After landing in safety
around a bend which hid them from sight, the boating party fired their
guns, hoping they would hear the report, and follow in the abandoned
boat. It is doubtful if they could hear the sound of the guns, above
the roar of the rapid. If they did, they paid no attention to it. The
younger Howland wished to remain with the party, but threw his lot
with his brother, when he withdrew.
While these men did not have the Major's deep scientific interest in
the successful completion of this exploration, they undoubtedly should
have stayed with their leader, if their services were needed or
desired. It is more than likely that they were insubordinate; they
certainly made a misguided attempt, but in spite of these facts it
scarcely seems just to brand them as cowards. Two days after they
left, the boating party was camped at the end of the canyons.
CHAPTER XXIII
THE LAST PORTAGE AND THE LAST RAPIDS
The first section of Separation Rapid was run the first thing in the
morning, a manoeuvre that was accomplished by starting on the left
shore and crossing the swift centre clear to the other shore. This
allowed us to reach some quiet water near a small deposit of rock and
earth at the base of the sheer wall. Two feet of water would have
covered this deposit; likewise two feet of water would have given us a
clear channel over this second section. As it was, the rapid was
rough, with many rocks very near the surface.
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