The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-26

S@o owner M. r. jones' '"' ''. TWO ''''
THE POWELL EXPEDITION.
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Another Letter from Professor Powell. T.
DR.. Richard Edwards Of the Normal University
Bloomington, H., has received the following lettet
from Major Powell 1t viii be seen that the Major "
all right
CAMP AT MOUTH or THE UINrAH, June 90, 1859.
MY DEAR SiR-The party has reached this point ia
safety, having run four canyons or about twenty.uvo
miles in length EACH the walls Of which were from
1900 1880 feet high We found falls and dangerous
rapids when we were compelled to make p0rtages q
rations &C., and to let tue boats down with iinea
We wrecked one OF our boats and lost about one
third OF our supplies and part OF the instruments
The instruments were duplicated, but the loss Of.
rations will compel us to shorten the time for ing
| more In detail IN the Chicago tribune, as l shall
send some letters to 1t Tor publcation. l9
rs wr aTye iOss 70. NY es paper
not made large general collection, but have some
map Shall walk to The tiniaS indian Agency.
about twenty-five or thirty miles from camp, where
| some news. the boats seem 10 De o success;
although filled with water by the waves many times
| end act wen as buoys Inc wreck was due 70 mis-
understanding the signal tine captain OF the boa9
to land VS ABOVE the falls BUT was drea
We shall rest here Tor eight or ten days make re-
pairs ana dry our rations, winch have been xet 50
dltion; In fact, We have lost nearly nall by one ms.
hap and another. have personally enjoyed MYSELF
much, the scenery being Wild and grand oeyond des
scrpton. All in good health, al Ia gooa sp rlts aud
all with high hopes OF success. snail hasten TO the
Grand and Green, as am very anxious make Qua
sefvations the 7th OF AUGUST OF the eclipse. With
earnest wishes Tor your cont nued success aad pros
per.ty at Normal am, VITA great respect, yours
| cordially, J. w. Pow r.Ll4.
| Additional and Thrilling Particulars Of the
Descent OF the Rapids.
Mr. Byers, OF the Powell expedition, brother OF
the editor Of the Denver Netos writes That paper,
under date June 10, from the mouth Of Bear river.
We extract the main portion OF ills letter -
| We started down the canon OF Ladore the NORM
ing OF the sth dancing over the rapids ct railroad
speed hunt fOaInlng cataract ahead warned ns I'd
haul IN and examine 1t. had To let our Doats down
by ropes few hundred yards past the worst of me
rapids and after dinner launched out again into ting
current and proceeded rapidly only stopping bah
when breakers nlied US too iu to runj rapids com,
Ing In quick succession. About one O'CLOCK the sly.
nal boat signals at the foot OF very bad rapid 10
ashore; boats nearly iu Of Water-two were
Ing the signal the crew Of the mo
! Name" failed very enectuaily owing in the
man to having SO much water ABOARD as TO make
her nearly Or quite unmansgeable; otherwise, the
mistake was seen by US III time to save her. 0ax
next move after failing TO get In was to run her IS
! long as she would Aoat and gradually work her
ashore on the bar below, where from the spray and
soam sho ros snoa. Water sue sum- however
stove up 80 bad that there WAS TO stay by neI
any longer, SO the crew oil az ne same time Coz.
knocked two Of us OH twice, but we aad clung TO
her and waited for another thump spring toward
| came quickly. One OF US, FRANK Goodman, was
swept over aud immediately struck Tor the bar.
| deck, which was about six inches under
ak feet of water; but ~ stroke III the
Ice OF the rocks where the current was broken.
ceeded In anch0rinR myself safely the sloa Of
| the ban NY brother struck tue snoal one hundred
Ieet lower down, and Goodman was cinglng Tor
| above, and asking for assistance. lie had taken
good deal OF water out we managed to get root
which he chung until we got MIN during this
time those on shore were rushing down to nep,
but we 80 completely dlstanced them In ride
through the waves, that We were out OF Sight wholly
before we struck the oar. We did not any OF
oeye , any serious nd injury barely few buts on
the rocks In the snoal. Our sand bar had q
OF which, after drying our matches, we succeeded In
starting lire. Our position on the bar soon began
to look serious, as the water was rapidly RISING. SO
much 30 that what were bouoers imbedded IN the
sand when we landed was getting IKE the shoA
above. However, Mr.. sumner, as soon as tney
could let tho little boat down to US and dump ner
cargo, crossed the channel where we could reach
his boat We then turned the boat up among the
three got in her. and the Others held ner nose until
they get their oars in position ready for sharp ven
oars plying rapidly struck one rock, fitting US up
at an angle OF iortyfve degrees; OF In the loan be-
low, and struck shore twenty ave yarus above a
perfect hell OF foam, safe and sound barring FEW
bruises and slight ducklng.
besides the bedding and entire cotninr Of the crew
OF three men, with the exception Of shirt and pair
OF drawers apiece: We dld not 60 thus scanty clad
lot comfort, nut Tor safety IN case Of any misnap,
Any supernuous clothing Is o nindrance in he
wafer. We camped here until the morning Of the
10Th, having reclaimed from the wreck below a ba-
rometer and two or three thermometers, blue Key
and some wax candles anoat. Nothing more has
70 pc OF use. Our three guns, ammunition, pistols,
knives, BELTS scabbards, &C, although we tried al
to that time were all lost, also Typographical
work, instruments. &C. Alter dnding IL OF no use
boats about three-fourths OF ulie to the head OF
another fall where camped. ON the 18th we
under the edge OF overnangine rock 1905 feet
above us, with beach OF sand about sixteen
portage of $50 yards, loaded up and ran down into
smooth water, just above Heavy Rapids aud
camped: From the scene OF the wreck 70 TINS point
falls about FOUR and half miles.
Here we stay III camp nights OF the 12Jh the 18th
and l4th, to repair somewhat the ranlent of the
wrecked and dry our cargoes, climb mountains and
do what Typographical work was lost as is fresh IN
memory. The 10Th OF June we let down our bouts q
quarter OF mile unloaded aud made tran quarter
OF a mile Tor to-morrow's portage: the 10th climbed
Blacktaii cliff measured ls height with barometer
took the surrounding topography from its top, made
portage OF quarter Of mrie and dropped down
the 17th made portage of onehaif mile the 10TH and
let our boats down aud ioaded morning of the 18th
let down. loaded, another half inile then ran half
a me, let down 200 yards, made portage Of forty
yards and then let down, loaded 200 yards more:
afterwards ran down three and quarter miles and
camped; morning Of the 18th ran down four ana O
quarter miles TO the mouth OF Bear river, where We
stay until the 21st.
Our trip thus far has been pretty severe, still very
exciting. When we have to run rapids nothing is
exhilarating; 1t keeps IN play O rapid train VI
thought and action, equalled only by the rlvers
progress; and az breaker dashes over US, as we
sloot out from one side or Tue other after having
run the fall, one feels like hurrahIng 1t must be-
something like the excitement OF battle at the point
n m ~ mn ~ ppaI.l rhuns k,ct
to produce this effect, conceive Is To be attributed
to tue purity OF The atmosphere, ceansed 1t IL by
1 M iha riuo NJ