is thus very great (see the diagram
on page 57, which gives from the Little Colorado down), the total fall
being 2330 feet. Further comment on the character of the river within
this wonderful gorge is unnecessary. Powell had been through it on his
first expedition, and was now to make the passage again, to examine
its geological and geographical features more in detail. Meanwhile, as
recorded in the last chapter, Lieutenant Wheeler had made an effort,
apparently to forestall this examination, and had precariously succeeded
in reaching Diamond Creek, which is just at the south end of the Shewits
Plateau, lower left-hand corner of the map facing page 41. Powell and
Thompson arrived at our camp at the mouth of the Paria on the 13th of
August (1872) accompanied by Mrs. Thompson, who had been at Kanab all
the previous winter, and had pluckily made several trips with Thompson
into the mountains, and Professor De Motte. They had come in by way of
the south end of the Kaibab, and it was on this occasion that the valley
on the southern part of the summit was named De Motte Park. Preparations
for our descent through the great chasm were immediately begun. The
boats had been previously overhauled, and as the Nellie Powell was found
unseaworthy from last season's knocks, or at least not in condition to
be relied on in the Grand Canyon, she was abandoned, and Lee kept her
for a ferry-boat. Perhaps she might have been repaired, but anyhow
we had only men enough to handle two boats. Steward's trouble had not
sufficiently improved to warrant his risking further exposure, so he had
returned to his home in Illinois. Bishop was in a similar plight, and
went to Salt Lake to regain his health, and Beaman had started off to
carry on some photographic operations of his own. He came to the river
and crossed on his way to the Moki country, while we were preparing to
depart from the Paria. Johnson and Fennemore, who had been with us part
of the winter, were too ill to think of entering the great canyon, with
all the uncertainties of such a venture, and as before noted they,
too, had left. Our party, then, consisted of seven: Powell, Thompson,
Hillers, Jones, W. C. Powell, Hattan, and Dellenbaugh, all from the
first season's crew. No one else was available, as the trip was regarded
in that region as extremely desperate. On the 14th, the boats, Emma Dean
and Canonita, were in readiness, and we loaded and took them down a mile
and a half to the point