swiftness, the river having narrowed up
to its canyon-character. At one place it doubled back on itself, forming
in the bend a splendid amphitheatre which was called after Sumner of
the former party. This beautiful wall, about one thousand feet high,
was carved and sculptured by the forces of erosion in a most wonderful
manner. It is shown on page 205. After a few miles between such walls we
began to expect rapids, and hardly had the expectation been formed when
it was gratified. An increasing roar came to our ears, and as we rounded
a bend three were discovered before us within the space of half a mile.
The water had been continually falling till now it was so low that
these rapids exhibited a startling number of rocks amidst the foam. We
believed we could run them, and we did. The first was cleared easily. In
the second the Nell struck a submerged rock, but glanced over it without
damage, while our boat landed squarely on the top, for it could not be
seen from above, and, after a momentary quiver, hung there as the wave
which lifted us upon it receded. The water roared and boiled furiously
about us, but did not quite come into the boat. It was impossible to
dip the oars from the stationary boat on account of the force of the
current. At last Hillers perceived that the sticking point was almost
under the extremity of the keel. Getting out cautiously over the stern
he succeeded in touching the top of the rock, and, thus lightened, the
Dean shot forward, though not before Hillers, who had not let go of
the stern rowlock, was able to leap on board. The Canonita fared still
worse. Following us too close, she tried to pass, but struck another
rock, crushing in her side, though floating down nevertheless. An hour
and a half spent on her put her in good order again, and away we went,
running a third and a fourth with no trouble. The walls were now about
two thousand feet high and we felt quite at home. Through some of
the upper narrow promontories of sandstone there were large holes, or
arches, some of them probably a hundred or more feet in diameter. They
were similar to the Hole in the Wall, shown in the cut on page 41, only
on a much larger scale. The next day, before stopping for dinner, we
ran nine rapids with no accident. The river was wider than in the upper
canyons, and while the low state of the water made harder work and
pounded the boats more, I believe that on the whole it was an advantage.
The current was less fier