Colorado River (Colo.-Mexico); Grand Canyon (Ariz.); United States -- Discovery and exploration
June 18.--We have named the long peninsular rock on the other side Echo
Rock. Desiring to climb it, Bradley and I take the little boat and
pull up stream as far as possible, for it cannot be climbed directly
opposite. We land on a talus of rocks at the upper end in order to reach
a place where it seems practicable to make the ascent; but we find we
must go still farther up the river. So we scramble along, until we reach
a place where the river sweeps against the wall. Here we find a shelf
along which we can pass, and now are ready for the climb.
We start up a gulch; then pass to the left on a bench along the wall;
then up again over broken rocks; then we reach more benches, along
which we walk, until we find more broken rocks and crevices, by which we
climb; still up, until we have ascended 600 or 800 feet, when we are
met by a sheer precipice. Looking about, we find a place where it seems
possible to climb. I go ahead; Bradley hands the barometer to me, and
follows. So we proceed, stage by stage, until we are nearly to the
summit. Here, by making a spring, I gain a foothold in a little crevice,
and grasp an angle of the rock overhead. I find I can get up no farther
and cannot step back, for I dare not let go with my hand and cannot
reach foothold below without. I call to Bradley for help. He finds a way
by which he can get to the top of the
FROM ECHO PARK TO THE MOUTH OF UINTA RIVER.
169
rock over my head, but cannot reach me. Then he looks around for some
stick or limb of a tree, but finds none. Then he suggests that he would
better help me with the barometer case, but I fear I cannot hold on to
it. The moment is critical. Standing on my toes, my muscles begin to
tremble. It is sixty or eighty feet to the foot of the precipice. If I
lose my hold I shall fall to the bottom and then perhaps roll over the
bench and tumble still farther down the cliff. At this instant it occurs
to Bradley to take off his drawers, which he does, and swings them down
to me. I hug close to the rock, let go with my hand, seize the dangling
legs, and with his assistance am enabled to gain the top.
Then we walk out on the peninsular rock, make the necessary observations
for determining its altitude above camp, and return, finding an easy way
down.
June 19.--To-day, Howland, Bradley, and I take the "Emma Dean" and start
up the Yampa River. The stream is much swollen, the current swift, and
we are able to make but slow progress against it. The canyon in this
part of the course of the Yampa is cut through light gray sandstone.
The river is very winding, and the swifter water is usually
powell-canyons-114.jpg
THE RESCUE.
170
CANYONS OF THE COLORADO.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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