The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-22
THE POWELL EXPEDITION.
3 afefy Of the Party-Letters from Major
Powell to June 23-Runuing tho Rapids
A Chapter Of Accidents and Exciting Adveu-
auras-Aaanarx0 ff ha

Chapter Of Accidents and Exciting Adveu.
turss-seenery Of the Cuuous.
from the correspondence OF the Chicago Tribune.
COLORADO RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION. !
ECHO PARx MouTa OF BEAR RIVER,
June Is. 1869.
On the sta our boats entered the canon of
it has been adopted We soon came TO rapids.
over which the boats had to be taken with lines
explain the plan OF running these places The
light boat Emma Dean, with TWO good oarsmen
and to ana auds ae nav
around dangerous rocks. When we come to rapids
died with boulders sometimes dnd Il necessary TO
walk along the shore Tor examination. III II Is
thought possible to run, the light boats proceed II
not the others Jagged to CONS to tue head OF
lines or make portage. At the foot OF one OF these
runs, early in the afternoon, found place where IL
would be necessary TO make a portage and signal
bank TO examine the ground for the portage, and
left one OF the men OF my boat to signal the others
boats land all right, and felt no more care about
them. But hve minutes after heard . shout.
and Looking round saw one 81 me p s oSSmns
had not seen the signal IN time and the swift cur
rent had carried him to the brink. / saw that his
third boat. In two minutes moro saw that turn the
point and head to shore and so went ater tue boat
going over the falls. The hrst fall was not great,
only two or three feet and we had often run SUCH.
but below 1t continued to tumble down twenty or
thirty feet more, IN channel filled with dangerous
them into foam. turned just to see the boat strike
a rock and throw the men and cargo out. stu they
onp to her sides ana clambered IN again. and saved
mart OF the oars but she was fu OF water and they
could not manage her, Still down the river they
went. two or three hundred yards. TO another
rocky rapid just bad, ana the boat struck again
amidshps and was dashed to pieces. The neu
were thrown into the river and carried beyond my
sight. Very soon turned the point and could see
q mans head above the waters, seemingly washed
about by o Whirlpool below rock. This was Frank
Goodman clinglng to the rock, with grip on which
aA cnrp
trying to go to his aid from the island. He finally
got near enough to Frank to reach him the emo OF
pole and letting 20 the rock, ne grasped and was
pulled out. Seneca Rowland, the captains brother
was washed further down the island on to some
rocks and managed to ges ashore IN safety except n
twas quickly done. And now the three men
were on the Island, with dangerous river ON
each side and falls below. The Emma Dean
was soon got down and sumner, one
of the men or my boat, started with It Tor
the island Right skiifuliy he piyed bis and
few strokes SET n az the proper point, aud back he
brought his cargo OF men. we were as glaa 20
shake hands with them as II they had been on
voyage round the world and wrecked on q distant
coast Down the river half a mile we found that
the aftercabin OF the boat with part OF tue bottom
ragged and splIntered had doated against rock
and stranded. There were valuable articles IN the
cabin but on examination we concluded that HE
| should not be risked to save them OF course tue
gone SO we went up to the boats and made camp
| Tor the night. No sleep would come TO Tue In those
| &c. mad been divided among the boats
| Tor Tor safety. and we started with duplicates
| OF everything that was a necessity 10 success,
but In tue distribution there was one exception and
the barometers all lost There was possibil.
inv that the barometerS were in the cabin lodged
n1ainst a rock on the isand-that was the cabin Ia
winch they had been kept. But then how 20 get to
~ And the river was risng-woud 1t be there To-
| morrow Could l go out TO Salt Lake and get ba
| rometers from New York; Well. thought OF many
| mans before morning, and determined 10 get them
from the island, II they were there. Alter breakfast
| the men started 10 make the portage, and walked
down TO look at the wreck, There 10 was still the
| island, only carried fifty or sixty feet further
/ on A closer examination OF the ground
| showed me that It could easily be reached
| Tnat afternoon Sumner and Hall volunteered
to take the little boat and go to the wreck. They
| started reached 1t and out came the barometers
| Tnen the boys set up shout. l Joined them
pleased that they too should DO SO glad to save the
| instruments. When the boat landed on our side,
| found that the only things saved from the WRECK
were the three barometers. the package Of thermom
| eters and u two gallon key OF whIskey. This was
| what the men were shouting about. They haC
| taken It on board unknown to me, and am glat
they did for tney think 1t does them good-as tneJ
runs down this river from the summit OF the ROCKY
Northumberland that Is positive good itself. Three
or four days were spent In making this portage
| nearly a mile long, and letting down the rapids
| that followed In quick succession. On th'
night Of the 18th we camped In beautiful grove o
box elders op the left bank. and here we remained
Two days 10 dry our ratlOns, which were In spoil
ing condition. rest, too, was needed. must no
forget 20 mention that we found the wreck OF boa
near our own, That nad been carried above hig
water marx. ana with 1t the lid OF bake oven, al
old tin plate aud other things, showing that soml
one else had been wrecked tnere and camped In tnt
canyon after the disaster This, think confirms tn
story OF an attempt to run the canyon, some year
! ago that has been mentioned before. ON Tn
llth Rowland anu I climbed the walls Of IN
canyon. on the west sidSs 70 an altitude Of aos