strong to line a boat down.  We concluded to risk running the first part.  Bert climbed to the head of the second section of the rapid, where a projecting point of granite narrowed the stream, and formed a quiet eddy just above the foaming plunge.  If we could keep out of the centre and land here we would be safe.  Our shoes were removed, our trousers were rolled to our knees and we removed our coats.  If we had to swim there, we were going to be prepared.  The life-preservers were well inflated, and tied; then we made the plunge, Emery taking the lead, I following close behind.  Our plan was to keep as near the shore as possible.  Once I thought it was all over when I saw the Edith pulled directly for a rock in spite of all Emery could do to pull away.  Nothing but a rebounding wave saved him.  I went through the same experience.  Several times we were threatened with an upset, but we landed in safety.  The portage was short and easy.  Flat granite rocks were covered with a thin coat of ice.  The boats were unloaded and slid across, then dropped below the projecting rock.  The Defiance skidded less than two feet and struck a projecting knob of rock the size of a goose egg.  It punctured the side close to the stern, fortunately above the water line, and the wood was not entirely broken away.

Two miles below this we found another bad one.  This was lined while Bert got supper up in a little sloping canyon; about as uncomfortable a camp as we had found.  Many of the rapids run the next day were violent.  The river seemed to be trying to make up for lost time.  We passed a canyon coming from the south containing two streams, one clear, and one muddy.  The narrowest place we had seen on the river was a rapid run this day, not over forty feet wide.  Evening brought us to a rapid with a lateral canyon coming in from each side, that on the right containing a muddy stream.  The walls were sheer and jagged close to the rapid, with a break on the rugged slopes here and there.  A sloping rock in the middle of the stream could be seen in the third section of the rapid.  This was Separation Rapid, the point where the two Howland brothers and Dunn parted company with Major Powell and his party.

From our camp at the left side we could easily figure out a way to the upper plateau.  Above that they would have a difficult climb as far as we could tell.  That they did reach the top is well known.  They met a tragic fate.  The second day after getting out they were killed by some Indians—­the Shewits Utes—­who had treated them hospitably at first and provided them with something to eat.  That night a visiting Indian brought a tale of depredations committed by some miners against another section of their tribe.  These men were believed to be the guilty parties, and they were ambushed the next morning.  Their fate remained a mystery for a year; then a Ute was seen with a watch belonging to one of the men.  Later a Mormon who had a great deal of influence with the Indians got their story from them, and reported to Major Powell what he had learned.  It was a deplorable and a tragic ending to what otherwise was one of the most successful, daring, and momentous explorations ever undertaken on this continent.