The water still gave indications of being higher than low-water mark, although it was falling fast on the Green River.  Each morning, for three days previous to our arrival at the junction, we would find the water about six inches lower than the stage of the evening before.  Strange to say, we gained on the water with each day’s rowing, until we had almost overtaken the stage of water we had lost during the night.  More than likely we would have all the water we needed under the new conditions which were before us.

Beginning with the Colorado River, we made our journals much more complete in some ways, giving all the large rapids a number and describing many of them in detail.  This was done, not only for our own satisfaction, but for the purpose of comparison with others who had gone through, for many of these rapids have histories.

It was often a question, when on the Green River, where to draw the line when counting a rapid; this was less difficult when on the Colorado.  While the descent was about the same as in some of the rapids above, the increased volume of water made them look and act decidedly different.  We drew the line, when counting a rapid, at a descent having a decided agitation of the water, hidden rocks, or swift descent and with an eddy or whirlpool below.  Major Powell considered that many of these drops in the next canyon were above the ordinary rapid, hence the name, Cataract Canyon.

At one of the camps below Green River, Utah boat had been christened the Defiance, by painting the name on the bow.  After leaving the Green we referred to the boats by their respective names, being in the Edith, I in the Defiance.

[Illustration:  THE JUNCTION OF THE TWO RIVERS.  THE GRAND RIVER IS ON THE RIGHT.  NOTE BOATS.]

CHAPTER XIII

A COMPANION VOYAGER

THURSDAY morning, October the 26th, found Emery feeling very poorly, but insisting on going ahead with our day’s work, so Camp No. 34 was soon behind us.  We were embarked on a new stream, flowing west-southwest, with a body of water ten times the size of that which we had found in the upper canyons of the Green.  Our sixteen-foot boats looked quite small when compared with the united currents of the Green and the Grand rivers.  The Colorado River must have been about 350 feet wide here just below the junction, with a three-mile current, and possibly twenty-five feet deep, although this is only a guess.  The Grand River appeared to be the higher of the two streams, and had a decidedly red colour, as though a recent storm was being carried down its gorges; while the colour of the Green was more of a coffee colour—­coffee with a little cream in it.

A fourth of a mile below the junction the two currents began to mix, with a great ado about it, with small whirlpools and swift eddies, and sudden outbursts from beneath as though a strangled current was struggling to escape from the weight which overpowered it.  The boats were twisted this way and that, and hard rowing was necessary to carry us down to the steadied current, and to the first rapid, which we could hear when yet far above it.