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Loss of Boat. The loss of the boat seemed at first to mark the end
of their attempt to equal the record of their predecessors. But
Monett insisted that they try his plan of straddling the stern of
the remaining boat. "If we strike too rough water, I can always
swing overboard," he urged. "And we've needed a drag that wouldn't
get fouled on the rocks all along."
Reach Bright Angel. It was noon, January 6, when the trail party
from the hotel on the Canyon's rim at Bright Angel, forty men and
women, eating their luncheon at the river shore, saw two men swing
out of the rapids two hundred yards up the river, and row leisurely
toward them. In the thirty years that tourists have visited the
bottom of the Canyon at this point, it is safe to assert that not
one ever saw a sight like this.
Rest for Three Days. Two horses were placed at the disposal of the
miners. Their clothes were torn and soaking wet, their faces covered
with an undisturbed growth of beard of one hundred and ten days'
accumulation. While they had planned to climb out of the Canyon at thi
point to mail and receive letters, they had no intention of
remaining. With all their provisions now confined to the limited
quarters of one boat, and with other incentives to push on with all
speed possible, it was with difficulty that they were persuaded to
remain at the hotel three days. A Fresh Start. January 9 the entire community, guests and employees
of the hotel, accompanied the two men to the river edge, and bade
them an enthusiastic farewell. With a responding shout, the miners
pushed off into midstream and headed down river. For the first time
in their four months' fight against the river, the adventurers faced
water too wicked-looking for them to dare. It was out of the
question for both men to try to ride in the little rowboat, and the
shores on each side afforded no foothold, after half the length of
the rapids was passed. Russell would not leave Monett behind to
shoot the rapids alone in the boat.
Attempt to Lower Boat through Rapids. Accordingly they took out all th
provisions and camera (the latter obtained at El Tovar), and tried to
lower the boat through the rapids by means of along rope, to which
they clung from their station on the shore. The force of the current
was so great, however, that to save themselves from being dragged
into the water they were forced to let go the rope. The little boat
shot down the whirling cataract, and the men saw it pounded against
two sharp rocks below. Boat Is Lost. To lose their boat at this point meant death. They
could not climb out of the Canyon. Their only chance was to follow
and overtake the boat, now floating slowly down the still water
below the rapids, the forward air-tight compartment filled with
water and only the stern showing. Russell made the plunge first,
followed quickly by Monett. How they managed to live through these
rapids is a mystery. But they struck the still water together,
neither having suffered a scratch. The shores continued to be so
steep they could not climb out of the water, and they kept on in
their chase of the boat. When they were within one hundred yards of it
they saw it swept over the top of Boucher Rapids, and at the same
time discovered a landing place on the south shore. They gave up the
boat as lost, and spent the night where they were, with no matches
with which to light a fire. Boat is Recovered and Men Resume Journey. Thursday morning, as
Boucher came down his trail to go to work, he found the two men, who
had climbed down beside the rapids at daybreak, engaged in hauling
the badly battered boat out of the water. They had found it being swep
round and round in a big eddy at the foot of the cataract. Two holes
in the boat's bottom amidships bore witness to its trip over the
rocks. The men persuaded Boucher to go to the blacksmith shop at El
Tovar, and secure the necessary material for repairs. He did so, and
after everything was again on good order, the intrepid fellows pushed
off again, and continued their wild and exciting ride down to
tidewater. Past Bass's Trail and under his cable crossing, past the
mouth of Havasu Creek, and Diamond Creek, where over forty years
before, Wheeler's party had camped; down the gorge up which Wheeler
had climbed with incredible labor, they finally reached the Grand
Wash, and entered the placid water below Black and Diamond Canyons,
soon to find themselves at the town of Needles, where they were
welcomed by the cheers of practically the whole community. A banquet
was tendered them, and the one remaining boat of the expedition
secured as a memorial of their adventurous trip.
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