided to take a Sunday ride in that +direction. On the 17th, about noon, I put a saddle on a white mule which +Jack had named Nigger and was soon on my way. Emerging from the +Chocolate Cliffs the road led along the foot of the Vermilion Cliffs, +crossing long ridges covered with cedars and pinons with a vast view to +the Kaibab on the south and east, and soon joining a road that led from +a canyon to eastward where there was a very small settlement called +Johnson's, and from two or three houses which had been built where the +El Vado trail crossed the Paria River. Nigger went along very well and I +was in Kanab by three o'clock. The village, which had been started only +a year or two, was laid out in the characteristic Mormon style with wide +streets and regular lots fenced by wattling willows between stakes. +Irrigating ditches ran down each side of every street and from them the +water, derived from a creek that came down a canyon back of the town, +could be led into any of the lots, each of which was about one quarter +of an acre; that is, there were four lots to a block. Fruit trees, shade +trees, and vines had been planted and were already beginning to promise +near results, while corn, potatoes, etc., gave fine crops. The original +place of settlement was a square formed by one-story log houses on three +sides and a stockade on the fourth. This was called the fort and was a +place of refuge, though the danger from Navajo attack seemed to be over +and that from any assault by the Pai Utes certainly was past. One corner +of the fort was made by the walls of the schoolhouse, which was at the +same time meeting-house and ball-room. Altogether there were about 100 +families in the village. The houses that had been built outside the fort +were quite substantially constructed, some of adobe or sun-dried brick. +The entire settlement had a thrifty air, as is the case with the +Mormons. Not a grog-shop, or gambling saloon, or dance-hall was to be +seen; quite in contrast with the usual disgraceful accompaniments of the +ordinary frontier towns. A perfectly orderly government existed, headed +by a bishop appointed by the church authorities in Salt Lake, the then +incumbent of this office being an excellent man, Bishop Stewart. I rode +to the fort, where I found Clem and Beaman domiciled with their +photographic outfit, with a swarm of children peeping through every +chink and crevice of the logs to get a view of the "Gentiles," a kind of +animal they had seldom seen. Every one was cordial. Beaman even offered +me a drink made with sugar-water and photographic alcohol, but it did +not appeal to my taste. It was after sunset when I started Nigger +towards Eight Mile Spring and I enjoyed the ride in the edge of night +with not a living thing, besides Nigger (and Nigger was a mule), to +disturb my reveries. + +I had as yet seen none of the natives of the locality. They were now +very friendly and considered harmless, thanks to Jacob's wise +management. The only Indians the settlers dreaded were some renegades, a +band of Utes and Navajos, collected by a bold and skillful chief named +Patnish, whose "country" was south of the Colorado around Navajo +Mountain. He was reputed to be highly dangerous, and the Kanab people +were constantly prepared against his unwelcome visits. He had several +handsome stalwart sons, who dressed in white and who generally +accompanied him. Though Patnish was so much feared, I do not remember to +have heard that he committed any depredations after this time. There had +been much trouble with the Navajos, but Jacob, growing tired of the +constant warfare, had resolved to go to them and see if he could not +change the state of affairs. When he had guided the Major to the Moki +Towns and Fort Defiance the year before (1870), about six thousand +Navajos were assembled at the Agency. The chiefs were invited to meet in +council on the 2d of November, and all the principal chiefs but one and +all subchiefs but two were there. The Major led the way by introducing +Jacob and speaking in highly complimentary terms of the Mormons; and +Jacob then gave a long talk in his low-voiced way, illustrating the +great evils of such warfare as had existed, and closed by saying: + + "What shall I tell my people the 'Mormons' when I return home? + That we may expect to live in peace, live as friends, and + trade with one another? Or shall we look for you to come + prowling around our weak settlements, like wolves in the + night? I hope we may live in peace in time to come. I have now + grey hairs on my head, and from my boyhood I have been on the + frontiers doing all I could to preserve peace between white + men and Indians. I despise this killing, this shedding of + blood. I hope you will stop this and come and visit and trade + with our people. We would like to hear what you have got to + say before we go home." + +Barbenceta, the principal chief, slowly approached as Jacob ended, and +putting his arms around him said: "My friend and brother, I will do all +that I can to bring about what you have advised. We will not give all +our answer now. Many of the Navajos are here. We will talk to them +to-night and will see you on your way home." Several days later Jacob +met him and the chiefs who had been absent; he said they would all +really like to see peace with the Mormons carried out, and continued: + + "We have some bad men among us, but if some do wrong, the wise + ones must not act foolishly, like children, but let it be + settled according to the spirit of your talk at Fort Defiance. + Here is Hastele. I wish you would take a good look at him, so + you will not be mistaken in the man. He never lies or steals. + He is a truthful man; we wish all difficult matters settled + before him. He lives on the frontier nearest to the river; you + can find him by inquiry. We hope we may be able to eat at one + table, warm by one fire, smoke one pipe, and sleep under one + blanket." + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From South Rim near Bright Angel Creek.] + +Jacob proceeded towards home, taking a Moki, named Tuba, and his wife +back with him, so that they might see the Mormon country. Arriving at +the crossing of the Colorado Tuba was sad. He said his people had once +lived on the other side, and their fathers had told them they never +again would go west of the river to live. "I am now going on a visit to +see my friends. I have worshipped the Father of us all in the way you +believe to be right; now I wish you would do as the Hopees think is +right before we cross." Jacob assented, and Tuba, he said, + + "then took his medicine bag from under his shirt and offered + me a little of its contents. I offered my left hand to take + it; he requested me to take it with my right. He then knelt + with his face to the east, and asked the Great Father of us + all to preserve us in crossing the river. He said that he and + his wife had left many friends at home, and if they never + lived to return their friends would weep much. He prayed for + pity upon his friends the Mormons, that none of them might + drown in crossing; and that all the animals we had with us + might be spared, for we needed them all, and to preserve unto + us all our food and clothing, that we need not suffer hunger + nor cold on our journey. He then arose to his feet. We + scattered the ingredients from the medicine bag into the air, + on to the land, and into the water of the river." + +When they were all safely over Tuba gave thanks that his prayer had been +answered.[26] + +The last white men to be killed by the Navajos in the Kanab region were +Dr. Whitmore and his herder at Pipe Springs, twenty miles west, five +years before in the winter of 1865-66. The raiders were pursued by a +strong party, and some of them, turning down the Kanab Canyon, perhaps +thinking the river could be crossed there, were surprised and fired on +at dawn. Some escaped, though wounded. Jacob kept a close watch on all +the passes, and especially at El Vado. Several raiders were intercepted +and shot. In 1869 a raiding band successfully drove off twelve hundred +head of horses and cattle from northern settlements, and the winter of +1869-70 was one of the worst, requiring Jacob's presence in the field +almost constantly. He was accompanied by friendly Pai Utes, who hated +the Navajos. One Navajo was shot in a band who had stolen cattle, but +the others were allowed to leave on giving up the stock. The shot did +not kill the Navajo, and they followed to see what became of him. He was +carried along by his friends to where another raiding party was +encamped. The Pai Utes then killed two of this party, scalping one, but +refraining from taking the scalp of the other because he had sandy hair +and looked too much like a white man. Later three more Navajos were +killed in a fight, but the rest escaped with ten horses. Jacob grew +heartily sick of this kind of work, and made the resolve to appeal to +the Navajos, with the result stated. He also visited the Red Lake Utes +to the north, and all the Indians along the Sevier. Beginning with the +band of Navajos under Agua Grande, which we had met at El Vado, they +came north in numerous parties with perfect confidence that the Mormons +would receive them peacefully. But they continued to despise the Pai +Utes, considering them beneath notice. + +In September of the year 1870 the Major, by Brigham Young's advice, had +engaged Jacob to go with him to Mt. Trumbull in the Uinkaret region +adjoining the Shewits country. Jacob, wishing to see these Indians +himself, was very willing to go. They made a camp by a spring, and +finding some natives near, Jacob asked them to bring in some of the +party who had taken part in the killing of the Howlands and Dunn the +year before. Twelve or fifteen finally came, and they had a talk. + + "I commenced [said Jacob] by explaining to the Indians + Professor Powell's business. I endeavoured to get them to + understand that he did not visit their country for any purpose + that would work evil to them, that he was not hunting gold or + silver or other metals; that he would be along the river next + season with a party of men, and if they found any of them away + from the river in the hills, they must be their friends and + show them places where there was water if necessary." + +They replied that friends of theirs from across the river had declared +the men were miners and advised killing them, for if they found mines it +would bring great evil among them. The men were followed and killed +while asleep. They declared that had they been correctly informed about +the men they would not have killed them. Kapurats ("No-arm," meaning the +Major), they said, could travel and sleep in their country unmolested +and they would show him and his men the watering-places.[27] + +On December 19th we moved our camp from Eight Mile Spring to a place +below the gap in the Chocolate Cliffs south of Kanab and not far below +the Utah-Arizona boundary; the 37th parallel. Bonnemort and I remained +behind to gather up the last articles and it was dark when we reached +the new ground. Our large tent was pitched in the creek bottom with the +others not far off, making quite a settlement. The weather was rainy and +cold, but a conical sheet-iron stove heated the tent well and there we +had dry comfortable evenings, some of the men singing, some writing +letters or plotting notes, others reading and still others perhaps +playing a game. Bonnemort was something of a singer and was specially +fond of _Beautiful Isle of the Sea_, but Jack still maintained his +complete supremacy as a tenor. His repertory always increased and he was +ever ready to entertain us. One of his selections I remember was the +ballad: + + "I wandered by the brookside, + I wandered by the mill; + I could not hear the brook flow, + The noisy wheel was still, + There was no burr of grasshopper + No chirp of any bird, + But the beating of my own heart + Was all the sound I heard." + +Mrs. Thompson had a sweet voice and knew a lot of songs, which were +frequently heard issuing from her tent, and this, with the presence of +Mrs. Powell and the baby, added to the locality a pleasant homelike air. +Both Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Powell had been familiar with camp life, +Mrs. Powell having spent a winter, 1868-69, with the Major in Middle +Park, Colorado, near the camp of Chief Douglas, the father of our friend +Douglas Boy. + +Andy cooked all the meals on a fire out of doors, and they were no +longer served in our "go fur it boys" canyon style, but a large canvas, +showing by its colour the effects of exposure, was elegantly spread on +the ground and around its edges the tin plates, cups, etc., were +arranged, with the beanpot and other provender in the middle. This +method continued henceforth. The company would sit around on the ground, +each in whatever position was comfortable. Liberal portions of bread and +sorghum molasses formed the dessert, and after a while so indispensable +did the sorghum grow that we dubbed it the "staff of life." It was easy +to get, quantities being produced in "Dixie." Kanab besides being +favoured with two mails a week had a telegraph line connecting with the +settlements of the Virgin region and with Salt Lake, and we now felt +that once more we had a grip on the world. + +On the 22d of December the Major, accompanied by Captain Dodds, Riley, +and one of the Kanab men, John Stewart, a son of the bishop, started for +the Kaibab to find a way to get rations to the Colorado next year near +the mouth of the Little Colorado. The weather now was rather stormy but +Prof. continued his observations as well as he could, and parties were +sent out in a number of directions to place flags and monuments for the +geodetic work. The base line was to be measured south from near Kanab +for about ten miles. Christmas day came with rain and small prospect of +special enjoyment, and we all kept the shelter of the tent after hunting +up the horses in mud ankle-deep. But our dinner was a royal feast, for +Mrs. Thompson herself made a huge plum-pudding and Prof. supplied butter +and milk from Kanab, making this feature of the holiday an immense +success. In the evening a number of us rode up to the settlement to +witness a dance that had been announced to take place in the +schoolhouse, tabernacle, or town hall--the stone building in the corner +of the fort which answered all these functions. The room was about 15 by +30 feet and was lighted by three candles, a kerosene lamp, and a blazing +fire of pitch pine. Two violins were in lively operation, one being +played by Lyman Hamblin, a son of Old Jacob, and there was a refreshing +air of decorous gaiety about the whole assemblage. Dancing is a regular +amusement among the Mormons and is encouraged by the authorities as a +harmless and beneficial recreation. At that time the dances were always +opened with prayer. Two sets could occupy the floor at one time and to +even things up, and prevent any one being left out, each man on entering +was given a number, the numbers being called in rotation. None of our +party joined as we were such strangers, but we were made welcome in +every respect. It was ten o'clock before we left, and the way being dim +and muddy, midnight was on before we threw off saddles at our camp. + +The next morning work was begun on the base line, but for some days the +weather was so bad that little was accomplished. The year 1871 ended in +this way and we hoped the new one would be more propitious. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 24: Five years later Jacob came near being drowned in crossing +here. Lorenzo W. Roundy was lost, as well as two waggons loaded with +supplies. The scow they had tried to use tilted, throwing everything +into the fierce torrent.] + +[Footnote 25: It was in the rapid in Marble Canyon near the mouth of the +canyon of this creek that Frank M. Brown was drowned in July, 1889.] + +[Footnote 26: _Jacob Hamblin_, a Narrative, etc. Faith-promoting +Series--Juvenile Instructor Office, Salt Lake City--1881.] + +[Footnote 27: In 1864 the danger from the Pai Utes, who had not been +well treated, increased till Jacob had to take the matter in hand and +made a visit to the place where they were gathering for attack. He was +asked how many men he wanted to go with him, and he answered, "One, and +no arms; not even a knife in sight."] + + + + +CHAPTER XII + + Reconnoitring and Triangulating--A Pai Ute New Year's + Dance--The Major Goes to Salt Lake--Snowy Days on the + Kaibab--At Pipe Spring--Gold Hunters to the Colorado--Visits + to the Uinkaret Country--Craters and Lava--Finding the + Hurricane Ledge--An Interview with a Cougar--Back to Kanab. + + +New-year's day, 1872, passed with nothing more eventful than the return +of John Stewart in advance of the Major with the news that they had +succeeded in reaching the Colorado at the foot of Kanab Canyon. They had +given up the Kaibab direction because of snow which interfered with +their advance. He also said that Riley had found gold at the mouth of +the Kanab. The telegraph operator was so deeply impressed with this +statement that it was telegraphed as an item of news to Salt Lake. Work +on the base line went on daily by our topographical staff, but presently +it was turned over to a special gang under Captain Dodds, so that the +rest of us might be freed to carry on the triangulation. On Monday the +15th, Prof., Jones, Mac, and I started with some pack animals on a ten +days' reconnaissance trip over the Kaibab, first going to Kanab for some +supplies and taking dinner with Jacob at the house of his wife Louisa. +According to the Mormon custom, though it was not universal, Jacob had +several wives, I do not know how many. I met two, and he was besides +that "sealed" to one or two Pai Ute women. Sister Louisa was the one I +came to know best and she was a good woman. We had an excellent dinner +with rich cream for the coffee which was an unusual treat. In all Mormon +settlements the domestic animals were incorporated at once and they +received special care; butter, milk, and cheese were consequently +abundant; but in a "Gentile" frontier town all milk, if procurable at +all, was drawn from a sealed tin. The same was true of vegetables. The +empty tin was the chief decoration of such advance settlements, and with +the entire absence of any attempt at arrangement, at order, or to start +fruit or shade trees, or do any other sensible thing, the "Gentile" +frontier town was a ghastly hodge-podge of shacks in the midst of a sea +of refuse. As pioneers the Mormons were superior to any class I have +ever come in contact with, their idea being home-making and not skimming +the cream off the country with a six-shooter and a whiskey bottle. +Jacob's home was simple but it was comfortable. He was a poor man for he +did his work for the people with very slight compensation. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From Part Way down South Side above Bright Angel Creek.] + +From Jacob's we proceeded to our old camp ground at Eight-Mile Spring +and there spent the night. Prof. had forgotten his sextant and rode back +to our main camp for it. We continued in the morning without him to a +place farther east called Navajo Well, a deep spring in a sort of +natural hole, somewhat aided by native hands, in the midst of some +sloping, barren rocks, the last spot where one would look for water. A +large flat stone covered the top, the water being dipped out at one side +where there was a depression leading down to it. A careless man, or one +not familiar with the country, might ride within a few yards of this +spring without noticing its existence. Prof. came along towards night +and the next day we went on eastward to the top of the Kaibab Plateau +and there put up a geodetic monument. Here we made a dry camp having +water for ourselves in a keg and some canteens, while the animals got +along very well as there was a little snow on the ground. Proceeding +from this place eastward we came to the edge of the plateau opposite +the largest of a series of four or five peculiar red sandstone peaks. +The Mormons had explored a waggon road across at this place and the +grades were easy. We followed the road and reached House Rock Valley +about ten miles north of House Rock Spring where we went to get water +and camp. We had started late and by the time we got down into the +valley darkness had fallen but a bright moon compensated for the absence +of daylight, enabling us to see plainly our landmarks. We jogged along +toward the spring and I sang _Oh the Lone Starry Hours, Give Me Love_, +when I was suddenly interrupted by old Thunderbolt's pack loosening. +Thunderbolt was a horse that waited for such an event with remarkable +docility and when it arrived he made the best of the opportunity to get +even with us for drawing the lash-rope so tight. Before I could dismount +and lay hands on him the pack slipped back over his rump which was the +signal he watched for. Joyously flinging his heels in the moonlit air, +jumping high off the ground the next instant, and then darting off into +the misty night with a clatter and a whirl he spread the contents of +that pack to all points of the compass. This revenge adequately +accomplished we were permitted to catch him. A long search was necessary +before we had gathered up all the things and replaced the pack on the +now meek and patient Thunderbolt, and half-past eight by the watch +arrived as we got to water and supper. + +We put up another "station" back of House Rock Spring and spent a day +reconnoitring. On Sunday, January 21st, we went to Red Cliff and made a +camp under some cedars, as we wished to put a station on the highest +peak. The camp was a dry one, but we had the usual supply of water in +the keg and canteens, and as the temperature was very low we did not get +thirsty. There was an abundance of wood for the camp, but Mac and I +concluded we wanted more warmth and light, so we set fire to two large +cedars that stood alone, and they made a superb illumination, burning +all night. In the morning we got to the top of the cliff, and built a +monument, with a high pole and flag, to which to "sight" from other +geodetic points, while Prof. took observations for time and latitude. +When our work was finished we went back to House Rock Spring, arriving +just before sunset. In the morning Jones and I went across and climbed +the Kaibab, intending to put up a monument there, but we could find no +proper site and returned to camp. Prof. and Mac had been off in another +direction, but they got in just before supper-time. We had not +finished this meal when, night having come on, we heard through the +darkness sounds of some one approaching, and thirteen Navajos one after +the other came into the light of our fire, with their greeting of "Bueno +heh!" and camped just below us. Some were mounted, some were on foot. +The chief was Ashtishkal, whom we had met before at the Crossing of the +Fathers (El Vado). They were all friendly, and did not intrude upon us. +They were on their way north to trade with the Mormons, having come +across at the Paria. The night was very cold, and a heavy, dry snow +began to fall, so that in the morning when we arose we could see but a +short distance. The Navajos about sunrise stood silently in a circle +till at a signal they all sat down and began singing, continuing for +several minutes a low musical refrain, and then all rose to their feet +again. They left us early, with friendly demonstrations, and went on +their way towards Kanab, while we moved to another spring in a gulch +farther up the valley, where we made a tent out of a pair of blankets to +keep off the snow. During the stormy night our animals started to leave +us, travelling before the wind, but we suspected their intention and got +out and headed them back, much to their disgust, no doubt. Thursday, +January 25th, came bright and clear, but still extremely cold. Prof. +with Mac started across the Kaibab by the trail, while Jones and I went +farther north by the waggon road referred to, camping near the station +we had made on the way out. The next morning we did some work there, and +then went on to the Navajo Well, reaching it at sunset, where we watered +our stock and continued by moonlight through a piercing wind to +Eight-Mile Spring, which enabled us to reach our main camp in time for +dinner on Saturday the 27th. Prof. got back the evening before at 7.30, +having made another station on the Kaibab on the way over and travelled +twenty-five miles. + +About a mile from Kanab the Kaibab band of Pai Utes were encamped, and +we had a good opportunity to visit them and study their ways.[28] The +Major was specially interested and made voluminous notes. They came to +the village and our camp a great deal. While they were dirty, they were +not more dishonest than white men, so far as I could learn. Their +wickiups, about seven feet high, were merely a lot of cedar boughs, set +around a three-quarter circle, forming a conical shelter, the opening +towards the south. In front they had their fire, with a mealing-stone or +two, and round about were their conical and other baskets, used for +collecting grass seeds, pinon nuts, and similar vegetable food, which in +addition to rabbits formed their principal subsistence. At certain times +they all went to the Kaibab deer-hunting. Their guns, where they had +any, were of the old muzzle-loading type, with outside hammers to fire +the caps. Many still used the bow-and-arrow, and some knew how to make +stone arrow-heads. We learned the process, which is not difficult. Their +clothing was, to some extent, deerskin, but mainly old clothes obtained +from the whites. They made a very warm robe out of rabbit skins, twisted +into a long rope and then sewed side to side into the desired size and +shape. But when we traded for one of these as a curiosity we placed it +beside a large ant hill for some days before bringing it into camp. They +obtained fire by the use of matches when they could get them, but +otherwise they used the single stick or "palm" drill. We went to the +camp one moonlight night, January 6th, to see a sort of New-Year's +dance. They had stripped a cedar tree of all branches but a small tuft +at the top, and around this the whole band formed a large circle, +dancing and singing. The dancing was the usual hippity-hop or "lope" +sideways, each holding hands with his or her neighbours. In the centre +stood a man, seeming to be the custodian of the songs and a poet +himself. He would first recite the piece, and then all would sing it, +circling round at the same time. We accepted their cordial invitation to +join in the ceremony, and had a lot of fun out of our efforts, which +greatly amused them too, our mistakes raising shouts of laughter. The +poet seemed to originate some of the songs, but they had others that +were handed down. One of these, which I learned later, was: + + "Montee-ree-ai-ma, mo-quontee-kai-ma + Umpa-shu-shu-ra-ga-va + Umpa-shu-shu-ra-ga-va + Umpa-ga-va, shu-ra-ga-va + Montee-ree-ai-ma." + +This, being translated, signifies that a long talk is enough to bore a +hole in a cliff; at least, that was the interpretation we obtained. +Another popular one was: + + "Ca, shakum, poo kai + Ca, shakum poo kai + Ca, shakum tee kai + Ca, shakum tee kai," + +these lines being repeated like the others over and over and over again. +They were highly philosophical, for they explain that you must kill your +rabbit (shakum) before you eat him. I do not remember that they sang +these particular songs on that occasion, but they will serve as +examples. + +On February 1st the Major left camp for Salt Lake with Mrs. Powell and +the baby. Jack went along to accompany them as far as Tokerville on the +Virgin River. Before leaving, the Major settled up with Beaman, who was +now to separate from the party. The Major intended to go to Washington +to ask Congress for another appropriation to continue the work of +exploration and map-making when we had finished that already planned. On +the 6th Clem and Bonnemort arrived from an expedition to make +photographs down the Kanab Canyon, where the Major had been with Riley +and Dodds. They had met with bad luck, and did not get a single +negative. The silver bath got out of order, and the horse bearing the +camera fell off a cliff and landed on top of the camera, which had been +tied on the outside of the pack, with a result that need not be +described. Bonnemort's time was now up; he wanted to go back to +prospecting, and we reluctantly said good-bye to him. On the 16th of +February, finding our central camp no longer practicable, we abandoned +it and operated in small parties from various nearby points, finally +returning again in three or four days to near the site of the old camp. +MacEntee then wanted to go to prospecting also, and he departed. He was +an interesting, companionable young man, educated at the University of +Michigan, seeking a fortune, and he was desirous of striking it rich. +Whether he ever did or not I have not learned. + +While camped below Kanab, Clem and I in walking one day saw a place +where the creek which flowed on a level with the surroundings suddenly +plunged into a deep mud canyon. This canyon had been cut back from far +below by the undermining action of the falling water, and it was plain +to see that it would continue its retrogression till it eventually +reached the mouth of the great canyon several miles above, but I did not +dream that it could accomplish this work as rapidly as it actually did +years after. During a great flood it washed a canyon not only to Kanab +but for miles up the gorge, sweeping away at one master stroke hundreds +of acres of arable land and leaving a mud chasm forty feet deep. Had the +fall we examined been arranged then so that the water might glide down, +the fearful washout would not have occurred. There are thousands of +places in the West to-day that require treatment to conserve arable +land, and in time the task may be undertaken by the Government. + +Cap's health being such that he deemed it inadvisable to continue work +in the field, he had severed his connection with the expedition, after +finishing the preliminary map of Green River, and was temporarily +settled in Kanab, where he had been for some time. On Wednesday, +February 21st, Prof., Mrs. Thompson, and I took supper with him in one +of the log houses at the fort, and on the 22d several of us accepted his +invitation to dinner, a sort of farewell, for on the following day we +started with our whole outfit for the Kaibab. We were extremely sorry to +lose Cap, with his generous spirit and cheery ways, but when one has +been punctured by a minie-ball he has to heed warnings. All day long we +travelled through sandy hills gradually rising toward the plateau, the +foot-hills of which we reached late in the afternoon. We had followed a +waggon road with our pack-train up to this point, but here we struck off +on a trail that was said to be a shorter way to the canyon we were +aiming for, and a little before sunset we came to the brink of a steep +slope, almost a cliff, where a picturesque, a romantic view opened +before us. Below stretched away to the south a narrow, deep, and sharply +defined valley or canyon one-eighth mile wide, the bottom of which +seemed perfectly flat. A light snow which had fallen the night before +whitened the sharp slopes, but from the valley bottom it had melted +away, leaving a clear line of demarkation on either side and producing +an extremely beautiful effect under the evening glow. Tall pine trees +accented the scene, which was one of the most inviting I had ever +beheld. One of our helpers from Kanab had been over the trail, and led +us down to a small but excellent spring, within a quarter of a mile of +which we camped, passing a most comfortable night. + +Before we had finished slinging the last pack in the morning, a heavy +grey sky began to sift down thickly falling snowflakes gently as if not +wishing to give alarm. But when we were fairly under way this mildness +vanished, and the storm smote our caravan with fierce and blinding +gusts, amidst which progress was difficult. After four miles up the +valley through beautiful pine trees of great height, we came to a +deserted log cabin only half roofed over, and there we stopped to make +our temporary headquarters. The Stewarts of Kanab had started a saw-mill +at this place, but as yet the work had not gone very far. The snow +ceased by the time we had thrown off the packs, and we made ourselves as +comfortable as circumstances permitted. Prof. had a tent put up for Mrs. +Thompson, while some took possession of the half-roofed house, for by +keeping on the side where the board cover was they were slightly +sheltered. With two or three of the others I pitched a small tent. There +was plenty of fat pine, and rousing fires made the valley seem +habitable. A fine little brook swept full grown fifteen inches in +diameter from under a cliff two hundred feet above the valley bottom, +and there was no lack of good water. Our trouble was with the horses and +mules, for we had no grain for them, and if the snow got very deep they +would not be able to paw down to the bunch grass. The snow soon began +again, and all night it fell with aggravating facility. Sunday morning +opened as leaden and dark as a February day could be, and there was no +cessation of the showers of whiteness that were rapidly building up on +the ground a formidable barrier to our operations. As I was wearing +rather low brogans, having discarded top-boots as too close-fitting and +uncomfortable around camp, I now made for myself a pair of leggins out +of pieces of a common but heavy seamless sack. When these were buttoned +in place they answered perfectly to protect my legs from the snow. We +hoped Monday would begin the week with a clear sky, but we were +disappointed. We had to sally out to hunt horses, hoping at the same +time to come across a deer, but that hope was not realised. As I got far +from camp in the midst of the tall pines and the unbroken snow sheet, I +suddenly became aware of a whispering sound, which I could not at first +account for, as I did not believe in fairies. Standing perfectly still, +I perceived that it was produced by the friction of the snowflakes upon +the pine needles. It was a weird, ghost-like language which I had never +listened to before. + +Prof. went up one thousand feet on the mountain and climbed a tree 125 +feet high with a determination to see something in spite of the snow. He +caught a glimpse of the south wall of the Grand Canyon near Mt. +Trumbull, miles to the west. On Tuesday he started George Adair, one of +our Mormon assistants, back to Kanab for more rations, and directed +Jones and Captain Dodds to get ready to start the next day for the +south-east corner of the plateau, while Andy and I were to go to the +south-west corner. Wednesday, February 28th, came clear, with the snow +lying twelve inches on the level, but some of the horses were missing, +and the day was spent in hunting this wayward stock, so it was not till +Thursday afternoon that we got started. Our paths lying for a distance +in the same direction, we four travelled together along a divide on the +right or west of camp. It was slow work in the deep drifts, and we had +not made many miles when night came on. We went into camp where we were. +The horses bothered us by trying to go back searching for grass, and +nobody could blame them. Finally we tied the worst offender to a tree in +a bare place where he might pick up a few mouthfuls of food, and we +managed to sleep the rest of the night. The only sound I heard when I +woke up at one time was the satirical voice of an owl in the far +distance. It seemed to be saying very deliberately "poo-poo, poo-poo," +and that did not sound respectful. The next morning was March 1st, and +it brought a fine sky, which would have put us quickly on the way, or +rather in motion toward our respective goals, as there was no road or +trail, but one of our animals which bore the mysterious name of Yawger, +and which was the pack-horse of Andy and me, could not be found. Jones +and Dodds went on, as they would probably soon have to separate from us +anyhow, while we took Yawger's track, and at last found him browsing +happily in a bare spot about a mile from our stopping place. It was two +o'clock by the time we started on, floundering through the drifts in the +trail of Jones and Dodds. Some drifts were so high it was all we could +do to wallow through them even after the others had in a measure broken +the way. After two hours of hard work in this line we came to the edge +of a wide gully, where the advance party had halted. The slope was +towards the south and the ground was somewhat bare, with good bunch +grass, where the other horses were feeding, while Jones and Dodds were +just descending from a tall pine tree. They declared nothing but snow +could be seen in all directions on the mountain and they were going +back. Besides it was impossible, they told me, to cross the gulch ahead. +I did not want to turn back till I was compelled to, and I appealed to +Andy as to whether or not he wanted to give up, not wishing to drag him +along unwillingly. With his characteristic nonchalance he said, "Go +ahead if you want to." Dodds had one of his own horses with him, and he +said he would bet me that horse I could not cross the gulch. I made a +trial, wading ahead of my horse, the pack animal following and Andy +driving from behind. When I got into the middle it was all I could do +to move, but I continued my efforts till suddenly the bottom seemed to +rise, and then in a few yards the going grew easier and we emerged +triumphantly on the other side, where we waved an adieu to the others. +By keeping close to the boles of the large pine trees, where the wind +had swept circular places, leaving the snow shallow, we were soon out of +sight of our late companions. + +After two or three miles of tiring work the day began to fade, but we +reached a beautiful south slope where there was little snow, with a rich +crop of bunch grass just starting green under the vernal influence that +was a feast for the famished horses, the snow relieving their thirst. +While Andy the ever-faithful got supper I reconnoitred and made up my +mind that I could reach the locality I was trying for, by following a +ridge I saw ahead where the snow seemed moderate. We were up and off +early. The snow was deep but we got on quite rapidly and finally reached +the ridge, crossing two big gulches to get to it. At eleven o'clock we +were at the end of its summit and I could see a wide area to the west +and north. The point appeared to be one of several similar projections +though the one we were on was the most prominent. I selected a spot for +a monument where we dug a hole in the rocks and dirt, and then cutting a +tall slim pine and trimming it clean we hitched Yawger to it and made +him drag it to the hole, where by a combination of science and strength +we got it upright. While Andy, who had great strength, lifted and pushed +after we had together got it half way, I propped it with a strong pole +with a Y on the end, and in a few moments we saw the flag waving +triumphantly from its tip at least thirty feet above our heads. Around +its base we piled the rocks, which were exceptionally heavy, waist high, +first cutting a notch in the pine and placing therein a can containing a +record, and our "Point F" was finished. The rest of the day I spent in +triangulating to various other stations, and we went to bed under a +clear sky and a milder atmosphere. In the morning I completed my +triangulating work and by that time the snow had settled and melted so +that the back track was much easier than the outward march, enabling us +to get to headquarters at the spring before dark. I had been a little +afraid that a heavy snow would come on top of the large drifts which +would have held us prisoners for a day or two. + +On Wednesday, March 6th, the whole party packed up and left the valley +by its narrow canyon outlet, a tributary of the Kanab Canyon. It began +eight hundred feet deep and continually increased. We called it Shinumo +Canyon because we found everywhere indications of the former presence +of that tribe. Snow fell at intervals and we were alternately frozen and +melted till we reached an altitude where the warmth was continuous and +the snow became rain. Grass fresh and green and shrubs with the feeling +of early spring surrounded us at the junction with Kanab Canyon where +the walls were twelve hundred feet high. A mile below we camped by a +lone cedar tree where there were "pockets" of rain-water in the rocks. +The next day our course was laid up Kanab Canyon through thick willows +that pulled the packs loose. One horse fell upside down in a gully, but +he was not hurt and we pried him out and went on, camping near a large +pool of intensely alkaline water. On the 8th going up a branch on the +left called Pipe Spring Wash we came out on the surface, very much as +one might reach a second floor by a staircase. This is a feature of the +country and as one goes northward he arrives on successive platforms, in +this manner passing through the several cliff ranges by means of +transverse gorges that usually begin in small "box" canyons and rapidly +deepen till they reach the full height of the cliff walls. At two +o'clock we came to Pipe Spring. A vacant stone house of one very large +room and a great fireplace was put at our disposal by Mr. Winsor the +proprietor, and it was occupied by the men while Prof. had a tent put up +for Mrs. Thompson. We found a party of miners here who had heard of the +gold discovery at the mouth of the Kanab on the Colorado and were +heading that way to reap the first-fruits. They were soon followed by +hundreds more, making a steady stream down the narrow Kanab and out +again for some time, for on reaching the river the limited opportunity +to do any mining was at once apparent and they immediately took the back +track swearing vengeance on the originator of the story. + +For protection against raiders Mr. Winsor was building a solid double +house of blocks of sandstone, making walls three feet thick. The two +buildings were placed about twenty feet apart, thus forming an interior +court the length of the houses, protected at the ends by high walls and +heavy gates. No windows opened on the exterior, but there were plenty of +loopholes commanding every approach. A fine large spring was conducted +subterraneously into the corner of one of the buildings and out again, +insuring plenty of water in case of a siege. Brigham Young was part +owner of this establishment, and it was one of the most effective places +of defence on a small scale, that I have ever seen. It was never needed +so far as I have heard, and even at the time I marvelled that it should +be so elaborately prepared--far beyond anything else in the whole +country. The cut opposite shows this fort as it was in 1903. Clem here +told Prof. he did not care to stay with us any longer. Ill success with +his photographs had discouraged him, but Prof. persuaded him to remain +for a time. + +Until March 21st we operated around Pipe Spring triangulating and +recording the topography, and other data, when we packed our animals +again and laid our course across the open country towards a range of +blue mountains seen in the south-west. One of these had been named after +Senator Trumbull by the Major in the autumn of 1870. They were the home +of the Uinkarets and we called the whole group by that name, discarding +North Side Mountains, the name Ives had given when he sighted them in +1858 from far to the south. Adjoining the Uinkaret region on the west +was the Shewits territory where the Howlands and Dunn were killed. +Travelling across the dry plains we came to a well defined trail about +sunset and followed it hoping that it would lead to water. We were not +disappointed for it took us to a pool of rain-water in a little gulley +at the foot of some low hills. A band of wild horses roamed the plain +and as we had been told about a pool called the Wild Band Pocket, we had +no doubt this was the place. There was no wood anywhere, but a diligent +search produced enough small brush to cook by, though Andy had a hard +time of it. Clem's horse ran away from him and lost his gun, so he +remained behind at Pipe Spring to hunt for the weapon. + +[Illustration: Winsor Castle, the Defensive House at Pipe Springs. +Photograph by H. Arthur Pomroy, 1903.] + +[Illustration: Little Zion Valley or the Mookoontoweap, Upper Virgin +River. + +Photograph by H. Arthur Pomroy, 1903.] + +The next day we travelled on over hilly country, following a moccasin +trail, with here and there cedar groves as we approached nearer to the +mountains. On the edge of night traces of water were found in a gulch +near the foot of Trumbull, and while Jack and a new member of our force, +Will Johnson of Kanab, dug for more, Prof., Jones, and I scoured the +vicinity in search of a spring or pocket, but though we found many old +wickiups there was no water. The Uinkarets had evidently camped here in +wet weather. When we returned we were told that the little trace of +water in the gulch had disappeared completely after the digging, a sad +development which was accepted by all but one old white horse which +stood on the edge of the hole for an hour or more patiently waiting. Our +kegs and canteens provided enough to make bread which we ate with +sorghum, and as early as possible in the morning we pushed on without +breakfast, three men scouting ahead to discover the pool where the Major +in the autumn of 1870 had camped. Prof. finally found it, a large pool +of about a hundred barrels of clear, clean water, in a lava gulch, +surrounded by cedar and pinon trees. Andy then gave us breakfast and +dinner at the same time, eleven o'clock. Another new member of our party +was Beaman's successor, Fennemore, from Salt Lake, who had joined us at +Pipe Spring on March 19th, and he was prepared to photograph the region. +We reconnoitred the neighbourhood during the afternoon, and the next +morning Jones and I rode in one direction around Mount Trumbull, while +Prof. and Captain Dodds rode the other way, to ascertain the lay of the +land, and especially to find a ranch which some St. George men had +started in this locality. Jones and I met Whitmore, the proprietor of +the ranch, and a friend of his, who informed us the ranch was six miles +farther on. We concluded not to go to it, but when Prof. and Captain +Dodds got in after dark they told us they had gone the whole way. The +following day, Monday March 25th, all the party except Andy and a new +member, Alf Young of Kanab, climbed to the summit of Mount Trumbull, +finding the ascent very gradual and easy and taking the horses to the +top, which was 2440 feet above the pool and 8650 above sea level, +commanding a magnificent view in every direction, as far to the +south-east as Mount San Francisco. Jones, Jack, Fennemore, and I +remained there all night while the rest returned to camp. Jones and I +wanted to do some topographical work and get sights to some of our +other stations, and Fennemore, assisted by Jack, wanted pictures. + +Descending the opposite side the next day we went to a spring in an oak +grove which Prof. had seen, where the others were already encamped. On +the 27th, Prof. and I climbed a high cinder peak, of which there were +many, to get a view, and then went to Whitmore's Ranch, where we had a +talk with him to get points on the region. He told us he had followed a +trail to the Colorado, about twelve miles, to what he called the Ute +Crossing. If I remember correctly he had taken a horse down at that +point. The next day Johnson and I put a signal flag on one of the high +mountains, afterwards named Logan, forming Signal Station Number 7. This +was a volcanic district and there were many old craters. Near the Oak +Spring camp was an extensive sheet of lava, seeming to have cooled but a +year or two before. Its surface was all fractured, but there were no +trees on its lower extremity and where it had flowed around a hill its +recent plasticity was exceedingly distinct. It had come from a crater, +about five hundred feet high, two miles north. This had once been a cone +but it was now disrupted, the lava having burst through to the north and +to the south, leaving two sections standing, the stream to the south +being one quarter mile wide and a mile and a half long, that on the +north one mile wide and about the same in length. The depth of these +streams was not far from thirty feet, and in spite of the exceedingly +rugged surface the southern stream was marked by deeply worn trails +running to and from a small spring situated in the middle of it. Beside +this spring one of the men from the ranch had found a human skeleton, +covered with fragments of lava, with the decayed remains of a wicker +water-jug between the ribs, marking some unrecorded tragedy. We +estimated that less than three hundred years had passed since the last +outburst from the crater. As there were pine trees a hundred years old +on the lava where it was more disintegrated near the point of outpour, +the age of the flow could not have been less than that. + +Friday the 29th being cloudy and stormy nothing in the line of geodetic +work was done and we could only rest in camp. Dodds and Jones who had +gone to explore a way to the Grand Canyon came in reporting success. +Saturday morning Jones and Fennemore started for Kanab to bring out more +rations and meet us either at Fort Pierce or at Berry's Spring near St. +George, while Prof. with Dodds and Johnson went to try to follow the +trail Whitmore had told about to the river, but after four miles they +gave it up and climbed by a side trail to the plateau again. They made a +dry camp and the next day went on till they found water enough for the +horses in some pools on the rocks, and here, leaving the others to +continue the reconnaissance, Prof. came back to our camp, arriving in a +snow-storm. It had been snowing with us at intervals all day. The next +day was April first, and with it came still heavier snow. We planned to +move down to the edge of the Grand Canyon, and Jack and Andy started as +Jack wished to make some photographs there, but the snow continuing we +concluded to wait till another day. When that came the snow was quite +deep on the ground and was still falling hard, which it continued to do +most of the time, preventing us from moving. Fennemore had brought with +him a copy of _The Count of Monte Cristo_, which I had never read, and +in its pages I soon became oblivious to the surroundings. The snow kept +on the next day also and all the men out returned to the main camp, +Dodds and Johnson having reached the river bank. When another morning +dawned and showed no cessation of the aggravating storm, with the snow +fifteen inches on the level, Prof. said he would pack up Friday the 5th +and get down to lower country around St. George. The day came clear and +sunny and the snow began to melt. We headed for the Pine Valley +Mountains back of St. George and made about twenty miles with no snow +after the first six, the altitude dropping to where the temperature was +milder. Prof. had inquired at the ranch about trails, but there were so +many cattle trails that we did not get on the right one. We made a dry +camp and early the following morning went on, not being able to see any +landmarks because of the clouds. Half an hour after starting a thick +snow-storm set in but we kept going, till in about a mile and a half the +world seemed suddenly to end. Above, below, and around us was a great +blank whiteness. Dismounting and cautiously advancing on foot we +discovered that we were on the brink of a very high cliff. As we did not +know which way to turn we threw off the packs and stopped where we were. +Spreading out blankets we scraped the snow from them into the kettles to +melt for water. Then by holding a blanket up over Andy by the four +corners he was able, with some chips he had previously chopped out of +the side of a dead pine, to start a fire, by which he proceeded to cook +dinner. + +When the snow fell less heavily we could peer down and then saw that the +cliff was continuous in both directions. By half-past two, with our kegs +and canteens filled with the snow water, we were again on the way +following along to find a place to go down, but we saw none that seemed +practicable, and at last, having made altogether five miles, we halted +for the night in a grove of cedars, where we had a good fire and were +comfortable though our rations were now growing scarce. Snow at +intervals continued all day up to bedtime. The next day was Sunday. We +travelled twenty miles along the line of cliffs and camped near a canyon +in which we found pools of good water. We saw an antelope during the day +but could not get it. Andy baked up the last of our flour for supper and +put on a pot of beans and one of dried peaches to cook for breakfast. +The beans were edible in the morning and we disposed of them and the +peaches and went on our way. After a day of many ups and downs we +arrived about two o'clock at a ranch called Gould's or Workman's, where +we bought five dollars worth of corn-meal and milk. We were now on what +the inhabitants of the region called Hurricane Hill, and from this we +applied the name Hurricane Ledge to the long line of sharp cliffs we had +followed, which begin at the Virgin River and extend, almost unbroken +and eight hundred to a thousand feet high, south to the Grand Canyon, +forming the western boundary of the Uinkaret Plateau. From Gould's we +had a waggon road and following it we were led to the brink of the +Hurricane Ledge, where a road had been constructed to the bottom. Before +descending we took a final look at the enchanting view opening away to +the north and north-west. At our feet was the Virgin Valley with the +green fields of Tokerville, while beyond rose magnificent cliffs +culminating to the north-west in the giant buttes and precipices of the +Mookoontoweap, or, as the Mormons call it, Little Zion Valley. Topping +the whole sweep of magnificent kaleidoscopic topography were the Pine +Valley Mountains and the lofty cliffs of the Colob and Markargunt +plateaus. It has ever since been my opinion that few outlooks in all +the world are superior for colour and form to that stretching north from +the northern part of the Hurricane Ledge.[29] + +Descending to the valley we arrived just at dusk at Berry's Spring, +where our waggon under the direction of Jones had come with supplies. +The spring was an excellent one and the rivulet flowing away from it was +bordered with large wild-rose bushes. Though the waggon and supplies +were there Jones was not, for we had expected to come in from farther +west past Fort Pierce, and he had gone on to that place to tell us where +he had decided to camp. Clem had found his gun and come out with them, +the others of the party being Fennemore and George Adair. Jones came +back the next day and prepared to start with Andy and Johnson for +several days' work in the Pine Valley Mountains, while Jack, Captain +Dodds, Fennemore, and I were to return to the Uinkaret region to +complete certain work there. Some goods to be distributed to the natives +from the Indian Bureau arrived at St. George and Prof. went there with +George Adair to have a talk with the Indians to be found, and distribute +goods. We had seen no Indians at all in the Uinkaret region. He +discovered the Shewits who came in to be afraid of us, thinking we +wanted to kill them, but they were willing to accept anything they could +get in the line of presents. Hardly any would acknowledge themselves to +be either Uinkarets or Shewits. + +On April 12th, according to the plan, Jack, Dodds, Fennemore, and I +started back to the Uinkaret Mountains, following the trail we had tried +to strike coming out. It led past a place called Fort Pierce, a small +stone building the settlers had formerly used as an advance post against +the Shewits and Uinkarets. There we spent the night, and the next day +after some trouble we got on the right trail, and on Monday, the 15th of +April, we again reached what we had called Oak Spring, near Mount +Trumbull, and the southern flow of lava already described. The following +day Jack and Fennemore went down to the brink of the Grand Canyon, at +the foot of a sort of valley the Uinkarets called Toroweap, while with +Dodds I climbed the peak later named after Senator Logan, and attempted +some triangulation, but the air was so murky I could not get my sights +and had to return for them the next morning. The day after that we +climbed Mount Trumbull, and I triangulated from there. One of my sights +from Logan was to a conical butte near which we had camped as we came +out, and near which we had found a large ant-hill covered with small, +perfect quartz crystals that sparkled in the sun like diamonds. When I +sighted to this butte, for want of a better name, I recorded it +temporarily as Diamond Butte, remembering the crystals, and the name +became fixed, which shows how unintentionally names are sometimes +bestowed. We examined the lava flows and the crater again, and I made a +sketch in pencil from another point of view from one I had made during +our former sojourn. Then we joined Jack and Fennemore, who had been +taking negatives at the canyon edge. On the 20th Dodds and I climbed +down the cliffs about three thousand feet to the water at a rapid called +Lava Falls. Across the river we could see a very large spring, but of +course we could not get over to it. Returning to Oak Spring, we spent +there another night, and in the morning, while the others started for +headquarters, I rode around to the ranch to inquire about a spring I had +heard something about existing on the St. George trail; but the solitary +man I found there, who came out of the woods in response to my shout, a +walking arsenal, did not know anything concerning it. After drinking a +quart or two of milk, which he kindly offered me, I rode on to join my +companions by continuing around the mountain, "running in" the trail as +I went with a prismatic compass. Presently I saw a cougar sitting +upright behind a big log, calmly staring at me, so I dismounted and sent +a Winchester bullet in his direction. My mule was highly nervous about +firearms, and having to restrain her antics by putting my arm through +the bridle rein, her snorting skittishness both at the rifle and the +cougar disturbed my aim and my shot went a trifle under. The bullet +seemed to clip the log, but if it hit the cougar the effect was not what +I expected, for with a rush like a sky-rocket the animal disappeared in +the top of the pine tree overhead, and I could see nothing more of it +though I rode about looking for it. Not wishing to dally here, I spurred +on to overtake my party, but in trying a short cut I passed beyond them, +as they had by that time halted in some cedars for lunch. The man at +the ranch had told me that Whitmore was due to arrive that day, and +having missed a part of the trail by the short cut, I could not judge by +the tracks as to where my party were, and not caring to waste time, I +rode on and on till I had gone so far I did not want to turn back. +Evening came, but there was a good moon, and I did not stop till eight +o'clock. The night was cold; the plain was barren and bleak. I had no +coat, but with the saddle blanket and a handful of dead brush, which I +burned by installments, I managed to warm myself enough to sleep by +short intervals. I was on my feet with the dawn, but my mule was nowhere +to be seen, though I had hoppled her well with my bridle reins. I +tracked the mule about five miles to a muddy place where there had been +water, caught her, and rode back to my saddle, when I continued my +journey, running in the trail as I went. I became pretty thirsty and +hungry, but the only thing for me to do was to continue to our main +camp. Had I gone back I might have missed our men again, for there had +been some talk about a short-cut trail, and I feared they might try it. +At two o'clock I reached Black Rock Canyon, where there was a +water-pocket full of warm and dirty water, but both the mule and I took +a drink and I rode on, passing Fort Pierce at sunset. Off on my right I +perceived ten or twelve Shewits Indians on foot travelling rapidly along +in Indian file, and as the darkness fell and I had to go through some +wooded gulches I confess I was a little uncomfortable and kept my rifle +in readiness; but I was not molested and reached camp about ten o'clock, +where I ate a large piece of bread with molasses, after a good drink of +water, and went to bed. The others arrived the following afternoon. I +had left notes for them by the trail in cleft-sticks, so they knew that +I was ahead. This was the longest trip I ever made without water or +food. + +We prepared to start out again in different directions; one party was to +go to the Pine Valley Mountains, another to Pipe Spring and the mouth of +the Paria to look after our property there, a third up the Virgin Valley +for photographs, and a fourth to St. George and the Virgin range of +mountains south-west of that town. Prof. headed this last party, and he +took me as his topographical assistant. April 27th we rode into St. +George, a town I was much interested to see. I found a very pretty, +neat, well-ordered little city of about fifteen hundred population, with +a good schoolhouse, a stone tabernacle with a spire, and a court house, +the water running in ditches along the streets for irrigating purposes +as well as for drinking. About a mile below the town we camped, and we +could hear the band playing a serenade to one of the officials who was +to start the next day on a long journey. After several days of feeling +our way about in the rugged and dry region below St. George, we finally +discovered a good water-pocket, from which Prof. and I made a long, hard +ride and climb, and about sunset camped at the base of what is now +called Mount Bangs, the highest peak of the Virgin Mountains, for which +we were aiming. The next day we climbed an additional eleven hundred +feet to its summit, and completed our work in time by swift riding to +get to our main camp at the water-pocket by half-past six. + +It was an easy trip back to St. George, following an old trail, and then +we made our way to Kanab again, where we put all our notes in shape and +fitted out for the journey to the mouth of the Dirty Devil across the +unknown country. + + +[Illustration: In the Unknown Country. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872.] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 28: For the linguistic classification of stocks and tribes of +the United States, see Appendix, _The North Americans of Yesterday_, by +F. S. Dellenbaugh.] + +[Footnote 29: For a description of Little Zion Valley, see "A New Valley +of Wonders," by F. S. Dellenbaugh, _Scribner's Magazine_, January, +1904.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + Off for the unknown Country--A lonely Grave--Climbing a + Hog-back to a green grassy Valley--Surprising a Ute + Camp--Towich-a-tick-a-boo--Following a Blind Trail--The + Unknown Mountains Become Known--Down a deep Canyon--To the + Paria with the _Canonita_--John D. Lee and Lonely Dell. + + +Andy and Captain Dodds, who had gone to the mouth of the Paria to +ascertain the condition of our boats, returned May 15th, reporting the +boats all right, but the caches we had left torn up by wolves and +prospectors. The latter had stolen oars and other things, and gone down +on a raft to be wrecked at the first rapid in Marble Canyon, where they +just escaped with their lives. A settler had established himself there a +short time before, the notorious John D. Lee, who was reputed to have +led the massacre of the unfortunate Missourians at Mountain Meadows in +1857, and who had eluded capture all these years. He had been "cut off," +nominally at least, from the Mormon Church, and had lived in the most +out-of-the-way places, constantly on his guard. Our men took all our +ropes and remaining materials from the caches to his cabin, where they +would be safe till our arrival. We prepared for the trip eastward across +the unknown country to the mouth of the Dirty Devil River, and by the +22d of May I had completed the preliminary map of the region to westward +which we had just reconnoitred. Mrs. Thompson was to stay in Kanab, for +Prof. decided that it would not be advisable for her to accompany him on +this journey, although she was the most cheerful and resolute explorer +of the whole company. A large tent was erected for her in the corner of +Jacob's garden, and she was to take her meals with Sister Louisa, whose +house stood close by. With Fuzz, a most intelligent dog, for a companion +in her tent and the genial Sister Louisa for a near neighbour she was +satisfactorily settled. Fuzz had the peculiarity of sympathising with +the Navajos in their contempt for the Pai Utes. The latter roused his +ire on the instant, but when a Navajo came up, with his confident step, +Fuzz would lie still, with merely a roll of the eye to signify that he +was on guard. + +Saturday, May 25th, our caravan of riders, pack animals, and a waggon +moved slowly toward Eight-Mile Spring, the first stop in prospect. I +rode a brisk little horse which had received the lofty name of Aaron. +When we reached Eight-Mile Spring about noon there was barely enough +water for our animals and for cooking dinner, which compelled our going +elsewhere to put on the finishing touches to our outfit before cutting +loose from the settlements, and Prof. directed the caravan to continue +to Johnson, farther east and up one of the canyons of the Vermilion +Cliffs. He returned to Kanab to make some final arrangements there, +while we kept on to Johnson, passing the little settlement of two or +three houses, and making a camp two miles above, where the canyon bottom +was wide and level. Here we went over everything to be sure that all was +in good order and nothing left behind. The animals were reshod where +necessary, which operation kept Andy and Dodds busy all of Sunday, the +26th. By thus making a start and proceeding a few miles all defects and +neglects become apparent before it is too late to remedy them. On Monday +Jack went back to Kanab with the waggon, returning toward night with +George Adair. Fennemore had started with them, but he had turned back +after something forgotten, and they did not know whether or not he had +come on. In the morning George went off to look for him, and met him +down at the settlement. He had followed on the day before, but instead +of turning up the Johnson road, according to instructions, he had gone +ahead on the road towards the Paria settlement. Finally concluding that +he was wrong he had tried to correct his mistake by moonlight, but after +a while gave it up, tied his mule, unsaddled, to a cedar, and claimed +the protection of another for himself. During the night the mule chewed +the bridle in two and departed for Kanab, leaving Fennemore, when +daylight came, to walk some eight miles under a hot sun without water or +breakfast to Johnson. He was considerably used up by this episode, and +put in the remainder of the day in recuperating. The evenings were +wonderfully beautiful, and looking from a height the scene was +exceptionally picturesque, with the red rocks, the warm sky, the camp +equipage, and the air so still that the smoke of the camp-fires rose +slender and unbroken till lost in the zenith. + +Early Wednesday morning Prof. rode up on his powerful buckskin-coloured +horse, and with Johnson and me went over to our Point B some miles away +for some bearings, while Fennemore rode in search of his abandoned +saddle. By night there was nothing to interfere with our making the +final start, which we did May 30th, proceeding up the canyon without +Mormon, one of our strongest horses, which by an accident had been +injured so badly that he had to be left behind at Johnson. He was a +fractious, unruly beast, but with so great vitality that we were sorry +not to have his services. He died a week or two later. Towards night we +passed another very small settlement called Clarkston, and camped near +it, the last houses we would see for some time. Several Pai Utes hung +around, and Prof. engaged one called Tom to accompany us as interpreter +and, so far as he might know the country, as guide. + +The next day, after sixteen miles north-easterly up canyons, we entered +about three o'clock an exceedingly beautiful little valley, with a fine +spring and a small lake or pond at the lower end. George Adair instantly +declared that he meant to come back here to live, and after dinner when +we reconnoitred the place he staked out his claim. All the next morning, +June 1st, our way led over rolling meadows covered with fine grass, but +about noon this ended and we entered the broken country of the upper +Paria, with gullies and gulches barren and dry the rest of the day, +except two, in which we crossed small branches of the Paria. In one of +the dry gulches we passed a grave, marked by a sandstone slab with E. A. +cut on it, which the wolves had dug out, leaving the human bones +scattered all around. We could not stop to reinter them. They were the +remains of Elijah Averett, a young Mormon, who was killed while pursuing +Pai Utes in 1866. Just before sunset we arrived at the banks of the +Paria, where we made camp, with plenty of wood, water, and grass. +Captain Dodds during the afternoon recognised a place he had been in +when hunting a way the autumn before, and we followed his old trail for +a time. Leaving the Paria the following day where it branches, we +followed the east fork to its head, twelve miles, climbing rapidly +through a narrow valley. We could plainly see on the left a high, flat, +cliff-bounded summit, which was called Table Mountain, and early in the +afternoon we reached a series of "hog-backs," and up one of which the +old Indian trail we were now following took its precarious way. The +hog-backs were narrow ridges of half-disintegrated clay-shale, with +sides like the roof of a house, the trail following the sharp +summit-line. Before we had fairly begun this very steep, slippery, and +narrow climb, the thunder boomed and the heavens threw down upon us +fierce torrents of rain, soaking everything and chilling us through and +through, while making the trail like wet soap. Part way up, at one of +the worst places, a pack came loose, and, slipping back, hung on the +rump of the horse. There was no room for bucking it off, and there was +no trouble so far as the beast of burden was concerned, for he realised +fully his own danger. Two of us managed to climb along past the other +animals to where he meekly stood waiting on the narrow ridge, with a +descent on each side of eight hundred or nine hundred feet, and set +things in order once more, when the cavalcade continued the ascent, the +total amount of which was some twelve hundred feet. + +Arriving at the top we found ourselves almost immediately on the edge of +a delightful little valley, mossy and green with a fresh June dress, +down which we proceeded two or three miles to a spring where Dodds and +Jacob had made a cache of some flour the year before. The flour had +disappeared. We made a camp and dried out our clothes, blankets, etc., +by means of large fires. Though it was summer the air was decidedly +chilly, for we were at an altitude of nearly 6000 feet. Our interpreter +that was to be did not enjoy the situation and I think he dreaded +meeting with the stranger Indians we might encounter. He declared he was +"heap sick," and begged to be allowed to return, so Prof. gave him +several days' rations and we saw him no more. There was a pretty creek +in this valley flowing eastward, which Dodds said was the head of the +Dirty Devil, the same stream he had followed down the year before in the +attempt to find a way to bring us rations. The weather was very bad but +we kept on down Potato Valley as it had been named, crossing three or +four swift tributaries. About four o'clock we stopped beside a raging +torrent and went into camp to reconnoitre. There were signs of some one +having been here about a month before, and as the animals were shod we +judged it was some prospector. The next day was so wet and Prof. was +feeling so sick that we kept our camp, having made tents out of paulins +and pack-covers, which gave me a chance to plot up the trail from Kanab +to this point, one hundred and three miles. Instead of crossing the +torrent the following day, June 5th, we went over the chief stream +before the union and travelled down the right-hand side till we arrived +within half a mile of the place where the river canyoned and received a +tributary from the left. It cut into the rocks very abruptly and being +high we could not enter the canyon as Dodds had done. While the party +camped here, Prof. and Dodds rode away to the south on a dim trail to +find out what move to make; how far we might be able to go down the +Dirty Devil the next day. When they got back they reported finding a +canyon twelve miles farther on, with many water-pockets, and concluded +to go there. We arrived about noon Thursday, June 6th, making camp. +Prof. and Dodds then climbed to where they could get a wide view, and +Dodds pointed out the locality he had before reached when he thought +himself so near the mouth of the Dirty Devil. No sooner had he done so +than Prof. perceived at once that we were not on the river we thought we +were on, for by this explanation he saw that the stream we were trying +to descend flowed into the Colorado far to the south-west of the Unknown +Mountains, whereas he knew positively that the Dirty Devil came in on +the north-east. Then the question was, "What river is this?" for we had +not noted a tributary of any size between the Dirty Devil and the San +Juan. It was a new river whose identity had not been fathomed. This +discovery put a different complexion on everything. The problem was more +complicated than Dodds had imagined when he was trying to reach the +mouth the year before. + +Prof. declared it was impossible to proceed farther in this direction +towards our goal. The canyon of the river was narrow, and with the +stream swimming high it was out of the question as a path for us now, +and even had we been able to go down far enough to get out on the other +side, the region intervening between it and the distant mountains was a +heterogeneous conglomeration of unknown mesas and canyons that appeared +impassable. He concluded the only thing to do was to go north to the +summit of the Wasatch cliffs and keep along the high land north-east to +an angle where these slopes vanished to the north. From that point we +might be able to cross to the Dirty Devil or Unknown Mountains. Once at +these mountains we felt certain of finding a way to our former +camp-ground at the mouth of the Dirty Devil River. We retraced our path +to the foot of Potato Valley, and there Jones, Clem, and George Adair +were sent out to Kanab for additional rations, it being plain that we +were in for a longer effort than had been contemplated. They were to be +here again in twelve days to meet Prof. with his party, on the return +from starting down the _Canonita_ with a crew selected from the seven +remaining men. This seven, which included Prof., were now to strike up a +branch creek and reach the upper slopes of what he later called the +Aquarius Plateau, and along its verdant slopes continue our effort to +reach the Unknown Mountains. The two parties separated on Saturday, June +8th, our contingent travelling about eighteen miles nearly due north, +till just at sunset we entered a high valley in which flowed two +splendid creeks. There we camped with an abundance of everything needed +to make a comfortable rest for man and beast. In such travel as this the +beast is almost the first consideration, for without him movement is +slow and difficult and distance limited. We had gone up in altitude a +great deal, 1800 or 2000 feet, and the next day, which was Sunday, we +continued this upward course, seeing signs of deer and elk with an +occasional sight of a fat "pine hen" winging its heavy flight from tree +to tree. The pines were very tall and thick, interspersed with fir and +balsam as well as with the usual accompaniment of high altitude in the +West, the aspen. Our aneroids indicated 10,000 feet above sea-level, and +we could look down upon the vast canyoned desert to the south as on a +map. Descending into a deep canyon where a clear torrent was foaming +down at the rate of five hundred feet to the mile, we went up a branch +and finally passing over a sudden crest discovered before us a very +beautiful lake of an extent of some two hundred acres. It was now late, +and though we had come only ten miles we went into camp for the night. +There were several smaller lagoons nearby and we named the group the +Aspen Lakes. Around them in the dense groves huge snowbanks still +lingered from the heart of winter. A prettier mountain region than this +could not be imagined, while the magnificent outlook to the south and +east across the broken country was a bewildering sight, especially as +the night enveloped it, deepening the mystery of its entangled gorges +and cliffs. From every point we could see the Navajo Mountain and at +least we knew what there was at the foot of its majestic northern slope. +I climbed far above camp and crossing over a promontory looked down upon +the nebulous region to the eastward that we were to fathom, and it +seemed to me one of the most interesting sights I had ever beheld. The +night was so cold that ice formed in our kettles, for our altitude in +feet above sea was in the ten thousand still. + +[Illustration: Navajo Mountain from near Kaiparowits Peak. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872.] + +All the next morning, Monday, June 10th, we rode through a delightful +region of rolling meadows, beautiful groves of pines and aspens, and +cool, clear creeks. Near noon we descended into a fertile valley where +we crossed two superb torrential streams and camped at the second under +a giant pine. Fennemore felt very sick, which prevented further progress +this day, and we put in the afternoon exploring as far as we could the +neighbourhood. More lakes were found and as they were in a cup-like +depression we called them the "Hidden Lakes." Jack made some fine +negatives of several of these pretty bodies of water, two of which I +have added to the illustrations of this volume. Not far from our camp +two more splendid creeks came together to form one, which Dodds said he +thought was that named by them Big Boulder, where it joined the main +stream down below. The next morning, Tuesday, we began our day's work by +soon crossing Cataract and Cascade creeks before they united to form the +Big Boulder, rushing down with an impetuosity that was forbidding. The +two forming creeks were much alike, but we could see back in the +distance a beautiful cascade of fully 1000 feet in which the second +stream originated, and we distinguished it by that name. All day we +travelled over a rancher's paradise, meeting no Indians and seeing no +recent signs of any except in some filmy smoke mounting mysteriously +from canyons in the tangled sandstone labyrinth below. Who were they, +how many, and what might be their temper? were questions that came to us +as we reflected on the presence there of unknown human beings, and +furthermore would we meet them, and if so when? As on the preceding day +we crossed many fine brooks which in the dry season probably would not +make so vigorous a showing. Late in the afternoon, having travelled +fifteen miles, we reached the point where the end of the Wasatch or +Aquarius Plateau, the high slope of which we were using as a bridge from +Potato Valley to the Unknown Mountains, broke back to the north, cutting +us off once more from our objective, for a wide stretch, twenty-five +miles in an airline, of ragged desert apparently impassable still +intervened. We camped there at a convenient little spring. In the +morning I was sent with Johnson for my companion in one direction down +the mountain to look for some old trail, while Prof. with Dodds went in +another. Scarcely had I gone half a mile when I found tolerably fresh +Indian sign, and a mile or two farther on we struck a recently travelled +trail. The horses that had gone over it were unshod and there were +moccasin tracks indicating Indians without a doubt, but what kind of +course the track did not reveal. The trail led towards the Dirty Devil +Mountains, and we followed it three or four miles to ascertain with +certainty its general course. There was a possibility of our stumbling +upon the Indians in camp at some bend, and as this was not desirable for +only two of us we turned back as soon as we felt sure of the direction. +Prof. had seen no trail at all, and he said we would take the one I had +found and follow it. That night was disagreeable and rainy with +numberless mosquitoes, but worst of all one of our new men always snored +till the ground shook, and owing to the rain we could not get away from +him, for we had to remain in the improvised tent to keep dry. + +The morning light never was more welcome and we were all up early. The +day was fair. We were soon off and made our way down from the grassy +heights to the trail, tracing its wearisome twists and turns, sometimes +thinking it was not going our way at all when the next turn would be +exactly right. In general its course was about east. The land was +desolate and dry, and exactly as the region appeared from above, a +complete labyrinth of variously coloured cliffs and canyons. Besides +being very crooked on account of the nature of the topography, the trail +at times was indistinct because of the barren rocks, smooth as a floor, +with nothing to take an imprint. In these places we were obliged to make +the best guess we could. We came to a place where a valley lay about +1800 feet below us, with the descent to it over bare, smooth, white +sandstone almost as steep as a horse could stand on. We travelled a mile +and a half over this and then found ourselves in a better looking region +where, after a few miles, we discovered a beautiful creek flowing +rapidly. There was plenty of good grass and we made our camp beneath +some cottonwood trees, having accomplished twenty miles the way we came. +Smoke of an Indian fire was rolling up about three miles below us, but +we paid little attention to it. Every man delayed putting down his +blankets till the champion snorer had selected the site of his bed, and +then we all got as far away as the locality would permit. Having slept +little the night before, we hardly stirred till morning, and in +gratitude we called the stream Pleasant Creek without an attempt at +originality. + +It was Friday, May 14th, and our long cavalcade proceeded in the usual +single file down along the creek in the direction of the Indian smoke. +Scarcely had we gone three miles when suddenly we heard a yell and the +bark of a dog. Then we discovered two squaws on the other side who had +been gathering seeds, and who were now giving the alarm, for we were +close upon an Indian camp set on the edge of a low hill on the opposite +side of the creek. Our outfit presented rather a formidable appearance, +especially as we were an unexpected apparition, and we could see them +all running to hide, though I thought for a moment we might have a +battle. Without a halt, Prof. led the way across the creek to the foot +of the hill, and as we reached the place one poor old man left as a +sacrifice came tottering down, so overcome by fear that he could barely +articulate, "Hah-ro-ro-roo, towich-a-tick-a-boo," meaning very friendly +he was, and extending his trembling hand. Doubtless he expected to be +shot on the instant. With a laugh we each shook his hand in turn saying +"towich-a-tick-a-boo, old man," and rode up the hill into the camp, +where we found all the wickiups with everything lying about just as they +had been using it at the moment of receiving the alarm. We dismounted +and inducing the terrified old man to sit down in one of the wickiups, +Prof. sat with him and we rolled cigarettes, giving him one, and when +all were smoking, except Prof. who never used tobacco, we urged him in +English and Pai Ute and by signs to call the others back. I walked a few +yards out on the hill and just then, with a rush and a clatter of +language I could not understand, except "Impoo immy pshakai?" (What do +you want?) the two squaws who had been up the creek arrived. The +foremost one, frothing at the mouth with excitement and effort, dashed +at me with an uplifted butcher knife as if she would enjoy sending it +into me, but I laughed at her and she halted immediately in front of me. +She broke into a maniacal laugh then and shouted something to the hidden +refugees. We persuaded the old man also to call them, and he stepped out +from the cedars which grew on the point and spoke a loud sentence. At +last they began to appear silently and one by one. There were eight of +the men, all well dressed in buckskin, and a number of women and +children. When they became confident that we really meant to be friendly +they relaxed their vigilance. With the hope of securing a guide and also +to study them a little we went into camp in the creek bottom under the +hill where they came to visit us. Their language and appearance showed +them to be Utes. + +When Prof. got back to Kanab he heard that a party of Red Lake Utes had +killed a white boy near the Sevier settlements, and he concluded this +band must have been the one. They probably thought we were pursuing them +into their secret lair to punish them. Their great anxiety to trade for +powder indicated their lack of that article and partly explained the +precipitousness of their retreat. They had numbers of well dressed +buckskins and a very small amount of powder would buy one, but as we had +only metallic cartridges we could do little in the line of exchange. To +satisfy one of them that we had no loose powder I removed the spring +from the magazine of my Winchester and poured the sixteen cartridges +out. He had never seen such a gun before and was greatly astonished, +though he hardly understood how it worked. Prof. tried his best to +persuade one to go with us as a guide, for the labyrinth ahead was a +puzzle, but whether through fear or disinclination to leave friends not +one would go. The chief gave us a minute description of the trail to the +Unknown or Dirty Devil Mountains as well as he could by signs and words, +some of which we could not understand, and long afterwards we learned +that his information was exactly correct, though at the time through +misunderstanding we were not able to follow it. They also told us there +was a trail to the big river beyond the mountains. + +There was a little canyon in the creek nearby and the water rushed down +over a bed of bare rock at an angle of about twenty degrees. We were +surprised to discover hundreds of fish six to nine inches long wriggling +up the stream along one edge where the water was very shallow. They +formed a line from top to bottom. + +Unable to secure the guide, we left at six o'clock in the morning, +Saturday, June 15th, with all our relations cordial, the Utes going away +before we did, and struck out on the trail which led south-eastward from +this camp. Travelling twelve miles, we passed through a narrow canyon +into a larger one, believing that we were following the chief's +direction. Recent heavy rains had washed out the trail, and not knowing +its course it was impossible to keep even its general direction. Going +up a left-hand branch of the canyon--that is, to the north--we found no +exit, so we came down and followed a trail up the right-hand branch till +it disappeared, then going back once more to the entrance we again went +up the left-hand branch till we came to a vertical wall one thousand +feet high, which turned us around. The right-hand one was entered +another time, and towards its head where the cliffs could not be climbed +we made camp, with an abundance of water which was so strongly alkaline +we could not use it and had to keep the stock from it also. Our kegs +were full and we did not suffer except by limitation. In the morning we +continued up the same canyon till it ended in vertical cliffs, beneath +which there was a large pool of pure cool water, with ferns clinging +above it to the rocks and rank vegetation all around. This was an +immense relief, and we found it hard to turn our backs on so attractive +a spot and go down the gorge once more to a point not far below our last +camp. Here the walls were about a thousand feet and very precipitous, +though somewhat broken. Prof., Jack, Dodds, and I climbed out on the +north and hunted for water in different directions on the top. I kept on +and on down a dry wash, persisting against the objection of Dodds, who +thought it useless, and was at last rewarded by discovering a pocket +among the rocks containing several barrels of water, with another that +was larger a short distance below in a crevice on a rock-shelf at the +brink of a canyon. + +We returned to camp with this news, where Prof. and Jack soon joined us. +They had found no pockets, but had seen the divide between the waters of +the Colorado and the Dirty Devil, which we could follow to the mountains +if we could scale the cliffs. Prof. had selected a point where he +thought we could mount. With a liberal use of axe, shovel, and pick we +succeeded in gaining the summit in an hour and a half. With all the +cliff-climbing we had done with horses this seemed to me our paramount +achievement. The day was ending by this time, and I led the way with +some trepidation towards the pocket I had found, for in my haste to get +back I had not carefully noted the topography. The cedars and pinons all +looked alike in the twilight shades, and as I went on and on the men +behind began to lose faith and made joking remarks about my mental +status. I felt certain I was right, yet the distance seemed so much +greater in the dusk than when I had traversed it on foot that I was a +little disturbed. By the time we at last got to the pocket darkness was +upon us, though nobody cared for anything but water, and there it was +fresh and pure. The animals and ourselves (Andy filling the kettles +first) consumed the entire amount, but it gave each a full drink, and we +held the second pool in reserve. + +[Illustration: Tantalus Creek. + +Tributary of Fremont River. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers.] + +[Illustration: D. Preliminary map of a portion of the northern part of +the unknown country indicated by the blank space on Map A at page 95, +showing the course of part of Glen Canyon, the mouth of the Fremont +(Dirty Devil) River, the Henry (Unknown) Mountains, and the trail of the +first known party of white men to cross this area. The Escalante River, +which was mistaken for the Dirty Devil, enters the Colorado just above +the first letter "o" of Colorado at the bottom of the map. The Dirty +Devil enters from the north at the upper right-hand side.] + +When morning came we engineered a way for the animals down to the shelf +where the other pocket was, twenty or thirty feet below, by pulling +rocks away in places and piling them up in others. The shelf was perhaps +fifty or sixty feet wide, with a sheer plunge of one thousand feet at +the outer end into the first canyon we had followed. The animals could +not get to the water, but we dipped it out for them in the camp kettles. +The way up from the shelf was so very steep that at one point two of us +had to put our shoulders to the haunches of some of the horses to +"boost" them, while other men pulled on a strong halter from above, and +in this way we soon had them all watered and ready for pack and saddle. +Keeping along the divide we had comparatively easy going, with the +Unknown Mountains ever looming nearer, till their blue mystery vanished +and we could discern ordinary rocks and trees composing their slopes. +About noon we arrived at the edge of an intervening valley, with the +wind blowing so fierce a gale that we could barely see. Crossing this +depression we reached a small creek at the foot of the second mountain +from the north (now Mt. Pennell), and climbed its slope seventeen +hundred feet to a beautiful spring, where we camped, with plenty of fine +grass for the famished horses. We had at last traversed the unknown to +the unknown, and felt well satisfied with our success. If it had ever +been done before by white men there was no knowledge of it. + +The temperature was so low that water froze in the camp kettles, and +next morning, June 18th, the thermometer stood at 28 deg. F., with the water +of the little brook running from the spring at 37 deg. F. After breakfast +Prof., Jack, and Dodds climbed the mountain on which we were camped, +running their aneroid out, while with Johnson I went down the slope +north, crossed the pass, and climbed the first mountain (now Mt. Ellen, +after Mrs. Thompson). A severe snow-storm set in, and when we had +finally attained a point where our aneroid indicated 11,200 feet above +sea-level, we were obliged to turn back because of the lateness of the +hour and having no coats, no food, or water. When we reached camp on the +other mountain night had come. Andy had been trying to cook some beans, +but the high altitude prevented the water from getting hot enough and +the operation was incomplete.[30] I foolishly ate some of the beans, +being very hungry, with the result that I was sick for the first time on +the expedition, suffering a horrible stomach-ache. Though not disabled I +was extremely uncomfortable. In the morning we started to go around +north through the pass to the east side of the mountain, and I ran in +the trail as usual, mounting and dismounting many times, till I was +extremely glad after eight miles when we came to the head of a little +creek and stopped to enable Prof. to climb the third peak (Mt. Hillers) +for observations. While he was gone I was content to lie still in the +shade of a bush, and finally lost my pain in sleep. Prof. got back so +late that we camped where we were, much to my satisfaction. The view +from our camp was extensive and magnificent, the whole Dirty Devil +region lying open, like a book, below us. + +We were striking for the creek up which Prof. and Cap. had come the year +before from the river, for we knew that from its mouth we could easily +get to where our _Canonita_ was cached. The next day, June 20th, we +continued down Trachyte Creek, as Prof. called it, till four o'clock, +passing many old camps and grazing grounds, when we halted for Prof. to +climb to a height. The outlook there showed him that this was not the +stream whose canyon below we wanted to descend to the river, so the +following morning he took Dodds and reconnoitred, the latter after a +while returning with orders for us to come on eastward to another +canyon. We left Trachyte Creek and reached Prof. at two o'clock. He had +prospected a trail, or rather a way, to descend into the canyon over the +smooth bare sandstone across which we wound back and forth for a mile, +constantly going down into the strange, weird depths till at last we +reached the creek bed, where a short distance below we went into camp in +a beautiful green cottonwood grove, with enormous pockets of good water +close by. By seven o'clock in the morning of the 22d we were going on +down the deep, narrow canyon, and arrived at the Colorado at half-past +ten. The river was at least fifteen feet higher than last year, and +rushed by with a majestic power that was impressive. Our first unusual +incident was when Prof.'s horse, in trying to drink from a soft bank, +dropped down into the swift current and gave us half an hour's difficult +work to get him out. When we had eaten dinner we all went up to the +mouth of the Dirty Devil, where we had stored the _Canonita_, and +rejoiced to find her lying just as we left her, except that the water +had risen to that level and washed away one of the oars. We caulked the +boat temporarily, launched her once more on the sweeping tide, and in +two minutes were at our camp, where we hauled her out for the repairs +necessary to make her sound for the run to the Paria. + +Sunday was the next day, June 23d, and while the others rested I plotted +in the trail by which we had crossed to this place so that Prof. could +take it out with him, as he decided that Jack, Johnson, Fennemore, and I +were to take the boat down, while he, Andy, and Dodds would go back +overland to meet Jones and George Adair at the foot of Potato Valley. At +five o'clock they left us, going up the same canyon we had come down and +which we called Lost Creek Canyon, now Crescent Creek. The next day we +recaulked and painted the boat, and I put the name _Canonita_ in red +letters on the stern and a red star on each side of the bow. By +Wednesday the 26th she was all ready and we put her in the water and ran +down four miles to the large Shinumo house. Jack rowed the stern oars, +Johnson the bow, I steered, while Fennemore sat on the middle deck. The +high water completely obliterated the aggravating shoals which had +bothered us the year before, and we had no work at all except to steer +or to land, the current carrying us along at a good pace. We stopped +occasionally for pictures and notes and got about everything that Jack +and Fennemore wanted in the line of photographs. The Fourth of July we +celebrated by firing fourteen rounds, and I made a lemon cake and a +peach-pie for dinner. On Sunday the 8th we passed the mouth of the +stream that had been mistaken for the Dirty Devil, and which Prof. had +named Escalante River. It was narrow and shallow and would not be taken +at its mouth for so important a tributary. The next day we passed the +San Juan which was running a very large stream, and camped at the Music +Temple, where I cut Jack's name and mine under those of the Howlands and +Dunn. The rapid below was dashing but easy and we ran it without +stopping to examine. On Friday the 12th we came to El Vado and dug up a +cache we had made there the year before. Our rations for some time were +nothing but bread and coffee, and we were glad to see the Echo Peaks and +then run in at the mouth of the Paria on Saturday, July 13th, with the +expectation of finding men and supplies. The _Dean_ was lying high and +dry on the bank and we wondered who had taken her from her +hiding-place. Firing our signal shots and receiving no answer, Jack and +I went up the Paria, crossing it on a log, and saw a cabin and a farm on +the west side. This we knew must be Lee's. He was ploughing in a field, +and when he first sighted us he seemed a little startled, doubtless +thinking we might be officers to arrest him. One of his wives, Rachel, +went into the cabin not far off and peered out at us. She was a fine +shot as I afterwards learned. Lee received us pleasantly and invited us +to take our meals at his house till our party came. As we had nothing +but bread and coffee and not much of these we accepted. The fresh +vegetables out of the garden, which his other wife, Mrs. Lee +XVIII., served nicely cooked, seemed the most delicious food +that could be prepared. Mrs. Lee XVIII. was a stout, comely +young woman of about twenty-five, with two small children, and seemed to +be entirely happy in the situation. The other wife, whose number I did +not learn, left before dark for a house they had at Jacob's Pool and I +never saw her again. + +[Illustration: Example of Lakes on the Aquarius Plateau. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers.] + +Lee had worked hard since his arrival early in the year and now had his +farm in fairly good order with crops growing, well irrigated by the +water he took out of the Paria. He called the place Lonely Dell, and it +was not a misnomer. Johnson made arrangements to go to Kanab the next +day, as he concluded that his health would not permit him to go through +the Grand Canyon with us, so this was our last night with him. Lee gave +me his own version of the Mountain Meadows Massacre claiming that he +really had nothing to do with it and had tried to stop it, and when he +could not do so he went to his house and cried. The Pai Utes ever after +called him Naguts or Crybaby.[31] + +In the morning, Sunday, July 14th, Johnson departed with Lee and we +expected someone to arrive to bring us news of the Major and Prof., but +the sun went down once more without any message. We felt sure that Prof. +got out of the Dirty Devil country without accident, but we wanted some +definite information of it and we also desired to know when we would +resume the canyon voyage. On Monday having nothing else to do we took +some hoes and worked in Lee's garden till near noon, when we heard yells +which proved to come from Andy and Clem with a waggon needing some help +over bad places. We soon had the waggon in a good spot under some +willows and there speedily ransacked it for mail, spending the rest of +the day reading letters and newspapers. Andy told us that Prof. had +reached Kanab with no trouble of any kind. Mrs. Lee XVIII., or +Sister Emma, as she would in Utah properly be called, invited us to +dinner and supper, and the next day we worked in the garden again, +repaired the irrigating ditch, and helped about the place in a general +way, glad enough to have some occupation even though the sun was burning +hot and the thermometer stood at 110 deg. in the shade. Almost every day we +did some work in the garden and we also repaired the irrigating dam. + +Our camp was across the Paria down by the Colorado, and when Brother Lee +came back the following Sunday he called to give us a lengthy +dissertation on the faith of the Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), while +Andy, always up to mischief, in his quiet way, delighted to get behind +him and cock a rifle. At the sound of the ominous click Lee would wheel +like a flash to see what was up. We had no intention of capturing him, +of course, but it amused Andy to act in a way that kept Lee on the _qui +vive_. We got the _Nell_ out of her shed and found her in very bad +condition, while the _Dean_ was about as we had left her. Andy and Jack +went to work on the _Dean_ and in a few days had her in excellent trim. +On July 24th, which is the day the Mormons celebrate for the settlement +of Salt Lake Valley, Lee invited us to dinner and supper, which gave us +a very pleasant time. So far as our intercourse with Lee was concerned +we had no cause for complaint. He was genial, courteous, and generous. + +A copy of DeForrest's _Overland_ was in camp and I whiled away some +hours reading it, but time began to hang heavily upon us and we daily +longed for the appearance of the rest of the party so that we might push +out on the great red flood that moved irresistibly down into the maw of +Marble Canyon, and end the uncertainty that lay before us. August the +first came and still no message. Fennemore now felt so sick that Jack +took him to Lee's with rations in order that he might have vegetables +with his meals with the hope that he would recover, but he grew worse, +and on August 4th he decided that he would return to his home in Salt +Lake. We concluded that one of us must go to Kanab to inform Prof. of +the state of affairs, and Clem in his big-hearted way offered to do +this, but we knew that his sense of locality was defective and that he +might get lost. Consequently we played on him an innocent trick which I +may now tell as he long ago went "across the range." I planned with Andy +that we three were to draw cuts for the honour of the ride and that Andy +was to let me draw the fatal one. Clem was greatly disappointed. Jack +went on a chase after Nig and ran him down about sunset, for Nig was the +most diplomatic mule that ever lived. Having no saddle I borrowed one +from Lee who let me have it dubiously as he feared we might be laying +some trap. I gave him my word that while I had his saddle no man of ours +would molest him, and furthermore that they would befriend him. I rode +away while he remarked that in the rocks he could defy an army, with +regret still in his eyes, though he accepted my pledge. I got out a few +miles before dark and slept by the roadside, with the distant murmur of +rapids speaking to me of the turmoil we were soon to pass through. By +noon of the next day I was at Jacob's Pool, by half-past three at House +Rock Spring, and at night in Summit Valley where I camped. The day was +so hot that I could hardly bear my hand on my rifle barrel as it lay +across my saddle. My lunch of jerked beef and bread I ate as I rode +along thus losing no time. + +The trail across the Kaibab was not often travelled, and it was dim and +hard to follow, a faint horse track showing here and there, so I lost it +several times but quickly picked it up again, and finally came out of +the forest where I could see all the now familiar country to the west +and north. About two o'clock I arrived at Kanab and rode to Jacob's +house where Sister Louisa told me that the Major, Prof., Mrs. Thompson, +Professor De Motte, and George Adair had left that very morning for the +south end of the Kaibab on the way to the Paria, and that Jones and +Lyman Hamblin the day before had started for the Paria with a waggon +load of supplies drawn by a team of four broncho mules. Nig being very +tired I thought I would rest till morning, when he rewarded my +consideration by eluding me till ten o'clock. This gave me so late a +start that it was dark and rainy when I descended the east side of the +Kaibab, and I had to drag Nig down the 2000 feet in the gloom over +boulders, bushes, ledges, or anything else that came, for I could see +only a few feet and could not keep the trail. I reached House Rock +Spring at last and camped there. In the morning I discovered Jones and +Lyman down in the valley and joined them for breakfast, after which I +helped them start. This was no easy matter, for the four mules they had +in harness, with one exception, were as wild as mountain sheep, having +only recently been broken. Jones had been badly kicked three times, his +hands were burned by the ropes, and there was a lively time whenever the +excited animals were put to the waggon. The road was new, only a waggon +track in reality, and the mules became more and more docile through +exhaustion as the day went on. At night they were far safer to handle +than in the morning. + +July 9th about dark we arrived at Lonely Dell, Lee stealing suspiciously +in behind where I was walking, to ask me who the men were and what they +wanted. We had a joyful time, especially as Steward had sent out a large +box of fine candy which we found in the mail and opened at once. Four +days later the Major and his party came from the Kaibab and we had +venison for supper. The Major said we would go on down the Colorado as +soon as possible though the water was still very high. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon + +Near mouth of Shinumo Creek + +The river is in flood and the water is "colorado." Sketch made in colour +on the spot by F. S. Dellenbaugh. July 26, 1907.] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 30: We had not yet learned to put a tight cover on the bean +pot, and then by means of a big stone on the cover and a hot fire create +an artificial atmosphere within it, thus raising the temperature.] + +[Footnote 31: Lee was executed for the crime five years later, 1877. +Others implicated were not punished, the execution of Lee "closing the +incident."] + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + A Company of Seven.--The _Nellie Powell_ Abandoned.--Into + Marble Canyon.--Vasey's Paradise.--A Furious Descent to the + Little Colorado.--A Mighty Fall in the Dismal Granite + Gorge.--Caught in a Trap.--Upside Down.--A Deep Plunge and a + Predicament.--At the Mouth of the Kanab. + + +We now missed Steward, Cap, and Beaman more than ever, for we had been +unable to get anyone to take their places. The fact was our prospective +voyage through Marble and Grand canyons was considered almost a forlorn +hope and nobody cared to take the risk. The plan had been to give me the +steering of the _Canonita_, but now with three boats and only seven to +man them it was plain that one must be abandoned. An examination of them +all showed that the _Nellie Powell_ was in the poorest condition and she +was chosen for the sacrifice. She was put back in her shelter being +afterwards used by Lee for a desultory ferry business, that developed. +About ten days before our arrival, the _Dean_ had been discovered by a +newspaper man named J. H. Beadle, and used to cross to the north side +where he left her. This was how she happened to be there when we came. +Beadle had denounced Lee and the Mormons in print and tried to conceal +his identity by assuming the name of Hanson, a plan frustrated by his +having some clothes, marked with his own name, laundered by Sister +Emma. Lee was only amused by the incident. The _Dean_ was to be manned +by the same crew as before; Jones to steer, Jack at the after oars, I at +the forward pair, and the Major in his usual place on the middle deck. +The _Canonita_ was to have Prof. as steersman, Andy at the stroke oars, +and Clem in the bow, Clem having gotten all over his inclination to +leave and being determined now to see the end of the voyage before he +departed. + +The same day that the Major and his party arrived, Jack and I, with +Jones steering, tried the _Dean_ by taking Mrs. Thompson, Professor +DeMotte, and Lyman Hamblin up the river so that they might see what a +canyon was like from a boat. Mrs. Thompson was so enthusiastic that she +declared she wanted to accompany us. Prof. took her as passenger on the +_Canonita_ about half-past four on Wednesday, August 14th, when we had +completed the sacking and packing of provisions, and with both boats ran +down through a small rapid or two about a mile and a half, where we +camped at the mouth of a little canyon down which the waggon-road came. +Mrs. Thompson enjoyed the exhilaration of descending the swift rushing +water and still thought it attractive. I went to Lee's and brought down +the Major's arm-chair for our boat, and saw Fennemore who was very sick. +We made our final preparations at this point, and I spent most of +Thursday morning helping the Major get his papers in order so that if we +did not appear again his affairs could be readily settled. This required +considerable writing, which I did, for the Major wrote slowly with his +left hand, the only one he had. We dined with Lee, having the first +watermelon of the season for dessert. Lee was most cordial and we could +not have asked better treatment than he gave us the whole time we were +at Lonely Dell. In the afternoon our land outfit left for Kanab and we +said a last good-bye to the men, who looked as if they never expected to +see us again. Only the "Tirtaan Aigles" remained, and there were but +seven of these now. The next day we put the finishing touches on the +boats, and while we were doing this our late fellow voyageur Beaman, and +a companion named Carleton, passed on their way to the Moki Towns where +Beaman wanted to make photographs. All being ready the next day, +Saturday, August 17th, we pushed out on the mighty Colorado about nine +o'clock and by noon ran into Marble Canyon, nearly five miles, passing +one small rapid and another of considerable size on a river about one +hundred feet wide and extremely swift, with straight walls rapidly +increasing from the fifty feet or so at the Paria. Marble Canyon while +differing in name is but the upper continuation of the Grand Canyon, +there being no line of demarkation other than a change in geological +structure and the entrance of the canyon of the Little Colorado. The +combined length of the two divisions is 283 miles and the declivity is +very great. The altitude of the mouth of the Paria is 3170 feet, while +the Grand Wash at the end of the Grand Canyon is 840 feet, leaving a +descent of 2330 feet still before us. + +At our dinner camp, which was on a talus on the left, the walls were +about 500 feet and quite precipitous, but I was able to climb out on the +right to get a view of the surroundings. After dinner we went on in our +usual order, our boat the _Dean_ in advance and the _Canonita_ +following. The photographing now devolved entirely on Jack and Clem; +Andy as usual ran the culinary branch of the expedition, Jones and Prof. +meandered the river. We had not gone far after dinner before we were +close upon a bad-looking rapid, a drop of about eighteen feet in a +distance of 225, which we concluded to defeat by means of a portage on +the right-hand bank. As we knew exactly what to do no time was wasted +and we were soon below, sweeping on with a stiff current which brought +us, in about ten miles from our morning start and five from the noon +halt, to a far worse rapid than the last, a fall of twenty-five feet in +four or five hundred, with very straight walls six hundred feet high on +both sides. The Major concluded to leave the passage of it till the next +day, and we went into camp at the head. This was the rapid where +disaster fell on the miners, ten in number, who in the spring had stolen +a lot of our things at the Paria and started down prospecting on a raft. +They saved their lives but not another thing, and after a great deal of +hard work they succeeded by means of driftwood ladders in climbing to +the top of the walls and made their way to the settlement. This is now +called Soap Creek Rapid, being at the mouth of the canyon by which the +little stream of that name reaches the river,--a little stream which at +times is a mighty torrent. In a small rapid following or in the final +portion of this, I believe, is the place where Frank M. Brown, leader of +the Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railway Survey, was drowned in +1889. + +We began work on Sunday, August 18th, by making the portage and had no +trouble of any kind, Jack and Clem making some photographs before we +finally said good-bye to the place. Continuing on our way we found the +river very narrow, not over seventy-five feet in many places and ranging +from that to two hundred, with frequent whirlpools strong enough to +swing our boats entirely around. Before dinner-time we had put five +large rapids behind, and then we halted under a ledge on the left a +short distance above a very ugly and difficult prospect. There was an +exceedingly heavy descent and a soft sandstone being at the river margin +it was worn away, giving little chance for a footing by which to make a +portage. The Major and Prof. decided that we could run it safely, and +after dinner we shot into it, both boats going through in fine style. +Just below was another smaller one that was vanquished easily, and we +went swiftly on down the swirling, booming current. Rain fell at +intervals to continue our saturation, and with four more rapids, all of +which we ran, one having quite a heavy fall, there was little chance for +us to dry out. At one point we passed an enormous rock which had dropped +from the cliffs overhead and almost blocked the whole river. Then we +arrived at a huge rapid whose angry tones cried so distinctly, "No +running through here," that we did not hesitate but began a let down +forthwith, and when that was accomplished we camped at the foot of it +for the night, having come eleven and three-eighths miles during the +day. The rapid was extremely noisy and the roaring reverberated back and +forth from cliff to cliff as it ascended to the top, 1800 feet, to +escape into the larger air. The walls had two or three terraces and were +not over three quarters of a mile apart at the summit, the cliff +portions being nearly or quite perpendicular. The rocks, of all sizes, +which were legion at each rapid, were frequently dovetailed into each +other by the action of the current and so neatly joined in a serrated +line that they were practically one. + +[Illustration: Thompson + +Marble Canyon. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872.] + +The rapidity with which the water went down and the walls went up as we +cut into the plateau gave a vivid impression of descending into the very +bowels of the earth, and this impression seemed daily to intensify. On +Monday, August 19th, the same conditions prevailed, the walls being of +marble mostly vertical from the water's edge for about seven hundred +feet, and then rising by four terraces to two thousand feet, all stained +red by the disintegration of iron-stained rocks overhead though the +marble is a grey colour. We only made four and one-quarter miles and +established Camp 90 on the left, just below a big rapid and in sight of +another, with a record for the whole day of four rapids run, three +passed by let-downs, and one overcome by a portage. The next day we did +not accomplish a much greater distance, only about nine miles, but we +were highly successful in our encounters with the enemy, running no less +than twelve big rapids and making a portage at another to round out the +dozen on the baker's proverbial basis. The average width of the canyon +at the top was about one and a quarter miles, while the breadth of the +water itself plunging along the bottom was not more than 125 feet, and +the total height of wall was 2500 feet. We had marble at the river +margin most of the day, a greyish crystalline rock fluted +multitudinously in places by the action of high water and sometimes +polished like glass. While this was a grey rock the entire effect of the +canyon, for the reason stated above, was red. On the right bank we made +our camp on some sand at the mouth of a gulch, and immediately put on +our dry clothes from the boats. Not far below on the same side was what +appeared to be a vast ruined tower. Around the indentations which +answered for crumbling windows bunches of mosses and ferns were draped, +while from the side, about one hundred feet up from the river, clear +springs broke forth to dash down amidst verdure in silvery skeins. The +whole affair formed a striking and unusual picture, the only green that +so far had been visible in the canyon landscape, for the walls from +brink to river were absolutely barren of trees or any apparent +vegetation. On the former trip the Major had named the place after a +botanist friend of his, Vasey's (Vaysey) Paradise, and this was now +recorded in our notes. All day long we had seen in the magnificent walls +besides caverns and galleries resemblances to every form of +architectural design, turrets, forts, balconies, castles, and a thousand +strange and fantastic suggestions from the dark tower against which +Childe Roland with his slug-horn blew defiance, to the airy structures +evolved by the wonderful lamp of Aladdin. + +Starting down again on Wednesday morning we ran past the Paradise and +heard a little bird singing there amidst the spray and mosses, a +delicate note seeming out of place amidst such gigantic desolation. Only +the boom of great cannon or the tone of some enormous organ pipe would +be correct with the surroundings. The walls at the water's edge were +vertical for long distances up to eight hundred feet, and being now in +all about three thousand feet and not a great ways apart, the outlook +ahead was something almost overpowering in its deep suggestion of +mysterious and untold realms to come. On the first voyage it would have +been easy to persuade oneself that the river was soon to become +subterranean, but the Major having solved the enigma, we could look with +indifference on the threatening prospect. Yet the walls nevertheless +seemed to have a determination to close together overhead as we looked +down the descending waters before us, with cliff mounting on cliff and +the distance from one to the other appearing so very small. Deep and +sombre were the shadows at the bends, and the imagination needed no spur +to picture there rapids, falls, cataracts, of giant proportions. We made +nearly eleven miles and ran ten very big rapids, meeting with no +accident, though one was particularly violent and filled us half full of +water in the fierce breakers. The stage of water was exactly right for +this stretch; a lower stage would certainly have given us far more +trouble. Our stop for the night, Camp 92, was made on a wide sandbank on +the left, with some mesquite growing nearby, our first acquaintance with +this tree on the river. We now were getting on so well and were so +comfortable that we felt quite happy and Jack as usual entertained us +with several songs. The next day, Thursday the 22d, Jack and Clem took +some photographs in the morning and I hunted fossils for the Major in +the limestone shales which had run up under the marble. By nine o'clock +we were packed up again in our usual good form, everything in the rubber +sacks, hatches firmly battened down, life-preservers ready, and we set +forth for another day's battle. There were numerous large rapids and the +impetuous river, turbid and grim, rushed down with a continuity that +kept us alert every instant. Though we descended with terrific velocity, +nothing gave us any particular trouble before dinner, which we ate in +the shade of a mesquite on the right at the mouth of a couple of giant +gulches. Here we discovered a large patch of cacti loaded with the red +prickly pears or cactus apples, as we called them. They were +ripe,--seeming to me to be half way between a fig and a tomato,--and +very welcome for dessert, as we had eaten no fresh fruit since a +watermelon brought along as far as the first noon camp. All the +vegetation was different from that of the upper canyons and of a kind +indicating a hotter climate; cacti, yucca, etc. In the afternoon the +walls became greater, the river ran swifter, the descent seemed almost +without a break, for rapid followed rapid in such quick succession that +it was next to impossible to separate them one from another. At times we +could barely maintain control of the boats so powerful and uninterrupted +was the turbulent sweep of the great narrow flood. At one place as we +were being hurled along at a tremendous speed we suddenly perceived +immediately ahead of us and in such a position that we could not avoid +dashing into it, a fearful commotion of the waters, indicating many +large rocks near the surface. The Major stood on the middle deck, his +life-preserver in place, and holding by his left hand to the arm of the +well secured chair to prevent being thrown off by the lurching of the +boat, peered into the approaching maelstrom. It looked to him like the +end for us and he exclaimed calmly, "By God, boys, we're gone!" With +terrific impetus we sped into the seething, boiling turmoil, expecting +to feel a crash and to have the _Dean_ crumble beneath us, but instead +of that unfortunate result she shot through smoothly without a scratch, +the rocks being deeper than appeared by the disturbance on the surface. +We had no time to think over this agreeable delivery, for on came the +rapids or rather other rough portions of the unending declivity +requiring instant and continuous attention, the Major rapidly giving the +orders, Left, right, hard on the right, steady, hard on the left, _hard +on the left_, h-a-r-d on the left, pull away strong, etc., +Jones aiding our oars by his long steering sweep. Rowing for progress +was unnecessary; the oars were required only for steering or for pulling +as fast as we could to avoid some bad place. + +At the same time the walls constantly gained height as the torrent cut +down its bed till both together, with the rapidity of our movement, +fairly made one dizzy. In turning a bend we saw back through a gulch the +summit of the Kaibab's huge cliffs, the total height above our heads +being over five thousand feet; a sublime vista. The immediate walls of +Marble Canyon were here about 3500 feet, not all vertical but rising in +buttresses, terraces, and perpendicular faces, while immediately at the +river they were now generally flanked by talus or broken ledges giving +ample footing, as seen in the illustration opposite page 219. Words are +not adequate to describe this particular day in Marble Canyon; it must +be experienced to be appreciated and I will not strive further to convey +my impressions. As the sun sank to the western edge of the outer world +we were rushing down a long straight stretch of canyon, and the colossal +precipices looming on all sides, as well as dead ahead across our +pathway, positively appeared about to overwhelm the entire river by +their ponderous magnificence, burnished at their summits by the dying +sun. On, down the headlong flood our faithful boats carried us to the +gloom that seemed to be the termination of all except subterranean +progress, but at the very bottom of this course there was a bend to the +west, and we found ourselves at the mouth of a deep side canyon coming +in from the east, with a small stream flowing into the big river. This +was the mouth of the Little Colorado and the end at last of Marble +Canyon, one of the straightest, deepest, narrowest, and most majestic +chasms of the whole long series. It also had more wall rising vertically +from the water's edge than any other canyon we had encountered. + +Our distance for the day was eighteen miles with eighteen rapids, one +nearly three miles long and all following each other so closely they +were well-nigh continuous. We ran seventeen and made one let-down. It +was a glorious day and a fitting preparation for our entrance into the +next stupendous canyon which the Major styled the "Sockdologer of the +World," the now famous Grand Canyon.[32] Our altitude was 2690 feet, +giving a descent in the sixty-five and one-half miles of Marble Canyon +of 480 feet, leaving 1850 feet still to be overcome before we could +reach the mouth of the Grand Wash and the end of the Grand Canyon. I +counted sixty-three rapids in Marble Canyon, Prof. sixty-nine. We made +four portages and let down by line six times. + +[Illustration: Canyon of the Little Colorado. + +Photograph by C. Barthelmess.] + +Our Camp 93 was on the left bank of the Little Colorado, and there we +remained for Friday, August 23d, to reconnoitre the neighbourhood, and +to give Prof. an opportunity to get the latitude and longitude. The +Little Colorado was a red stream about sixty feet wide and four or five +deep, salty and impossible to drink. The Great Colorado was also muddy +and not altogether palatable, for one's hand dipped in and allowed to +dry became encrusted with sediment; but the water otherwise was pure. +The river had been rapidly rising for several days and was still coming +up so that we were likely to have in the Grand Canyon more water than we +required. I climbed up the wall on the north side of the Little Colorado +thinking I might be able to reach the summit, but when about half-way up +I met vast and vertical heights that were impossible and returned to +camp. The next morning, Saturday, August 24th, we packed up and entered +the Grand Canyon proper on an easy river, making about five miles in +half an hour and putting behind six rapids all small, camping at the +head of one that was more threatening. Here a little creek came in from +the right, or west, near camp. The canyon was wider than above, and we +could see the summits around that were six thousand feet above the +river, but some miles back. In the morning I made a geological sketch, +and in the afternoon I climbed a high peak and put in some of the +topography. The next morning we crossed the river to examine a large +igneous butte where we found a small vein of copper ore, and after +dinner Prof. and I climbed a couple of peaks and did some triangulating. +Monday the 26th found us still at Camp 94 to further investigate the +surroundings, and the Major, Prof., Jones, and I climbed up on the north +about 2600 feet in order to get a better idea of the several valleys +which here seemed to compose the bottom of the great chasm, and did not +reach camp till after dark. Everything now developed on a still larger +and grander scale; we saw before us an enormous gorge, very wide at the +top, which could engulf an ordinary mountain range and lose it within +its vast depths and ramifications. Multitudinous lofty mesas, buttes, +and pinnacles began to appear, each a mighty mountain in itself, but +more or less overwhelmed by the greater grandeur of the Cyclopean +environment. + +Tuesday, August 27th, after Prof. had put a new tube in the second +barometer which had somehow been broken, we pushed off once more to see +what the day would develop. The rapid just below camp we ran through +easily and then made swift progress for seven miles, running nine more +rapids, two rather bad ones. The _Canonita_ grounded once on a shoal but +got off without damage. Where we stopped for dinner we caught sight of +two mountain sheep drinking, and Andy and I got our guns out of the +cabins as quickly as possible and started after them, but they flew away +like birds of the air. Near this point there was a small abandoned hut +of mesquite logs. We went into camp farther down on the left for +investigations, the Major and I going up the river and finding a small +salty creek which we followed for a time on an old trail, the Major +studying the geology and collecting specimens of the rocks, which we +carried back to camp, arriving after dark. The geology and topography +here were complicated and particularly interesting, and we ought to have +been able to spend more days, but the food question, as well as time, +was a determining factor in our movements, and with only two boats our +rations would carry us with necessary stops only to the mouth of the +Kanab Canyon where our pack-train would meet us on September 4th. There +was no other place above Diamond Creek known at that time, except +perhaps the spot near Mount Trumbull, where supplies could be brought +in. On Wednesday we ran two or three miles and stopped for our +photographers to get some views opposite a rust-coloured sandstone. We +also had dinner at this place and then continued the descent. After +running four rapids successfully, making a let-down at another, and a +portage over the upper end of a sixth we were ready, having made in all +six miles, to go into camp part way down the last, one of the heaviest +falls we had so far encountered. It was perhaps half a mile long, with a +declivity of at least forty feet, studded by numerous enormous boulders. +A heavy rain began during our work of getting below, and our clothes +being already wet the air became very chilly. We had to carry the +cargoes only a short distance, with no climbing, and there was ample +room so the portage was not difficult in that respect. But though we +could manoeuvre the empty boats down along the shore amidst the big +rocks, they were exceedingly heavy for our small band, and in sliding +them down between the huge masses, with the water pouring around and +often into them, we sometimes had as much as we could do to manage them, +each man being obliged to strain his muscle to the limit. Jack from this +cause hurt his back so badly that he could not lift at all, and overcome +by the sudden weakness and pain he came near sinking into the swift +river at the stern of the _Dean_ where he happened at the moment to be +working. I heard his cry and clambered over to seize him as quickly as I +could, helping him to shore, where we did all that was possible for his +comfort. As we were going no farther that day he was able to rest, and +in the morning felt much better, though his back was still weak. Andy +took his place in our boat to run the lower end of the rapid, which was +easily done. We landed below on the same side, enabling Andy to go back +to help bring down the _Canonita_, while Jack walked along the rocks to +where we were. Here we remained for a couple of hours while I climbed up +for the Major and measured the "Red Beds," and Jack rested again, +improving very fast. When we were ready to go on his trouble had almost +disappeared. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From just below the Little Colorado. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers, 1872.] + +A dark granite formation had run up at the foot of the last fall and it +rose rapidly higher, hemming the water in with steep, forbidding cliffs +close together. The river became much narrower and swirled with an +oily-looking current around the buttresses of granite that thrust +themselves from one side or the other into it. The declivity was not +great and the torrent was otherwise placid. After three miles of this +ominous docility, just as the dinner hour was near and the threatening +black granite had risen to one thousand feet above the water, we heard a +deep, sullen roar ahead and from the boats the whole river seemed to +vanish instantly from earth. At once we ran in on the right to a small +area of great broken rocks that protruded above the water at the foot of +the wall, and stepping out on these we could look down on one of the +most fearful places I ever saw or ever hope to see under like +circumstances,--a place that might have been the Gate to Hell that +Steward had mentioned. We were near the beginning of a tremendous fall. +The narrow river dropped suddenly and smoothly away, and then, beaten to +foam, plunged and boomed for a third of a mile through a descent of from +eighty to one hundred feet, the enormous waves leaping twenty or thirty +feet into the air and sending spray twice as high.[33] On each side were +the steep, ragged granitic walls, with the tumultuous waters lashing and +pounding against them in a way that precluded all idea of portage or +let-down. It needed no second glance to tell us that there was only one +way of getting below. If the rocks did not stop us we could "cross to +Killiloo," and when a driving rain had ceased Andy gathered the few +sticks of driftwood available for a fire, by which he prepared some +dinner in advance of the experiment. Jack and Clem took three negatives, +and when the dinner was disposed of we stowed all loose articles snugly +away in the cabins, except a camp-kettle in each standing-room to bail +with, and then battening down the hatches with extra care, and making +everything shipshape, we pulled the _Dean_ up-stream, leaving the +_Canonita_ and her crew to watch our success or failure and profit by +it. The Major had on his life-preserver and so had Jones, but Jack and I +put ours behind our seats, where we could catch them up quickly, for +they were so large we thought they impeded the handling of the oars. +Jack's back had fortunately now recovered, so that he was able to row +almost his usual stroke. We pulled up-stream about a quarter of a mile +close to the right-hand wall, in order that we might get well into the +middle of the river before making the great plunge, and then we turned +our bow out and secured the desired position as speedily as possible, +heading down upon the roaring enemy--roaring as if it would surely +swallow us at one gulp. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +Running the Sockdologer. + +From a sketch afterwards by F. S. Dellenbaugh.] + +My back being towards the fall I could not see it, for I could not turn +round while waiting every instant for orders. Nearer and nearer came +the angry tumult; the Major shouted "Back water!" there was a sudden +dropping away of all support; then the mighty waves smote us. The boat +rose to them well, but we were flying at twenty-five miles an hour and +at every leap the breakers rolled over us. "Bail!" shouted the +Major,--"Bail for your lives!" and we dropped the oars to bail, though +bailing was almost useless. The oars could not get away, for they had +rawhide rings nailed around near the handle to prevent them from +slipping through the rowlocks. The boat rolled and pitched like a ship +in a tornado, and as she flew along Jack and I, who faced backwards, +could look up under the canopies of foam pouring over gigantic black +boulders, first on one side, then on the other. Why we did not land on +top of one of these and turn over I don't know, unless it might be that +the very fury of the current causes a recoil. However that may be, we +struck nothing but the waves, the boats riding finely and certainly +leaping at times almost half their length out of water, to bury +themselves quite as far at the next lunge. If you will take a watch and +count by it ninety seconds, you will probably have about the time we +were in this chaos, though it seemed much longer to me. Then we were +through, and immediately took advantage of an eddy on one side to lie to +and bail out, for the boat was full of water. Setting her to rights as +quickly as we could, we got ready to make a dash for the crew of the +_Canonita_ in case she fared worse than we did. We looked anxiously for +her to appear, and presently, at the top of what seemed to us now to be +a straight wall of foam, her small white bulk hung for an instant and +then vanished from our sight in the mad flood. Soon appearing at the +bottom uninjured, she ran in to where we were waiting. The _Canonita_, +being lighter than our boat, did not ship as much water as in some other +places, and altogether we agreed that notwithstanding its great descent +and furious aspect the passage was not more difficult than we had made +in several previous rapids. + +Continuing on down the narrow and gloomy granite gorge, we encountered +about a mile farther down a singular rapid, which turned the _Canonita_ +completely around. About four o'clock we found ourselves before another +tremendous fall, and a very ugly one. Landing on the left, we discovered +that to be the wrong side, and crossed over to a little cove where +there was a patch of gravel, surrounded by vertical walls, the crossing +being easily made because the water seemed to slacken before the plunge. +We did not intend to run the place if it could be avoided, and the south +side gave no opportunity whatever for a portage, while the north side +offered no very easy course. Prof. declared this to be one of the worst +rapids we had seen, and we were now about two hundred feet above the +head of it, with the vertical cliffs between. Immediately at the +beginning of the drop on the same side that we were on was a pile of +boulders, and our plan was to engineer the boats by lines from where we +had landed down to these rocks, from which we believed we could work +around over the rocks into an alcove there was there, and thence go down +till we reached the lower part of the descent, through which we could +navigate. Consequently several of the men entered one boat, and we +lowered her from the stern of the second as far as her line would reach, +and then lowered the second till the first lodged in the rocks at the +desired point at the head of the fall. Then, pulling up the second boat, +we who had remained got on board, and by clinging to the projections of +the wall, the current close in being quite slow, we succeeded in +arriving alongside the first boat. The next thing was to get around into +the alcove. The sky above was heavy and rain began to come down +steadily, making the dark granite blacker and intensifying the gloomy +character of the locality. By hard work we finally got our boats across +the rocks and down about two hundred feet farther into a cove, where +they rested easily. Up to this time we had made in all, during the day, +seven and one-quarter miles. As night was now dropping fast we had to +make camp on a pile of broken granite, where a close search yielded an +armful or two of small pieces of driftwood, all wet. Under a rock +several dry sticks were discovered, and by their aid a fire soon blazed +up by which the indomitable Andy proceeded to get supper. There was no +use changing wet clothes for dry ones from the rubber bags as long as +the rain fell, and it increased till water was dashing off the walls in +streams. The thunder roared and crashed as if it were knocking the +cliffs about to rearrange them all, and a deluge swept down in which +Andy's struggling little fire died with hardly a sputter. The only thing +remaining for us to do was to all stand with our backs against the foot +of the wall, which was still warm from the day, and wait for something +else to happen. The bread-pan seen through the dim and dismal light was +a tempestuous lake, with an island of dough in it, while Andy the +undaunted stood grimly gazing at it, the rain dribbling from his hat and +shoulders till he resembled the fabled ferryman of the River Styx. The +situation was so ludicrous that every one laughed, and the Weather God +finding that we were not downcast slackened the downpour immediately. +Then we put some oars against the wall and stretched a paulin to protect +our noble chef, who finally got the wet firewood once more ignited, and +succeeded in getting the bread almost baked and the coffee nearly hot +and some dried peaches almost stewed. The rain ceasing, we hurriedly +donned dry clothes and applied ourselves to the destruction of these +viands, which tasted better than might be imagined. Each man then took +his blankets, and, selecting rocks that in his judgment were the +softest, he went to sleep. + +There was another alcove about three hundred yards below our camp, and +in the morning, Friday, August 30th, we proceeded to work our way down +to this, several men clambering along a ledge about 150 feet above the +water with the line, while I remained each time in the boat below with +an oar to keep the bow in against the wall, so that she could not take +the current on the wrong side--that is, on the side next to the +wall--and cut out into the river. In this way we got both boats down to +the alcove, whence we intended to pull out into the current and run the +lower portion of the rapid. It was only noon when we reached the place, +but then we discovered that both boats had been so pounded that they +badly needed repairs--in fact, it was imperative to halt there for this +purpose,--and we hauled them out on a patch of broken rocks, thirty or +forty feet square, filling the curve of the alcove and bounded by +vertical rocks and the river. While at work on them we happened to +notice that the river was rapidly rising, and, setting a mark, the rate +was found to be three feet an hour. The rocks on which we were standing +and where all the cargo was lying were being submerged. We looked around +for some way to get up the cliff, as it was now too late to think of +leaving. About fifteen feet above the top of the rocks on which we were +working there was a shelf five or six feet wide, to which some of the +men climbed, and we passed up every article to them. When the repairs +were done darkness was filling the great gorge. By means of lines from +above and much hard lifting we succeeded in raising the boats up the +side of the cliff, till they were four or five feet above the highest +rocks of the patch on which we stood. This insured their safety for the +time being, and if the river mounted to them we intended to haul them +still higher. The next thing was to find a place to sleep. By walking +out on a ledge from the shelf where our goods were we could turn a +jutting point above the rushing river by clinging closely to the rocks, +and walk back on a shelf on the other side to a considerable area of +finely broken rocks, thirty feet above the torrent, where there was room +enough for a camp. Rain fell at intervals, and the situation was +decidedly unpromising. While Andy and the others were getting the cook +outfit and rations around the point, I climbed the cliffs hunting for +wood. I found small pieces of driftwood lodged behind mesquite bushes +fully one hundred feet above the prevailing stage of water. I collected +quite an armful of half-dead mesquite, which has the advantage of being +so compact that it makes a fire hot as coal, and little is needed to +cook by. Supper was not long in being despatched, and then, every man +feeling about worn out, we put on dry clothes, the rain having ceased, +and went to sleep on the rocks. Before doing so we climbed back to +examine the boats, and found the river was not coming up farther, though +it had almost completely covered the rocks. + +Saturday, the 21st of August, 1872, was about the gloomiest morning I +ever saw. Rain was falling, the clouds hung low over our heads like a +lid to the box-like chasm in the black, funereal granite enclosing us, +while the roar of the big rapid seemed to be intensified. We felt like +rats in a trap. Eating breakfast as quickly as possible, we got +everything together again on the shelf and lowered the boats. Though the +river was not rising, it beat and surged into the cove in a way that +made the boats jump and bounce the moment they touched the water. To +prevent their being broken by pounding, one man at each steadied them +while the others passed down the sacks and instrument boxes. Then it was +seen that either a new leak had sprung in the _Dean_ amidships or a hole +had not been caulked, for a stream as wide as two fingers was spurting +into the middle cabin. To repair her now meant hauling both boats back +against the side of the cliff and spending another day in this trap, +with the chance of the river rising much higher before night so that we +might not be able to get away at all--at least not for days. For an +instant the Major thought of pulling the boats out again, but as his +quick judgment reviewed the conditions he exclaimed, "By God, we'll +start! Load up!" It was the rarest thing for him to use an oath, and I +remember only one other occasion when he did so--in Marble Canyon when +he thought we were going to smash. We threw the things in as fast as we +could, jammed a bag of flour against the leak in the _Dean_, battened +down the hatches, threw our rifles into the bottom of the standing rooms +where the water and sand washed unheeded over them, and jumped to our +oars. The crew of the _Canonita_ held our stern till the bow swung out +into the river, and then at the signal Jack and I laid to with all our +strength--to shoot clear of an enormous rock about fifty feet below +against which the fierce current was dashing. The _Dean_ was so nearly +water-logged that she was sluggish in responding to the oars, but we +swept past the rock safely and rolled along down the river in the tail +of the rapid with barely an inch of gunwale to spare,--in fact I thought +the boat might sink. As soon as we saw a narrow talus on the right we +ran in and landed. + +When the _Canonita_ was ready to start one of Clem's oars could not be +found, and Prof. had to delay to cut down one of the extras for him. +Then they got their boat up as far as they could, and while Prof. and +Andy kept her from pounding to pieces, Clem got in, bailed out, and took +his oars. Prof. then climbed in at the stern, but the current was so +strong that it pulled Andy off his feet and he was just able to get on, +the boat drifting down stern first toward the big rock. Prof. concluded +to let the stern strike and then try to throw the boat around into the +river. By this time Andy had got hold of his oars, and the eddy seemed +to carry them up-stream some twenty-five feet, so perverse and +capricious is the Colorado. They swung the bow to starboard into the +main current, and with a couple of strong oar-strokes the dreaded rock +was cleared, and down the _Canonita_ came to us over the long waves like +a hunted deer. We unloaded the _Dean_ and pulled her out for repairs, +but it was after four o'clock when we were able to go on again with a +fairly tight boat. Then for eight miles the river was a continuous rapid +broken by eight heavy falls, but luckily there were no rocks in any of +them at this stage of water, and we were able to dash through one after +another at top speed, stopping only once for examination. Two of these +rapids were portages on the former trip, proving the ease and advantage +of high water in some places; but the disadvantages are much greater. +Through a very narrow canyon on the right we caught a glimpse of a +pretty creek, but we were going so fast the view was brief and +imperfect. At 5:15 o'clock we ran up to a wide sandbank on which grew a +solitary willow tree and there Camp 99 was made. For a space the inner +canyon was much wider than above and the mouth of Bright Angel Creek was +just below us; a locality now well known because a trail from the Hotel +Tovar on the south rim comes down at this point. The name was applied by +the Major on his first trip to offset the name Dirty Devil applied +farther up. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From Top of Granite, South Side near Bright Angel Creek.] + +The next day was Sunday, September 1st, and after the Major had climbed +the south wall for observations we started once more on a powerful +current. For the first three miles there was a continuous rapid with no +opportunity to land. We dashed through waves that tossed us badly and +filled the boats half full and then half full again before we had a +chance to bail. In fifteen minutes we made the three miles and a half +mile more, to arrive at a heavy rapid, which we ran and in two miles +reached another with fearful waves, which we also ran. In one Jones was +overbalanced by his oar hitting the top of a big wave behind the boat +and he was knocked out. He clung by his knees and hands, his back in the +water, and the boat careened till I thought she would go over. We could +not move to help him without upsetting and were compelled to leave him +to his own resources. In some way he succeeded in scrambling back. The +waves were tremendous and sometimes seemed to come from all directions +at once. There were whirlpools, too, that turned us round in spite of +every effort to prevent it. The river was about one hundred and fifty +feet wide. After an extremely strenuous morning we halted on the right +for dinner, continuing as soon as we had disposed of it. Presently we +arrived at a sharp fall of about twenty feet, where we made a portage, +and waited at the foot for the photographers to take some negatives and +also for repairing the _Canonita_. Finally it was decided to camp on +the spot. It was Camp 100. Our record for the day was a trifle over +seven miles with nine rapids run and one portage. + +Almost the first thing in the morning of September 2d was a portage, +after which we had fair water for two or three miles, and then reached a +very heavy fall, where we landed on the left and had dinner before +making another portage. This accomplished, we proceeded on a river still +rising and ran a great many bad rapids, some of them having tremendous +falls. In one the fierce current set against the cliff so strongly that +we were carried within an oar's length of it, notwithstanding our severe +effort to avoid so close an acquaintance with the rough wall. Even +between rapids the velocity of the water was extremely high and we flew +along at terrific speed, while in the huge waves of the rapids the boats +leaped and plunged with startling violence. Toward night a sudden halt +was made on the left to examine a bad-looking place half a mile below. +The Major and Prof. tried to climb where they could get a good view of +it, but they failed. The Major said we would run it in the morning, +though Prof. was dubious about the feasibility of doing so successfully +and said he thought it about the worst place we had yet seen. We camped +on a rocky talus where we were. A small sandbank was found nearby for +our beds, and we made another discovery, a small pool of clear, pure +water, a rare treat after the muddy Colorado which we had been drinking +for so long. Twenty rapids were placed to our credit for this one day in +a trifle over fifteen miles, and we felt that we were vanquishing the +Grand Canyon with considerable success. + +Our life now was so strenuous every hour of the day that our songs were +forgotten, and when night came every man was so used up that as soon as +supper was over rest and sleep were the only things that interested us. +Though our beds were as hard and rough as anything could be, we slept +with the intensity of the rocks themselves, and it never seemed more +than a few minutes before we were aroused by the Major's rising signal +"Oh-ho, boys!" and rose to our feet to pack the blankets in the rubber +bags, sometimes with a passing thought as to whether we would ever take +them out again. For my part, never before nor since have I been so +tired. One night when the Major called us to look out for the boats I +did not hear him and no one waked me so I slept on, learning about it +only the next morning. Our food supply was composed partly of jerked +beef, and as this could not be put in rubber because of the grease it +became more or less damp and there developed in it a peculiar kind of +worm, the largest about an inch long, with multitudinous legs. There +were a great many of them and they gave the beef a queer taste. In order +to clear the sacks as far as possible of these undesirable denizens I +several times emptied them on wide smooth rocks, and while the worms +were scrambling around I scraped up the beef without many of them, but +could not get rid of all. Andy's method of cooking this beef was to make +a gravy with bacon fat and scorched flour and then for a few moments +stew the beef in the gravy. Ordinarily this made a very palatable dish +but the peculiar flavour of the beef now detracted from it, though we +were so hungry that we could eat anything without a query, and our +diminishing supply of rations forbade the abandonment of the valuable +beef. + +When we arose on the morning of September 3d the dubious rapid was +tossing its huge waves exactly as on the night before and humanity +seemed to be out of the reckoning. By eight o'clock we were ready for +it, and with everything in good trim we pushed off. The current was +strong from the start, and a small rapid just below camp gave additional +speed, so that we were soon bearing down on the big one with wild +velocity. The river dropped away abruptly, to rise again in a succession +of fearful billows whose crests leaped and danced high in air as if +rejoicing at the prospect of annihilating us. Just then the Major +changed his mind as to running the place, for now standing on the boat's +deck he could see it better than before from the region of our camp. He +ordered us to pull hard on our left, intending to land at a spot that +was propitious on the left or south bank, but no sooner had he given +this command than he perceived that no landing above the fall was +possible. He gave another order which put us straight in the middle +again and down we flew upon the descent. The Major as usual had put on +his life-preserver and I think Jones had on his, but Jack and I, as was +our custom, placed ours inflated immediately behind our seats, not +wishing to be hampered by them. The plunge was exceedingly sharp and +deep, and then we found ourselves tossing like a chip in a frightful +chaos of breakers which almost buried us, though the boats rose to them +as well as any craft possibly could. I bailed with a camp kettle rapidly +and Jack did the same, but the boat remained full to the gunwales as we +were swept on. We had passed the worst of it when, just as the _Dean_ +mounted a giant wave at an angle perhaps of forty or fifty degrees, the +crest broke in a deluge against the port bow with a loud slap. In an +instant we were upside-down going over to starboard. I threw up my hand +instinctively to grasp something, and luckily caught hold of a spare oar +which was carried slung on the side, and by this means I pulled myself +above water. My hat was pasted down over my eyes. Freeing myself from +this I looked about. Bottom up the boat was clear of the rapid and +sweeping on down with the swift, boiling current toward a dark bend. The +_Canonita_ was nowhere to be seen. No living thing was visible. The +narrow black gorge rose in sombre majesty to the everlasting sky. What +was a mere human life or two in the span of eternity? I was about +preparing to climb up on the bottom of the boat when I perceived Jones +clinging to the ring in the stern, and in another second the Major and +Jack shot up alongside as if from a gun. The whole party had been kept +together in a kind of whirlpool, and the Major and Jack had been pulled +down head first till, as is the nature of these suctions on the +Colorado, it suddenly changed to an upward force and threw them out into +the air. + +There was no time to lose, for we did not wish to go far in this +condition; another rapid might be in waiting around the corner. Jack and +I carefully got up on the bottom, leaving the Major at the bow and Jones +at the stern, and leaning over we took hold of the starboard gunwale +under water, and throwing ourselves back quickly together we brought the +_Dean_ up on her keel, though she came near rolling clear over the other +way. She was even full of water, but the cabins supported her. Jack +helped me in and then I balanced his effort so as not to capsize again. +The bailing kettles were gone, but as our hats had strangely enough +remained on our heads through it all we bailed with them as fast as +possible for a few seconds till we lowered the water sufficiently to +make it safe to get the others on board. The Major came aft along the +gunwale and I helped him in, then Jack helped Jones. The oars, +fortunately, had not come out of the locks, thanks to our excellent +arrangement, and grasping them, without trying to haul in the bow line +trailing a hundred feet in the water, we pulled hard for a slight eddy +on the left where we perceived a footing on the rocks, and as soon as we +were near enough I caught up the rope, made the leap, and threw the +bight over a projection, where I held the boat while Jack and Jones +bailed rapidly and set things in order so that we could go to the +assistance of the _Canonita_. The Major's Jurgenssen chronometer had +stopped at 8:26:30 from the wetting. + +The _Canonita_, being more lightly laden than the _Dean_, and also not +meeting the peculiar coincidence of mounting a wave at the instant it +broke, came down with no more damage than the loss of three oars and the +breaking of a rowlock. Probably if the Major had sat down on the deck +instead of in the chair we might also have weathered the storm.[34] +About a mile and a half below we made a landing at a favourable spot on +the right, where the cargoes were spread out to dry and the boats were +overhauled, while the Major and I climbed up the wall to where he +desired to make a geological investigation. We joked him a good deal +about his zeal in going to examine the geology at the bottom of the +river, but as a matter of fact he came near departing by that road to +another world. + +We were now in an exceedingly difficult part of the granite gorge, for, +at the prevailing stage of water, landings were either highly precarious +or not possible at all, so we could not examine places before running, +and could not always make a portage where we deemed it necessary. There +were also all manner of whirlpools and bad places. Starting on about +three o'clock we descended several rapids in about six miles, when we +saw one ahead that looked particularly forbidding. The granite came down +almost vertically to the water, projecting in huge buttresses that +formed a succession of little bays, especially on the left, where we +manoeuvred in and out, keeping close against the rocks, the current +there being slack. The plan was for me to be ready, on turning the last +point, to jump out on some rocks we had noticed from above not far from +the beginning of the rapid. As we crept around the wall I stood up with +the bight of the line in one hand, while Jack pulled in till we began to +drift down stern foremost alongshore. At the proper moment I made my +leap exactly calculated. Unluckily at the instant the capricious +Colorado threw a "boil" up between the bow and the flat rock I was +aiming at, turning the bow out several feet, and instead of landing +where I intended I disappeared in deep water. I clung to the line and +the acceleration of the boat's descent quickly pulled me back to the +surface. She was gliding rapidly past more rocks and the Major jumped +for them with the purpose of catching the rope, but they were so +isolated and covered with rushing water that he had all he could do to +take care of himself. Jones then tried the same thing, but with the same +result. Jack stuck to his post. I went hand over hand to the bow as fast +as I could, and reaching the gunwale I was on board in a second. One of +my oars had somehow come loose, but Jack had caught it and now handed it +to me. We took our places and surveyed the chances. Apparently we were +in for running the rapid stern foremost and we prepared for it, but in +the middle of the stream there was a rock of most gigantic proportions +sloping up the river in such a way that the surges alternately rolled +upon it and then slid back. Partly up the slope we were drawn by this +power, and on the down rush the boat turned and headed diagonally just +right for reaching the left bank. We saw our opportunity and, pulling +with every muscle, lodged the _Dean_ behind a huge boulder at the very +beginning of the main rapid, where I made the line fast in the twinkle +of an eye. Meanwhile the Major had hastily scrambled up to where he +could see down the canyon, and he heard Jack's hearty shout of "All +right!" Lowering the _Dean_ a couple of rods farther to a sandbank at +the mouth of a gulch we went into camp feeling that we had done enough +river work for one day, and the _Canonita's_ crew without accident +lowered down to the same place before Andy had supper ready. My hat had +come off in my deep plunge and beyond this I did not have one. Near by +was a small clear spring that gave us another treat of palatable water, +the Colorado now being muddier than ever, as it was still on the rise, +coming up three feet more while we were here. The entire day's run was +eight and one-eighth miles. The Major and Prof. succeeded in getting +down three miles on foot to reconnoitre. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +Character of River in Rapids. + +Photograph by F. S. Dellenbaugh, 1907.] + +Continuing in the morning, September 4th, we lowered the boats past the +remainder of the rapid and then shoved out into the terrific current +once more. Water could hardly run faster than it now did, except in a +fall or rapid. The canyon was narrow and for five miles we encountered +the worst whirlpools we had anywhere seen. The descent was swift and +continuous, but the river was broken only by the whirlpools and "boils" +as we called them, the surface suddenly seeming to boil up and run over. +These upshoots, as a rule, seemed to follow whirlpools. In the latter +the water for a diameter of twenty or twenty-five feet would revolve +around a centre with great rapidity, the surface inclining to the +vortex, the top of which was perhaps eighteen or twenty inches lower +than the general level. The vortex itself was perfectly formed, like a +large funnel, and about six or eight inches in diameter, where it began +to be a hole in the water, tapering thence down in four or five feet to +a mere point. The same effect is often seen when the water is flowing +out of a round wash-basin through a pipe at the bottom. These were the +most perfect whirlpools I have ever seen, those above having been +lacking in so distinct a vortex. There were many and we could often see +them ahead, but try as we would to cleave through without a complete +revolution or two of the boat we could not do it. The boats sank down +into the hollow, enabling one to look over the side into the spinning +opening, but the boats, being almost as long as the whirlpool's usual +diameter, could not be pulled in and we were not alarmed. We found it +rather interesting to see if we could get through without turning, but +we never did. Any ordinary short object or one that could be tipped on +end would surely go out of sight. So furious ran the river along this +stretch that we found it impossible to stop, the boats being like bits +of paper in a mill-race, swinging from one side to the other, and +whirling round and round as we were swept along between the narrow walls +till we ran the granite under about five miles from our last camp. +Finally, after a run all told of fourteen miles with twenty-three +rapids, we made Camp 103 with walls of friendly sandstone about us. Here +again we discovered a small clear spring for drinking and cooking +purposes. There was no rain this day and at night we put on our dry +clothes with confidence and had a warm comfortable camp with a good +sound sleep. + +Thursday morning found us early on the river, which to our surprise +turned suddenly in a north-north-east direction. When we had gone about +nine miles and had run the granite up and down again, it began to turn +to the west. At one point the river was not more than fifty feet wide; +the current was everywhere exceedingly strong and there were many +rapids, of which we ran twelve, and made a portage at another, and a +let-down at still another. We camped at the end of the nine miles on a +small sandbank, with the total height of walls about four thousand feet, +breaking back in terraces after about eight hundred feet. Clem and Jack +made a number of photographs wherever practicable, and altogether they +had succeeded in securing a representative collection. + +During the morning of Friday, September 6th, we ran two rapids in two +miles, which brought us to one which we thought required a let-down and +we made it. As it was easy, Jack and Clem busied themselves +photographing while we were doing it, and we also had dinner here. About +two o'clock we went on and in less than three miles ran four rapids, the +fourth being an exceedingly heavy fall, at the foot of which we went +into camp on the right bank. A little distance above on the same side of +the river was a fine clear cold creek larger than the Paria in quantity +of water. We called it Tapeats Creek, because a Pai Ute of that name, +who had pointed it out to the Major from the Kaibab, claimed it. During +the day the work had been far less strenuous, there were few whirlpools, +the river was falling, and it was in every way much easier than above in +the granite. A morning was spent at Tapeats Creek for examinations, and +we found there some ancient house ruins not far up the side canyon. I +discovered a fine large metate or Indian mill, deeply hollowed out, and +foolishly attempted to take it to camp. On arriving there it was so +heavy I had to drop it and it broke in two, much to the Major's disgust, +who told me I ought to have let it alone, a fact which I realised then +also. Our rations were now running very low again, for we had taken more +days for this passage than were planned, and as soon as we launched +forth after dinner we began to look longingly for the mouth of Kanab +Canyon and the pack-train. The river was much easier in every respect, +and after our experience of the previous days it seemed mere play. The +granite ran up for a mile or two, but then we entered sedimentary strata +and came to a pretty little cascade falling through a crevice on the +right from a valley hidden behind a low wall. We at once recognised it +as one which Beaman had photographed when he and Riley had made their +way up along the rocks from the mouth of the Kanab during the winter. We +remembered that they had called it ten miles to the Kanab from this +place, and after we had climbed up to examine what they had named +Surprise Valley we went on expecting to reach the Kanab before night. +Running several small and one fairly large rapid, we saw, after twelve +miles from the last camp, a seeming crack on the right, and a few +seconds later heard a wild yelling. In a little while we landed and +lowered to the head of a rapid, and running to the right up the +backwater into the mouth of the Kanab Canyon, we found George Adair, +Nathan Adams, and Joe Hamblin, our three faithful packers, waiting there +for us with the rations. They had grown very anxious, for we were +several days overdue, and they feared we had been destroyed,--a fear +that was emphasised by one of Andy's discarded shirts washing ashore at +their feet. We pulled the boats a short distance up the Kanab on the +backwater and made a comfortable camp, 106, on its right bank, where we +were soon lost in letters and papers the pack-train had brought down. + +Our altitude was now 1800 feet above sea-level, showing a descent from +the Little Colorado, in about 70 miles, of 890 feet, with 131 rapids +run, besides six let-downs and seven portages. The total descent from +the Paria was 1370 feet. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 32: There is but one Grand Canyon--the one here referred to. +Persons unfamiliar with Western geography frequently confound the Canyon +of the Arkansas with that of the Colorado because the former is in the +state of Colorado. The Grand Canyon is in Arizona but on the +_Colorado_ River.] + +[Footnote 33: Professor Thompson in his diary calls the descent 130 feet +in three-quarters of a mile.] + +[Footnote 34: For the benefit of any one who contemplates descending the +Colorado I would state that unsinkable boats are the only kind to use +and the centre of gravity should be kept low. Cork life-jackets are +indispensable.] + + + + +CHAPTER XV + + A New Departure--Farewell to the Boats--Out to the World + through Kanab Canyon--A Midnight Ride--At the Innupin + Picavu--Prof. Reconnoitres the Shewits Country--Winter + Quarters in Kanab--Making the Preliminary Map--Another New + Year--Across a high Divide in a Snow-storm--Down the Sevier in + Winter--The Last Summons. + + +The day following our arrival at the mouth of the Kanab Canyon was +Sunday, September 8th, and with the exception of some observations taken +by Prof., and the writing of notes, the whole camp was in a state of +rest. After our trying work in the granite we enjoyed immensely the +lying around warm and dry with plenty to eat. Monday morning everybody +expected to begin preparations for the descent to the Grand Wash. We +were surprised just as we were about to rise from our places around the +canvas on which breakfast had been spread, when the Major, who was +sitting in his chair thinking, suddenly exclaimed, "Well, boys, our +voyage is done!" In a way these words were a disappointment, for we all +wanted to complete the task and we were entirely ready to go on, +notwithstanding that our recent experience with high water in the +granite indicated great hazard ahead, where there was more granite; but +on the whole the disappointment was agreeable. We knew the second +granite gorge toward the lower end of the chasm to be nearly as bad as +the first one. There was besides one exceedingly difficult passage +there, which Prof. called Catastrophe Rapid, where the Howlands and Dunn +had left the first party, which on the prevailing stage of water the +Major believed would be foolhardy to attempt. Prof. in his diary says, +"It is nonsense to think of trying the lower bend with this water." He +and the Major had talked the matter over Saturday night and thought of +stopping about forty miles down at Mount Trumbull, where we knew we +could climb out; then they thought of sending only one boat that far, +but by Sunday night they decided to end all river work here. Prof. said +he could map the course from the notes of the first party and that he +would rather explore the adjacent country by land.[35] There were some +breaks in the notes from here down to Catastrophe Rapid, due to the fact +that when the papers were divided on that memorable day on which the +Howlands and Dunn left the party, instead of each division having a full +copy of all the notes, by a mistake they had only portions of both sets. +In addition to the difficulty of the forbidding Catastrophe Rapid there +was a possibility of an attack on us by the Shewits. Jacob through one +of his Pai Ute friends had information that they were preparing to lay +an ambush, and he sent warning to that effect. Jacob knew the natives +too well to have given us this notice unless he thought it a real +danger, but we did not allow it much consideration at the time. Yet it +would have been an easy matter for the Shewits to secrete themselves +where they could fall upon us in the night when we were used up by +working through some bad rapid, and then, hiding the goods, throw our +bodies into the river and burn the boats, or even turn them loose, thus +leaving no proof of their action, our disappearance naturally being laid +to destruction by the river, a termination generally anticipated. I have +sometimes thought that when they killed the Howlands and Dunn they did +it deliberately to get their guns and clothes, thinking it would not be +found out, or at least that they could put forth a good excuse, as they +did. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +At a Rapid--Low Water.] + +We were in the field to accomplish certain work and not to perform a +spectacular feat, and the Major and Prof. having decided that the +descent of the remainder of the canyon, considering all the +circumstances, was for us impracticable and unnecessary, we prepared to +leave for Kanab. We unpacked the good old boats rather reluctantly. They +had come to possess a personality as such inanimate objects will, having +been our faithful companions and our reliance for many a hundred +difficult miles, and it seemed like desertion to abandon them so +carelessly to destruction. We ought to have had a funeral pyre. The +flags of the boats, which Mrs. Thompson had made and which had been +carried in them the entire way, were still to be disposed of, and that +of the _Dean_ was generously voted to me by the Major, Jack, and Jones, +who had crew claims to it; that of the _Nellie Powell_ was awarded to +Steward; while Clem received the _Canonita's_. I tried to persuade the +Major to pack the _Dean_ out in sections and send her east to be kept as +a souvenir of the voyage, but he would not then listen to it, though +years later he admitted that he regretted not taking my suggestion. +Three years afterward I came back to this place with my own party and +would then have executed my desire, but no trace of our former outfit +remained except a hatch from one of the middle cabins, and the Major's +chair. The latter I carried to Salt Lake, where I presented it to Cap, +who was living there. + +As before mentioned, the Colorado was so extremely high that the water +backed up into the Kanab Canyon, and it was there that we left the +boats, each tied to an oar stuck in the ground.[36] We could not get all +the goods on the horses of the pack-train, and left a portion to be +brought out later. Jack and Clem remained to make photographs, and +taking a last look at the boats, with a good-bye to all, we turned our +faces up the narrow chasm of the Kanab. A small stream ran in the +bottom, and this formed large pools amongst numerous ponderous boulders +that had fallen in from the top of the walls some three thousand feet +above our heads, the bottom being hardly more than sixty to seventy-five +feet wide. It was with considerable difficulty that we got the animals +past some of these places, and in one or two the pools were so long and +deep they had to swim a little. The prospectors the year before had +worked a trail to some extent, but here, where the floods ran high at +times, changes occurred frequently. By five o'clock we had gone about +eight miles up this slow, rough way, and arrived at a singular spring, +where we went into camp. This we called Shower-Bath Spring. The water +charged with lime had built out from the wall a semi-circular mass +covered by ferns, which was cut away below by the floods till one could +walk under in the sprinkling streams percolating through it. It was a +very pretty place, but like all of its kind in the deep gorges it was a +favourite resort for tarantulas, many of which we had seen in the depths +of the Grand Canyon. These, with scorpions, rattlesnakes, and +Gila-monsters, were the poisonous reptiles of the gorge. + +[Illustration: + +B. Preliminary map of a portion of the southern part of the unknown +country indicated by the blank space on Map A at page 95, showing the +Hurricane Ledge, Uinkaret and Shewits Mountains, and the course of the +Grand Canyon from the mouth of Kanab Canyon to the Grand Wash. The +Howlands and Dunn left the first expedition at Catastrophe Rapid, at the +sharp bend a few miles below the intersection of the river and longitude +113 deg. 30', climbed out to the north, and were killed near Mt. +Dellenbaugh.] + +The next morning, Tuesday, the 10th of September, our pack-train was +early on the way. The walls grew somewhat lower, though still two +thousand feet high, and the canyon was usually seventy-five to one +hundred feet wide at the bottom. There were patches of alluvial deposit +now along the sides of the watercourse, covered by fields of cactus +loaded with "apples," the prickly leaves compelling us to keep the trail +the prospectors had made by their passage to and from the ephemeral +Eldorado. After a time we emerged from the lower canyon into a wider one +in the way previously described; that is, like going from one floor to +another by an incline between narrow walls. The little stream having +vanished, a pool of rain-water helped us out for dinner, and while it +was preparing Prof. and I climbed up to secure notes on the topography. +A trifle before sunset we arrived at the cedar tree, a short distance +below the mouth of the Shinumo Canyon, where our party had camped the +previous March. The pockets were full of clear, fresh water, and we had +plenty for horses as well as men. Not far off some human bones were +found, old and bleached. We thought they must be the remains of one of +the Navajo raiders who escaped wounded from the Mormon attack near this +locality. The canyon bottom was quite wide at this point and +comparatively level, covered by rushes and grass, and the horses were +able to get a good meal. + +During the day every time I dismounted to take compass bearings on the +trail I felt a sharp, peculiar pain shoot up my right leg from in front +about half-way between ankle and knee. I could only discover a small red +spot at the initial point, and concluded that I must have struck a sharp +rock or cactus spine. Our party now again divided, the Major and Jones +going up Shinumo Canyon to the Kaibab region, while Prof. and I rode on +up the Kanab Canyon, starting at eight o'clock in the morning, +Wednesday, September 11th, and riding steadily all day. As we had not +expected to come out in this way saddles were scarce. Prof. and the +Major had two of the three used by the packers, while the third was +awarded to Jones, who was to have a long ride on the Kaibab trip. The +rest of us had to make shift as we could, and I rigged up a "sawbuck" +pack-saddle, with rope loops for stirrups and a blanket across it to sit +on. This was not much better than, or as good perhaps as, bareback, and +the horse was a very hard trotter. We wished to reach Kanab that night. +We kept on at as rapid a gait as the canyon would permit, though it was +easier than in March, when the numerous miners had not yet broken a way +by their ingress and egress in search of the fabulous gold that was +supposed to exist somewhere in the inaccessibility of the great chasm. +The harder a locality is to arrive at the bigger the stories of its +wealth, while often in the attempts to reach it the prospector treads +heedlessly ground that holds fortunes up to his very eyes. We continued +straight up Kanab Canyon, the walls running lower and lower, till there +was nothing but rounded hills. Then we emerged on the summit, which was +a valley bottom, about twenty miles from Kanab. Shortly after dark we +halted for a bite to eat and a brief rest before striking for our old +storehouse, a log cabin in Jacob's corral, where we arrived about eleven +o'clock, having made about forty miles. I collected all the blankets I +could find, and, throwing them on the inside of Jacob's garden fence, I +was almost immediately asleep, and knew nothing till Jacob came along +and said a "Good-morning." My ablutions over, I went to Sister Louisa's +to breakfast with Prof. and Mrs. Thompson. The gardens were now +yielding an abundance of fresh fruits, peaches, melons, etc., and I +blessed the good management and foresight that directed the immediate +planting of these things in a Mormon settlement. It seemed as if I could +not get my fill. + +[Illustration: + +C. Preliminary map of a portion of the central part of the unknown +country indicated by the blank space on Map A at page 95, showing the +Kaibab Plateau, mouth of the Paria, Echo Peaks, House Rock Valley, and +the course of part of Glen Canyon and of Marble Canyon and the Grand +Canyon to the mouth of the Kanab Canyon. El Vado is at the western +intersection of the 37th parallel and the Colorado River, and Kanab is +in the upper left-hand corner of the map--just above the 37th parallel +which is the boundary between Utah and Arizona. The words "Old Spanish +Trail from Santa Fe to Los Angeles" near El Vado were added in +Washington and are incorrect. The old Spanish trail crossed at Gunnison +Crossing far north of this point, which was barely known before 1858.] + +Friday the 13th, the next day, was my birthday and Mrs. Thompson, who +was always striving to do something to make our circumstances pleasant, +prepared a large peach pie with her own hands in celebration. The Major +and Jones having come in the night before, we passed most of the time +that day in a large tent eating melons, the Major acting as carver of +the fruit. When we had eaten a watermelon he would declare that he +thought muskmelon far better. We all agreed. He would cut one only to +find when we had eaten it that we had changed our minds and wanted +watermelon, which see-saw opinions we kept up till all the melons were +gone. It would be impossible for any one who had not had our canyon fare +to appreciate the exhilarating effect of this fresh fruit. + +My leg, which had developed the pain coming up the Kanab Canyon, now +swelled till it was almost the same size throughout and any pressure +made an imprint as in a piece of putty. No one knew what to make of it. +I rode over to Johnson's, that person being the nearest to a doctor of +any one in the country, though the Mormons do not much believe in +medicines, and he gave me a liniment to apply. This did no good. In a +few days the swelling disappeared except where the spot of keen pain +was, and there a lump was left half as large as a man's fist, with two +small red spots in the middle of it. I now concluded that these spots +marked the bite of a tarantula that must have gotten in my blankets at +Shower-Bath Spring. Suppuration set in at the spots where the flesh +turned black and all the men said it was a bad-looking wound. They +thought I would lose my leg. I concluded to poultice it to draw out any +poison that remained, and kept bread-and-milk applied continuously. +After a while it seemed to have a tendency to heal. + +We ran the base line up through Kanab and at the head of it pitched a +small observatory tent over a stone foundation on which Prof, set up a +large transit instrument for stellar observations. He got in connection, +by the telegraph, with Salt Lake City and made a series of close +observations. I began an hourly set of barometrical readings and as soon +as Clem came back he helped me to run them day and night for eight +consecutive days. Jack meanwhile was preparing for a trip to the Moki +Towns, the Major and Jones had gone off for some special work, and Andy +started with a waggon for Beaver to bring down rations. Occasional bands +of trading Navajos enlivened the days and I secured five good blankets +in exchange for old Yawger, who was now about useless for our purposes. +Prof. gave him to me to get what I could for him, and he also gave Clem +another derelict for the same purpose. On the 9th of October Jack, Andy, +and Clem, started with Jacob on his annual trip to the Mokis by way of +Lee's Lonely Dell while Jones went north to Long Valley on the head of +the Virgin, for topography. The Major on foot, with a Mormon companion +and a Pai Ute, explored from Long Valley down the narrow canyon of the +Virgin to Shunesburg, about 20 miles, a trip never before made.[37] The +canyon is about two thousand feet deep and in places only twenty or +thirty feet wide, twisting in such a way that the sky was not visible at +times, and the stream often filled it from side to side so that they had +to swim. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +At the Bottom near Foot of Bass Trail.] + +About eleven o'clock that night Prof. came to wake me up to say that a +telegram had arrived stating that Najavos again had been raiding and had +stolen seventy head of horses from Parowan. They were supposed to be +making for El Vado and nobody in the absence of Jacob seemed to know +just what to do about it. Prof. had advised them to organise a party and +cut off the raiders, but they preferred to consult Jacob before doing +anything. Prof. now asked me if I would be willing to ride at once to +the Navajo Well where Jacob had expected to camp and notify him of the +raid, no one else in town understanding where the well was, few besides +ourselves and Jacob ever having travelled that way. I said I would go if +I could have one companion. It was a lonely journey, and besides I might +come on the Navajos before reaching the well. Charley Riggs, a splendid +fellow whom I liked exceedingly, volunteered. Filling our overcoat +pockets with cartridges, and each with a good Winchester across his +saddle, we started about 12:30 under a fine moon and a clear sky. I knew +the way perfectly, even by moonlight. We took no wrong turns, had no +stops, and made excellent time toward the Navajo Well twenty miles away. +On we went over the open country, skirting the Vermilion Cliffs on our +left. + + "Neck by neck, stride by stride, never changing our place," + +but not at the headlong gallop by which they brought the news over a +first-class road to Aix, we rode steadily as fast as the ground would +permit, sometimes on a gallop, sometimes on a trot. About two o'clock, +as we neared a canyon where an old trail came down from the north which +the raiders might follow, we slowed up and advanced with caution. Dimly +we perceived what appeared to be a number of sleeping forms under the +ordinary Navajo dark-blue and white striped service blanket. Throwing +our guns up ready for action we rode ahead slowly to pass by a detour if +not discovered. We then saw that the objects were nothing but peculiar +bushes. With a feeling of sympathy for the dear Knight of La Mancha and +his worthy Sancho we spurred forward. At half-past four by the watch +dawn began to spread on the sky and we rode into the camp at the Navajo +Well. A shout and our hoofbeats had roused the sleepers. I delivered my +message to Jacob who immediately started for El Vado with Charley Riggs, +intending to add several more men to his band at the Paria settlement +which he would pass through; a route he had often before followed for a +like purpose. My leg was by no means well and it would have been +imprudent on this account for me to further lend my services. I let +Jacob have my rifle and ammunition and returned to Kanab, Jack, Andy, +and Clem going on to Lee's to wait. I reached the settlement before +noon, when George Adair and Tom Stewart started heavily armed to join +Jacob at the earliest moment. A Pai Ute later came in with a report that +a fresh party of Navajos on a trading trip had recently come across the +Colorado, and from this we concluded that the alarm was false, or that +the culprits were Utes who went off into the Dirty Devil country. Prof. +with Adams went out towards the Paria and then to the Kaibab to do some +topographic work along the north rim of the Grand Canyon and I was left +without any of our party in the village, it being deemed inadvisable for +me to do much riding or walking till my wound, which was now doing well, +had more nearly healed. I devoted my time to plotting up notes, +finishing sketches, drawings of pictographs, etc., and took my meals at +Sister Louisa's. I became much interested in the story of her +experiences which she told us from time to time, especially as she was +one of the women who had pushed a handcart across the plains. After a +few days the Major came in from a trip accompanied by several Pai Utes, +among whom was Chuarooumpeak, the young chief of the Kaibab band, +usually called Frank by the settlers and Chuar by his own people. The +Pai Utes having no "F" in their language pronounced his English name +"Brank," just as they called me "Bred." Their usual name for me was +Untokarowits, derived from the dark red colour of my hair. Frank was a +remarkably good man. He had been constantly devoted to the safety and +welfare of the whites. A most fluent speaker in his native tongue, he +would address his people with long flights of uninterrupted rhetorical +skill. + +Old Patnish came in occasionally. Though he did not look particularly +dangerous his eye was keen and his bearing positive. Nobody would have +interfered with him unless prepared for a fight to the finish. One day I +rode to Johnson by the trail and learned when I got back that Patnish +had arrived at Kanab by the road, so I just missed an interview. The +term "old" Patnish signifies "that scoundrel" Patnish, but when the +people spoke of "old" Jacob the prefix was one of respect and +affection--so contrary is the meaning that can be put into three +letters. Charley Riggs and George Adair came back from El Vado saying +that no raiding Navajos had been seen, so our opinion of the false alarm +was confirmed. + +[Illustration: + +E. Showing results of recent re-survey of part of the Grand Canyon near +Bright Angel Creek by the Geological Survey with ample time for detail. +Compare with Map C at page 246, the south end of Kaibab Plateau.] + +On the 27th of October we had the first snow of the season, which lasted +only a few hours, snow never being heavy at Kanab. The Major had planned +another journey to the Uinkaret region and we started November 2d, +taking with us three of the Kaibab band--Chuar, another called George, +or, as they pronounced it, "Judge," and Waytoots; the Major desiring to +talk to them in our camps to continue his vocabulary and the collection +of other linguistic material which he had been gathering from them and +others in and around Kanab at every opportunity. Our party proceeded to +Pipe Spring, camping half a mile below the houses and striking the next +day, Monday, November 4th, for the Wild Band Pocket. Finding no water +there the natives led on toward a spring they knew of in a low line of +cliffs. I was riding a broncho broken only a few weeks before, and at an +unexpected moment I was suddenly deemed _persona non grata_, but I kept +my seat and vanquished the beast after a vigorous circus, meeting +thereafter with no further opposition. We saw a band of twenty wild +horses spinning across the plain one behind another like a train of +railway cars, a huge stallion playing locomotive. Perhaps my broncho +felt the call of the band! Darkness dropped down on us before we could +get to the spring. We had to make a camp that was not exactly dry, +though there was no drinking water, for a drizzling rain, half snow, set +in, the snow serving to hold the accompanying rain on the surface. We +were wading in slush and it was a task to find a decent place for one's +blankets. Jones and I bunked together. His side of the bed was a slight +hollow, in consequence of which the melting slush formed under him a +chilly pool that interfered seriously with his slumbers. I happened to +be lying on a lump or ridge and kept fairly dry by never stirring the +whole night. + +The rain ceased by morning and all day Tuesday we travelled toward the +Uinkaret Mountains over a comparatively level desert, but not going +rapidly, as we had a waggon. The ground having been softened by the rain +the wheels cut deeply, there being of course no road. A flock of +antelope blew by. We did not give them a second glance, as they were too +far off to be hunted. It was after dark when we arrived at the rocky +pool where we had before camped in March, which we learned now from +Chuar the natives called the Innupin (or Oonupin) Picavu, or Witch +Water-pocket. They said the locality was a favourite haunt of witches. +These were often troublesome and had to be driven away or they might +hurt one. There was plenty of wood and we were soon comfortable, with a +keen November wind to emphasise our blessings. The water in the pocket +was clear and pure, but it was full of small "wigglers." We tried to dip +up a pail which should be free from them. The Major, seeing our efforts, +took a cup and without looking drank it down with the nonchalant remark, +"I haven't seen any wigglers." The Pai Utes had killed some rabbits, +which they now skinned and cooked. I say cooked, but perhaps I should +say warmed. Dexterously stripping off the skins they slit open the +abdomen, removed the entrails, and, after squeezing out the contents by +drawing between thumb and fingers, they replaced the interminable string +in the cavity, closing the aperture with the ears, and stowed the +carcass in the hot ashes for a few minutes. Then they ate the whole +thing with complete satisfaction. We preferred to fry ours, without the +entrails, in a pan with bacon fat. Frequently the Major gave me little +talks on science, as he was much interested in my future career, and by +the fire this evening he instructed me in some of the fundamental +principles of natural philosophy. Chuar having had one of his men remove +his shoes, which were heavy "Mericats" ones, was reclining in a princely +way smoking a cigarette on a bank near the fire. Suddenly he rose to his +feet, intently listening and peering anxiously out through the +enveloping gloom of the pinons and cedars. I asked him what he heard. +"Oonupits," he whispered solemnly, never ceasing his watchful gaze. Then +cautiously aiming his long muzzle-loading rifle in the direction, he +fired a shot and seemed satisfied that the intruder was driven away or +destroyed. He described the noise of the Oonupits as a whistling sound. +He and his men had a habit of waking in the night in our various camps +and singing, first one beginning very low, the others joining in one by +one, and increasing the power as they did so till all were singing in +full voice. This woke us up. We threw things at them, but with no +effect. "What do you do it for?" said I to Chuar. "To drive away the +Oonupits," he answered.[38] + +In the morning, November 6th, the Major, Prof. and I went off +reconnoitring and did not get back to camp till after dark, when we +found there a short, fat, Uinkaret whom Chuar introduced as +Teemaroomtekai, chief. In the settlements when he ventured to go there +he was known as Watermelon, according to Frank Hamblin, who was with us. +Teemaroomtekai had a companion and next day Prof. and the Major climbed +Mt. Trumbull with them. Wishing to have a talk with the Shewits we moved +on the 9th around to Oak Spring, near which some of them were encamped +with their kinsmen the Uinkarets. I was interested to see what the +slayers of the Howlands and Dunn looked like. Except for a wilder, more +defiant aspect, they differed little from other Pai Utes. Their country +being so isolated and unvisited they were surly and independent. The +Uinkarets on the other hand were rather genial, more like the Kaivavit +band. The Major traded for bags of food seeds, baskets, spoons made from +mountain sheep's horns, balls of compressed cactus fruit from which the +juice had been extracted for a kind of wine, rolls of oose-apple pulp, +which they ate like bread, etc., all for the Smithsonian Institution. + +With the Shewits the Major and Prof. had a conference. Prof. wished to +make a reconnaissance through their region and explained to them what he +wanted to do. An agreement was reached by which he was to be permitted +without molestation of any kind to go anywhere and everywhere with two +Shewits for guides and one of our party as cook and helper, in order +that he could tell "Washington" about the country. The helper, however, +was to stick to the trail and remain in camp, so that he would know as +little as possible, and should not tell that little to the "Mormoni" +whom the Shewits disliked. Nathan Adams, a Mormon, was the man to +accompany Prof. and he did not enjoy the prospect at all. On Monday, +November 11th, the Major, Prof., and Jones climbed Mount Logan for more +data and took a general survey of the country, while I went out on foot, +climbed, measured and located eight large cinder-cones. When they came +down the Major said he had seen a fine, isolated mountain to the west +which he had called after me, and I naturally felt much pleased with the +honour of having my name stamped on the map. + +The next day, November 12th, our party divided into three. Frank Hamblin +went out to St. George with the waggon after rations; Prof. with Nathan +Adams, one Shewits, named Paantung, and our guide "Judge," who may have +been a Shewits also for all we could tell, prepared for the entrance +into Shewits land, while the Major, Jones, and I proceeded to the foot +of the Toroweap, to a water-pocket near the edge of the Grand Canyon +called by the Uinkarets Teram Picavu. Chuar and Waytoots went back to +Kanab and we hired Uinkarets to carry our goods nine miles down to the +pocket, descending 1200 feet at one point over rough lava. After some +work at the canyon we went back to the spring on the 14th, the Uinkarets +again acting as our pack-horses. We had no salt left by this time and +very little food, but we killed some rabbits and cooked them on hot +coals, the adhering ashes making a substitute for salt. I reached the +spring first and found little, round, beaming, Teemaroomtekai, who knew +our plans, already there with a great big "Mericats" fire to welcome us, +as well as a large pile of wood for feeding it. The Major got in soon +after, but Jones failed to come at all, which worried us. Before we +could go in search of him in the morning he arrived. His horse had given +out, compelling him to stay where he was all night. We had travelled +hard up and down all kinds of hills, canyons, and mountains, with seldom +a trail, and it was wearing on the animals living only on bunch grass. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +From North Side near Foot of Toroweap Valley, Uinkaret District. + +Photograph by J. K. Hillers.] + +I continued measuring and locating the oonagaritchets or cinder-cones, +of which there were more than sixty, and got in four more on the 15th. +Then the Major decided to move to another water-pocket the Uinkarets +told about, farther east across the lava, a pocket they called Tiravu +Picavu or Pocket-of-the-Plain. It was on the edge of the basaltic table +overlooking what they termed the Wonsits Tiravu or Antelope Plain. They +said there was no water now, but as one declared there was a little we +decided to go. While the Major followed a waggon-track leading to or +from St. George, wishing to make some special observations along it and +expecting to meet and stop Frank with the waggon now due, Jones and I +struck across on the moccasin trail, leaving our goods to be brought on +by the Uinkaret packers. At sunset we rounded a clump of cinder-cones +studding a black, barren waste. Far away across the Wonsits Tiravu rose +the red cliff land up and up to the eastern sky; behind was the great +bulk of Trumbull, together with scores of the smooth, verdureless heaps +of volcanic cinders. Everywhere near was the desert of basalt, with +nothing but the faint trail to point the way and the night slowly +enwrapping us. On we urged our stumbling, weary beasts, their iron +clinking on the metallic rocks; on till the thick blackness circled us +like a wall. Then we halted and built a little brush fire, thinking to +stay till dawn. At the instant a weird cry from far back fell leaden on +the strangely heavy winter air. Our packers saw where we were and +presently came to us. They were in a rage, pitching along in the dark +under their heavy loads. They were cold, tired, famished, for the way +had been long, the packs heavy. Frost was in the wind. They now +pretended not to know where the end was. I thought this was to see what +we would say or do. We did not care; we said and did nothing with all +the nonchalance born of the feeling that the further we went the worse +it was. Then one remembered. The pocket was near and he struck out for +it, the rest following as best we could through the thick night, the +guide occasionally lighting a torch of grass. After a quarter of a mile +he stopped in the bottom of a deep basaltic gulch. Here was the place. +The Uinkarets threw down their loads and squatted glum and silent. From +the hill Jones and I scraped together an armful of brush and got a small +fire started in the bottom of the desolate hollow. At the upper end of +it on a sort of bench eight feet wide was a depression covered with ice +three or four inches thick. With some difficulty pounding a hole through +this we found beneath a small amount of thick, slimy water, full of +green scum. We drank some, the Uinkarets drank some, but we could not +see well enough to get any out for the animals. We tied them to rocks to +prevent them from leaving in the night. The Indians thawed a little +under the influence of the fire, but they would barely speak when spoken +to. They skinned a wildcat they had killed on the way and boiled the red +meat briefly in our kettle and ate it like hungry wolves, while Jones +and I, all the time wondering what had become of the Major, made a light +lunch on some of our scanty supply. Then we climbed the hill, and +getting together a little more brush Jones sat keeping a signal fire +going as long as he had fuel. But the wind was keen and strong, wood +limited, and he gave it up. Spreading our blankets we went to sleep. +Morning came clear and sharp. I took my glasses and went up to scan the +country for some sign of the Major or our waggon and I rejoiced to +discover him not a quarter of a mile distant. He had headed for the +fire, and losing it kept on by a star till he thought he was near us, +when he made a small fire of his own, tied his mule, and waited for day. +We had a bite together and thawed out some of the ice in our kettle, +providing a diminutive drink for each horse; then leaving the natives in +charge of the baggage we rode down into the plain to find our waggon, +taking along our last bit of bread for lunch. In about ten miles we came +to it and Frank Hamblin gave us the latest news, "Grant elected and +Boston burned." After a lunch we turned back, making a camp at the foot +of the basalt, thawing out more ice for the animals, and giving the +Indians some food. About two o'clock the Major and I rode over to the +Innupin Picavu while Jones and the waggon went around, as it could not +cross the basalt. We arrived at seven, while the waggon did not come +till half past eleven, when we prepared a good supper for all hands, +turning in about three in the morning. Not a man awoke before ten, +though the strong sun fell on our faces. The animals were used up and we +did what we could on foot that day. I climbed four more cinder-cones, +reaching camp at dark. Every day I climbed several of the cones, but +some were so far away that I had to make a special camp from which to +operate. The waggon was loaded with ice from the water-pocket, and a +supply of provisions, and driven about seven miles to a basaltic gulch, +in a well-wooded locality on the edge of a treeless valley, where the +load was dropped and I was left with my horse. Before dark I gathered a +lot of wood, made a good fire, and melted some of the ice that formed my +water supply, in a brass kettle, watering my horse, which I then +tethered with a long rope where there was good grass. I did not intend +to waste time hunting my mount in the morning. After supper I spread my +blankets near the fire and by the light of a bright pinon blaze I began +to read _Great Expectations_, a paper edition with the last leaves gone +having gotten into camp. As I read Pip's interview in the twilight with +the convict on the dreary marshes I was in deep sympathy with the +desperate hunger of the terrible man, and when Mrs. Joe buttered the end +of the loaf and carved off the slices I myself was hungry enough to cook +supper over again. Butter had now been absent from my bill of fare, with +a few exceptions, for nearly two years. I was careful to place my fire +where it would be well screened and not easily seen from a distance. I +did not care to have any Shewits or even Uinkarets visit me and I hoped +they were all in their own camps, though I sometimes had a feeling that +one might be watching from the shadows of the great basaltic rocks. +This, of course, was due to the circumstances and not to any +probability, though I kept my Winchester near my hand. When I again got +back to the main camp the Major told me that the first night of my +absence several of the natives came in and, not seeing me around, +inquired my whereabouts. He gave them an evasive answer, believing that +it was quite as well not to apprise them of the situation. + +The following day, Thursday, November 21st, I covered a wide territory, +climbing five cinder-cones a great distance apart and each quite high. +Several times I crossed recent moccasin tracks, but met no natives, and +at nightfall I was still a long way from my camp. When the darkness +became so dense that I could not see even faint outlines I took a star +for guidance till clouds blotted it out. Then I was completely adrift in +a sea of mountains. I could not tell one direction from another. +Throwing the reins on the broncho's neck I sat back in my saddle to see +what would come of it. Slowly, cautiously the animal plodded over +broken, rocky ground succeeded by smoother footing, as I could tell by +the motion, and in about an hour suddenly and quietly halted. I +perceived that I was in the midst of cedars. A light spot appeared +almost beneath. Dismounting I dropped to my hands and knees and found +that it was the ashes of my fire. The broncho, the same that had tried +to buck me off a few days before, had come back to the camp of a single +night, about the best example of horse sense that I ever experienced. +After another comfortable evening with Dickens I was prepared to go on +with my special task, and finished it in this place by climbing the +group of cones near the Tiravu Picavu the next day. About two in the +afternoon I got back to my camp with a very tired mount, but I loaded +all my traps on my saddle, the ice being almost exhausted, and started +to find a new locality where I was to meet the Major. My pack was high, +my broncho tired. While crossing a small open valley near sunset the +poor beast suddenly lay down with me. There being no water anywhere in +that locality, I was forced to use some brutality to get the animal up. +Without further incident I came to the place agreed on and found the +Major there in advance. We camped at the spot and the next day, +Saturday, November 23d, I climbed five more cones, reaching the camp at +sunset. Sunday the Major went on with his particular task while I added +six more of the cones to my list, getting back to the side camp late in +the day. The Major was to go in by himself when he was ready, so I took +all the outfit on my horse again, reached the Oak Spring trail at +sunset, and the main camp two hours after dark, glad enough to drop the +load of pails, bags, blankets, etc., in which my broncho sympathised +more deeply than could be expressed. + +[Illustration: The Grand Canyon. + +Storm Effect from South Rim.] + +Monday morning, November 25th, we turned our faces toward Kanab, and I +climbed four more cones on the way out, overtaking the waggon about an +hour after dark. The night was very cold and I was ready to enjoy the +warmth of a fire by the time I reached the camp. In the morning we had a +visit from Lieutenant Dinwiddie of Lieut. Wheeler's survey. I rode over +to the cinder-cone region again and climbed the remaining ones, seven or +eight, reaching camp after dark, the days being very short at this time +of year. The camp had been moved nearer to the spring in the low line of +cliffs where we had halted coming out and the Major with his usual +original ideas had caused the waggon to be lowered by ropes into a deep +gulch. He had estimated that it was possible to go out through the +cliffs that way instead of going all the way around. His geological +knowledge did not lead him astray. There was no trouble whatever in +taking the waggon up the gulch, and when we emerged we were many miles +on the road to Pipe Spring, where the Major and I arrived in advance of +the others. We had dinner and he then went on alone to Kanab, where the +whole party arrived the next day--Thanksgiving Day. Prof. had come in on +the 25th by way of St. George, having had a successful tour through the +Shewits region, all agreements on both sides having been carried out to +the letter. He had been two weeks in the wild country and Adams declared +that to him the time was years, his only comfort being that he was +wearing his "endowment garment," a sure protection from all evil. Prof. +had climbed Mount Dellenbaugh, though the Shewits objected to Adams's +going up and he remained on the trail. It was found to be a basaltic +peak 6650 feet above sea-level, but only 1200 or 1500 above its base. On +the summit were the ruins of a Shinumo building circular in shape, +twenty feet in diameter, with walls remaining about two feet high. It +was not far from the base of this mountain that the Howlands and Dunn +were killed, Paantung, Prof.'s guide, saying it was done by some "no +sense" Shewits. Prof. was of the opinion that the guide had been of the +party himself. + +All was preparation in our camp for the departure of the Major for Salt +Lake and Washington. I had expected to go east at this time also, but +both the Major and Prof. being desirous of having me remain a while +longer, to help finish up the preliminary map, I agreed to do so and on +the 30th of November all the original party set out but Prof., Mrs. +Thompson, and myself. A new member, John Renshawe, had arrived a few +days before to assist at the topography. When the party had been gone +some time it was discovered that they had forgotten several things. I +took a horse and rode over with the articles to the camp they intended +to make at Johnson, where I remained till morning. The Major was so +eager to get an early start that he had all hands up long before +sunrise. When breakfast was eaten we had to sit by the fire three +quarters of an hour before there was light enough for the men to trail +the horses. Then I said good-bye; they went on and I went back. Jones +and Andy I never saw again. + +Prof. concluded to make winter headquarters in Kanab and a lot was +rented for the purpose. On December 3d, we put up a large tent in one +corner, with two small ones for rations and saddles. The next day we put +up one in the other corner for Prof. and Mrs. Thompson, and at the back +of the lot we arranged a corral for the horses or mules we might want to +catch. The large tents were floored with pine boards and along the sides +heavy cedar boughs were placed in crotches around which the guy ropes +were passed before staking. The tents thus were dry inside and could not +blow down. A conical iron stove on a boxing of earth heated the large +tent like a furnace. In the middle of the general tent we placed a long +drafting-table and were ready for work. Another tent, half boards, was +erected near ours for kitchen and dining-room, and Riley, who had turned +up again, hired as cook and master of this structure. Riley, who had +spent his whole life in camp and saddle, was the best frontier or camp +cook I ever saw. Scrupulously clean to the last detail of his pots and +pans, he knew how to make to perfection all manner of eatables possible +under the circumstances. Prof. arranged for a supply of potatoes, +butter, meats, and everything within reason, so we lived very well, with +an occasional dash of Dixie wine to add zest, while on Christmas Day +Riley prepared a special feast. Though the sky was sombre the town was +merry and there was a dance in the school-house, but I did not attend. +Rainy weather set in on the 26th, and the old year welcomed the new in a +steady downpour, making January 1, 1873, rather a dismal holiday. Even +the mail which arrived this day was soaked. Toward evening the skies +lifted somewhat and a four-horse waggon appeared, or rather two mules +and two horses on a common freighting waggon, in which Lyman Hamblin and +two others were playing, as nearly in unison as possible, a fiddle, a +drum, and a fife. While we were admiring this feat we heard Jack's +hearty shout and saw our waggon returning under his charge from Salt +Lake with supplies, with a cook stove for our kitchen, and with a new +suit of clothes for me accompanied by the compliments of Prof. and the +Major. + +Our camp in Kanab was now as complete and comfortable as any one might +wish, and our work of preparing the map went forward rapidly. As soon as +it could be finished I was to take it to Salt Lake, and send it by +express to the Major in Washington, to show Congress what we had been +doing and what a remarkable region it was that we had been +investigating. In the evenings we visited our friends in the settlement +or they visited us, or we read what books, papers, and magazines we +could get hold of. John and I also amused ourselves by writing down all +the songs that were sung around camp, to which I added a composition of +my own to the tune of _Farewell to the Star Spangled Banner_, an +abandoned rebel one. These words ran: + + Oh, boys, you remember the wild Colorado, + Its rapids and its rocks will trouble us no more, + +etc., with a mention in the various stanzas of each member of the party +and his characteristics. The horses became high-spirited with nothing to +do and plenty of good feed. One of our amusements was to corral several, +and then, putting saddles on the most prancing specimens, mount and ride +down on the plain, the horse running at top speed, with the impression +that he was full master of the situation and expecting us to try to stop +him. Instead we enjoyed the exhilaration of it, and let the charger +alone till after a couple of miles he concluded the fun was all on our +side and took a more moderate gait of his own accord. There were several +horse races also, and the days flew by. On February 3d I finished +plotting the river down to the Kanab Canyon, and as if to emphasise this +point a snow-storm set in. By the 5th the snow was five inches deep, and +we had word that the snow on the divide to the north over the +culmination of the various lines of cliffs, where I would have to pass +to go to Salt Lake, was very heavy. On the 7th the mail rider failed to +get through. We learned also that an epizooetic had come to Utah and many +horses were laid up by it, crippling the stage lines. It had been +planned that I should go north with our own horses till I could connect +with some stage line, and then take that for the remainder of the +distance to the Utah Southern Railway, which then had been extended +south from Salt Lake as far as Lehi. + +On the 16th of February, which was Sunday, I put the last touches on the +map, drawn from the original on a large sheet of tracing cloth, rolled +it carefully up, and placed it in a long tin tube we had ordered from +the local tinsmith. This I carried on my back, as I did not mean to be +separated from it a minute till I gave it into the hands of Wells, Fargo +& Co.'s express in Salt Lake. Jack was to go with me. Saying a last +good-bye to Prof. and Mrs. Thompson, to John, and to some of my Kanab +friends who came to see the start, we left a little after noon, with one +pack on a broncho mule, Jack riding a mule and I a favourite horse of +mine called by the unusual name of Billy. The pack-mule always had to be +blindfolded before we could handle him, and if the blind should +accidentally slip off there was an instantaneous convulsion which had a +most disrupting effect. Going straight up the canyon, we crossed over +finally into Long Valley, and were on the headwaters of the Virgin. At +sunset we came to a little settlement called Mt. Carmel, but continued +to Glendale, where we arrived about half-past seven, having come in all +thirty miles. At the bishop's house we were welcomed and there got some +supper, putting our three animals in his corral. We did not care to +sleep in the house, choosing for our resting-place the last remains of a +haystack, where we spread our blankets, covering the whole with a +paulin, as the sky looked threatening. I never slept more comfortably in +my life, except that I was half-aroused in the stillness by water +trickling down my neck. Half-asleep we pulled the canvas clear up over +our heads and were troubled no more. When we awoke in the morning a +heaviness on top of us we knew meant snow. We were covered by a full +foot of it, soft and dry. Valley, mountain, everything was a solid +expanse of white, the only dark spot being our red blankets as we threw +back the paulin. The sky was grey and sullen. More snow was in the air. +As soon as breakfast was eaten we slung our pack, saddled, and rode up +the valley, following as well as we could the directions given by the +bishop. Neither Jack nor I had been this way before. We could see the +slight depression in the surface of the snow which indicated a +waggon-rut beneath, and by that token continued up the ever-narrowing +valley; the slopes sprinkled by large pine trees. Snow fell thickly. It +was not always easy to see our way, but we went on. At a certain point +we were to turn to the left up a side gulch, following it till we came +to the divide, some eight thousand or nine thousand feet above +sea-level, where we expected to go down to the head of the Sevier +Valley, where Jack had before been by another route. At the gulch we +deemed the correct one, no road or trail being visible, we turned late +in the afternoon to the left and rapidly mounted higher, with the fresh +snow growing correspondingly deeper till it was about two feet on the +level. The going was slow and hard, the sky still dropping heavy flakes +upon us. About five o'clock we found ourselves on the summit of a high +bald knob topping the world. In every direction through the snow-mist +similar bald knobs could be seen looming against the darkening sky. The +old drifts were so deep that where a horse broke through the crust he +went down to the end of his leg. This excited them, and they plunged +wildly. I finally got them all three still and quiet, while Jack scanned +the outlook intently. "See any landmark, Jack?" said I. "Not a damned +thing I ever saw before!" answered Jack. At brief intervals the falling +snow would cease, and we could see more clearly, except that the +impending night began to cast over all a general obscurity. + +There was a deep valley beyond to the right. While it was not possible +to tell directions we felt that our course must lie there, and I led the +way down a long treeless slope, breaking a path as well as I could, my +horse following behind; the others urged on by Jack from the rear. The +snow became shallower near the bottom. We mounted and I rode in the +direction that Jack thought we ought to take to come to the road down +the Sevier where he had before travelled. We crossed the valley in doing +this, but at one point in the very bottom my horse wanted to turn to the +left, which would have taken us down the deepening valley. I prevented +his turning and we continued up a gulch a mile or two, where it narrowed +till we could barely proceed. Jack then climbed up on a cliff and +disappeared, endeavouring to see some familiar object, the falling snow +having at last stopped. I stood in my tracks with the three animals and +waited so long I began to be afraid that Jack had met with an accident. +Just then I heard him descending. It was nearly dark. He could not see +any sign of the region he had been in before. Snow and darkness puzzle +one even in a familiar country. We then went back to the valley where +the horse had wished to turn and followed it down, now believing that it +might be the right way after all, for Billy had been over the road +several times. Another example of horse sense, which seems to prove that +horses know more than we think they do. We had expected to reach Asa's +ranch before night and had not brought an axe, in consequence. Keeping +down the valley till we came to a group of cedars, some of which were +dead, and a tall pine tree, we camped, pulling branches from the cedars +and bark from the pine for a fire, which quickly melted its way down to +the ground, leaving a convenient seat all round about twenty inches +high, upon which we laid blankets to sit on. Our pack contained enough +food for supper; breakfast would have to take care of itself. We also +had some grain, which we fed to the hungry animals and tied them under +the cedars, where they were protected in a measure from the sharp wind +though they were standing in deep snow. For ourselves we cut twigs from +the green cedars and made a thick mattress on the snow with them. Our +blankets on top of these made a bed fit for a king. The storm cleared +entirely; a brilliant moon shone over all, causing the falling frost in +the air to scintillate like diamonds. + +In the morning, Tuesday, February 18th, we packed up at once, having +nothing left to eat, and proceeded down the valley wondering if we were +on the right road or not. The sky arched over with that deep tone that +is almost black in winter in high altitudes, and the sun fell in a +dazzling sheet upon the wide range of unbroken white. The surface was +like a mirror; the eyes closed against the intense light instinctively. +As we went on northwards and downwards a faint, double, continuous +hollow began to appear on the snow--a waggon-track at the bottom. It +became more and more distinct and we then felt sure that we were on the +right road, though we were not positive till near noon when, approaching +a rocky point, we suddenly heard the clear ring of an axe on the +metallic air. A few moments later turning this we saw a large, swift +stream flowing clear between snowy banks, and beyond a log cabin with +blue smoke rising from the immense stone chimney. In front was a man +chopping wood. His dog was barking. It was a welcome, a beautiful +picture of frontier comfort. It was Asa's ranch. Asa was one of the men +who helped the Major on his arrival at the mouth of the Virgin in 1869, +now having changed his residence to this place. We were soon made +welcome in the single large room of the cabin where all the family were, +and while the horses were having a good feed an equally good one for us +was prepared by Mrs. Asa on the fire burning snugly in the great +chimney. Never did fried ham, boiled eggs, and hot coffee do better +service. We could not have been more cordially received if these Mormons +had been our own relatives. + +We rested there till about three o'clock, when we bade them all good-bye +and rode on down the valley, the snow continually lessening in depth, +till, when we reached the much lower altitude of Panguitch at sunset, +twenty-six miles from our night's camp, there were only three or four +inches and the temperature was not nearly so low, though still very +cold. According to custom we applied to the bishop for accomodation for +ourselves and our stock and were again cordially received. We were +quickly made comfortable before a bright fire on the hearth which +illumed the whole room. While the good wife got supper, the bishop, an +exceedingly pleasant man, brought out some Dixie wine he had recently +received. He poured us out each a large goblet and took one himself. +After a hearty supper Jack and I put down our blankets on the bishop's +haystack and knew nothing more till sunrise. Leaving Panguitch we rode +on down the Sevier, crossing it frequently, and made about forty miles, +passing through Sevier Canyon and Circle Valley, where there were a +number of deserted houses, and arrived for night at the ranch of a +Gentile named Van Buren. By this time my eyes, which had been inflamed +by the strong glare of the sun, began to feel as if they were full of +sand, and presently I became aware that I was afflicted with that +painful malady snowblindness. I could barely see, the pain in both eyes +was extreme, and a river of tears poured forth continually. Other men +whom we heard of as we went on were blinded worse than I. All I could +do, having no goggles, was to keep my hat pulled down and cut off the +glare as much as possible.[39] At Marysvale the stage had been +abandoned. We kept on, finding as we advanced that all the stages were +put out of business by the epizooetic. There was nothing for Jack to do +but to go on with me to Nephi. + +In riding through one village I saw a sign on the closed door of a store +just off the road and my curiosity led me to ride up close enough to +read it. I did not linger. The words I saw were "SMALL POX." That night +we reached Nephi under the shadow of the superb Mount Nebo, where I +tried again for a stage so that Jack could return. No stage arrived and +the following morning we rode on northward over very muddy roads, +finally reaching Spanish Fork, where a fresh snow-storm covered the +country about a foot, making travelling still more difficult. Another +day's journey put us as far as American Fork, only three miles from the +end of the railway, a place called Lehi, for which we made a very early +start the next day, Wednesday, February 25th, but when we arrived there +through the mud and slush the train had taken its departure. Our pack +mule was now very lame and travelled with difficulty, but we continued +on toward Salt Lake. The train had become stalled in the immense +snowdrifts at the Point-of-the-Mountain and there we overtook it. I was +soon on board with my tin case and other baggage, but it was a +considerable time before the gang of men and a snow plough extricated +the train. About five o'clock we ran into the town. I went to the Walker +House, then the best hotel, and that night slept in a real room and a +real bed for the first time in nearly two years, but I opened the +windows as wide as they would go. In the morning I sent off the map and +then turned my attention to seeing the Mormon capital. Cap. was now +living there and it was Fennemore's home. I also found Bonnemort and +MacEntee in town, and Jack came on up the remaining short distance in +order to take a fresh start for Kanab. + +Nearly forty years have slipped away since the events chronicled in this +volume. Never was there a more faithful, resolute band of explorers than +ours. Many years afterward Prof. said in a letter to me speaking of the +men of the Second Powell Expedition, "I have never seen since such zeal +and courage displayed." From out the dark chasm of eternity comes the +hail, "Tirtaan Aigles dis wai!" and already many of that little company +have crossed to Killiloo. The Major and Prof. repose in the sacred +limits of Arlington. Strew their graves with roses and forget them not. +They did a great work in solving the last geographical problem of the +United States. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 35: Professor Thompson declared to me not long before his +death that the river was accurate as far as Catastrophe Rapid, (about +where longitude 113.39 intersects the river) but from there to the +Virgin it might need some corrections.] + +[Footnote 36: Some men from Kanab afterwards came in, sawed one in two +and made it shorter, and then tried to go up the canyon by towing. They +did not get far, and the boat was abandoned. The floods then carried +both down to destruction.] + +[Footnote 37: A description of this journey ascribed to September, 1870, +occurs at page 108, _et seq._, in Powell's report on the _Exploration of +the Colorado River of the West_, 1875.] + +[Footnote 38: Oonupits or Innupits is the singular, Innupin the plural. +It may be translated witch, elf, or goblin, with evil tendencies. On the +other hand they did not fear a spirit. When on the Kaibab in July with +Chuar and several other Indians, Prof. while riding along heard a cry +something like an Indian halloo. "After we got into camp," he said in +his diary: "Chuar asked George Adair what he called that which lived +after the body died. George replied, 'A spirit.' 'Well,' said Chuar, +'that was what hallooed in the forest to-day. It was the spirit of a +dead Indian. I have often heard it. Sometimes it is near, sometimes far +away. When I was here with Beaman I heard it call near me. I answered, +telling it to come to me. It did not come nor reply, and I felt very +much ashamed to think I had called.'"] + +[Footnote 39: For travelling across snow one should always be provided +with smoked goggles. Failing to have them, lines of charcoal should be +drawn below the eyes or a scarf tied so as to break the glare.] + + + + +INDEX + + +A + +Adair, George, 153, 241 + +Adams, Nathan, 241, 253; + his endowment garment, 259 + +Agua Grande, Navajo chief, 147 + +Aigles, Tirtaan, slogan, 75, 267 + +Alcove Brook, 47 + +Altitude of Colorado River above sea, Black's Fork, 15; + Junction Green and Grand, 114; + Paria, 151, 217; + Grand Wash, 217; + Little Colorado, 223; + Kanab Canyon, 241 + +American Fork, 266 + +Amerind, viii. + +Andy, _see_ Hattan + +Aquarius Plateau, 200, 202 + +Arlington, Powell and Thompson buried there, 267 + +Arms, kind used, 12 + +Asa, ranch, 264, 265; + assisted Powell, 265 + +Ashley, Wm. H., through Red Canyon, 2, 28, 95; + name on rocks, 28 + +Ashley Falls, 26; + portage at, 27 + +Ashtishkal, Navajo chief, 177 + +Aspen Lakes, 201 + +Averett, Elijah, grave of, 197 + +Azure Cliffs, 99 + + +B + +Baird, Professor Spencer, vi. + +Bangs, Mount, climbed, 194 + +Barbenceta, principal chief of the Navajos, 168 + +Base line, 166, 173, 174 + +Basor, teamster, 68 + +Beadle, J. H., 215; + under name of Hanson, 215 + +Beaman, E. O., place in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + leaves party, 179; + passes Paria on way to Moki Towns, 216; + up from Kanab Canyon to Surprise Valley, 241 + +Beaver, ground, 77; + shoot one, 78; + steak cooked, 78; + soup, 78 + +Berry's Spring, 188; + arrive at, 191 + +Berthoud and Bridger lay out waggon road, 67 + +Best Expedition, place of starting, 95 + +Big Boulder Creek, 202 + +Bishop, Francis Marion (Cap.), place in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + leaves party, 180 + +Bishop's Creek, 54 + +Bison, pictographs, 61; + range on Green River, 61 + +Black Rock Canyon, 193 + +Black's Fork, 15 + +Boats of the Second Powell Expedition, the, 4; + names of, 4; + described, 5, 6; + method of packing, 8; + order of going, 11; + crews of, 11; + no iron on keels, 14; + built to float when full of water, 25; + reassignment of crews, 136, 215; + _Canonita_ cached, 135; + launched again, 209; + crew for, 209; + _Dean_ cached, 154; + _Nellie Powell_ cached, 154; + _Dean_ discovered by Beadle, 215; + _Nellie Powell_ abandoned, 215; + _Canonita_ and _Dean_ abandoned, 244 + +Bonito Bend, 111 + +Bonnemort, John, 143; + leaves party, 179; + in Salt Lake City, 267 + +Boston burned, news of, received, 256 + +Bow-knot Bend, 108 + +Bread, kind used, 4 + +Bridger and Berthoud lay out waggon road, 67 + +Bridger, Jim, 95 + +Brigham Young, 170, 185 + +Bright Angel Creek, arrive at mouth of, 232; + why so named, 232 + +Brown expedition, place of starting, 95 + +Brown's Hole, name changed to Brown's Park, 18, 30; + arrive at, 30 + +Brush Creek, 54 + +Buckskin Mountain (Kaibab Plateau), 159 + +Buenaventura, Rio San, Escalante's name for Green River, 67 + +Buffalo _Express_, letters from F. S. Dellenbaugh to, vii. + +Butte of the Cross, 110 + + +C + +Campbell, Richard, knew of ford El Vado de los Padres, 96 + +Camp moved to the Gap, 171 + +_Canonita_, left behind, 135; + reached overland, 209 + +Canyon of Desolation, enter it, 77; + character and height of walls, 80, 84, 85; + length of, 91 + +Canyon of Lodore, enter it, 34; + declivity of, 43; + length of, 48; + fall of, 48 + +Canyons, for list of, with heights of walls, lengths, etc., + see _The Romance of the Colorado River_, Appendix + +Canyons not dark in daytime, 25 + +Cap., _see_ Bishop + +Capsize, of the _Canonita_, 23; + of the _Dean_, 235 + +Carleton, companion of Beaman, 216 + +Carson, Kit, 95 + +Cascade Creek, 43, 202 + +Cascades of rain, 105, 106, 132 + +Cataract Canyon, declivity compared, 43; + beginning of, 115; + height of walls, 116, 122, 126, 128, 129; + we enter it, 118; + declivity in, 118; + boulders rolled by current, 118; + width of river, 119; + boat runs rapid alone, 121; + stones rocked by current, 127; + length of, 132; + end of, 132; + number of rapids, 132 + +Cataract Creek, 96, 202 + +Catastrophe Rapid, vi., 242, 243 + +Caves once occupied, 132 + +Chandler Falls, 87; + Creek, 87 + +Chicago, burning of, first news, 157 + +Chicago _Tribune_, letters from Clement Powell to, v. + +Chief Douglas, Major and Mrs. Powell winter near his camp, 172 + +Chocolate Cliffs, 166 + +Chuarooumpeak, chief of Kaibab band of Pai Utes, 250; + shoots at Oonupits, 252; + singing, 252; + hears spirit call, 253; + goes back to Kanab, 254 + +Circle Valley, pass through it, 266 + +Clarkson, Mormon settlement, 197 + +Clear or Spring Creek (Badger Creek), 158 + +Clem, _see_ Powell + +Clemente, Rio San, Escalante's name for White River, 67 + +Cliff-of-the-Harp named, 43 + +Coal Canyon, 91 + +Colob Plateau, 191 + +Colorado, from, into Utah, 56 + +Colorado River, accuracy of plat of course, vi., vii., 243; + upper continuation of, 1; + white salmon, 98; + actual beginning of, 115; + excessive high water, 244 + +Compass Creek, 24 + +Condition of party at end of first season's river work, 145 + +Course of the Colorado River, accuracy of, vi., vii., 243 + +Craggy Canyon, 57 + +Crater, recent, in Uinkaret country, 188 + +Creek, Sentinel, 149 + +Crescent Creek, 209 + +Crossing of the Fathers, the, _see_ El Vado de los Padres + + +D + +Dance, Mormon, 173 + +Davy Crockett, Fort, 30 + +_Dean_, the _Emma_, cached for the winter, 154; + discovered by J. H. Beadle, 215 + +Deer, game, etc., 26 + +Dellenbaugh, Butte, 102, 104; + Mount, named, 254; + Thompson climbs it, 259 + +Dellenbaugh, F. S., joins party, 3; + position in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + letters from, to Buffalo _Express_, vii. + +De Motte, Professor, 213 + +Denver, Colorado Canyon, and Pacific Railway, 119 + +Denver and Rio Grande Railway crossing of Green River, 95 + +Denver to Salt Lake, waggon road _via_ Golden and Provo, + and Robideau Crossing of Green River, 67 + +Descent, in feet of Green-Colorado River, from Union Pacific + Railway to Black's Fork, 15; + to Flaming Gorge, 17; + in Red Canyon, 33; + in Lodore, 48; + in Whirlpool, 56; + to the mouth of the Uinta, 71; + from Wonsits Valley to Gunnison Crossing, 93; + from the Union Pacific to Gunnison Crossing, 93; + from Gunnison Crossing to junction of Green and Grand, 114; + from Union Pacific to mouth of Grand River, 114; + from mouth of Grand River to Dirty Devil, 134; + from Union Pacific to Dirty Devil (Fremont), 135; + from Union Pacific to Paria (Lee Ferry), 151; + from Paria to Little Colorado, 223; + from Little Colorado to Grand Wash, 223; + from Little Colorado to Kanab, 241; + from Paria to Kanab, 241 + +Desolation, Canyon of, enter it, 77; + perforations in walls of, 82; + width of river in, 83, 89; + height of walls, 84, 85; + natural arches in, 87, 88; + end of, 91; + length of, 91 + +Diamond Butte, how named, 192 + +Diamond Creek mouth astronomically determined, 95 + +Diary, of Professor Thompson, vii.; + of John F. Steward, vii.; + of F. S. Dellenbaugh, vii.; + of Jack Summer, 7 + +Dinwiddie, Lieut., 258 + +Dirty Devil Mountains, _see_ Unknown Mountains + +Dirty Devil (Fremont) River, viii.; + point of junction with Colorado, 3; + failure to get to it overland, 70, 99; + arrive at mouth by river, 133; + overland trip to, 195; + on head of, according to Dodds, 199; + mistake discovered, 199, 200; + reach mouth of, overland, 209 + +Disaster Falls, 39; + dinner from wreckage of _No-name_, 40; + fall of river at, 42 + +Distance, from Union Pacific Railway to Gate of Lodore, 33; + to Echo Park, 48; + to junction of Green and Grand, 114; + to Dirty Devil, 135; + Paria to Little Colorado, 223; + Little Colorado to Kanab Canyon, 241; + Wonsits Valley to Gunnison Crossing, 93. + _See also_ Appendix, _Romance of the Colorado River_ + +Dixie, name for Virgin Valley, 164 + +Dodds, Captain Pardyn, fails to reach Dirty Devil River, 70; + meet him at El Vado, 143 + +Dog, Dandie Dinmont, of Mrs. Thompson, 166, 195 + +Douglas Boy, first meeting with, 64; + comes to mouth of Uinta, 70; + an eloper, 71; + farewell to, 76 + +Dummy and his prophecy, 9 + +Dunn, William H., vi.; + name carved in Music Temple, 141; + killed by Shewits, 141, 259 + +Dunn's Cliff, 43 + +Dutch oven, 4 + +Dutton, Major, vii. + + +E + +Echo, Cliff, 49; + Park, 49; + Rock, 53; + Peaks, how named, 151 + +Eight Mile Spring, camp at, 165 + +El Vado de los Padres (Crossing of the Fathers), 7, 8, 41, 95, 96; + first white man to ford after Escalante, 96; + arrive at, 1871, 143; + description of, 168; + arrive at, 1872, 210; + early known by Richard Campbell, 96 + +Emma, Sister, a wife of John D. Lee, 211 + +Endowment garment, Adams wears one, 259 + +Epizooetic visits Utah, 262 + +Escalante, his crossing of the Colorado, 7; + Sierra, 43; + of Green River, 67; + his name for Green River, 67; + for White River, 67; + River, 210; + river named by Professor Thompson, 210 + + +F + +Failure Creek, 129 + +Fennemore, joins party, 187; + falls sick, 212; + leaves party, 216; + in Salt Lake, 267 + +Field, 5; + arm-chair obtained from, 8; + breakfast at, 9 + +Flaming Gorge, 1, 2; + height of walls, 17; + Green River enters, 17; + accessibility, 20; + gateway to the series of canyons, 22 + +Frank, _see_ Richardson + +Frank, Pai Ute, _see_ Chuarooumpeak + +Fremont, River, 3; + _see_ Dirty Devil; + General, 95; + +First Granite Gorge of the Grand Canyon, declivity in, 43 + +First Powell Expedition, v.; + plat of river by, vi., 2, 96; + boats of, x. + +Food supply exhausted, 141 + +Fort Davy Crockett, 30 + +Fort Defiance, Jacob Hamblin goes there, 143 + +Fort Pierce, 188 + +Fort Robideau, 67; + only house on the river, 72 + +Fretwater Falls, 83 + +Fuzz, Mrs. Thompson's dog, 166, 195 + + +G + +Gate of Lodore, 32 + +Gentile frontier town compared with Mormon, 174 + +Gila monster, 245 + +Gilbert, G. K., vii., 136 + +Glen Canyon, beginning, 137; + width of river in, 139; + height of walls, 139-143; + end of, 151 + +Glencove, attempt to reach Dirty Devil River from, 99 + +Glendale, Mormon settlement, 262 + +Goblin City, journey to, 68; + description of, 69 + +Gold, found on Colorado, 144; + at mouth of Kanab, 174; + miners go after, 185 + +Golden to Provo, waggon road, 67 + +Gosi-Utes, Gunnison killed by, 95 + +Gould's ranch, 190 + +Grand Canyon, Jacob Hamblin circumtours it, 96; + Powell finds way in to the mouth of the Kanab, 174; + Dodds and Jones get to it, 188; + Whitmore describes a crossing, 188; + Dodds and Johnson reach river, 189; + Dodds and Dellenbaugh go to river at Lava Falls, 192; + Marble division begins, 216; + length of, including Marble Canyon, 217; + beginning of, 223; + enter it, 223 + +Grand River, 109 + +Grand Wash, 96; + altitude of, 217 + +Granite, the, runs up, 225 + +Grant, news of election of, 256 + +Graves, ancient, discovered, 77 + +Gray Canyon, enter it, 91; + colour, height, and character of walls, 91, 92; + end of, 93; + length of, 93 + +Gray Cliffs, 164 + +Great Basin, 164 + +Green River, points on, astronomically fixed before Powell, 19, 95 + +Green River City, arrive there, 3; + described, 5; + settlements below, 8 + +Green River Suck, 20 + +Green River Valley, 1, 2 + +Grizzly bears, 26 + +Gunnison, Captain, crossed Green River, 95; + killed, 95 + +Gunnison Butte, 93, 99 + +Gunnison Crossing, Powell plans to rejoin his party there, 70 + +Gypsum Canyon, 127 + + +H + +Habasu (Havasu), 96 + +Haight, 153, 157 + +Hamblin, Frank, 254 + +Hamblin, Fred, 99 + +Hamblin, Jacob, scout and pioneer, 96; + first after Escalante to cross at El Vado, 96; + circumtours the Marble and Grand canyons, 96; + arrives at Paria, 153; + treaty with Navajos, 168; + title of his book, 169; + Indian engagements, 170; + goes to Mt. Trumbull with Powell, 170; + wives of, 174; + hears plot to ambush, 243 + +Hamblin, Joseph, 156, 241 + +Hamblin, Lyman, 99 + +Hanson, name assumed by J. H. Beadle, 215 + +Harrell brothers, camp in Brown's Park, 30 + +Hastele, Navajo chief, 169 + +Hattan, Andrew, 4; + place in boat, 11; + his call to meals, 11; + departure, 260 + +Headquarters, winter, of, 1872-73, 260 + +Hell's Half Mill, 44 + +Henry Mountains (Unknown Mts., _q. v._), 207 + +Henry's Fork, mouth of, 17; + astronomically fixed, 95 + +Henry, Professor Joseph, vi. + +Henry (Azure) Cliffs, 99 + +Hidden Lakes, the, 201 + +High Plateaus of Utah, continuation of Wasatch Range, 95; + end of, 164 + +Hillers, John K., joins party, 7; + catches fish, 15; + songs of, 52, 74; + catches salmon, 98; + photographer, 217; + hurts his back, 225; + trip to Moki towns, 248 + +Hog-backs, topographical feature described, 198 + +Hook, Theodore, drowned, 25; + grave of, 25 + +Horse discovered, 90 + +Horse sense, 258, 264 + +Horseshoe Canyon, why so called, 21 + +Hotel Tovar, 232 + +House ruins, Shinumo, 112, 137, 138 + +House Rock Spring, 157, 160 + +House Rock Valley, 160, 175 + +Howland, Seneca, and O. G., 141 + +Howlands and Dunn, vi., vii.; + why killed by Shewits, 171; + left first party, 242; + killed near Mt. Dellenbaugh, 259 + +Hurricane Hill, 190 + +Hurricane Ledge, 190 + + +I + +Illustrations in Powell's _Report_, x. + +Innupin, definition of, 252 + +Innupin Picavu (Water-pocket), 251 + +Island Park, 56 + +Ives, comes up Colorado, 1858, 2; + reconnoitres south of Grand Canyon, 96; + names North Side Mountains, 186 + + +J + +Jack, _see_ Hillers + +Jacob, _see_ Hamblin + +Jacob's Pools, 159 + +Johnson, Will, 186; + leaves party, 211 + +Johnson's, Mormon settlement 166 + +Jones, S. V., 10; + place in boat, 11; + falls ill, 152; + leaves, 260 + +Julien, D., inscriptions by, 108, 113, 118 + +Junction, the, of the Grand and Green, 113; + summit at, 116; + trail to, 118 + + +K + +Kaibab (Buckskin Mountain), seen from Echo Peaks, 150; + band of Pai Utes, 177; + trip to south-west corner of, 182; + Point F established on, 184; + seen from Marble Canyon, 222 + +Kanab, settlement of, 8; + headquarters, 145; + headquarters, winter of 1872-73, 260; + description of, 166; + base line near, 173; + Christmas dance, 173 + +Kanab Canyon, journey up, 185, 244; + supplies to be brought in there, 224 + +Kapurats, Pai Ute name for Major Powell, 171 + +Kettle Creek, 24 + +Killiloo, refrain, 75, 81, 226, 267 + +Kingfisher Canyon, 22; + why so called, 22 + +Kingfisher Creek, 21 + +Kit Carson, 95 + +Koneco, Navajo chief, 154 + + +L + +Labyrinth Canyon, enter it, 105; + end of, 110; + length of, 110 + +La Sal, Sierra, 103, 109, 127 + +Latter-Day Saints, 212 + +Lava Falls, Dodds and Dellenbaugh climb to river there, 192 + +Leaping Brook, 46 + +Lee, John Doyle, 195; + settles at Paria, 210; + meet him, 210; + wife Rachel, 210; + wife Emma (his XVIII.), 210; + called Naguts, 211; + executed, 211 + +Lee Ferry, 215 + +Lehi, Mormon town, 262, 266 + +Let-down, 26; + method of accomplishing a, 90 + +Letters from Clement Powell to the Chicago _Tribune_, v.; + from F. S. Dellenbaugh to the Buffalo _Express_, vii. + +Life preservers, 8; + indispensable, 237 + +Light, the controversy of the, 63 + +Lighthouse Rock, 80 + +Lignite Canyon, 91 + +Line portage, 26 + +Little Brown's Hole, 29; + name changed to Red Canyon Park, 29 + +Little Canyon, 31 + +Little Colorado, canyon of, forms division between Marble and + Grand Canyons, 217; + mouth of, 222; + altitude of mouth, 223 + +Little White, or Price River, 92 + +Little Zion Valley, 190 + +Lodore Canyon, party goes through on the ice, 2; + gate of, 32; + why so called, 32; + we enter it, 34; + width of river in, 35, 42, 43; + velocity of current in, 35, 42; + sunlight in, 36; + wreckage found in, 41; + height of walls, 42, 43, 46; + character of 42; + declivity in, 43; + end of, 48; + length of, 48 + +Logan, Mt., 188 + +Log-cabin Cliff, 84 + +Lonely Dell, 211 + +Long Valley, route _via_, 262 + +Lost Creek (Crescent Creek), 209 + +Louisa, a wife of Jacob Hamblin, 174, 195, 250 + +Lower Disaster Falls, 42 + + +M + +MacEntee, 166; + leaves party, 179; + in Salt Lake, 267 + +Mackenzie, General, ix., + map A, facing page 95 + +Macomb, 95 + +"Major, The" viii., _see_ Powell, John Wesley + +Mangum, Joseph, 153; + the lost guide, 155, 157 + +Manti, Mormon settlement, 99, 174 + +Map, accuracy of plat of Colorado River, vi., vii., 243; + sheets giving Colorado River, viii.; + preliminary, finished, 262; + sent to Washington, 267 + +Marble Canyon, 150; + miners wrecked in, 195, 217; + enter it, 216; + total length with Grand Canyon, 217; + height of walls, 216, 217-222; + end of 222; + descent in, 223; + number of rapids in, 223 + +Markargunt Plateau, 191 + +Meek, Joseph, goes through Lodore on the ice, 95 + +Melvin Falls, 86 + +Millecrag Bend, 129, 132 + +Moki (Hopi) ruin, 79 + +Monument built 1869 by Powell, 78 + +Mookoontoweap or Little Zion Valley, 190 + +Mormon, settlements, 96; + method of pioneering, 167, 174; + dance, 173 + +Mt. Carmel, Mormon settlement, 262 + +Mount Dellenbaugh, named, 254; + altitude, 259; + Shinumo remains on, 259 + +Mount Ellen, Henry Mountains, 208 + +Mount Hillers, Henry Mountains, 208 + +Mount Logan, 188, 253 + +Mount Nebo, 266 + +Mount Pennell, Henry Mountains, 207, 208 + +Mount Seneca Howland (Navajo Mt.), 141 + +Mountain Meadows massacre, 195; + Lee's version, 211 + +Music Temple, grotto, 141, 210 + + +N + +Narrow Canyon, 3, 133 + +Natural arches in Canyon of Desolation, 87, 88 + +Navajos, agency, 143; + meet with, 146; + afraid of our boats, 153; + dance with, 154; + ceremonial, 177 + +Navajo Creek, 149 + +Navajo Mountain, 139, 141, 201 + +Navajo Well, 175, 248 + +Nephi, 266 + +New Year's Day, 1872, 174; + 1873, 260 + +_No-name_, boat, wreck of, 38 + +North Side Mountains (Uinkaret Mts.), 186 + + +O + +Oak Spring, 187, 188, 191 + +Old Jacob, _see_ Jacob Hamblin + +Old Spanish Trail, 95, 246 + +Oonupits, sound made by, 252; + described, 252; + Indian shoots at, 252 + +Orange Cliffs, 110 + +Order of going, 11, 72, 136, 215 + +Overland Stage Co. road, Salt Lake to Denver _via_ Provo, + Robideau Crossing, and Golden, 67 + + +P + +Paantung, Thompson's Shewits guide, 259 + +Painted Desert, 150 + +Pai Ute women, Jacob Hamblin, scaled to, 174; + language without an "F," 250; + name for Major Powell, 250; + name for Professor Thompson, 250; + name for Dellenbaugh, 250; + George, Waytoots, Chuar, 250; + _see also_ Chuarooumpeak; + method of cooking rabbits, 252 + +Pai Utes, despised by Navajos, 170; + Kaibab band of, 177; + wickiups, 177; + arms, 178; + rabbit skin robe, 178; + fire obtained by drill, 178; + ceremonial, 178; + songs, 178, 179; + stone arrowhead making, 178 + +Panguitch, arrive at, 265 + +Paria, 95, 151, 197; + up cliffs at, 155; + settlement, 166 + +Parowan, 248 + +Patnish, chief of renegades, 8, 167, 250 + +Photographic outfit, 6, 58 + +Pictographs, 61 + +Pierce, Fort, 188, 191 + +Pine Valley Mountains, 189, 190 + +Pink Cliffs, 164 + +Pipe Spring, 185; + Wash, 185 + +Plateau Province, the, 109 + +Point F, 184 + +Portage, line, 26; + method of making, 40 + +Potato Valley, 199 + +Powell, Clement, letters from to Chicago _Tribune_, v.; + place in boat, 11; + duties of, 11; + leaves party, 259 + +Powell, Emma Dean (Mrs. J. W.), 7; + and infant daughter, 165; + in Middle Park, 172; + leaves for Washington, 179 + +Powell, John Wesley (The Major), the conqueror of the Colorado, 2; + title in Volunteer Army, 2; + first descent of Colorado; v., 3, 96, + no right arm, 8; + titles of reports, v., vi., + position in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + goes up Yampa, 50; + on Yampa River 1868, 50; + goes ahead to Uinta, 56; + to Salt Lake, 67, 70, 99, 144, 179, 259, 266; + songs of, 73; + rejoins party, 98; + fails to reach Dirty Devil overland, 99; + leaves for Washington, 179, 259; + reports through Smithsonian Institution, vi.; + runs course of river, vii; + buried at Arlington, 267 + +Price River, 92 + +"Prof.," viii., + _see_ Thompson, A. H. + +Provo to Golden, waggon road, 67 + +_Putnam's Magazine_, copy found, 43 + + +R + +Rabbits, Pai Ute method of cooking, 252 + +Rain cascades, 105, 106, 132 + +Rapid, the first, 21; + method of running, 35, 36; + tails of, 36; + eddys at, 36; + Catastrophe, vi., 242, 243 + +Rations, 4, 111, 119 + +Red Canyon, 2; + entrance of, 22; + upset of _Nellie Powell_ in, 23; + width of river in, 24; + speed of current, 24; + height of cliffs, 24, 28; + end of, 30 + +Red Canyon Park, 29 + +Red Cliff, 176 + +Red Lake Utes, Jacob pacifies them, 170; + meet with band of, 204 + +Regiment marches from Salt Lake to Denver, 68 + +Renshawe, John, joins party, 259 + +Richardson, Frank C. A., 10; + position in boats, 11; + skill in dressing deer, 16; + leaves party, 31 + +Riggs, 157 + +Riggs, Charley, 248 + +Riley, George, 143; + head of pack train, 156; + cook, 260 + +Rio, San Buenaventura, 67; + San Clemente, 67; + San Rafael, 95, 103; + San Juan, 140, 210 + +Robideau, crossing of Green River, 67; + Fort, 67 + +Rocking stones in current, 127 + +Roundy, Lorenzo W., 153 + +Rudder useless on the Colorado, x. + + +S + +Sag, the, at Disaster Falls, 38 + +St. George, Mormon settlement, 194 + +Salmon, white, caught, 98 + +Salt Lake City, 7, 17; + the major goes to, 67, 70, 99, 144, 179, 259, 266 + +Salt Lake to Denver, waggon road, _via_ Provo and Golden, 67 + +San Clemente, Rio, Escalante's name for White River, 67 + +San Francisco Mts., seen from Mt. Trumbull, 187; + from Echo Peaks, 250 + +San Juan River, mouth of, 140; + pass it, 1872, 210 + +San Rafael River, 95; + arrive at, 103 + +Santa Fe and Los Angeles trail, 94 + +Santa Fe Railway to the Grand Canyon, x. + +Scorpions, 132 + +Second Powell expedition, the, vi., 3; + material used for report on first expedition, vi.; + supplies of, 4; + method of sacking rations, 6; + ready to start, 8; + personnel of, 11 + +Selden, 95 + +Sentinel Rock and Sentinel Creek, 149 + +Sevier Canyon, 266 + +Sharp Mountain Falls, 91 + +Shewits, killed Powell's men, vii., 96; + territory of, 186; + afraid of us, 191; + plan to ambush us, 243; + meet us, 253; + conference and agreement, 253; + Thompson's guide, 259 + +Shinumo, the, 112, 149; + trail, 113, 145; + caves, 132; + Canyon, 184; + ruin on Mt. Dellenbaugh, 259 + +Shower Bath Spring, 245 + +Shunesburg, Powell descends Virgin River to, 248 + +Sierra, Escalante, 43; + La Lal, 103; + Abajo, 127 + +Simpson, Captain, 95 + +Sinav-to-weap, 117 + +Sister Emma, 211 + +Sister Louisa, 174 + +Smithsonian Institution, Powell reported through, vi. + +Snowblind, 266 + +Soap Creek, 159; + Frank M. Brown, drowned near mouth of, 159, 217; + Rapid, 217 + +"Sockdologer, of the World," 222; + rapid, 226 + +Songs of the camp, 73, 74 + +Sorghum molasses, 172 + +Spanish Fork, 266 + +Spanish Trail, Old, 95 + +Split Mountain Canyon, 57; + enter it, 58; + end of, 60; + length of, 60 + +Springs in river bottom, 103 + +Stanton, R. B., proves the White story incorrect, v.; + completed Brown expedition, ix.; + Canyon Railway project, x + +Steward, John F., place in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + on a raft, 16; + discovers gigantic fossil, 20; + determines nature of Unknown Mts., 136; + ill, 146; + recovers, 152; + leaves party, 160 + +Stewart, Bishop, of Kanab, 167; + saw-mill of, on Kaibab, 181 + +Stewart, John, goes with Powell to Grand Canyon, 172; + returns with news of gold find, 174 + +Stillwater Canyon, beginning of, 110; + nature of walls, 111, 113; + house ruins in, 112; + width, 113; + end of, 113; + length, 114 + +Summit Valley, 164 + +Sumner Amphitheatre, 79 + +Sumner, Jack, 7 + +Supplies, nature of, 4; + to be brought in at three places, 7 + +Surprise Valley, 241 + +Swallow Canyon, 31 + +Swallow Park, 197 + + +T + +Table Mountain, 198 + +Tapeats Creek, 240 + +Tavaputs Plateau, 80 + +Teemaroomtekai, Uinkaret chief, 253 + +Teram Picavu, 254 + +Thompson, Professor Alvin Harris, vi., vii., ix., 7; + place in boat, 11; + duty of, 11; + first white man to explore Shewits country, 254; + to climb Mt. Dellenbaugh, 259; + buried at Arlington, 267 + +Thompson, Mrs. Ellen Powell, 7, 165, 166, 172, 181, 195, 216, 259 + +Tiravu Picavu, 254 + +Tirtaan Aigles, slogan, 75, 267 + +Tokerville, Mormon settlement, 190 + +Tom, Pai Ute guide, 197; + leaves party, 199 + +Toroweap Valley, 192 + +Trachyte Creek, 208 + +Trail up cliffs of Paria, 155 + +_Tribune_, Chicago, letters to, from Clement Powell, v. + +Trin Alcove, 107 + +Triplet Falls, 43 + +Trumbull, Mt., why so called, 186; + climbed, 187, 192; + height of, 187 + +Trumbull, Senator, 186 + +Tuba, a Moki (Hopi), goes home with Jacob, 169; + ceremony on crossing Colorado River, 169 + + +U + +Uinkaret, Indians, 186; + region, 186; + plateau, 190; + chief, 253 + +Uinta, Indian Agency, 7, 8, 71 + +Uinta Mountains, 1; + first view of from river, 15 + +Uinta River, pass mouth of, 76; + arrival at, 66; + Powell goes ahead to, 56; + mouth astronomically determined, 95 + +Uinta Utes, 61 + +Undine Springs, 103 + +Union Pacific Railway, crossing of Green River, 3; + _see_ Descent _and_ Distance + +Unknown country, the, 95, 96, 199, 200, 201, 202 + +Unknown Mountains (Henry Mts.) viii., 104, 127, 133; + Steward determines nature of, 136; + position of Dirty Devil (Fremont) River with reference to, 199; + arrive at, 207; + map of, 207 + +Untokarowits, Pai Ute name for F. S. Dellenbaugh, 250 + +Utah Southern Railway finished to Lehi, 262 + +Utah, from, into Colorado, 31 + +Utes of Wonsits Valley, Uinta and White River, 61 + +Ute Crossing of Colorado in Uinkaret region, 188 + +Ute Ford, the (El Vado de los Padres), 148 + +Ute law as applied to capture, 71 + + +V + +Van Buren, Gentile settler on the Sevier, 266 + +Vasey's Paradise, 219 + +Vermilion Cliffs, 158, 164; + length of, 164 + +Vermilion River, 31 + +Virgin Mountains, 194 + +Virgin River, canyon of, explored down to Shunesburg, 248; + Little Zion or Mookoontoweap Valley of, 190 + +Volunteers march from Salt Lake to Denver, 68 + +Voyage, Canyon, the end of, 242 + + +W + +Walcott, Professor, vii. + +Walker House, Salt Lake City, 267 + +Wasatch Cliffs, 200 + +Wheeler, Lieut. George M., goes up Colorado to Diamond Creek, 145 + +Whirlpool Canyon, 53; + end of, 55; + descent in, 56 + +Whirlpools described, 239 + +Whiskey not taken, 6 + +White, James, 2; + story of his trip through canyons disproved, v. + +White River, 66; + journey down, 69; + pass mouth, 76 + +White River Utes, 61 + +Whitmore, Dr., killed by Navajos, 169; + ranch, 188 + +Wild Band Pocket, 251 + +Winnie's Grotto, 35 + +Winsor, of Pipe Spring, 185; + Castle, 185 + +Winter quarters, 1872-73, 260 + +Witch Water-pocket (Innupin Picavu), 251 + +Wolfskill, William, pioneer, 94 + +Wolves, 161, 162, 165 + +Wonsits Tiravu, 254 + +Wonsits Valley, 60 + +Woonoopits, _see_ Oonupits + +Workman's Ranch, 190 + +Wreckage found in Lodore, 41 + +Wyoming, from, into Utah, 16 + + +Y + +Yampa River, 48, 49; + Powell on it in 1868, 50; + goes up, in boat, 50 + +Young, Brigham, 170, 185; + Alfred, 187 + + +----------------------------------------------------------------- +| Transcriber's Notes: | +| | +| The original contained inconsistencies in spelling and | +| hypenation. The following variations were retained: | +| | +| air-line airline | +| arm-chair armchair | +| arrow-heads arrowheads | +| ball-room ballroom | +| bow-knot bowknot | +| near-by nearby | +| row-lock rowlock | +| sand-bank sandbank | +| school-house schoolhouse | +| ship-shape shipshape | +| south-westerly southwesterly | +| up-stream upstream | +| Clarkson Clarkston | +| Fremont Fremont | +| Koneco Koneco | +| De Motte DeMotte | +| | +| The following typographical errors in the original were | +| corrected: | +| | +| Pg 62: "eaving" to "leaving" | +| ("leaving us hardly a rock") | +| | +| Pg 175: "bame" to "came" | +| ("came to the edge") | +| | +| Pg 198: added "of" | +| ("like the roof of a house") | +| | +| Pg 220: "bat-battened" to "battened" | +| ("hatches firmly battened") | +| | +| Pg 229: "dashig" to "dashing" | +| ("water was dashing") | +| | +| Pg 250: "prononnced" to "pronounced" | +| ("in their language pronounced") | +| | +| Pg 273: "Canyon" to "Kanab Canyon" | +| ("Kanab Canyon, Journey up") | +| | +----------------------------------------------------------------- + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Canyon Voyage, by Frederick S. 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