Below, the river turns again to the right, the canon is very narrow, and we see in advance but a short distance. The water is swift, and there is no landing place. From around this curve comes a mad roar, and down we are carried, with a dizzying velocity, to the head of another rapid. High over our heads on either side are overhanging granite walls. The sharp bend cuts off our view, so a few minutes will carry us into unknown waters.
I stand on deck, supporting myself with a strap fastened on either side to the gunwale, and away we go on one long winding chute. The excitement is so great that we forget the danger -- a wild, exhilarating ride for ten miles -- until we hear the roar of a great fall below, back on our oars and succeed in landing.
John Wesley Powell, Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and Its Tributaries, or Exploration, August 21, 1869
No comments:
Post a Comment