Williams news., 1906-06-09
CAPT. JOHN LANCE RELATES A STORY Of Recent Experiences
 In the Grand
 Canyon

While in the city from the Can yon recently, Capt. John Hance, celebrated guide and prevaricator of the Grand Canyon. related a story of some of his recent expe- riences to the NEWS. Knowing of his proclivities, we were somewhat skeptical as to the truth in the case, and so stated, whereupon he took his oath that what he had said was the absolute truth. Therefore we now have no hesitancy in relating the story as he told it to us:
 "I was hanging around at the Canyon, having nothing especial to do, and thought I would make trip down to the river on a sort of prospecting trip. took a number of my best burros with me and enough provisions to last me for some time. Years before, while prospecting in the granite gorge, 1 had encountered cropping of mica, and it occurred to me that now was the suspicious time to try and relocate the deposit. After hunting around for some time and being unable to discover what was seeking, 1 thought possibly I might be mista ken in my ideas as to the location, finally concluding that it might have been on the north side of the river. This was about the 18th of May, just past.
 ''The question arose as to how I WAS going to cross the river without a boat, there being none at that point. Having made up m y mind l was not to be kept from making the trip, however. so cast about for feasible means to that end. l soon discovered three logs, driftwood, and soon had them alongside the shore. As always make it practice to carry small roll of wire with me there was no trouble in quickly flashing the logs together. Having done so, removed my outer cloth ing and made a pile of it in the center of my improvised raft and securing a short stick iu lieu of a paddle. pushed boldly forth on the bosom of the mighty Colorado. Having some fifty dollars in the pocket of my trousers, I took espe- cial care that the bag in which they were contained was securely held between my feet.
 'As 1 stated I pushed boldly forth into the river, which as is we'll known, has a sort of back-water on each side above each set of rapids. When l reached the center of the stream, where the current is very swift, it seemed impossible for a time for me to force the raft across, and by the time 1 did so, had been carried some distance down stream In crossing the main current, in some way one of the logs became detached from the others, and foated off into the beyond, capsiz- ing the others and precipitating me into the icy waters. Being nearer the north shore there was nothing for it but to swin there, and arriv- ing I soon realized the condition in which I had placed myself. My clothing and money had foated off down the river, my provisions and burros were on the other bank, and being unable to accomplish the pur- pose for which I had come, without shoes in which to walk, there was nothing for me to do but to make the return trip.
 'I therefore proceeded to hunt up another log and straddling it again put forth. After much battling with the current 1 again crossed and got into the back-water, but was as bad off almost as before; for at that point much driftwood had congregated and 1 could not pilot my craft to the bank. Again there