The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-10-01

source. frem which the information comes,
entities ii to credit
81 James NYhite, now living at Callville,
on the Colorado River, formerly president
OF Kenosha, Wisconsin, was induced to
join small party for the San Juan region
west of the Rocky Mountains, in search
of Placer gold diggings. The original
party was composed of four men, under the
command of Capt Baker.
The party left Fort Dodge on the 18th
Of last April, and after crossing the plains
completed their outfit for the San Juan
country in Colorado City, leaving that
place ON the goth of May Proceeding
by way of South Park and the upper Ar
Kansas they crossed the Rocky Mountains
passing round the head waters of the Rio
Grande, till they reached the A'ainaaS
branch of the San Juan River. Here their
prospecting for gold commenced, and be-
ing only partially successful, they contin-
ued still farther to the west, passing the
Dolores and reaching the IN0nc0s, which
latter stream was followed down to the
main valley of the San Juan. Crossing the
San Juan at this point they continued
down the valley in westerly direction
ed a canon. Here they again crossed to
the north bank, and leaving the river
passed across mountain ridge aiming to
reach the Colorado River. In distance
of so miles over very rugged country,
they reached this latter stream, or rather
its main eastern tributary, Grand River
AT the point where they first struck the
river it was inaccessible on account of It's
steep rocky banks; they accordingly fol
lowed up, the stream in search of a place
where water could be procured. At an
est 'nnated distance of IL miles they came
upon side canon down which they sue
ceeded in descending with their animals
and proc uring supply of water. They
camped at she bottom Of thisrayine on the
night of the 23d of August, and on the
morning of the 24th started to ascend the
right bank to the table land. In making
this ascent they were attacked by Indians
and Capt. Baker, Icing in advance, was.
killed at the first fire. The two remain
ing men, James White and Henry Strole
after ascertaining the tate OF their COM
rade, fought their way back into the the
canon, and getting beyond the reach of
the Indians, hastily unpaciked their ami
mails, securing their arms and a small sup
plY of provisions and proceeded on foot
down the banks of Grands River Here
they constructed a raft of dry cottonwood
composed of three sticks, tenfeet inlength
and eight inches imdiameter, securely tied
together by lariat ropes, and having stored
away their arms and provisions, they en-
barken atgnlidniglit on their adventurous,
voyage.
The following morning being on the
25th of August, they made landing, re-
pairing their raft ysome additional pieces
of dry cedar, and continued on their
course The river here was about two
hundred yards. sRide, Towing regularly at
i rates of two and a half to three miles
Der h our. According to theis estimate they
reached the mouth of Green River, and
entered tie main Colorado thirty miles
from the paint Of starting Below the
junction tie stream carfows, and is CON
fined between perpendic"oaf rocky WallS
increasing i'll ele, ali0n az e an
estimated distance of forty l. u'sS I'm I'm
Green River they passed the moul. " 'ne
San Juan, both sstreaGls being heFer,. 1 1sslt
med iU by pdfpenGoular walls Ere ~
this point the canon was cont aued, with
only occasional breaks formed by small |
side canon equally inaccessible withg the
main chasn1s Still they9&perienced no
In continuing their voyage and
were elated with the prospect Of soon
the settlements on the Colorado,
below the Great Canon.
On the 2Sth, being the fourth day of
their journey, they encountered the first
severe rapids, III passing one of which,
Henry Strole was washed of, and sank in /
a whirlpool below. The small stock of |
provision was also lost, and when White
emerged from the foaming rapids, he
found himself alone, without food, and |
with gloomy prospects before him for
his adventurous journey His
course now led through the sullen depths
of the Great Canon which was success
sion of fearful rapids, blocked up with
masses of rock, over which his frail raft
tumbled and whirled, So that he had to
adopt the precaution of tying himself
to the rocking timbers In passing one
these rapids, his raft parted and he was
forced to hold on to the fragments by
main strength, until he effected a landing
below in shallow eddy, where he sue
ceeded, standing waist deep in water, in
making necessary repairs and started /
again. One can hardly imagine the gloomy |
feelings of this lone traveller, with no hui
man voice to cheer his solitude, hungry |
yet hopeful and resolute, closed in on
every side by the. beetling cliffs that shut |
out sunlight for the greater part of the I
long summer day, drenched 10 the skin, |
sweeping down the restiesscurrens, shoot 4
ing over foaming rapids, and whiting be-
low IN tumultuous wnirlpools ignorant of
what fearful cataracts might yet be on his !
track, down which he must
plunge to almost certain destruction still
day after day, bouyed up with the hope
OF finally emerging from his prison walls
and feasting his eyes on an open county,
with shaded groves, green fields, and hui
man habitations
The mouth of the Colorado Chiquito
was passed on the fourth day, in the eve
ming, the general appearance of which was
particularly noted, as he was here entan-
gled in an eddy for two hours, until res
cuedas he say, Shy. the direct interposition
of Providence" The general course of
the river was noted as very crooked, with |
numerous sharp turns, the river on every
side being shut in by precipitous walls Of
white sand rock" These walls present a
smooth, perpendicular and occasionally,
over-hanging surface, extending upward
to varied height, and showing distant
line OF high-water mark thirty to forty
feet above The water-leyel.
His estimate of the average height Of
the Canon was 5000 feet, the upper edge
Of which Jared out aboat half way from
the bottom thus presenting rugged crest.
The last two days in the Canon, dark col
ored ingneous rocks took the place OF the
"white sandstone" which finally showed ,
distant breaks on either side, till he reach- |
ed more open country, containg small
patches of bottom land, and inhabited by
bands of Indians = Here he Succeeded in
nrnc-1rino scantv sunnly of MeZqulte