The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-11
Desire to Inspect the River Led
Them Into Almost Fatal
Danger.
SEVENTEEN TERRIBLE MILES
Bruised and Torn by the Rocks, the
Two LieutenantS and Guides
Barely Escape.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, Nov. 10.-Lieuten-
ants Davis and Potter of the United States
army, with their guides, Barry Weaver
and John Colby arrived at Yuma last
Thursday by boat from Needles, says the
Yuma Bee.
The army officers had been assigned the
duty of inspecting the river from Black
Canyon to Yuma with view to improv-
ing the navigation. They met with moth
ing of any interest from Needles south
ward, but on the first part of their trip
they had excitement and danger enough
to last them the rest of their lives.
Their boat, which weighed $50 pounds,
was sent by rail to Peach Springs and
from there by wagon twenty-five miles to
Diamond Creek. This is 200 miles farther
up the river than required for their pur-
pose, but they wanted to see some of the
scenery of the Grand Canyon.
The boat, supplies and men had to be
lowered with ropes down the sides of the
canyon. The discovery was at once made
that the boat was not adapted for the voy-
age, being keel boat, narrow and heavy.
In a short time the craft became utterly
unmanageable and every moment threat
ened them with death.
They were bumped on rocks, thrown
against the sides of the canyon, drenched
with spray and shot through gorges with
the rapidity of an express train. With
salvation out OF their sight there was ap-
parently nothing but certain death ahead
OF them. Above rose the perpendicular
walls of the canyon thousands of feet.
Still the boat kept in the water for seven
teen terrible miles, when a rocky rapid was
reached. Quick as lightning the boat was
tossed bottom upward, rolled over and
finally crushed to pieces. The four men
struggled to save their lives. 1t was use
less TO try to save anything else. But,
strangely, none of them were hurt, and
they reached place of safety.
At once their dangerous situation forced
itself on their minds. There they were,
without provisions and shut in to meet
certain death by starvation. They started
down the canyon hoping to find a trail by
which they could get out. After many a
weary mile the m5n decided to follow some
of the sheep trails, which were only a few
inches wide in places Success attended
their efforts, although at times they hung
between water and sky on the sides of the
bluff. Occasionally their strength seemed
to fail, but a sight of that awful chasm be-
low was sufficient.
At last the top was reached, but they
were delivered from the terrors of the
canyon only to find themselves in a des-
ert. They struck out bravely, knowing
that they had only to keep going to reach
the railroad again.
AT Hakberry station four haggard, rag
ged, dirty and almost shoeIess men
dropped down to wait for the next train.
They reached Needles again to rest and
refit for the voyage to Yuma.
The officers had plenty of warning of
the dangerous nature of their proposed
trip. They will hereafter perhaps not IN
dertake trip into unexplored regions
when not in line OF their duty. The voy-
age from the Needles to Yuma took four
days, and was so entirely devoid of interest
as 10 be monotonous.