The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-28
A MOUNTAIN PASS.


The description of the passage of the can
yons OF Green river by the Powell expedition,
and the account that was published a few
months since of the passage by one man of
the Great Canyon of the Colorado, will give
interest to the following graphic description
OF the Great Canyon of the Maranon, in Bra
I'll, and its passage by party of raftsmen
seeking gold. 1t is vouched for as a true ac-
count by the Missouri DemOcrdt:-
On the evening of the fourteenth day, the
moon being very bright, they hoated until
near midnight, when a rising fog compelled
them TO tie up by the top of a fallen tree. At
daylight, the fog being very dense, so that
one could hardly see fifty feet, those on
watch cast the line adrift and the raft swung
out into the murky stream, while they pre-
pared to cook their morning meal. They
could not see the banks and hoated thus for
near an hour-most of the party being still
asleep-when the mist slightly lifting, one of
the cooks caught sight of the shore, and
noticed that their rude craft was sweeping
along much faster than they had ever known
it TO do before. Somewhat startled he men
toned it to his comrades, who also noticed it.
and in turn called their sleeping friends, and
very soon the whole party were wide awake
and IN anxious consultation. They were not
far from the southern bank, and evidently
sweeping along under the force of a strong
current They had elected a captain at start
and he was only obeyed when it suited the
convenience Of those ordered.
All became uneasy Franklin insisted on
Immediately landing on the south bank while
they could But the captain, who was jealous
of his influence with the party, at once OBJ
jected, and asserted that they could easily
make the northern bank, and that if they
were approaching the ghaut that was the
shore they would have to travel by. Suiting
his actions to his words, he caught hold of
one OF the sweeps, and huge Irishman taking
hold of the other, the raft was soon swept
farther out; and as the current soon set to-
wards the northern bank, it soon became
doubtful whether they could land on the
southern side, even if they desired.
Meantime the fog was lifting and the cur
rent rapidly increasing, which showed itself
in an angry, ripping surface The captain
now regretted not taking Franklin's advice,
and no one doubted but that they were in
danger, and if not approaching the terrible
canyon, perhaps drawing near to some fright
ful cataract.
Their velocity increased with every mo-
ment, and as it gathered headway the fears of
most of the party eliminated in downright
terror, that completely unnamed them. The
captain became liyid and was no longer
capable of action; and Franklin, being the
coolest one among them, by mere force Of
character naturally assumed the command.
There was a point a mile ahead, on the
northern side, to which he called their atten-
ton, and encouraged them to believe that
they could make it if they would only work
with will. Taking the steering oar, he di-
rected two men to enter the canoe, and, by
padding, to tow the raft all they could, and
then set three men to each of the sweeps,
and ordered all the rest to arrange themselves
on the sides, and paddle what they were able
with their hands. There was rush for the
canoe, and he had to specify which two should
occunv it. Not word was spoken, save by
Franklin. n giving an occasional ORDER but
every one worked with all his might, and
every eye was fixed on the point. Their
speed was increasing, yet, favored by the
current setting in that direction, they drew
close in under the shore, and it really
looked as if they might possibly force the
raft in among the bushes, as one OF the
men in the canoe actually laid hold OF
them. But Just then the vine connecting the
canoe with the raft parted, and the latter
On ught by the fierce current that dashed close
alo no the bank, swept around the point; anC
thar,S directly before them and not two miles
away were the awful portals of the dreaded
canyou. A mile below the point the banks
rose rani,, 7ly, the river all the while contract
ina. Int mile still further on there seemed
to he dark fssure or crack in the mountain
as tbouob ra MT by an earthquake, and no
over 309 feet wide, into which the pent-ul
river rneba6 Wit a foaming roar that wa
friobtfni even of hat distance The preci
nices of the entrance of the mighty rift tow
cred, on either hand full 2OO0 feet abov
the mad waters below. . r -,
The sight was appalling u" @ lI''ii 10
that his doom was sealed. NJ PoIei PI ol ear y
could save them now. Some ga GU III in apetoi
less terror, some cursed the mseri, p,a
for not landing while he could; VIII. 10 GonIl th
prayed or lamented that they were not LII "
continued at the helm, keeping the -"
straight to the current, and was the only tn'
undismayed in the party.
After swinging partly around the point
they shot nearly across the river, but the cur
rent quickly doubled to the northern side
again, hurrying the raft at great speed, as ii
rushed under the trees that leaped and spread
out over the water Every soul aboard, ex-
cept Franklin and a tall German, were either
lying on their faces or squatted down. The
German seemed absorbed in prayer; but
Franklin, seeing a long horizontal limb that
would strike the man if he remained as he
was, shouted to him to stoop. But the poor
fellow, half bereft of reason, did not have
time to act The limb was on him so quickly
that, instead of STOPPING, he instinctively
threw up his arms and clutched it as it rushed
to his approach In an instant the raft swept
from under him, and left him, holding on
by his hands, with his legs in the water-the
fierce current throwing the spray over him as
it swept his feet slanting down the stream.
His bloodless face was a picture of terror and
despair; but there he hung, with the grip OF
maniac, while the raft dashed on at the rate
NUh M