The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-20

who're the government survey ENDS, ana
| he who would navigate Snake river far
Their must depend entirely on his knowl-
edge of swift waters.
A few miles into the unknown region,
and Back point was passed, where the riv-
er takes a drop of 6 feet in 100. A mile or
| two farther, and the frail boet entered the
famous Box canyon.
| The river from its entrance In the can
Won for distance of 90 miles is a success
sion of rapids and sharp bends, jutting
rocks and protruding powders, where for
miles at a stretch even small boat could
not effect landing, and where the current
is so rapid that steamer backing hard
still makes good Roadway. A landing was
finally made at Steamboat bar Captain
GRAY went around the hills, and, with the
aid of powerful glasses made thorough
inspection of Copper Creek falls, the most
terrible part of the whole wicked stretch
of rapids, whirlpools and cataracts. On
his return he set the crew ar work, and the
fore and aft bulkhead was run in the bilge
Of the Norma's bov. The hold forward OF
the iireroom was filled with cord wood TO
resirt 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 Norma dimensions could not
be taken over without striking the bluff
somewhere. The river runs through a
channel about l20 feet wide. Large bowl
ders line the Oregon shore, and on the
Idaho side rises a steep cliff so feet high.
An ugly reef 90 feet across and 8 feet I'M
der water stands at the brink Of the fall OF
run, about one-third of the way across
from the Oregon side. 1t makes broken
drop and throws the current against the
cliffs on the Idaho side When the captain
told the crew that it 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.
few minutes later the 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 Is feet
from the Idaho cliff. 1t was moment Of
Intense excitement. AS she broke over the
falls her timbers creaked and groaned.
When she took the final plunge, the cap
tain cried "Starboard," and with the
weight of himself and assistants at the
wheel the spokes fairly flew around. The
engines were backed, and the cliff was
frowning over the boat. She struck it with
her starboard guard and seemed to hang
for moment, while the waves broke over
her deck The surf flying back from the
cliff drenched the men in the pilothouse.
Then the little boat bounded away to mid
channel like handball. The engines were
stopped, and the Norma drifted down the
river, with the crew yelling like demons,
the happiest men in two states, who had
an experience that will last them a 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 zoe
feet in length, where the pverhanging
cliffs seem to come within a few inches OF
meeting directly over the river and hun
dreds of feet above. During the next ten
miles she shot over four different rapids,
where the water ran like race horse.
Then the channel narrowed to so feet, and
the current sped along 20 miles an hour.
One place was encountered where the river
ran straighter and swifter than mill race
for something like two miles, and in COW
ering the distance the engines were not
moved, nor was the pilot wheel touched.
So the Great Box canyon of the Snake
was passed. and the Norma came into COM
paratiyely still water at what is known as
the head of navigation on Snake river. At
noon on May "a she steamed up to the
bar axrictor and rr,aored beside the
big wheatboats of the lower river. This
remarkable journey occupied eight days,
OF which % hours was the actual travelling
time. The distance from Huntington dow,
to the ''head of navigation" is about $50
L.