Evening Star Newspaper, September 5, 1927, Page 7

COLLEGEMENEND PERILOUS JOURNEY Leader of Trip Through Colo- | rado Rapids Describes Final Hazards. BY CLYDE L. EDDY. After the perilous and involuntary passage of rapids N 5 by one of our boats, which I described in the preceding Installment of my account of my Colorado River expedition with a group of college boy volunteers this if‘v. nmer, we attempted our first “let- | down In these “let-downs"” stretches of impassable navigating the boats, but them down along the shore with ropes attached. In this first “let- down” the Dellenbaugh was the boat to suffer. At each there was an inch thic we skirted | wate! not jockeying end of the Dellenbaugh rope three-quarters of and 100 feet long. With three or four men on the tow rope and two at the stern we began letting the boat down, stern first, keeping it as close to shore as possible. The method sounds perfectly si ple, but in prac ficnlt. The shore is lined with great bouiders, over which, and against which, the water pours and rushes with tremendous velocity. In many | places it s necessary to push the boat out into the current to get| around a rock, and once there the| hoat may either be swept out into the main chaunel or against the rock | E g Colorado, which gave the A view of the Scckdologer Rapids, one of the most perilous stretches on the ru n 20 feet. ddy expedition its stiffest battle. The waves in the rapids here rise to a height of more tha and capsized. | Men can wade out into the water| and guide the boat, but the swift In current sweeps them off their feet,|Ju or batters their legs against the rocks | if they get out far enough to be of much help a In Jining o that first bad rapids the boat struck | W a submerged rock, turned suddenly | hroadside, filled with water and sank. | U Fortunately we were able to drag |\ hd haul her out on the |2 2 We found an enormous | hole in her side, which we spent a good part of the afternoon repairing Scattered. C ht the expedition w > a mile up and down the| i Powell, the boat which had been pt into the rapids ani|w had run them_involuntaril low them;: the Dellenbaugh W th up high and dry at the rapids is the Coronado was in a sheltered cove | & above waiting her turn to be lined | down. One of the boys killed a rattlesnake in camp just before dark. By 9:30 the next morning we had let both of the boats down successfully and had resumed our vovage. Those first days are fair examples of all the days in Cataract. At one point, where the river drops 54 feet a mile for four miles, we spent two ys lining one rapids—but that rapids was more than a mile long. It rained steadily all day on the Fourth of July, and the morale of the expe- dition was never at so low an ebb. We went to bed one night on a nar- row sandbar, only to be awakened shortly afterward by the rising water washing the sandbar aw threatening to take us with it. It was only by hauling our boats high up the steep banks that we prevented their being washed away—and with- out the boats there would have been no_escape. Wi In lining Dark Canyon Rapids the [ca Coronado was snatched away from |H the men who had the line and, with Scager clinging precariously to her gunwale, was swept out into the cur- rent, whereupon Marshall swam to the boat, caught the bow line and brought it ashore. Virtually every- thing happened to us that can happen tc a Colorado River expedition, in #pite of which, somewhat battered but the Dellenbaugh around id hi pr st: in; Wi ri an to mi Iy Nearly 25,000 homes have it. Lces rapids but Soap Cree one - [and rapids waves are dangerous. Take what hap- pened when we ran the Sockdologer. Government engineers, reached there the third week in July. We knew the rapids by reputation and when we heard them roaring ahead of us we pulled in close to shore, float- of the rapids as we could go. Then over, cent rush of tumbling rowed here to and the cliffs rise sheer water's edge. There is no turning back boats along the shore; no opportuni- ty Dellenbaugh. boat stern first and “took her square- s T e e partly submerged rock. The boat | ily 12, 15 days out of Green River. |seen of the scenery of Grand Canyon |dropped stern first into the *hole” on Four men left the expedition at|National Park except the rive | the down-stream side of the rock and r 1l had developed | represented by the single large wave | turned over on the unfortunate voy- | of sunburn poisoning |upon_ which at the moment we hap- s g0 on. Iton went | pened precariously to be poised. Blackw 1 wondered as we dropped down into the trough if the little 16-foot boat could get star | other side and, if so, W ke the grade. But she was good spirits, we reached Lees Ferry severe c nd could not ith Marshall. an, 1 ubuque, . Me( ith us until we were s arble Canyon. Mar nyon did not measure up her able reputation, or pos- ver was making reparation ay she had treated us in At any rate, we ran all the , and lined that * constitute one of the | f dangers of the Colorado River rapids. In lining the Powell around | dorf she struck a rock and be- we could get her off the swift 3 current tipped her over and jammed | we came throu her stern so firmly against the rock | us the Powell | e could not haul her out. | did as well, or No Quitters Here, | We attached a block and tackle to the bow line and worked two days en- | deavoring to free her. Then we got out the duffle bags and much as remained of the prov ns in her s and went on in the two re- maining boats. We had had another demonstration of the tremendous power of the river, a demonstration that made it clear we still had a difficult job to do. And there was no inclination to shirk. No one was willing to leave the party when, two days later at Kanab Can- yon, I explain that because of the loss of the Powell and the con- sequent overloading of the remaining boats, three or four men could leave the party without dishonor, and make their way up the side canyon to the town of Kanab. We lined the short but dangerous rapids five miles below Kanab Creek, and when we came to Lav: 1 what every one must do who voyages on the Colorado River—took the boats bodily out of the water, lifted and skidded them around the falls, and launched them in the river below. We ran Separation Rapids, where three of Powell’s men had left him only to be killed later by Indians on the rim of the canyon. And thus we came at last to Mattiwettiki—the last bad rapids, and the worst one of all ex- cepting only Lava Falls, The last bad rapids! So near to victory, but so high a hurdle in the way that defeat or death or both are imminently possible. On the right, above the rapids, is a perpendicular wall several hundred feet high, and there is a similar cliff on the left just at the rapids. The voyager has his choice of two “holes and utifully. Behind and the Coronado better. We were through the Sockdologer and could set down the time of day in my diary. The river was peace- ful—for the Colorado. We relaxed and T had a pencil in one hand, a map of the river in the other. The next bad rapids were half a mile below and for the moment we were safe. That “Demon River. Then, as if it were enjoying a grim joke at our expense, that demon river produced a “trick” wave of some kind and flipped the boat over so suddenly that Galloway and I were trapped under it. We clawed our way out and sat astride the overturned boat until the Powell picked us up, but it was by the barest chance that we escaped being swept into the next rapids clinging to that water-filled boat. The last two weeks were sheer test of endurance. Just how long can a man continue to run rapids, each one of which reaches with dripping claws to snatch away his life, without per- mitting the constant strain to wear perceptibly upon his nerves? Not for more than four weeks—and 400 bad rapids—I should say. Not that any man ever showed un- willingness to face the danger. None did—but there was less gay conversa- tion, fewer general discussions around the camp fire at night. Once or twice there were sharp words between the men without provo- cation. They were tired at night and there was likely to be complaint from one or two of them when we ran until nearly dark and we sometimes did after we Jost the Powell.. The Powell was wrecked in Dub- endorf Rapids. Here, in the Winter of 1919, Dubendorf ran his boat over taract. successfully. At the mouth of the Little Colorado e entered the Grand Canyon proper, 17 miles below ran into e dreaded Granite Gorge. The river narrow where it cuts through the Anite; the current is swift, and the are vicious. Even the little The Vicious Sockdologer. The waves of the Sockdologer Rap- s, by measurement at low water by are 20 feet igh from trough to crest. They robably were 25 feet high at the age of water prevailing when we g cautiously down as near the head e climbed up the cliff to look them There the river swept, a maghifi- water. The ver, 350 feet wide in places, is nar- less than half that, from _the hen once the current of the river es you into its narrow canyons. ere there is no chance to line the even is given to examine the rapids nd pick out a channel for the boats run. Galloway and I went first in the Pulling out into the iddle of the river, we turned the in the center.” There were mo- Automatic praise Recommended for its safety. its quietness. by big hospitals. Four facts prove this is the unquestionable OIL burner for your home Installnow—take ayeartopay, beginning October 1. 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He may let men down by ropes over the cliff above the rapids, tie them to projecting rocks, and have them try to pass the boats along, one man to another, by means of long lines attached to the bows. But I had seen the river snatch boats away from four or five men, all with their feet on solid ground, and to | lose the boats mennt that we almost rtainly would die of thirst ngs vainly to climb the precipitous walls that hemmed us in. The other choice was to run the rapids—in a narrow channel close against the wall. An enormous rock rested almost exactly in the center of the river and every second or two a great wave rose from this rock and Ze&e/fl.s FASHION INSTITUTION Wasnington bgrder— ‘Woman’ Coat, $1656 Tess '155% discount. to the elbow! wolf! fox! tance of these new In Crepe Satin In Flat Crepe In Crepe Exquisite In Jacquard Crepe fine quality fabrics. Velvet Trims! Smart Bows! Faggoting! Uneven Hemlines! Jeweled Pins! New Necklines! 1927, swept over against the cliff. A return wave met this wave at certain inter- vals and the two spouted up in the middle of the channel. Would the wave, if it hit us square ly, dash us against the cliff, and if it did, would it destroy our boats? ‘Would the return wave return at the right moment to save us from being s q by leaving behind every equipment we did not nee out into the channel. ger, Holt and myself w the Dellenbaugh and Weatherhead. Jaeger, Carey were in the Coronado ounce of and pulled salloway, Sea- in artl and ridin Aager, Calloway | then, with only sliz tess force, th hoped-for return truck us an in a smother ot | wed by th coming together of th w slid throv 1 turned to watch the Coronade She started off nice stern first, bu hefore she had gone more than a fes vards an unexpected wave turned he NowYor dashed against the clift? spouting wave, if we reached there| foremost as we intended and well in while it was spouting, overturn the Finally, was it certain that we could avoid striking the big rock in the center—could we get into the boats? channel at a Running the rapids was my choice, with the chances agalnst our getting through, whichever way we tried. We had lunch, lightened the boats | tatives of ~ Black Mignon —Mlsses' Coat, with fox trim, $125. Black Molta, with double fox shawl collar and cuffs! Black Iduna, with shawl collar and cuffs of Kolinsky! Black Kashmir Suede, with Kit fox collar and fur cuffs Black M:gnon, with large shawl collar of badger! Black Malina, with shawl collar and deep cuffs of black Black Veluna, with shawl collar and border of black Women’s Frocks $25 The flare and the snug hipline are the two most important and charming features of the new Fall silhouette—provided they are cleverly expressed and carefully handled as these frocks are. We selected only the most flattering versions of the flare and snug hip- line—and we insisted on superb tailoring of Now the frocks are here, just as we ordered them—styles for street, business and afternoon wear—and each frock an exceptionally good value! Marron Glace Duskblu Malaga Red Balsam Green Blue Spruce Slate Blue Shagbark Tan and 1ve . $25 Satin _ and eorget te, We are exclusive Washington represen- mous Tecla Pearls. Would the The Dellen| h went the selected channel out to meet us broadside it swept us Destruction seemed world - fa- Washington. FASHION INSTITUTI NewYor first We came of the big rock and the wave rushed Striking v with dous force toward the cliff, ively T stood up and held my hand out to ward off the blow; Seager did | | the same thing with an oar. inevitable Gelbett 0} br almost tremen Instinct N w! —stern and S " halt around on her keel. and to m dismy 1 saw she was approachin st | the narrow channel hroadside to, The men in the hoat were pullin frantically. but were unable t straighten it around. And in that po sition the hoat drifted down to th owest part of the channel— ehow got through Cenvright 1927 1 all countries by Nort! Am: Newspaver Alli The Sportswear Shop is ready to equip the Smart College Girl.—Fourth Floor. 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Fashion, Quality and Remarkable Values Meet in Our Greatest - September Fur Sale Now in progress, with a magnificent collection of beautiful furs that is particularly marked by the fineness of the workmanship, the careful matching and blending of the skins, and the beauty of the pelt arrange- ment. We postponed our Advance Fur Sale until September—to make these things possible—and that we have achieved our ambition is evi- denced by the enthusiasm shown in the first two days of this great event! Four Outstanding Price Groups That present savings of $45 to $80 on each coat! —$195 October Price, $250 Golden Muskrat, fox collar. Hair Seal, with squirrel collar. Black Caracul, with lynx collar. Brown Caracul, with fox collar. —$295 October Price, $350 Hudson Seal (dyed muskrat). Raccoon, with shawl eollar. American Broadtail, with fox collar. Moleskin, with pointed fox col- lar and cuffs. — 3350 October Price, $395 Plucked Muskrat, fox collar. Grey Caracul, with fox collar. Nutria, with self collar. Ocelot, red fox collar and cuffs. — 3495 October Price, $575 Black Caracul, with Kolinsky collar and cuffs. Hudson Seal (dyed muskrat), Jap mink shawl collar and cuffs. Jap Mink, fox trimmed. Squirrel, with fox collar. 913-917 H Street N.W. Phone Main 4886-4887 ASK FOR LITERATURE “Found reliable for over thirty-four years” Some with Chiffon Vestees! Some with Printed Velvet Trim! The New Wrap-around Flare! The Smart New Print Flare! In the Women's Frock Shop—Second Floor —And these are only a few of the many remarkable values in these coats—ranging as high as $2,450 in price! A small deposit will reserve your selection until November 1st, or charge it to your account and pay in December. Fur Shop—Fourth Floor