erview in Chicago, whither I went for the purpose. Its character
was a good illustration of the explorer's quick decision. As I advanced
towards him he rose to his feet, surveyed me with a lightning glance,
and said heartily, "Well, Fred, you'll do." These words constituted me
a member of his party, and I began my preparations forthwith. Dozens of
men applied to join the expedition, but no more were taken, the party
being now full.

The boats for this trip were modelled on those used on the former
descent, with such changes and improvements as experience had suggested.
They were honestly and thoroughly constructed by a builder named Bagley,
who had a yard where he turned out small craft, at the north end of the
old Clark Street bridge, and we often felt a sense of gratitude to him
for doing his work so well. They were three in number, of well-seasoned,
clear-grained, half-inch oak, smooth-built, double-ribbed fore and aft,
square-sterned, and all practically the same, the former trip having
shown the needlessness of taking any smaller or frailer boat for
piloting purposes. These were each twenty-two feet long over all, and
about twenty on the keel. They were rather narrow for their length, but
quite deep for boats of their size, drawing, if I remember correctly,
when fully laden, some fourteen or sixteen inches of water. This depth
made it possible to carry a heavy load, which was necessary, and at the
same time which acted as ballast to keep them right side up amidst the
counter-currents and tumbling waters. A rudder being entirely out of
place in the kind of navigation found in the canyons, a heavy rowlock
was placed at the stern to hold a strong, eighteen-foot steering oar.
The boats were entirely decked over on a level with the gunwales,
excepting two open spaces left for the rowers. These open spaces, or
standing-rooms, were separated from the decked portions by bulkheads,
thus forming under the decks three water-tight compartments or cabins,
that would not only protect the cargoes and prevent loss in the event of
capsize, but would also serve to keep the boats afloat when loaded
and full of water in the open parts. The rowlocks were of iron, of the
pattern that comes close together at the top, so that an oar must either
be slipped through from the handle end or drawn up toward the thin part
above the blade to get it out. By attaching near the handle a rim of
hard leather, there was no way for the oar to come out ac