This was the head of navigation for flat-bottomed
steamboats that once plied between here and the towns on the lower end
of the river. They carried supplies for small mines scattered through
the mountains and took out cargoes of ore, and of rock salt which was
mined back in Nevada.
It was here at the Virgin River that Major Powell concluded his
original voyage of exploration. Some of his men took the boats on down
to Fort Mojave, a few miles above Needles; afterwards two of the party
continued on to the Gulf. The country below the Virgin River had been
explored by several parties, but previous to this time nothing
definite was known of the gorges until this exploration by this most
remarkable man. The difficulties of this hazardous trip were increased
for him by the fact that he had lost an arm in the Civil War.
It is usually taken for granted that the United States government was
back of this exploration. This was true of the second expedition, but
not of the first. Major Powell was aided to a certain extent by the
State College of Illinois, otherwise he bore all the expense himself.
We received $10,000 from the government to apply on the expenses of
the second trip.
We felt that we had some reason to feel a justifiable pride for having
duplicated, in some ways, this arduous journey. It was impossible for
us to do more than guess what must have been the feelings and
anxieties of this explorer. Added to the fact that we had boats,
tested and constructed to meet the requirements of the river, and the
benefit of others' experiences, was a knowledge that we were not
likely to be precipitated over a waterfall, or if we lost everything
and succeeded in climbing out, that there were a few ranches and
distant settlements scattered through the country.
Pages:
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266