The New York herald., 1869-07-23


Lnrcss from she Exploring Farsy--Letter from
Pref. Poweips Brothcr--Da,es To Jniy 8.
COLORADO RIVER EXPLORING EXPEDITION,
CAMP IN RED CANON, GREEs RIVER,
July 3, IS0l
To THE EDITOR OF THD CuIcAae .s7ENING JOUR
Tne object Of the expedition Of which am a
member IL well known to the readers OF your paper
time Our boats having arrived at Green River CITY
on the Union Pacific Railroad, were launched on the
oath OF May and loaded with the freight consisting
OF the Instruments necessary for the scientific work
of the expedition and provisions chiefly four bacon,
coffee and sugar. with such other creature comforts
as the nature Of the voyage and the capacity of the
boats would allow.
We were thoroughly tired OF our soiourn at Green
River City, which Is situated IN desoate region,
surrounded by sandy, barren bluffs, ana at one
O'Clock in the afternoon Of the oath we rowed into
the stream and were soon out OF sight 0f the town.
Dropping down the river ten twelve miles we
landed and calnped In cottonwood grove well
satisfied with the trial trip Of our little seet of four
small boats, which were built with all the "logic"
displayed n the construction OF the wonderiul one
V, Continuing % on our voyage the next morning, we
made distance OF seventy miles during the 26th
and 28th, and on the 9th passed the mouth OF
Henry's FOrk-a small stream moving into Green
river from the west--wfen the vertical walls OF
OF the Green, came In view but few miles distant.
Az we entered the narrow canon the wallis Of bril-
looked threatening and Onlinous. The low narrow
banks between the river and inc walls were covered
with cottonwood and box elder.
We renamed at this place during the 2Sth and
10th. engaged In measuring the height Of the walls
OF the canon collecting fossils, mending broken IN
strnments, &C, and resumed our voyage again on
the 30th. Through this canon the river has cut u
narrow channel distance OF nifty miles, with often
inst suficient room for the water to now between
the walls leaving bank OF dirt or rock on either
side. Sometimes, at irregular intervals are low.
narrow banks OF sandy SOIL dotted with small groves
of cottonwood trees, with all underground OF box
elder Wild grapevines trail on the ground or fes.
toon the underground Of the groves. Focks OF
wlld geese paddle In the shOai water along the
banks hurry across the rapid current In front of
our boats as we pass. The stream is comparatively
sluggish for some distance from ths entrance ana
then rapidly increases in speed till II becomes u
mountain torrent with often succession OF rapids
and cataracts, when the bed Of .he river Is encum-
bered with large rocks, that sometimes rise num-
ber Of feet above the water.
On the night Of the Goth we cauped at bend OF
the river which we called Beehive Point from the ap
pearance OF clifY, OH the LEFT side Of the river
rounded to the shape Of dome at the top, and COW
cred with cells carved by the action OF the water
had built their nests Of clay. As the swallows
nit about the cln they look like swarns Of bees and
fns S has 1 the appearance OF colossal oesSs
amphtheatre, composed of succession of terraces,
rising to height OF 500 feet; each platform or ter
Is built OF red sandstone, and the space between
is gentle slope clothed 10 green verdure, and on
which row OF pine trees grow In the arc Of circle
and the ampnheatre s painted with alternate bands
work of nature in Our little boats herd OF
mountain sheep are seen standing IN 2. line on
remain motoniess watching our approach, they
look like statues exqulstely cDseed Dy some mas
a Mes %s ike 70 81
soldiers and leaping gracefully TO platform above,
tle again into line and eye us with suspicion as we
domestic sheep, and IL pursued by hunters on &C.
count OF the fine flavor Of his meat; but Is less ire
and rapidity sS With Which be Climbs the highest cs @
and most precptous peaks, OF Which he Is sovereign
and sole inheritor.
ing OF thsSlst 1t became necessary to proceed with
the greatest caution as the rapids became
%n sna nnS more osss was sae to
vent the boats from being hurled by the water
against the rocks that strewed the bed OF the
river ana dashed to pieces. Finding now only
succession OF rapids, many of which we had to let
the boats over with ropes wc proceeded in this man.
n nsa BY two Of
tho expedition, took the lead. The pilot, closely
s se % 70 take e the
the rapids, and then sigualled the direction with
red nag to the other boats, which were often half
II the next rapid was thought to be practicable.
rowed into the stream and the current soon carried
twen9yve or thirty miles We're made during the
Slst OF May and the LIST day Of June and the after
noon OF te latter day we came to direct fail OF
perceptble for some distance above the falls, ana
we ran our boats ashore, without danger, within
pendcaar 'de descent % anS s foam on
the rocks below. On the morning Of the I'd we I'M
loaded our boats ana let them over the falls by tying
q rope 70 either end OF boat. and then fastening
Qne Of the ropes to roca below the falls held the
boat with the other til taken from our hands by the
BY eleven o'clock IN the morning the portage was
made a4d We continued down the stream. The We.
attained rate OF ALMOST railroad speed. The ryer,
however, was comparatively nee from rocks And
W stopped only TO bat the water from the boats.
And now es We LOCKED down the long vista o. the
barrow caion. whlc we We're sliding down an in
oined plane, In fact "coastng the walls seemed to
meet where the river turned round q short bend;
the water was lost from sight and the earth had
opened, we imagined, to Rup us down. The illusion
is dispelled we round the bend OF the river and
denly debouch into beautiful valley.
W. Fl. POWELL.