Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-20
PERILOUS BOAT RIDE.
AN EXCITING RUN DOWN THE UPPER
SNAKE RIVER.

The Most Dangerous Stretch OF Inland
Water In the wsst--Rspids. Falls aud
wr,iripoois In Continuous Succession.
The rsrrors Of Bos Canyon.
A steamboat trip which for excitement,
peril and display OF skill has seldom n
over been equaled In tho history of river
navigation I'm the United States has Just
been concluded on the upper Snake river.
The Norma, a small stern wheel boat, has
made the run from Huntington, Or, to
Lewiston, Ida, over about the worst stretch
OF inland water To be found In the west
Early on the morning OF May 10 the
Norma cast OIL her lines from tho Hunt
ipgton landing, and In command Of Cap
tain W. Il. Gray. with Captain A, w. Gray
as pilot and Charles jennings an engineer,
started OIL a trip the like OF which will In
all probability never DO undertaken again.
Eor the first few miles tho river was
smooth. but small rapids soon began to
appear, and before the steamer had gone
six miles she ran on submerged rook and
toro her ruddcr off, II was necessary 10
beach her, and two days were consumed
In making repairs. With fresh supply
OF cord wood the voyage was resumed
through barren country and a cranky
current. At Brownie ferry stop had to
bo made, as tho wire which holds tho ferry.
boat had to be lowered In order TO let the
steamer pass over IL.
At daybreak the start was made. A run
OF three miles brought tho vessel to the
mouth OF Wild Horse creek. and as she
rounded a bend Wild Horse rapids came
IN sight. Tho river at this point narrows
to about two-ffths OF it's former width, the
fall ic MD tn Ga
much worse the stream has three abrupt
curves, its contour forming letter Y. The
Norma shot into the rapids and the surg
ing, twisting foaming water washed over
her dock. She missed tho rocks with which
tho stream abounds and was soon In clear
water.
The ncxt rough place was Lookout rap
ads. The river was narrow, but Its course
was tolcrably straight, and tho little craft
shot through without trouble. Immediate
1y below was Horseshoe bond and the
peninsula itself within I 300 fcet, and tho
peninsula thus formed stands 800 feet
above the level OF the water. Rounding
She bend, tho voyagers passed. Eagle island,
whero tho government survey ends, and
he who would navigate Snake river far
thor must depend entirely on his knowl-
sdgo Of swift waters.
A f6w miles into tho unknown region,
and Back point was passed, where the riv-
q takes a drop Of @ feet in 100. mile or
two farther. and the frail boat entered the
famous Box canyon.
The rivcr from its entrance In tho can
yon for q distance OF 30 miles Is success
sion Of rapids and sharp bends, jutting
rocks and protruding bowlders, where for
miles at . stretch even small boat could
not effect q landing. and whero tho current
Is SO rapid that steamer backing hard"
still makes good hsadway. A landing was
Anally made at Steamboat bar. Captain
Gray went around tho hills, and. with tho
aid OF powerful glasses made thorough
inspection Of Copper Creek falls, the most
terrible part Of tho whole wicked stretch
OF rapids, whirlpools and cataraots. On
his return he set the crew at work, and the
fore and aft bulkhead was run in tho bilge
Of the Norma's bow. The hold forward Of
tho freroom was filled with cord wood to
resist the shock when the steamer struck,
and all matches were nailed down. Then
the crew turned In on what. for all they
knew, was their last night in this world.
Captain Gray was thoroughly satisfied
after an examination Of the falls that
boat Of the Normas dimensions could not
be taken over without striking tho bluff
somewhere. The river runs through q
channel about 120 feet wide. Large bowl
doris line tho Oregon shore, and on the
idaho side rises o steep cliff 90 feet high
An ugly reef 90 feet across and feet un-
der water stands at the brink OF the fall or
run, about one-third Of the way across
from the Oregon side. It makes broken
drop and throws the current against the
cliffs on the Idaho side When the captain
told the crew that 1t would be necessary to
strike this wall Of rock some uneasiness
was manifested, but from what they had
already passed their confidence In him was
unlimited.
A few minutes later tho Norma dropped
Into midstream, shot through swift rapid
that anywhere else would be regarded as
impossible, came out into comparatively
clear water and in another moment en-
tered the draw Of the falls, about 15 feet
from the Idaho cliff. It was moment OF
intense excitement AS she broke over the
falls her timbers crcaked and groaned.
When she took the final plunge, the cap
tain cried "Starboard," and with the
weight Of himself and assistants at tho
wheel the spokes fairly few around. The
engines were backed, and the cliff was
frowning over the boat. She struck It with
for moment, while tho'waves broke over
her deck. The surf flying back from the
cliff drsnched the men In che pilothouse.
Then the little boat bounded away TO mid.
channel like o handball. The engines were
stopped, and tho Norma drifted down the
river. with the crew yelling like demons
tho happiess mon In two states. who had
an experience that will last them life.
time.
The steamers nosing was smashed for
about two feet, and three deck beams were
raised few inches. Otherwise she did
not suffer from her battering
just below the falls the boat steamed
through He'll canyon. . place about 200
feet In length, whore the overhanging
olifs seem TO ooms within few inches Of
meeting directly over the river and hun.
.dreds Of feet above. During the next ton
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