kind of boats, second, proper arrangement as to food-supplies, and,
third, life-preservers, etc. The New York Tribune, after the collapse of
this Brown expedition, quotes Powell in an interview as saying that he
would not have ventured in the boats Brown selected and that he thought
Brown "failed to comprehend the significant fact that nothing can get
through the Colorado Canyon that cannot float. Boats are repeatedly
upset and inferior boats are mashed like egg-shells." Brown,
undoubtedly, was rather inclined to look upon the descent somewhat
lightly. Being a brave, energetic man it was hard for him to believe
that this river demanded so much extra prudence and caution, when Powell
had successfully descended it twice without, so far as the water was
concerned, losing a man. However, the ill-fated expedition went on its
way.

The boats were named the Ward, the Mason, after Brown's sons, the Mary
after his wife, and the Denver and the Colorado. On arriving they were
recalked. The bottoms were covered with copper. The party consisted
of the following persons: Frank M. Brown, president; Robert Brewster
Stanton, chief engineer; John Hislop, first assistant engineer; C. W.
Potter, T. P. Rigney, E. A. Reynolds, J. H. Hughes, W.H. Bush, Edward
Coe, Edward ----, Peter Hansborough, Henry Richards, G. W. Gibson,
Charles Potter, F. A. Nims, photographer, and J. C. Terry. The baggage
of each man was limited to twenty-five pounds. The cargoes were packed
in tight, zinc-lined boxes three feet long, with one of which each boat
was provided, but these were found to be cumbersome and heavy, the boats
being down to within one inch of the gunwales in the water, so they were
taken out and all lashed together, forming a sort of raft. This carried
about one-third of all the supplies, and all the extra oars and rope, a
most unwise arrangement from every point of view. The nondescript craft
hampered their movements, could not be controlled, and if once it got
loose everything was sure to be lost. It would have been better to throw
these boxes away at once and take what the boats could carry and no
more, but this was apparently not thought of. All things considered, it
is a wonder this party ever got through Cataract Canyon alive. At some
little rapid, after leaving the railway crossing, the first boat stove
a hole in her side, but this was readily repaired and the party ran
without further accident over the smooth stretches of river preceding