Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-27
A WONDERFUL RIVER.
How Sand-Bars Are .1assed on the Colorado.
Omaha Bee.

Omaha Bee.
The morning of departure was perfect
No air was stirring, save light breeze
induced by the motion of the boat, the
sky was clear and the atmosphere invig-
oeating Indeed, it wonld almost tempt
one to forswear travel by the dusty rail
road train.
The river seemed a labyrinth of sand
bars, and to passenger it seemed mar
velous that it could be navigated at ALL
The course the steamer ook was most in
tricate, now shooting to one side, now to
the other, ever following the deep water.
To me the crew were most interesting
Indians with painted feathers and bare
legs, squatting around the lower deck,
all happy, and playing like children
among themselves. 1t was amusing to
see them sitting peacefully around the
steam capstan, some engaged in the high
ly instructive and entertaining, Occupa-
ton of plastering their long black hair
with mud; others singing the lOve-sick
Indian ballad, keeping time with a slow
motion of their bodies. Suddenly would
come sharp quick growl from the pilot
house, Immediately followed by more
growls and sundray expressive Oaths from
the Mexican mate on the fOrcastle deck,
then there would be hurrying and sour
rying and a tumbling over each other to
execute the order. We had left Yuma on
Iy six hours when there took place what
to me was a most interesting performance
but which, as [ afterward learned from
one of the officers of the boat, is very
common one on willy Colorado-that of
heaving over a bar. We had arrived at a
portion of the river where it wac at least
mile and half wide, and as this whole
any one place was exceedingly scant. We
had been going very slowly for the half
hour preceding the climax, but at last we
came to a standstill, and there stuck fast
and firm. First came an order from the
pilot house: Throw three men and an
anchor overheard on port side!'' [ was
aghast, but was considerably relieved
when three stalwart sons of Yuma Jumped
into the water of their own accord,
over the guard, and stood knee-deep on
the bar An anchor was thrown over
board and picked up by two of them,
who commenced striding with it across
the bar Meanwhile the third Indian fol-
lowed with two shOvels
/ thought the Indians never would stop,
thinking that they had mis- understood
the order. [ trembled for them at the
thought of the avalanche of profanity
that would descend on their devoted
heads when seen by the mate. To my in
tense satisfactiod the Indians with the
anchor at last stopped and were roosting
on it at least five hundred yards ahead on
the bar. Suddenly there shot out from
the side of the steamer a skiff, propelled
by three of the muscular abOrigines.
The skiff was loaded to the gunwalds
with rope, and on top of that was a wood
en- platform about six feet square. after
ward learned that this wooden arrange
ment was technically termed a "hatch."
The boat made directly for the Indians
with the anchor, and, after attaching the
line to the anchor; they placed this plat
form over the anchor, commenced to
heap sand upon it, and in a short time
had a miniture mountain erected there.
The skiff then returned to the steamer,
bringin one end of the hawser with it.
This rope was placed with a few turns
around the steamers capstan, and the
performance began. 1 inquired from one
of the men and ascertained that the
hatch" was placed over the anchor as a
weight to keep it from dragging. Every
thing seemed ready when sundenly a bell
rang with short quick snap, and immed-
lately the whole steamer shook as though
she were afflicted with some mammoth
type of the ague.
Then such a grooming and putting and
shaking l never heard. In few min
utes the hawser frightened, and then the
steamer gave lurch forward. Then more
shaking and grooming of the boats limb
ers, accompanied by shouts of of the In
dams and discordant kissing of the es-
Gaping steam.
In few minutes [ could feel the strain
perceptibly slacken, and the putting of
the capstan grew less labored, and the
thrObbing of the enines of the steamer
grew more regular, and soon she slipped
over the bar. The difference of the en-
gines exhaust through the smokestack
seemed to my sharpened imagination like
a sigh of relief.