Identifier: marvelsofnewwest1889thay (find matches)
Title: Marvels of the new West : a vivid portrayal of the stupendous marvels in the vast wonderland west of the Missouri River : comprising marvels of nature, marvels of race, marvels of enterprise, marvels of mining, marvels of stock-raising, and marvels of agriculture, graphically and truthfully described
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Thayer, William Makepeace, 1820-1898
Subjects:
Publisher: Norwich, Conn. : Henry Bill Pub. Co.
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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idently the real life of thisrock would contain a won-derful chapter of natureseffort to heave the RockyMountain region into itspresent status. We shall not even callattention to many canons,but close our special atten-tion to them by a descrip-tion of the greatest canonof all,— The GrandCanon of the Colora-do, with several of itsside canons. This is themost marvellous canon ofthe world, its name beingderived from the riverwhich runs through it. Itis situated in Arizona, andis nearly three hundredmiles in length. The United States Gov-ernment explored ColoradoRiver and canons, from1869 to 1872, doing thework thoroughly, under thelead of Captain (now Ma-jor) J. W. Powell. Powelland his men were the firsthuman beings who everpassed through the wholelength of the canons — athousand miles. It wasa remarkable exploit, to accomplish which they actually took theirlives into their hands, and made a stake of everything. Once ontheir way, return was impossible : they must proceed or perish.
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CLIMBING THE GRAND CANON OF THE COLORADO. MARVELS OF NATURE. 35 They commenced their hazardous undertaking by entering thefirst canon, on the northery boundary of the State of Colorado. Theriver was rapid and turbulent, taxing the skill and judgment of theparty to keep their light boats right side up. Week after week andmonth after month they pursued their perilous way down the river,through tortuous gorges, hemmed in by walls on either side, oftenfour, five, and six thousand feet high, not knowing but that each daywould be their last. In 1854 two men, White and Strobe, were seeking gold in South-eastern Utah, where they were attacked by Indians. They tookrefuge in one of the uppermost canons of the river, where, uponreflection, they saw their only way of escape was down the river.To return would be sure death, as the Indians would show them nomercy. Constructing a rude raft with such wood as they could find,they started down the river. The fourth day their raft upset as theywere desc

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