H.1
EEKLY ARIZONA MINER.
S XT I I JL, E m IS IV 1?
ed
)L. XIV
PRESCOTT. ARIZONA. FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 20, 1877.
NO. 18.
it
UOUC.ll
THE Gll.VNO
Ji.VKT.
CANYON ON A
Capt. John Moss, well known in this part
Arizona as a guide, interpreter, pros
tor, etc., has been giving the San Fran
co Call a "game." His first disclosures
that paper related to his acquaintance
tli Johu I). Lee, and the part the Mor
ns ptayeti in mc .Mountain .Meadows
cussacre. Anil in tne issue ot Ann! Dm.
find him representing himself as the
al of "Steamboat Adams" in cxplorim;
Colorado river. Some old Arizonans
readout are illnaturcd enrmrh to believe
nt the Captain dreamed this narritivc in
n Francisco..
t'ttpt. Mo' AI venture.
twiiiii the Suuiuut of 1SS1 said Can-
u Mo to his HstenerJ, no one with me
t o.i the rati, but three or lour soldiers
d a couple of Indian with me when the
ft was Lniilt, It was purely an exploring
peditioa. Mv object was to locate the
outh of the Litt.e Colorado (Chiouito).
lieu has its rise in Ariz ma, ami it ban
ned in this wav: I was at Fort Mhuve.
gaide to the Clovernmcnt troops, and an
1 mountaineer called Weaver, who had
en trapping on the Colorado tor thirty
ars. Hail saitl lie natl seen the mouth ot
Little Colorado; had, in fact, ascen ed
in Fort Mohave to the point at which the
earn empties into the big Colorado. I
ubted his information; in fact, I knew
:it h" could not have o:ie up-stream o
r. steamboat Attains, in a lectori, s-aid of
e Colorado, that it had a fall of 100
ttt the mile for a thousand miles, which
ultl make a prettv tall fall of 100.000
t; but whatever may be deducted from
s imaginative estimate, the Colorado has
'ery rapid run through the eanvocs. shy
m five to mx miles an hour, and has many
lgcrous places, where it swirls round
amlly with boiling force. Anvhow. I
ubted Weaver, and. to satisfv mv.-elf ami
c ollicers of the Fort, I volunteered to
It it trom the eitnmce to the Great
nvon to fort Mohave, provided two In
dians would accompany me. Lieut. Ki-
tnrec soldiers and the Indians set out
ill me. We struck across the countrv to
e northeast by nay of San Fnineico
ountain to a point now known as Lee's
fry the J. I). Lte who was shot the other
y. lie had a ranch at that place a winch
wife Ami lived. It i in Yavapai conn
then in New Mexico but now in Arizona,
low this, the river enters the Unntl Can-
u and receives the Colorado Chiquito on
2 left bank; lower down it receives on the
lit bank the Virgin river, and then it en-
rs th Hig C m von, and turns eastward and
uthward inti) tli! Black Can von. below
hich is Fort Mohave. The Grand Canvon
really a seri s of deep channels with
sare intersections or cracks in a "Teat
i:i. The wabs tif the canyons rise per-
ntiicuiariy to a Height ot irom 1.300 to
,O0J leet, and adown the base of the narrow
i.tanl tu c :n;re-;s l riwr ll ws in a sul-
u roar, anti cxrepi at nigh noon there is i
er in the depth-, of the chasm an even
ILrht g.oom that is scarcely alternated
y the blackness of night. ion peer up
trough the rift and trace a line of blue skv.
ritli here and there a patch of sunshine on
injecting points near the summit; no veg-
tation to relieve the prevailing amy tif the
nn iuncsto.ic cleavage; no twitteror chirp
t hie cou:l be seen or heard, .o Miinrest
at all is n it the tloolatiou of death, the
itnte ot un.iuickened nature. It ina- lt?
died one canvon from Lejj Ferrv to the
ig bend, where the river turns southward.
r to the northward of the Kldorado Canyon.
Wt Mohave is &i.vtv-uve miles lower tlowu.
ud you may call the distance 400 mi'es.
Tin: mm: ox the u.xkt.
How the canyons were formed I am not
n the position to pass au opinion. The up-
iwrtion is limestone, witu hercaud there
tndstone metamorphosetl ; the lower por
ion. .Slack Canyon, is volcanic, and it seems
o me impossible, that the river could not
uve eroded its passage to the depth at which
i now hows. 1 he walls, instead ot being
arther divergent at the top of the mesa, are
itner convergent, and I incline to the view
hat the whole fissure is the result of stibter-
aneau force. Some erodinsr has untloubt-
ly by the stream and the deep twols filled
p; the average depth of the river will not
xcced thirty or forty feet, and the width is
from MO to 200 yards. Still places occur,
but there arc no cataracts. Obstructions ap
ixjar in many places, from masses of rock
having tumbled into the water, but it dashes
over the boulders in foaming waves. Drift
timber also obstructs the channel, and it is
rushed downward ami with crunching noise
grinds against the precipitous sheer of the
clitfs.
At Ia'es Ferry tho soldiers constructed me
a rait fourteen feat in length, double joint, d
and five feet broad. It was built of what
ever timber we could pick up, and though a
very rough affair to trust tine's life on" for
such a trip, was considered substantial. The
Indians, after the soldiers left, taking with
them my animal, refused to proceed, saving
that the join ney could not be made, and 1
was inclined to abandon the expedition also,
but was stung into carrying out the project
by their taunts on the impossibility of suc
cess, as they alleged there was too much
water in the river and liable to rise. How
did tho adventure pioeeed? Well, it pro
ceeded very rapidly. I had provisions with
me. aim a rule ami a pole, ami I jolcd my
sen oh irom the iuuik in a dare-devil spirit.
the stream swept the ratt tilt gradually in
to its center, aud I was adrift beyond the
possibility of recall. It went very p'eas
antly for a couple of hour, ami I rather en
joyed the outset of the rafting, but going
down more rapidly than I bargained for. and
lacing knocked Irom side to side, ami tum
bled about on the raft and drenched by oc
casional duckings, 1 did not think it" very
pleasant. I had vain longings for a peaceful
sojourn at home and a constant hankering
for a safe lauding somewhere on shore,
where I could scramble up: but on each side
of me there was nothing but dead wall, tow
ering far overhead in a ghastly soit of gran
deur, and only leaving a thin streak of sky
for opening. Thus 1 entered on
A JOl'ltNKV KOK THHKK PAYS AND A HALF.
Throughout the day it was a Uep gloum
ing, save when the sun at meridian slanted
down for a brief interval on the mighty tlcnv
of boiling waters; the night scarcely
brought with it change; and ever resounding
in the ears was the dull roar of the river.
I had little eye for either the science or the
mystery of the phenomena: my mind was
absorbed on the possibilities of safety.
My provisions and gun had not been lashed
to the raft, and in a very short time after the
start all was lost in an eddy that spun inc
round and round and up set the unmanage
able thing I was atloat on. The pole I hail
to guide die raft went with the rest, and
nothing was lett but the raft, and myself,
drenched, shivering ami dejected. Thiough
out the three days and a half I .va without
sleep; a coma of indifference stole over me,
and it was quiet if not the repose of slum
ber, but every time that raft turned a somer
sault in a rapid I clung to it with a despera
tion and tenacity inde-cribable. and al
though under water fir half a minute, the
planks would right again and I come to the
surface to pick up' my bre ith. The want of
sleep did not knock me under much, for it
is not the first time that I h 4e been severa'
days without a snooze or a erut, but
from side to side of the precipices I was
knocked terribly, getting bruises and al
ways being in a tremor lest the raft and I
should part company. It was the low con
dition of the river that saved me. It kept
me in the middle of the strentn generally.
and it it had been in a iiomleil st..te the raft
would have been smashed to splinter.-..
No place to land on showed itself. Here
act! there little fiats, 100 yards long
and five or six broad Wore seen, but there
was no foothold up the rocks, and would
have been slow but inevitable death to be
stranded on lhce.
breathing again, and recovering from semi
unconsciousness. DOWN AT FOHT MOIIAVK.
On the fourth day the raft had drifted
down stream to a point abovo Mohave, and
there it was sighted by some Indians, who
jiut off and towed it ashore. I was lying on
it, face downward, clinging to the planks.
Life was left in me, tut I was very faint and
completely exhausted; all my clothes gone
except a pair of lacerated buckskin breech
es; and the raft splintered away to very lit
tie more than my own length. 'Nourishment
and eare bro g t me aiouad, and nevershall
I forget tho h.viiry of my first meal, and a
hearty pull at a bowl of whiskey.
l he Indians who had deserted Captain
.iios nan arrived ai me rori when he was
pickeJ up. ami had reported him dead.
Some time before a partv tif Indians had at
tempted the descent, and have never more
been heard ot.
Captain Moss states that White is now
living in New Mexico. Hi trip extended
from the mouth of Grand Wash to Callville
the distance extending from about ha'f-wav
down the main canyon. Powell's e.vjK'di-
uoii was in iouj or iso. lie made several
trips up and down the river at different sec
tions, but never continuously the whole
length at one time.
PRESCOTT.
RESTAURANTS, ETC.
WHITEHEAD & PLUMEr7dGeT
l'ltOI'KIUTOILS OF THE
M0X tezu.ua kestaukaxt,
Bar and Billiard Saloon.
West idtlo of IMaza, - PIU-SCOIT, A. T.
I.KTTKK PI COM I'IKKNI.Y.
Hditok MiNKit: No very important items
to narrate s.nce my last letter.
Mr. Goldman's new goods have arrived,
and are about half sold. Mr. Goldman has
had a terrible 'rush" ever since theirarrival.
Mr. Kennedy, of the Signal Corps, arrived
Saturday in charge of a detachment of
troops reconstructing the government tele
graph line. Charlie Clark, the government
telegraph operator at lMitenix. left us Sun
day night to assume temporary charge of
tho telegraph office at Florence," during the
unless oi uie operator at that point. Charlie
carries the bet wishes of the entire com
munity for his speed v return. Fanners arc
all very busy nreparinn for harvest. The
PhuMiix Library and Literary Club still
llourishcs. They are preparing for a public
entertainment to be given about tho first of
May, for the benefit of the library fund.
Mr. Daily our pleasant co-laborer "left us
some tNys ago to "do" Florutice and Globe
districts. Strangers comiuir in daily and
.Mc.
THi: I.ITTLK t-OI.OUArt).
I set out to find the mouth of the Little
Colorado. I may have seen it but could
not locate it definitely, and I doubt whether
Major Powell, with all the years he spent in
exploring, could locate it within tuirly mile
of the real point of confluence. Hut I soon
knew that I had passed the Little Colorado
by the muddy condition of the wafer. In
common parlance, the Little Colorado is
about three parts sediment; its name signi
fies "red." I had little interest in the mat
ter, however. I gave my undivided atten
tion to myself, and I did some pretty good
praying and some tall swearing. Hundreds
of times I went round in the swirl of the
current, hardly daring to come out alive;
but I clung to the raft instinctively when it
capsized, and ere long I would find myself
coming to stay
PllOTKCTION OF TlMIIKK OX l'lMll.tt DO
MAIN. Impoi taut orders will be issued by
the Interior Department shortly, for the
protection of timber on the public domain
Irom depredations. The present system of
intrusting it s care and detection of depreda
tors to local land ofii -ers will lte abolished,
and the Department will send out specially
qualified agents to detect, and report to the
Department of Justice for prompt punish
ment, ail persous cutting timber o.i public
lands without authority of the Govermcnt.
This news will be discouraging to many
lumbermen in the estern States ami Ter
ritories. Hundre ds of men who cut timber
on (he public lands would instantly buy
the timber land if Congress would only pro
vide its sale. In hardly any respect has
C ng-es so failed in its duty, as in its neg
lect to provide a ready and reasonable mode
tif sale of timber lands. Timber is alout as
.! , ...
csseniiai in new ami niu settlements, as
water of the earth autl of the streams Ari
zona Citizen.
Wr har lrW th- wr kmorq Mloun from .Mr I.uVr.
oml wilt oyn the hHle f.ir th nHvnm..!-oii or tbj
ttibllo. n wilt twf n mtutn t cuOt th Ii.mim
ma tu nun Id the TVrrltury. Th bar will U tup-'
I'llPvl ultl, tli
i-'incst Wines Liquors and Cisiirs.
Our lltl.t.IAKI) TAUt.KS ar th. br.t in the country.
Tlix ltptaurut part will im kpfl up in errry virtleu.
tar, nml n.t rvrn- ,.r in uri-il tu procure all t
drllcjcln Id the tuurkct.
THOMAS WHITEHEAD,
KOUKKT I'tAMKimxiK.
rb:.tr
CABINET CHOI' HOUSE.
A.
I. C. TIIOKNt. l'rclrllir.
MEALS AT ALL HOURS.
Day nntl IS'tsrlif .
HOT AND COLD LUNCH'
Krerytlil-ic .iblr to b hul. !o Its teau, an gotttB
p in lb bt tyli- of the oulluari art.
1 J IV 13 IS Xi,
RESTAURANT, BAKERY & SALOON,
Kirt building uulh of the Miner Offirr, l'rrtcott.
IVew House Xetv Everything:.
Th umlf rulinrj mot rMpwtfutly Inform th public
that liU nrir plai-o. whlpti ntnn.U on the runi of th
Mine rN-ntly tlmttroycvl by fir. l now open for thIr
avoramolatlon. and tbut ht wilt b pltrairtl to tbm
; () O !) JJ R 13 A I) ,
Five Loaves for Uno Dollar.
PIES, CISZES
ETC.
9.00
75
TIIK S.t I.OO.V IMitTMENT
nrll tiH'Vr.I
Itonnl
Stmrlf
prr wewk.
ineaN ....
NVIII nlnar be fmn!
Drihkablm anil Olfar.
with prrttv fooii
DAN. HATZ.
I'rrctt,o Arizona. I tn-rmlwr 3 IPTt.
Sheep Men Attention.
lirtir tli.iroi ol flnJInr n ul able pine tn iln their
harin-tin. .t-.i.u nil! 11ml it ! thrir ndtmitiise In
ilrivr thrlr he- p to th Auifni-ati Hnnch nbrrr thry will
rin.t h.ir.iiir vn. pVuiy of r.tni;w nod alinn-l.inrx
-f witter. .Storage lor.W WH) m.l of wl, all Jrti oj
charge. A Iwml of .-.irflul lirurr III be on baud at
nil titupt dniin; the fhrnrine ra.n.
At Ki-ilucril lCit!..
Sto-k mm vititln tVr Territory will find It lo thelt In
tereMt to cill m the Atnerioun ranch for Renmil Informa
tlnn.
N. 11 I.IIhtiI ndvnnret made on rtit;nmenU of
w..l Cormpoudcm e Irnui abto.nl lolicitetl.
j. ii. l.y.K.
AmrrlcjiB Hnnch, Arixaaa, March 15, 1P77. t
1'renr.itt. Arizona. MarrblStfa, 177
Ranch for Sale.
I bare a VIS'.'. KANCII lor 'eoti the upper Vent.
30 o.il. lr.'tn I'rewtitt. well watered, two ba.e kd a
lam. con.MeruMe fenrlnf. and an almoet illiultuble itock
rari-e -ntiaIII to the pieluuet.
The plnre will be .old at a barga!.. Kor purt'eulari
inquire nl J(.hnG.('an.pl!l. 11. II. HIXIIV.
I'reooit. April Mlb. :s77. tf.
A. J. REASON'S
City Uoot and Shoe Store,
COHTEZ STrtliET,
Next Door Soutli of Court House.
AVbere Von can Find all Kindt of
BOOTS, SHOES & GAITERS
Made to Order.
Alo, Fine Atfortiiientof
IVUTDIZ "WORK.
Pei feet Fits Quarnntced or No Sale.
irltepalrinr neatly done at reamnable rates.
BOES & SPENCER.
At the old ftiml. on Mouteiuina ttreel, two door ninth
ol Outlet- dealer, in ClliAU-4. TDHACCO. CONKEC
Tm.NKHY. I HIIIT.S AND FINE OKOCKKIKS.
We reetlully Invite the attrolion of the puMlo to
our laecr and t itiletl
lock, nml t'Uurautee to GIVE the fnllent latltfiMtloi.
to nil piirrli.i-er. We have un baud a full atMirttnent of
the r!i..c.t l.r.m.U of C'lirnm anl Cicanitn, Klne-Cut
aid l'lu(.,mikinnif amlChewinirTjlArco'ipe, l'onch
tuna i ooarco-i.oiet nl imirorlk rncet,
"-jiid every one g -et A.MV A I with a tml In face."
after onee purclnuln); ot tu. and in due teuton return for
tort tier ttipplle.
Tliatifcitil ior rtt tnvora. we rolieit a rontlnotnct ot
the lilerul Hitronai;e brtetofore bettowed on ut,
kntmliiir that our GOODS will bar Idimc
tlm and compariton with any in the market.
JAR K. 1UINKS.
CIMS. L. 81'K.NCKR.
rrecott, March 21 1F77 6m
LEGAL BLANKS,
Of Every Class and Kiiult
Alwart on hani and for Ml, at th. U1XKK otBoe, at
fr.reatnnb at no lawyer, uttlce f th. peac. or obt
officer njin reasonably And awilt with.
I