Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-10-12
MARROW ESCAPE FOR BASS.
Came Near Being Hanged for Another
Mans ForgetfuIness.


Mans Forgetfulness.
William Bass, described as "the only
real guide into the Grand Canyon of
Arizona" had an early life full of peril
and adventure. A chapter of I'm and
Around the Grand Canyon" is devoted
to an account Of one of his thrilling
experiences.
Soon after his settlement in Williams
he became interested in accounts of the
Havasupai Indians, peculiar people
said to preserve many characteristics
Of the Indians of centuries gone by. So
he started out to find them, accom-
panied by a man Of the name of Nc
Kinney, whom he had casually met at
restaurant.
After three or four days, suffering
not a little from heat and thirst, they
arrived at a place which they took to
be very near the Havasupai village. At
McKinney's suggestion he went on to
the village, leaving Bass to guard the
stock and provisions.
"By the next afternoon" says Bass,
in relating his adventure afterward, II
concluded that as Mckinney had not
returned, he had been bitten by a rat
tlesnake or had fallen over a cliff. So
l went to look for him. | came to a
nest of rattlesnakes, and some of them
I killed with the gun, thinking that the
sound might warn Mckinney of my
approach.
"Soon l saw pony and moccasin
tracks which threw me into trepida-
ton, for common report said that If a
man was found anywhere near the
Havasupais with revolver and cart
ridge they would kill him. 1 began to
try to climb the south wall of the can
Won, and succeeded in doing so until
came to a perpendicular wall about
five hundred feet high.
Directly over my head, but about
twenty-five feet above me, was an
overhanging angle Of rock. l must
either get over that or go back. So
with an almost desperate throw l man
aged to get the rope across the project
ing angle. Fastening all my supplies
L,
one of the ropes, | began the ascent,
placing my back against the wall and
pulling myself up hand over hand.
ION reaching the shelf above, l rolled
over upon it exhausted and nearly in
sensible, but had presence of mind
enough to secure myself with the rope.
When came to, found that one more
effort would release me, and gathering
all my remaining strength, made it,
and reached the top just as the sun
was going down"
After three days of similar hardships
and adventures Bass reached Williams,
and started to organize a searching
party to go after Mckinney.
mo one seemed anxious to 60" he
says, land 1 soon noticed groups of
men looking suspiciously toward me.
talking earnestly as I came up, but
remaining ominously still when | ap-
preached"
But 1t was not until the searching
party had been organized and was well
on the way that the doctor, who had
udue one VI tue uuluDeF, SdlQ TO Bass.
BASS, feel sorry for you. I'm GO
ing to tell you something, but 1 don't
want you to give me away. The people
in Williams think that you killed Nc
Kinney, and they have sent me to per
form an autopsy on his body, Scott,
the justice and coroner, to hold an in
quest, and Hurd, as an expert trailer.
to find the body, if you've tried to dis
pose of 1t. They were talking pretty
earnestly about hanging you before you
left, and you had narrower escape
than you imagine"
This candid tale left Bass in no en-
yiable frame of mind. but happily the
party soon met an Indian, who gave