the grand canyon of arizona-第47部分

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The　Start。　The　start　was　made　down　the　Green　River；　September　20。　Four　days　later；　the　trio　had　reached　the　junction　of　the　Green　and　Grand　Rivers；　the　beginning　of　the　Colorado；　having　covered　a　distance　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　miles。　From　this　point　to　Hite；　a　small　town　near　the　Arizona　line；　the　first　bad　water　was　encountered　in　the　forty…one　miles　of　Cataract　Canyon。　Loper's　boat　met　with　disasters　here　dashing　on　a　rock　and　tearing　a　long　rent　in　its　sideand　giving　warning　of　the　inferiority　of　these　thin　metal　boats　to　the　stout　oak　craft　used　by　the　Powell　party。　The　party　managed　to　reach　Hite；　however；　towing　the　damaged　boat；　and　there　made　the　necessary　repairs。

Loper　Stays　at　Hite。　Loper　had　acted　as　photographer　of　the　expedition；　and　had　the　camera　and　the　plates　in　his　boat；　when　it　was　filled　with　water。　Examination　showed　that　the　plates　were　ruined；　and　the　camera　shutter　badly　rusted。　It　was　decided　that　Loper　should　remain　behind　at　Hite；　and　await　the　arrival　of　a　new　shutter　for　which　he　had　written。　It　was　agreed　that　he　need　not　be　thus　delayed　more　than　two　weeks；　and　should　be　able　to　rejoin　his　companions　at　Lee's　Ferry；　a　Mormon　settlement　of　three　families；　one　hundred　and　forty　miles　below　Hite；　within　twenty…one　days。

Russell　and　Monett　Start。　Accordingly；　Russell　and　Monett　pushed　ahead；　and　put　in　many　days　prospecting　along　the　shores　of　Glen　Canyon。　After　forty…three　days　of　waiting　at　Lee's　Ferry；　Russell　and　Monett　decided　that　if　they　were　to　complete　the　trip　before　their　now　rapidly　decreasing　supply　of　provisions　was　exhausted；　they　must　start　on　without　Loper；　for　whom　they　had　waited　more　than　twice　the　time　agreed　on。　Friday；　December　13；　had　no　terrors　for　the　intrepid　pair；　and　on　the　morning　of　that　day　they　started　on　down　the　river；　with　the　sixty…six　miles　of　Marble　Canyon　in　front　of　them；　an　introduction　to　the　two　hundred　and　seventeen　miles　of　the　Grand　Canyon　below。

Their　Remarkable　Nerve。　In　telling　of　this　stage　of　the　journey；　Russell　seemed　to　lose　sight　entirely　of　the　remarkable　nerve　both　men　showed　in　starting　down　through　what　is　admittedly　the　wildest　stretch　of　continuous　bad　water　in　the　whole　river。　And　that；　too；　without　the　third　companion；　who　at　the　outset　had　been　considered　absolutely　indispensable　to　the　success　of　the　party。　Instead；　he　emphasized　rather　his　belief　that　Loper　had　elected　to　face　no　more　dangers；　and　had　voluntarily　remained　behind　at　Hite。

First　Seven　Days　Passed　in　Safety。　In　seven　days　they　had　passed　the　length　of　the　roaring　stream；　in　its　descent　through　perpendicular　walls　of　marble；　reaching　up　to　an　average　height　of　two　thousand　five　hundred　feet；　and　had　come　through　the　worst　rapids　to　that　point；　without　damage　to　either　boat。　At　one　stage　there　are　fifty…seven　falls　of　from　sixteen　to　twenty　feet　in　a　distance　of　nineteen　miles；　according　to　Stanton's　records；　in　which　was　kept　an　accurate　count　of　all　the　rapids　in　the　river。

Enter　the　Grand　Canyon。　They　entered　the　Grand　Canyon　December　20。　For　the　first　fifteen　miles　below　the　entrance　of　the　Little　Colorado；　and　the　beginning　of　the　big　Canyon；　they　found　comparatively　quiet　water。　But　from　this　point；　on　to　the　beginning　of　the　first　granite　gorge；　their　way　was　threatened　with　the　worst　falls　they　had　met　thus　far。　The　good　luck　which　had　attended　them　from　the　start；　however；　still　prevailed；　and　they　managed　to　shoot　their　way　safely　down　over　the　almost　continuous　cataracts　for　five　long　days。　Christmas　found　them　only　fifteen　miles　above　Bright　Angel。　In　describing　the　manner　of　their　celebration；　Russell　remarked　casually　that　they　certainly　〃hung　their　stockings〃to　dry。　From　beginning　to　end　of　their　journey；　the　adventurers　were　obliged　to　depend　entirely　for　fuel　on　such　driftwood　as　they　could　find　lodged　in　eddies　and　on　the　rocky　shores。　More　than　one　night　they　spent　in　clothes　soaked　through　with　the　icy　water　of　the　Colorado；　with　no　fire　to　warm　them。　Their　Christmas　camp；　however；　was　on　a　narrow　strip　of　sand；　with　a　greater　supply　of　driftwood　at　hand　than　they　had　found　at　any　point　along　the　river。

Dangerous　Rapids。　Beginning　immediately　below　this　camping　place；　and　continuing　for　ten　miles；　the　river　dashes　madly　through　that　stretch　of　foaming　water　called　by　Stanton　the　〃Sockdologer。〃　To　make　matters　worse；　Russell　found　it　impossible　to　follow　his　usual　custom　of　〃picking　a　trail〃　through　the　rapids。　Ordinarily　the　elder　man　climbed　along　the　precipitous　sides　of　the　Canyon　beside　each　cataract；　leaving　Monett　above　the　rough　water　in　charge　of　the　two　boats。　From　his　vantage　point；　Russell　could　pick　out　the　most　dangerous　places；　and　chart　a　course　through　the　rapids　accordingly。　But　throughout　these　ten　miles　of　granite；　the　walls　are　sheer　and　smooth　for　the　first　fifteen　hundred　feet　of　their　rise。　Russell　could　find　no　foothold；　and　the　men　for　the　first　time　faced　the　necessity　of　〃shooting〃　unknown　waters。

Russell's　Method　of　Shooting　Rapids。　As　always；　Russell　led　the　way　in　his　boat；　swinging　it　into　the　boiling　current　stern　firsthis　own　method　of　taking　each　cataract　making　the　frail　craft　respond　to　his　will；　when　possible；　by　a　forward　pull　on　one　or　the　other　of　his　oars。　For　half　an　hour　the　men　were　hurled　down　the　seemingly　neverending　length　of　tossing　waters。　After　the　first　minute；　the　cockpit　in　which　each　man　sat　was　filled　to　the　gunwales　with　icy　water；　in　which　the　oarsmen　worked；　covered　to　the　armpits。　Hundreds　of　times　great　waves　totally　submerged　them；　the　little　boats　each　time　staggering　out　from　under　the　weight　of　water；　only　to　plunge　into　more。

Russell　Gets　Safely　Through。　With　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　still　to　be　covered；　before　the　less　turbulent　water　below　was　reached；　and　just　as　Russell　was　sweeping　around　the　last　great　curve　beyond　which　he　could　see　the　placid　water；　he　heard　his　companion　in　the　rear　cry　out　in　alarm。　Before　he　could　turn　to　see　the　cause　of　the　cry；　he　was　driven　round　the　curve。　Mooring　his　boat　to　the　bank　as　quickly　as　possible；　Russell　half　climbed；　half　waded　along　the　shore　of　the　river；　and　made　his　way　back　up　the　side　of　the　rapids。

Monett　in　Danger。　Monett；　his　boat　wedged　tight　between　two　jagged　rocks；　a　foot　below　the　surface　of　the　sweeping　water；　was　hanging　desperately　to　the　gunwale　of　the　little　craft；　his　body　straightened　out　horizontal　by　the　rush　of　the　water　about　him。　The　boat　was　completely　wrecked。　But　Russell；　when　he　threw　a　rope　to　his　companion；　was　astounded　to　see　the　boy　work　his　way　slowly　nearer　the　boat；　and　begin　to　tie　its　contents　securely　with　the　line　intended　for　his　own　salvation。

Rescued　with　Difficulty。　Against　the　roar　of　the　rapids；　it　was　useless　for　Russell　to　call　to　his　companion　to　let　the　provisions　go　and　save　himself。　Four　times　the　lad　let　Russell　drag　sides　of　bacon　and　sacks　of　beans　through　the　thirty　feet　of　roaring　water　between　him　and　the　shore；　before　he　finally　caught　the　rope　and　was　dragged　to　safety。　He　had　been　in　the　water　for　more　than　twenty　minutes；　and　was　nearly　exhausted　when　Russell　lifted　him　to　his　feet。

Loss　of　Boat。　The　loss　of　the　boat　seemed　at　first　to　mark　the　end　of　their　attempt　to　equal　the　record　of　their　predecessors。　But　Monett　insisted　that　they　try　his　plan　of　straddling　the　stern　of　the　remaining　boat。　〃If　we　strike　too　rough　water；　I　can　always　swing　overboard；〃　he　urged。　〃And　we've　needed　a　drag　that　wouldn't　get　fouled　on　the　rocks　all　along。〃

Reach　Bright　Angel。　It　was　noon；　January　6；　when　the　trail　party　from　the　hotel　on　the　Canyon's　rim　at　Bright　Angel；　forty　men　and　women；　eating　their　luncheon　at　the　river　shore；　saw　two　men　swing　out　of　the　rapids　two　hundred　yards　up　the　river；　and　row　leisurely　toward　them。　In　the　thirty　years　that　tourists　have　visited　the　bottom　of　the　Canyon　at　this　point；　it　is　safe　to　assert　that　not　one　ever　saw　a　sight　like　this。

Rest　for　Three　Days。　Two　horses　were　placed　at　the　disposal　of　the　miners。　Their　clothes　were　torn　and　soaking　wet；　their　faces　covered　with　an　undisturbed　growth　of　beard　of　one　hundred　and　ten　days'　accumulation。　While　they　had　planned　to　climb　out　of　the　Canyon　at　this　point　to　mail　and　receive　letters；　they　had　no　intention　of　remaining。　With　all　their　provisions　now　confined　to　the　limited　quarters　of　one　boat；　and　with　other　incentives　to　push　on　with　all　speed　possible；　it　was　with　difficulty　that　they　were　persuaded　to　remain　at　the　hotel　three　days。

A　Fresh　Start。　January　9　the　entire　community；　guests　and　employees　of　the　hotel；　accompanied　the　two　men　to　the　river　edge；　and　bade　them　an　enthusiastic　farewell。　With　a　responding　shout；　the　miners　pushed　off　into　midstream　and　headed　down　river。　For　the　first　time　in　their　four　months'　fight　against　the　river；　the　adventurers　faced　water　too　wicked…looking　for　them　to　dare。　It　was　out　of　the　question　for　both　men　to　try　to　ride　in　the　little　rowboat；　and　the　shores　on　each　side　afforded　no　foothold；　after　half　the　length　of　the　rapids　was　passed。　Russell　would　not　leave　Monett　behind　to　shoot　the　rapids　alone　in　the　boat。

Attempt　to　Lower　Boat　through　Rapids。　Accordingly　they　took　out　all　the　provisions　and　camera　（the　latter　obtained　at　El　Tovar）；　and　tried　to　lower　the　boat　through　the　rapids　by　means　of　along　rope；　to　which　they　clung　from　their　station　on　the　shore。　The　force　of　the　current　was　so　great；　however；　that　to　save　themselves　from　being　dragged　into　the　water　they　were　forced　to　let　go　the　rope。　The　little　boat　shot　down　the　whirling　cataract；　and　the　men　saw　it　pounded　against　two　sharp　rocks　below。

Boat　Is　Lost。　To　lose　their　boat　at　this　point　meant　death。　They　could　not　climb　out　of　the　Canyon。　Their　only　chance　was　to　follow　and　overtake　the　boat；　now　floating　slowly　down　the　still　water　below　the　rapids；　the　forward　air…tight　compartment　filled　with　water　and　only　the　stern　showing。　Russell　made　the　plunge　first；　followed　quickly　by　Monett。　How　they　managed　to　live　through　these　rapids　is　a　mystery。　But　they　struck　the　still　water　together；　neither　having　suffered　a　scratch。　The　shores　continued　to　be　so　steep　they　could　not　climb　out　of　the　water；　and　they　kept　on　in　their　chase　of　the　boat。　When　they　w