Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-07-22


have, especially in the country.-Hearth
and Home.
HALF MILE BELOW GROUND.
Thrilling Adventures of a Party I'm the
Great Canon OF the Colorado.
From an Arizona Letter.
James White, Henry Strobe, and
Captain Baker, of the late Confederate
army, left Colorado City, May q, 1857,
on feOt, with two pack mules TO carry
provisions, tools and blankets, for the
purpose of prospecting in the San Juan
valley for gold. After several weeks
travel they struck the San Juan river
but not finding sufficient premise in
the sands, went westward, and at length
reached Grand river, the banks of which
were masses of perpendicular rock, 1000
feet high. Both men and animals suf-
ferred for water, and it was days before
they reached the stream which dashed
and foamed in the canon. The next
morning, August oath, they assembled,
and were suddenly assailed by gun-shots
from band of Indians. Baker fell at
the first fire, saying, "Boys, save your
selves" But his comrades fought until
he was dead, and then they retreated
down into the canon.
The consultation which ensued result
ted in the decision to go back was almost
sure death from the Indians. So they
abandoned the mules and travelled down
the stream for five miles. On each side
rose the cold sandstone walls, two thou
sand feet high, and they waited for
dark, when only for single hour in the
day did the sun shine into the chasm.--
n1Hrxv fn. l..sf
of sticks and cottonwood, lashing them
on their provisions, hoated on in the al
most Tartarean darkness of that won
deerful gulch. Through the long night
they clung to the raft, ,as it dashed against
rocks or whirled in eddies. At last,
daylight came, and with it a smooth
current. They then made a landing,
ate some of their water soaked prOvis-
ions, and strengthened the raft with
sedar sticks. Then they embarked. and
toward afternoon came to the junction
where Green and Grand rivers unite to
form the Colorado.
At this junction the river was about
$50 feet in width and the walls on either
side were nearly a mile high. Above
was only to be seen q narrow strip of
sky, while the cedars that stood upon
the edge of the cannon seemed no larger
than weeds; and detached pinnacles rose
yet higher as monuments TO memoriZe
the mutiny of mighty waters. Down
they floated in the great canon; in the
daylight, made brief by the shutting out
of the sun, they endeavored to avoid the
rocks which opposed them, and at night
they drew TO the foot of the huge wall
and stayed till morning. They could
not go back, and so they footed on,
hoping to reach Callville. Four days
had passed, when on the afternoon of
the 28th of August, an ominous roar
ahead was heard; the current became
more arpid, sharp bend was turned,
and foaming waterfall was SEEM
Nothing could prevent the raft going
over it. Then Strobe stood up with his
pole in hand, while White clung to the
logs. The raft leaped down into the
waters, and White heard the last shrek
of his companion, who had been cast off
into the seething torrent; with turned
spray his comrades form toss for a mo-
ment in the boiling water, and then
sink.
Remembering. is, and not knowing
what yet to expect in that terrible fissure
of the earth, the walls of which were
now as much as seven thousand feet in
height. and seemed to meet almost, and
keeping out all of the upper earth except
the narrowest ribbon Of blue sky, White
tied himself to the raft, and strengthen
ed the lashings. All the provisions and
arms had been lost in going over the
waterfall, and after that came a success
sion of rapids, blocked up by the masses
of rocks, over which the raft was driven
and tumbled and sometimes completely
submerged. In one of these the logs
the raft became separated Mt
the upper end, and spead out fanwise
but White after being thrown into the
water regained his place, and refastened
them. Shortly after he reached the
mouth of the Colobado Chiquito, which
joins the Colarado proper at right angles,
and creates small eddy or whirlpool
In this whirling of waters, White, cling
ing desperately to the raft, W as tossed to
and fro for hours, and only when almost
found that he had been re-
leased from the grasp of the liquid arms,
and was once more floating down be-
tween the lofty perpendicular walls.
Four days had passed since he had
tasted food. Nothing had he seen but
the foaming waters, the blank. bare
w dllS duu tuC tilIcdu vi Shy dUOsC. VI
more than a week he had been at the
bottom of trench a mile in depth
and hungry he even
sought to suck his own blood,
sut the aspect of his shriveled, blistered
arm frightened him. 1t was then that
he came by fiat strip of shore with
pushes growing on it. Here he stopped,
ievoured some green leaves and pods,
and then resumed his journey.
On the eleventh day he was taken on !
shore by some Yampais Indians, who
would probably have killed him had not
,ne of them interfered and protected
him. This humane savage gave the
7oyage remeat atandroasted mezquite beans
% eat, and after short rest White tot.
raft and floated downward.
Three days afterward he was aroused
rom stuper by voices. Strong arms
we're thrown about him, and bearded
aces looked pityingly upon him. He
was tended and cared fer by the Nor
mons of this place, and. with his strong
soon regained health, and
has now no desire to leave the spot
where good Samaritans ministered unto
him. He is in good health and doing
veil, and does not wish to renew his