El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-06

ment q map of the country in that
part of Texas heretofore unexplored by
q delegated represen tative from Wash
ington.
The time allotted Prof. Hill was
three mouths and he was obliged to
NJ AXE many of HE observations hastily.
| The party remained In the vicinity
of Marathon several weeks, spending
the greater part of their time on Glass,
Santiago and Iron mountains and Sc
curing number of valuable volcanic
and other geological specimens.
Before the exploration of the Grand
Canyon was attempted, Prof. Hill and
his nephew were joined by Jim Nc
Mahon, q celebrated beaver trapper
and Indian fighter; Henry Ware, a
prominent citizen of Del Rio. and A.
Franklin, " bo went as boatman.
| Jim Mcmahon was valuable assist
ant during the trip, as he was the only
white man who had ever successfully
covered the territory to be travelled
through the Grand Canyon.
Several years ago a trapper under
took the journey, but was murdered in
| the attempt. His body was afterwara
found by Mcmahon.
The several members of the party,
we'll stocked with provisions, entered
their boats at Preside on Oct. 5. The
whole distance from Preside to Lang
Wy 10 cauyon. In some places IL
broadens and forms email valleys, and
at other places the bluffs are low.
The Grand Canvon is over 1900 miles
| long and It took the party three days
from daylight to darkness to cover ten
miles of the distance.
This was because of Instructions
they encountered, the walls on either
side having caved in several places.
In meeting with the first distractions
i,,t hot, = h4 Ia
| lifted fifty feet from the water and
carried over the square boulders. The
| provisions were carried $50 feet up the
bluff aud 300 yards down the river next
| to a perpendicular wall, thence down
$50 feet to the river level. After
getting the boats to the provisions the
river went up two and half feet on
account of shower, which made it i'm
possible to load the boats at that point.
| After carrying the goods another 200
yards and letting the boats down by
means of long ropes, the explorers
were again ready to continue the Jour-
| uey.
The rise in the waters of the river
made it palmer calling than it other
wise would have been. Prof. Hill is
of the opinion that had it not been for
these rains at very appropriate times
/ the expedition would not have been
l "
theGrand Canyon one wholeday waitio g
for the river to fall that they might
get their boats over the second rough
place encountered, caused by the cav
ing in of the banks.
| Between 400 and 500 volcanic forma-
tions were gathered in the Grand
Canyon which will be aualyzed and
thoroughly studied at Washington.
After crossing all the rough places
fhav found Swift straam and mara
out of the Grand Canyon within three
| hours.
The next canyon in their path-not
far away-was the San Vicente, which
Is almost as high as the Grand Canyon
and longer than the Little San Vicente.
In fact all the way toLangtry they were
in an almost continuous low limestone
canyon.
In the perpendicular wall canyons
no animal life whatever was found,
but in the valleys deer, bear, panther,
quail and all kinds of game were
plentiful.
One morning while resting in val
ley five deer were killed within 100
yards of the camp.
Jim McMahon, "Uncle Jim" as they
called him, told many interesting ex-
periences of his first trip through the
canyon country. Mexicans followed
him and had planned to murder him.
but he made good his escape by hiding
in the bushes.
Between Preside and Langtry there
are not more than twelve places where
the river can be forded.
Al these points the party
Numerous hot springs were found
along the canyons. At one of them,
where there was quite pool. the party
stopped and celebrated general wash
day. The water was a little warmer
than the air and extremely soft.
Ia many places the river was rough
and rapid and in q number of instances
the boats had to be dragged through
the water q long distance.
Prof. Hill and his party reached
Lsngtry, their destination, on Oct. %,
after an exciting trip of twentythree
days.
The next venture was to the Chisos
mountains, q distance of 100 miles
through very dry country. The fret
place they found water was after
travelling forty miles, and then it was
thirty miles before they found water
again, this time scarcely enough to go
around. They went half way around
the Chisos mountains and then up the
they camped a week, during that time
climbing to the highest peak, which
they found to be 5000 feet. In the
Chisos mountains many valuable speci-
mems and geological notes were gather
ed.
During the entire trip photographs
| were taken, but they have rot yet been
developed. They exposed $50 glass
pls tes and 400 kodak films.
Returning to Marathon, Prof. Hill
| stored the outfit at that place, shipped
the mules to Austin and with the other