Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-16
HALE A MILE BELOW GROUND.
Thrilling Adventures Of q Party I'm

Thrilling Adventures OF Party Il
the Great Canon OF the Colorado.
o James White, Henry Strobe an,
Capt. Baker, of the late Confeder
ate army, left Colorado City Ma.
q, 1867, on foot, with two pacl
mules to carry provisions, tools anC
blankets, for the purpose Of pro-
specting in the San Juan valley for
gold. After several weeks travel
they struck the San Juan river
but not finding sufficient promise in
the sands, went westward, and at
length reached Grand river, the
banks Of which were masses of per.
pendicular rock, 1000 feet high.
Both men and animals, suffered for
water, and it was day before they
reached the stream which dashed
and foamed in the canon. The next
morning august "a they as
eended, and We're suddenly sssailed
by gun-shots from a band of In
dams. Baker fell at the first fire,
saying, Boys, save yourselves. I"
But his comrades fought until he
was dead, and then they reiterated
down into the canon.
THE CONSULTATION -.-.
which ensued, resulted in the deci.
sion to go down the river, since to
60 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 sand stone walls,
1000 feet high, and they waited for
dark, when only for single hour in
the day did the sun shine into the
chasm. They found driftwood aud
made a raft of sticks and cotton
wood, lashing them together with
mule ropes, and then fastening on
their provisions, foated on in the
almost Tartarean darkness Of that
wonderful gulch. Through the long
night they chung to the raft, as it
dashed against rocks or whirled in
eddies. At last daylight came, and
with it a smoother current. They
then made a landing, ate some OF
their water-soaked provisions, and
the raft with cedar
sticks. Then they embarked, and
afternoon came to the juno
ton where Green and Grand rivers
unite to form the Colorado. ESQ
THE LOFTY WALLS .H-
at the junction the river was about
$50 feet in width and the walls on
either side were nearly mile high.
Above was only to be seen a 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 foated in the great canon in
the daylight, made brief by the
out of the sun, they en-
deaYored to avoid the rocks which
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
fioated on, hoping to reach Calville.
Four days had passed, when on the
afternoon ofthe 18th of August, an
ominous roar ahead was heard the
current became more rapid, sharp
bend was turned, and a foaming
waterfall was seen. Nothing could
prevent the raft going over it.
Then Strobe stood up with his pole
in his hand, while White chung 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 head
he beheld through the mist and
spray his comrades form toss for a
moment in the boiling water, and
then sink. -.-s
Remembering this, andnot know
ing what yet to expect in that ter,
ribIe fssure of the earth, the walls
of which were now as much as
1000 feet in height, and seemed to
meet almost, and keeping out all Of
the upper earth except the narrow
est ribbon of blue sky. White
tied himself to the raft, and
strengthened the lashings.
ANONE IN THE CANON.
All the provisions and arms had
been lost in going over the water
fall, and after that came 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 composing
the raft became separated at the
upper end spread out fanwise: but
White after being thrown into the
water, regained his place, and re-
fastened them. Shortly afterward
he reached the mouth of the Color
ado Chiquitto, which Joins the
Colorado proper at right angles,
and creates small eddy of whirl-
pool. In this whirling of waters,
White, clinging desperately to the
raft, was tossed to and fro for hours
and only when almost unconscious
found that he had been released
from the grasp of the liquid arms,
and was once more floating down
between the lofty perpendicular
walls. 4-aa l.I ....... -.r
Four days had passed since he
had tasted food. Nothing had he
seen but the foaming waters, the
blank, bare walls and the thread of
sky above. For more thana week
he had been at the bottom of q
trench mile in depth. Exhausted
and hungered, he even sought to
suck his own blood, but the aspect
of his shriveled, blistered arm
frightened him. 1t was then that
he came by a fat strip of shore
with bushes growing on it. Here
he stopped, devouring some green
leaves and pods, and again resumed
his journey. .f.. r..
On the eleventh day he was
taken on shore by some Yampai:
Indians, who would probably have
killed him had not one Of them
interfered and protected him. This
humane savage gave the voyager
meat and roasted mezquite beans tC
eat, and, after a short rest White
tottered to his raft and hoated
downward. r.r.... ..
DELIyERANCE AT LAST.