The Romance of the Colorado River
The Story of its Discovery in 1840, with an Account of the Later Explorations,and with Special Reference to the Voyages of Powell through the Line of theGreat Canyons.
by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh
Member of the United States Colorado River Expedition of 1871 and 1872
“No sluggish tide congenial to the glooms:
This, as it frothed by, might have been a bath
For the fiend’s glowing hoof——”
Browning
To my friends and comrades
of the Colorado River Expedition of 1871 and 1872
in grateful remembrance.
Looking up the Bright Angel Trail.
This is one of the modern trails into the Grand Canyon, which at this pointis some 6000 feet deep. From water-color sketch by Thomas Moran, N.A.
DETAILED CONTENTS
PREFACE
NOTE ON THE AUTHOR’S ITINERARY
CHAPTER I. The Secret of the Gulf—Ulloa, 1539, Oneof the Captains of Cortes, Almost Solves it, but Turns Back withoutDiscovering—Alarçon, 1540, Conquers
CHAPTER II. The Unknown River—Alarçon Ascends itEighty-five Leagues and Names it the Rio de Buena Guia—Melchior DiazArrives at its Banks Later and Calls it the Rio del Tizon—CardenasDiscovers the Grand Canyon.
CHAPTER III. The Grand Canyon—Character of theColorado River—The Water-Gods; Erosion and Corrasion—The Nativesand their Highways—The "Green River Valley" of the Old Trappers—TheStrange Vegetation and Some Singular Animals
CHAPTER IV. Oñate, 1604, Crosses Arizona to theColorado—A Remarkable Ancient Ruin Discovered by Padre Kino,1694—Padre Garces Sees the Grand Canyon and Visits Oraibi, 1776—TheGreat Entrada of Padre Escalante across Green River to Utah Lake,1776—Death of Garces Ends the Entrada Period, 1781.
CHAPTER V. Breaking the Wilderness—Wanderings ofthe Trappers and Fur Traders—General Ashley in Green River Valley,1824—Pattie along the Grand Canyon, 1826—Lieutenant Hardy, R.N., ina Schooner on the Lower Colorado, 1826—Jedediah Smith, Salt Lake to SanGabriel, 1826—Pattie on the Lower Colorado in Canoes, 1827-28
CHAPTER VI. Frémont, the Pathfinder—Ownership ofthe Colorado—The Road of the Gold Seekers—First United StatesMilitary Post, 1849—Steam Navigation—Captain Johnson Goes to theHead of Black Canyon
CHAPTER VII. Lieutenant Ives Explores to FortificationRock—By Trail to Diamond Creek, Havasupai Canyon, and the MokiTowns—Macomb Fails in an Attempt to Reach the Mouth of GrandRiver—James White’s Masterful Fabrication
CHAPTER VIII. The One-armed Knight—A Bold Attack onthe Canyons—Powell and His Men—The Wonderful