Grand Canyon History

(From The Great Unknown, The Journals of the Historic First Expedition Down the Colorado River, John Cooley, 1998)

Crew:

John Wesley Powell, Commanding

George Bradley

William Dunn

Frank Goodman — left after Disaster Falls, went to Indian Agency

Billy Hawkins - trapper, may have been fugitive

Andy Hall

Seneca Howland

Oramel Howland

Walter Powell, JWP’s brother, "Old Shady"

John Colton Sumner — proprietor of trading post at Hot Springs, in Middle Park, CO

Journals kept on the river — George Bradley, Billy Hawkins

Written later — John W. Powell, John Sumner

May 24 — August 30, 1869 (71 days duration)

• Powell seems almost oblivious to personnel concerns during the trip

• Sumner states that the trip was originally his idea. . (pg. 20)

• Powell was originally going to go down the Grand to the Colorado, but the completion of the Railroad to Green River, UT changed his mind. (22)

• Hawkins account, 7/24: "I can say one thing truthfully about the Major — that no man living was ever thought of more by his men up to the time he wanted to drive Bill Dunn from the party (see Hawkins account of Late July, attached). I have written only once here a few facts on things that happened on the Colorado expedition. There is no revenge in my heart. With the best of feelings toward the Major, I have written this because I think his Report is somewhat lacking. I am willing to do more by him than he ever did by any of us men. I am willing to call him a brave and daring leader, but I do not think the boys who left the party, the Howland brothers and Bill Dunn, under the circumstances herein mentioned, deserve to be branded as cowards. I do not wish to cast any discredit on Major Powell’s Report or upon his memory of the Colorado expedition. But in justice to Dunn and the Howland brothers I must say that the account in the Report which accuses them of cowardice is entirely wrong, and that it was made to cover up the real cause of their leaving."

• Animosity between Powell and George Dunn and the Howlands may have begun with the loss of the No Name at Disaster falls. (39)

• Powell’s account was one day behind Bradley’s and Sumner’s from June 8-19. (54)

• Bradley, 7/11: lost a rifle, leaves but seven left. Emma Dean swamps, gear falls out of the open compartment. Powell’s life preserver now owned by the Smithsonian. (99)

• Sumner, 7/11: "broke many oars, and most of the Ten Commandments." (100)

• Bradley, 7/26: "another day wasted foolishly." — Powell wanted to climb mountains out of a side canyon. Other started after pitching camp, but it was too hot. (121)

• Sumner, 7/28: Some panned for gold. "Placer" gold found at least to Paria River (Lee’s Ferry). "High grade, but very fine and hard to save." (127)

• Hawkins says no one liked Capt. (Walter) Powell. He had a "bull dozing way." (130)

• 8/3: Reach Crossing of the Father’s, 39 mi. above Lee’s Ferry. (138)

• 8/4: Paria R.- Lee’s Ferry, est. 1872 by John D. Lee. Many milling Stones. Ancient Fort on small butte near crossing. Many pots and old camps. (138) ed. A ring of rocks still exists on a low butte.

• 8/8: Redwall Cavern. Marble Canyon is 65 miles long. Walls at head = 200 ft., at foot = 3,500.

• 8/9: Vast number of caves and alcoves. Vasey’s Paradise — fountains from the wall. (George Vasey accompanied Powell on his Rocky Mt. Exploring and Scientific Expedition, summer of 1869.

• 8/10: Reach Little Colorado ("Flax River). A "disgusting stream," muddy and salty. They walk up 5 mi. Old Indian camps and worn paths seen. (The Little Colorado drains most of NE Arizona and part of New Mexico.) The group traveled here to Virgin River in 18 days (217 miles).

• 8/14: Minute Gun Falls — probably Hance Rapids. Peculiar sound at intervals of about 10 sec.

• 8/15: Reach "Silver Creek," (Named Bright Angel, probably to contrast with the Dirty Devil named earlier. "Moqui" ruins — Anasazi, whose descendents are Pueblo and Hopi.

• They always measured the descent of the river, and height of cliffs and rock formations with barometers. These were in bad shape by this time.

• Sumner, 8/13: Encountered granite (schist) for the first time, probably at bottom of Unkar, Mile 11. "Grand Canyon" first appeared on a railroad map in 1868. Sumner says Powell was going to name it after him "if he ever got through."

• Sumner: Major Powell spent the following day geologizing, as he was a nuisance in the work of portaging. His imperious orders were not appreciated. We had troubles enough with him. There was another spat between the Major and Howland at this point."

• Sumner, 8/21: Rapid with a fall of 30 ft. in 300 yds. — Possibly Dubendorf rapid, which is difficult in low water.

• Bradley, 8/22: It rained all day, so they pitched tents, "which may prevent it from raining tonight."

• 8/23: Pass stream on right, most certainly Deer Creek Falls, which is quite visible from the river.

• 8/26: They take squashes from and Indian garden (probably at the mouth of Whitman Wash, Mile 188. Pictographs were found there.)

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