The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-10
THE POWELL EXPLORING EXPEDITION.

Another Story and Another Sole Survivor
Letters from Major POweli's Brcther and
Brother-in.La w-RIsdon Pronounced an I'm
postor.
from the Omaha Republican, July 81
Nothing that can be written is so interesting 20 the
casual or constant reader as historical sketches Incl
dents, actual realities and occurrences OF the new
and undeveoped country west OF us. In the sierra
Nevada, Rocky and Sierra Madre mountains, the
Quakng Asp, Bear River, Wasatch Humboldt, Pro-
montOry, Uinta and Wind River ranges there are
every day experiences OF trappers, hunters ex'
ten and published, would astonish the word. The
new discoveries. hairDreadth escapes. astonishing
revelations are often OF such nature as TO be almost
incredible and beyond belief. Reading the hundreds
Of accounts brought In by the adventures,
put by the area we
have q simple Idea OF Its wondrous wealth.
It's peculiar geological formation, its singu-
thousand different savage and barbaric trioes its
wealth OF precious metals, and perhaps form an i'm
preston OF what must be gone through with IN order
TO know II for certainty. Parties are continually
organizing to open up the tackless wilds, explore
the unknown rivers, or canOns, IN search OF some
thing new, that the world may be enlightened and
themselves benefited.
The Powell outfit was Of the latter class. We say
was for all are now beyond the present. all having
been lost while in their perl0us descent Of Green
river, some two weeks ago. We are enabled to lay
the particulars Of their sad fate before readers
this morning. Our personal knowledge Of the coun-
try where the catastrophe occurred, with that OF
Mr. William Riley, trapper ana Indian fighter
Of several years. experience whom We met last
US to give correct and authentic description of the
country aud the route taken by the explorers Mr.
Riley has been over the ground several times and Is
perhaps familiar with every fs0t Of IL. He has just
arrived from the mountains, where he met Mr.. yohn
sumner the only survivor OF the party and from
him Cleaned every known particular OF the expIor-
ers and their loss in the whrllng rapids. Mr. Sum-
ner was first met by Riley at Fort Bridger; put IN.
order to give the reader comprehensive description
OfIf will No
Fort Bridger Is ten miles from Byer's Ranch and
about thirty five from Changers Quaking Asp Noun
tain the great RIM Of the Pacific basn Is thirty five
miles nearly due west, while the Bear River Noun.
tains, Uinta and Wasatch range lie more to the
several small streams centre and form respectfully
sized creek known az Blacks FORK. The Big Muddy,
HAMS Fork, Little Bear or Large Creek, al empty
into Blacks, near Bryan. From Bryan due north
to JOnnson's ferry on Green River 1t is but seven
miles. Both the latter stream and BLACKS Fork run
parallel in sOutneasterly direction for ninety miles
by and forty by land from Bryan and there join
forces. Leaving Green River City we cross an aka
line plateau OF one mile IN length 70 the point where
the Drackish, salty waters OF Bitter Creek ntersect
FROM this pOut down the river for distance of nine
miles the river forms one or the most beautiful land
scape scenes IN the world. Below this point the
stream enlers narrow pass where the rocks lit
their sOmDre heads hundreds OF feet In the air. A
few miles further and South Bitter creek wends its
sluggish way from Big Cedar Canon and joins waters
with the Green. Five miles OF beautiful valley and
then more Of those towering rocks are passed. This
appears 10 be the nature OF the country until we
BY water be0S our starting point but only twenty
i've by land. At Henry's Fork, twenty-five miles
Fork and several other small tributaries empty at
this point ana wagon road cuts across the country
to Fort Brdger. Twenty miles further and we enter
Browns Hole, q deep ten mile valley OF the Green
river and turkey creeK. Here we ind more OF the
rock-slded walls, their height often reaching an ai
tude OF 500 feet, while the stream narrOws down TO
l0O leet in width and PUSHES through the gap with
terrible rapidlty. The bed ID filed with huge
bOuiders fallen from the tops, which almost meet
oopfOi lin inf nj nj
stone, impregnated with alkai and porous in its
nature In the winter 1t freezes CRACKS open and
river enters Hell's Gate. deaths Door, would be
equally as appropriate for this place, and on the
walls at the entrance should be cut In deep letters,
He who enters here leaves hope behind" The
noise caused by the rushing, seething waters Is
almost deafenng, and the very sight alone enough
to shake the stoutest heart a. 1t conemplates de-
scent OF the dangerous pass. falls twelve feet In
height first meets the eye and sends an involuntary
shudder through the frame. No boat ever Duiit
could possibly pass over these falls without being
shattered 10 atoms With the pare possibility that
an attempt would be successful, four or live more
falls would also have to be passed. wle the channel
between them Is q roaring, rocksided caudron or
whrlpOOls and rapids, with immense stones, rearing
1erce-looking, sharpponted heads tnreatenngiy
above the foam at every lew feet The water Is pre-
cIpItated down TINS gorge velocity OF fortymes
per hour Hence not the shadow OF chance Tor
escape presents itself.
miles. Only here and there dark rocky canons are
abruptly broken IN two by the stream. Below Hels
Gate the river WldenS but Is still very rapid, Win
one two three and four feet falls every lew miles,
until we reach the mouth or Bear river, twenty
miles below. For the twenty miles following tue
rapids are not SO bad, yet dangerous enough. The
next five miles, however are quite as paa, and III
some places worse than Browns Hole Here we en-
counter fifteen miles OF the towering rocky sides
again. These are known AS 1.-THE DIVIDES and are
covered with snow during nearly the whole year.
They are passaDle only IN July or August. FROM
this point II IL about seventy-hve miles TO Fort
Brdrer In q northwesterly direction. and 15J miles
to the mouth OF Green river and head OF
the Colorado-5Oo miles southwest OF Den
yer, Colorado. These rapids are extensively
known throughout the Western country as the spot
where severa different parties who have attempted
descent through tne destructive chasms nave
LOSS OF THE POWELL PARTY IN HELLs GATE
NINE MEN DRowNED-Loss OF OTHER EXPLORING
The party was organized In June 1865, under the
direction Of Major J. W. Powell, OF tue Normal un-
versry, Of Normal, Ill. IL was designed or sciea-
tiic purposes and consisted of twenty five pespns
The exploration was conducted under the auspices
OF the Normal and wesleyan Universities OF Bloom-
ington Ill., the Illinois Industrial Colege at Cham
paign. Ill, and the Chicago Academy OF sciences.
rhe outfit furnished by the last named insttu-
ton and the Natural History Society-the United
states government furnishing rations railroad
transportation, hunters, guides and an adequate
military escort The party started with every requl-
site necessary among them two p, eooas 61i, I'm IN
Grand river, near Grand CITY, Middle Park, Colorado,
and was vigorously prosecuted 10 Coalviie The ORR
Rinal intention was TO make sixteen months trip,
returned In the fall, having been highly successful
as far as the explorations extended. some OF the
party wntered near Browns Hole whine the
balance, with Major Powell, struck across the coun-
try for Fort Bridger and from there returned TO the
states. The Major hau built couple Of boats which
ne supposed particularly adapted TO the navigation
of the Green and Colorado rivers. Returning TO
Green River City, he sold all the saddle aud pack
stock, got everything In readiness and started In
company with nine picked men for Fort Una.
The party was composed OF the Major and his
brother, who joined them In May; Mr.. William
nov al
"Swarty;' John SUMNER OF Denver, and four Others
whose names Mr.. sumner had forgotten. They took
with them three light boats 800 pounds OF ammunl-
ton and rations to last months The whole party
excepting the reader, were volunteers, receiving no
salary and getting only an interest In any claim
which might be discovered and staked of. rhis and
future prospect OF being employed In the Chinese
exploring expedition, which will start next spring.
was the only incentive to urge them on IN the peril
Gus journey, which they had estimated would oc-
cupy fourteen MONTHS stopping here and there along
the ronte to examine the country.
The start made the LIST Of June, and progressed
without incident worthy OF note until about the
18TH when tue first great rapids at Browns Hole
reached Here one of boats Waa badlv