even this could be
accomplished, the current was so swift. The _Defiance_ was ready
first, the _Edith_ was to follow as closely as safety allowed.

Almost before I knew it I was in the narrow channel, so close to the
right rock that I had to ship that oar, and pull altogether on the
left one. As soon as I was through I made a few quick strokes, but the
current was too strong for me; and a corner of the stern struck a bang
when I was almost clear. She paused as a wave rolled over the decks,
then rose quickly; a side current caught the boat, whirling it around,
and the bow struck. I was still pulling with all my might, but
everything happened so quickly,--with the boat whirling first this
way, then that,--that my efforts were almost useless. But after that
second strike I did get in a few strokes, and pulled into the quiet
pool below the line of boulders.

Emery held his boat in better position than I had done, and it looked
for a while as if he would make it. But the _Edith_ struck on the
stern, much as mine had done. Then he pulled clear and joined me in
the shelter of the large rock, as cool and smiling as if he had been
rowing on a mill-pond. We were delighted to find that our boats had
suffered no damage from the blows they had received. Striking on the
ends as they did, the shock was distributed throughout the whole boat.

This completed our run for that day, and we went into camp just below
the "Falls." Emery painted the name _Edith_ on the bow of his boat, at
this camp. The name was given in honour of his four-year-old daughter,
waiting for us at the Grand Canyon. I remarked that as no one loved
me, I would name my boat the _Defiance_. But I hesitated about putting
this name on the bow. I would look rather foolish, I thought, if the
_Defiance_ should be wrecked in the first bad rapid. So the
christening of my boat was left until such time as should have earned
the title, although she was constantly referred to as the _Defiance_.

We remained until noon of the following day at Ashley Falls,
exploring, repairing, and photographing this picturesque spot. The
canyon walls here dropped down to beautiful, rolling foot-hills eight
or nine hundred feet high tree covered as before but more open. The
diversity of rocks and hills was alluring. There was work to be done
and no pleasanter spot could be found in which to do it. Among other
things that had to be looked after were some adjustments to the
motion-picture camera