Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-07-29
GtMeral 9uttlll9eutt.
THE COLORADO EXPEDITION.
Letters from Col. Pow uMMiMg the
,CanOAs-Ths Gateway Of the COSOra.
do Reached IN Safety.

The Chicago Tribune publishes thrco lot
tors from Col. Powell, dated respectively
june I'll, 9th and 9TH, detailing tho progress
Of tho expedition up to TINT date. These
lottcrs conclusivoly provo tho reported loss
Of the expedition a canartl, ~ ut tho tnto
of tho last lettor tho party Ind passed tho
point whore 1t wnB snil TO havo takon place.
Tho rnrty had. however, just roNchod tho
gateway Of tho Great Canon, wlcro tho
grentcst dnngcrs lie, and Whit fate may
havo ovortnken Thorn since, Wo whit with
much anxiety to learn. As tho reported
loss of tho purity has invested tho exrodt-
ton with q peculiar interest to tho public,
wo ropublish portion of tho two last lot
tors OF Dol. Powell:
JUNE Give loft camp ut Flaming Gorge
on tho Both Of May, and quickly run thro'
tho gorge; then wheeled to tho loft OH the
swiftly gliding current into another canon
with direct run of nearly milo; then tho
river turned sharply around tho point Of u
narrow cliff to tho right. about liftoen hun.
bred feet high, and rolled In great waves
back again to tho west ford another milo;
then became quiet stream i'll II little val
10y. As this was our first experience with
canon rapids, wo called 1t Canon of tho
Rapids. Soon We enteroa another canon
in tho gray rocks, and made ride to tho
point where tho rivor makes its grand turn
to tho cast, and cnmped for tho night.
This camp was on tho sOuth sido OF tho,
river, just opposite dome-shapod noun
tain, around which the Green makes fits
turn, and We called 1t Beehive Point.
Down the rivor the mountains were of rod
sandstone, and tho evening Aun played
In roaeato flashes from the rocks
and shimmering green from the &C.
lar spray and shimmcred and flashed along
tho dancing waves away down tho river
The landscape revelled in beautiful sun
shine. Tho noxt day VIC started down
through what we called Red Canon, and
soon came to rapids, which wero made
dangerous by hugo rocks lying in tho chan
mol. So wo ran ashore and let our bOats
down with limos. In the afternoon we
came to more dangerous rapids and stopped
to examine them, and found that we had to
let down with lines and were on the wrong
sido Of tho river, but must first cross. No
worry easy matter In such q current, with
dangerous rocks below and rapids above.
First I sent the pioneer boat, emma
Dean," over to unload on the opposite
bank; then she returned to get another
load, and, running back and forth, sho
soon had nearly half the freight over
Then ono of the largo bonts was manned
and taken across, but carried down almost
to tho rocks, in spite Of hard rowing. Tho
other boats soon followed, and we went
into camp for tho night. At tho foot Of
tho cliff on this side, there was long
slope covered with pines. Under these
pines we mado our beds, and soon after
sunset woro seeking rest and sleep. The
cliffs Oh either sido were of rich, red sand
stone, and stretched up toward the heavens
two thousand five hundred feet. On this
side, the long pine-clad slope was sur
mounted by q perpendicular cliff with
pines on Its summit. The Cliff on the
other side was bare rock from the waters
edge up two thousand feet, and then sloped
back, giving a footing to pines and ccdars.
As twilight deepened the rocks grew dark
and sombre. The threatening roar Of the
awake with thoughts Of the morrow and
the canons to come, interrupted now and
then, by characters In the scenery that
would attract my attention. And here
mado discovery that has boon interesting
and useful to mo since. On looking at a
mountain directly in front, the inclination
of the slope to the horizon is greatly oxag-
perated, and tho distance to it's summit and
its true altitude is corrospondingly dimin-
ished. To Judge of tho slope Of a noun
tain side you must SEQ it in profile.
Now, in coming down to this point during
the afternoon, had noticed tho slope of a
particular part Of the cliff, and had made
nm estimate of Its altitude While at,aup
per had noticed tho same cliff from a
position facing it, and it seemed vertical
but not half SO high. But lying on my
side and looking at the same it's truo pro-
portions appeared. This seemed wonder
full, and got up to take view of 1t stand
ing erect; twas tho samo cliff rs at supper
time Lying down again it was tho cliff as
seen In profile in proportions, with tho adj
vantage of seeing tho textures Of its full
face. And musing on this forgot tho
morrow and the canons to come. found
a way to Judge of altitude md slope as I
could Judge Of distance and trend along
the horizontal. The reason, too, is simple;
a reforonce to tho sterooscope will suggest
it at onto. Since then 1 have often laid
down on my side to search the canon wall
far away to its summit.
Tho day Following We had M exciting
ride. The river glided and rolled down
tho canon at a wonderful rato. No rocks
in tho way to stop us, wo made almost
railroad speed. Here and there the water
would rush into narrow gorge the rocks
at tho side rolling it to the contre in great
waves, and She boats would 60 leaping md
bounding over these like things OF life.
messed in Middle Park Herds OF startled
deer bounded through forests bcsct with
fallen timber. I mentioned tho roscm-
b]aAse to somo Of the hunters, and so
striking was It that it came to be common
expression, $500 the blacktails jumping
tho logs" Sometimes these waves would
break, and their waters roll over tho boats,
which necessitated much bailing, and
sometimes VIC had to stop for that purpose
1t WIS thought by members Of tho party
that Mt somo points Wo ran at tho rate OF a
milo por minute.
I estimated that wo ran twelve miles in
one hour, stoppages included. Tho dis
lance was thought to be much moro by 9TH
ers Of the party. Last spring had con-
vcrsation with IN old Indian who told me
Of one of his tribe making the attempt to
run this canyon in a canoe with his wife
and little boy. 'The rocks" he said, hold
ing his hands above his hoad, his arms YER
teal, and looking between them to the
heavens, "the rocks h.c-a-p-h-e up high.
Tho water goes hoo-woOgh, hoo-woogh,
hoo. woogh Water pony (tho boat) heap
buck Water ketch en- No SEQ en- Ingin
any moro! no SEQ em squaw any moro no
SEQ en- pappoose any moro! Those who
have seen these wild Indian ponies rear a.
tornately before and behind, or ''buck," as
it Is called in tho vcrnacular, will appreciate
his description.
At last turning point wo came to calm
distance. Gradually approaching this
IN Tnllo o,,I {Sa1 i11cf
above them on the left bank. uoreI we
had 10 make portage. We unloaded tho
boats; then fastening long limo to tho
bow and another to tho stern of one VIC
moorod it close to tho edge of the falls.
The stern limo was taken below the falls
and made fast, tho bow limo was taken by
five or six mon and tho boat let down as
long as they could hold it; then, letting
90, the boat ran over and was caught by
tho lowor rope. Getting one boat over that
night VIC rested until morning; then made
q trail among tho rocks, packed tho car
goes to point below tho falls, ran over
the remaining boats, and were ready to
start before noon.
On rock, by which our trail ran, was
written "Ashloy," with date, one figure
Of which was obgcure-sOme thinking it
was 1926, others 1866. had boon told by
old mountaineers of party Of mon start
ing down tho river, and Ashley is mention
cd as one; and the story runs that tho boat
vas swampcd, and some of tho party
drowned In tho canon below. The word
"Ashley" is a warming to us, and we re-
solve on great caution. "Ashloy Falls is
the name wo have given to tho cataract.
Tho river IL very narrow hero; tho right
wall vertical; tho loft towering to great
hoilklt but q vaat pilo of broken rocks bo-