The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-23
COLONEL POWELL.
Letters from His Exploring Expedition to June
7-Descent Into the Great Green River Cam
yOn-NO Accident Yet.

SOn-NO Accident Yet.
The Chicago Tribune publishes a letter from
Colonel Powell, dated June z, with others dated
June 2 and g. He was still descending Green
river passing through one canyon after another,
but he gives his localities so indefinitely that
they can hardly be understood. He writes from
Flaming Gorge, on the Green river, June =, as
fOllOWs:-
On the 18th of May, at 80, we started from
Green River City. The ratiOns, instruments,
etc, were so divided among the boats as to have
a fair proportion of the several articles in each.
This precaution was taken that we might not be
seriously crippled by the loss of a boat.
We dropped down the river about seven miles,
and went into camp, satisfied tn at our boats
were quite manageable, and not overloaded, us
we had feared they would be. On the
26th we ran down to point about TWO miles
from the mouth of Henry's fork, where a cache
of ratons and instruments had been made last
spring We found everything as we had left it.
X About 20 miles from Henry's fork bril-
liant red gorge is seen. This is where
the river enters the mountain range-the intro
ductory canyon to a series made by the river
through the range. We have named it Flaming
Gorge. The cliffs or walls we have found to be
1900 feet high. You must not think of noun
tain range as a line of peaks standing up out Of
tbe plains. but as broad platform 80 or 60 miles
wide from which mountains nave been carved
by the waters. This plateau has been cut up by
gulches raVines, and canyons in multitude OF
directions, and beautiful valleys are scattered
is a mountain region, not n line OF mountains.
This first series of canyons we are about TO eN-
plore is a river channel cut through such range
of mountains.
On lime Colonel Powell wrtes:-
We left camp at Flaming Gorge on the Both of
Nav. and quickly ran through the gorge; then
wheeled to the left on the swiftly-glidlng cur
rent into another canyon with direct run ol
nearly a mile; then the river turned sharply
around the point of a narrow cllit TO the right,
about 1900 feet high, and rolled IN great waves
back again to the west ford another nlle, Iheh
became quiet stream in a little valley. AS TINS
was our first experience with canyon rapids, we
called it Canyon of the Rapids. Soon we entered
another canyon in the grey rocks, ana made u
ride to the point where the river niahes iCs
grand turn to the east and camped lorthe hlght.
The next day we started down through WhaC
we called Red Canyon and soon came 10 raplds,
which were made dangerous by huge Iochs
living in the channel. So we ran ashore ana let
our boats down with lines. In the afternoon we
came to more dangerous rapids ana stopped 10
examine them, and found that we had 10 leS
down with lines and were on the wrong sue Vi vi
the river but must first cross NO very easy
matter in such a current, with dangerous s IOons
below and rapids above. First sent IIS Plonooi P2
boat, Emma Dean over to unload on the Oppo-
site bank; then she returned to get another load
and running back and forth she soon hau hSaIly
half the freight over Then one OF tne laIse
beats was manned and taken across, put cilrIleu
down almost to the rocks in spite OF haru IoM wv
ing. The other boats soon followed, and we
went into camp for the night -.
The day following we had an eXclthg Ilue.
The river glided and rolled down the canyon az as
wonderful rate. No rocks in the way 70 stop
Us, we made almost railroad speed. Aers "n0