New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-23
THE COLORADO EXPEDITION.

FURTHER PARTICULARS FROM COL POWELL
HOW THEY RUN THE RAPIDs-EXCITING
ADVENTURES.
The Chicdgo Tribune publishes the following
letters from Col J. w. Powell commander Of the famous
Colorado River exploring party The dates are not more
recent than that previous letter published by us but
the details interesting.
Echo PARK. MOUTH or BEAR RIVER
Friday, June 49, 1869.
On the st our boats entered the canon OF LodOre-a
name suggested by Of the We came TO
rapids over which the boats had 70 be taken with lines
we had Succession of these until noon must explain
Dean, with two good oarsmen and myself explore them
then with flag signal the boat advance, and guide
them by signals around dangerous rocks When we come
to rapids filed with powders | sometimes ma
alton If il is thought possible to run the light boat
proceeds not Others tagged to come on to the
or make portage At the foot Of one OF these runs early
in the afternoon, found a place where Is would be
necessary TO make portage ana sgnaing e DOaVs 70
come down, 1 walked along the bank to examine the
ground for the portage and left one OF the men on my
of the boats land all right and felt no more
care about them But hye minutes ater nGard SnoTa
ana looking round saw one OF the BOATS coming over o
falls Capt. Rowland Of the No Name had not seen the
signal tme and the swift current had carried him TO
the brink. saw that his going over was inevitable ana
turned 10 save the third boat. In two minutes more
that turn the point and head TO shore and so went
after the boat going the falls The first fall was not
great only two or three feet and we had often often
BILE down 20 or 80 feet more, in
channel filled with dangerous rocks that broke the
just the boat strike rock and throw the men and
out Still they chung to her sides and cambered in
water, and they could not manage her. Still down the
river they went 200 800 yards TO another rocky RAPID
Just bad and the boat struck again amidshps and was
dashed 70 pieces The thrown into the river
and carried beyond my sight Very soon turned the
seemingly washed about by whirlpool below n rock
This Frank Goodman clinging to the rock, with
Rowland trying to 80 to his aid from the island. He
finally got enough to Frank to reach him the end of
rp1a and In hn FRpE IL
pulled out. scnaca Rowland the Captains brother,
was washed further down the island on to some
rocks, and managed 20 get shore In safety, ex-
cepting had bruises This seemed long time but
was quickly done. And now the three men were on the
island with dangerous river each side and falls be-
low. The Emma Dean was soon got down, and Summer,
Right lfully he plyed his oars, and few strokes set
him at the proper point and back he brought his cargo
they had been on voyage round the world and wrecked
on distant coast On the night or the l2t we camped
here remained two days to dry our rations, which
were In spelling condition. We found the wreck OF
boat near own, that had been carried above high
water mark, aud with IL the lid OF q bake
oven, an old tin plate, and other things;
there aud camped in the canon after the disaster.
This think, confirms the story OF an attempt 70 run
l4h Rowland and climbed the walls of the canon, on
the west side to the altitude Of 1000 feet On looking
over 10 the west we saw park five or SIX miles wdeand
% or long The cliff formed wall between the canon
and the park for It 800 feet down the west side 70
the valley. A creek came winding down the PARK l2V
feet above the river, and cutting the wall by canon
at last plunged 1000 feet by broken cascade INTO e
river below. The day AFTER WINE we haue ahothess
portage, peak the east side was climbed by two OF
the men and found TO be 200 feet nigh on eaeh SIDE OF
the river at this point vast anphtheater has Dee CUT
out, with deep, dark acOves and massive butresses
and in these alcOves beautiful MOSES and ferns
Another day was spent on the waves auOnS tne IoCh
and came down Above Creek, and made IN early
halt for the night. The camp was made by group or
cedars on one side, ana mass OF ueaI WILLOWS on INC
other. wbrWind came and scattered the IRE among
the dead willows and cedar spray, and soon there was
cOuhagraton The men rushed for the boats leaving an
behind that they could not carry at hIst Even then
filled his arms with the mess KIT; ahd,
overheard and his load lost our plates are gone
There are yet tin basins and camp Kettles ana
we do Just as well When on the boats the men
had 10 loose, the Overhanglng willows WOuu nave
the feet fire. and loose on the stream they Aad TO
ad t,p INT the Canon OF Iodore was not de.
void OF scenic interest 1t grand beyond the power
S po entered il mil we landed here No quiet in all
that time but its walls and cliffs its peaks aud Grags,
the amphtheaters ana alcoyes told story that near
vet and shall hear, OF beauty and OF grandeur.
SUNDAY June 2O-At the point where the Bear or,
with greater correctness, the Yampa River enters the
Green the river runs along rock about 700 feet high ana
mile long then sharply around 70 the right and
runs back parallel TO its former course Tor another e
bank ON the east side OF the river opposite the rock
and below the Yampa Is little PARK nst arge enough
for farm The river has worn out hollow domes 10 TINS
sandstone rock, aud standing opposite, your words are
repeated with strange olearness, but sotened mellow
tone Conversation In lOud Key IS transformers into
magical music You hardly believe that II Is the
echo OF your voice. In some places TWO or thfee
echoes come back; IN others te echoes ,
repeated passing forth and back across the yer LOT
there Is another rock making the eastern %at OF Ine
little park To hear these echoes WELL you must shout
some thought they could count ten or twelve echoes
To me they seemed 10 rapuY n1 Ike the teIrgrs16
poirs on an oatsfeched prairie observed tn
phenomenon once before among the cliffs near Longs
peak aud was delighted to meet with 1t again
CAMP AT MOUTH or WINTER RIVER
ISLAND PARK, June %, 1869.
When left Echo Park on the 2s we soon ran ann into 1S
canon very narrow, with high vertical walls mere ana
there huge rocks juted into the water from the walls
and the canon made frequent ana shalp curve tho
waters OF the Green are greatly increased since the
Yampa came n as that mas more wafer man tnS GiTon
above All this volume OF water cohnneu as ~ Is III
narrow channel set eddylng and spinning by the pro-
eotDR rocks and points, and curves into WhrpOol ana
the waters waltz their way through the canon making
their own ripping, rushing, roaring music III was an
dcult task 10 get boats through here as the Wr
pooIs would set them spinning about the canon, ana we
fonnd IL Impossible to keep them headed down
stream At first this caused us great alarm but
e soon found that there danger and that there
was motion OF translation down the river 10 when hs
whirng was but adjunct II was the merry mood OF
the river TO dance through this deep narrow dark gorge
and right gayy did we join Ia the dance SOON our ote
roaring command was needed with all our power at
the oars pulled against the whlrlng current ihe
Emma Dean was landed against q rock, about % rect
above the brink Of the cataract me boats
following obeyed the signal to land inc aa OF ne
Canon was pulled 10 the left wall, where the Gin over.
hangs the alter. and where, by constant rowing tey
could hold her against the rock The sister was pndd1
was IN a dance, and In this she joined ID
found that the portage could be Pest nnade , ON, Oh
the right bank The little boat on the LETT, ana 700
near the falls 10 be taken across thought posi-
BILE take her down on the mt Inc Mald Oh the CS1n
was upder the cliff out Of sight. The roaring OF the
cataract would drown any human voice. and must get
them word what TO do BY lnuch search found way
along the cliff 10 a point just over where the boat lay
and by shouting loud and slow made them understanG
The portage was made before dinner. Below the Ias
fo canon opens out there smore or less space between
the river aud walls which is often covered by cOttO'
wood and powders but the stream though woe iapu
and rolls fearful rate among the rocks But we pro
ceeded with great caution, and the large boats M
together by the flag We camp az night at the mouth OF
small creek which aOrdsl good supper and breakfast