26 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 
pendent, interesting and forceful and never lacked the 
ability to turn things to accomplish his purposes. About 
this time, on one of his lecturing tours, the Major was 
engaged to speak at the University of Michigan where it 
was a custom for the students to guy the speakers, even 
Charles Sumner being a victim. Powell had been warned 
of this practice, and as he advanced to the platform in 
evening dress he was greeted with a call of “How are you, 
Coat-tails?”, which was repeated from all parts of the 
house. During a momentary lull, he exclaimed with a 
peculiar squinting of his eyes, and the half laugh his 
friends so well remember, ‘“‘Your greeting reminds me 
of Dave Larkin’s reply, when criticised for wearing a 
wamus in July. Dave said, with his slow drawl, ‘If you 
don’t like my wamus, I can take it off.’”’ The answer 
with the suggestion took instantly and after the laughter 
had ceased, cries came from everywhere, ‘“‘You’ll do. Go 
on”’, 
This incident aroused Powell and he has often said 
he never talked better nor had a more attentive audience. 
With his closing sentence he said, “I have given you the 
finest account of the exploration of the Colorado River 
my command of language permits. I have been dramatic 
and as eloquent as I thought this occasion demanded. 
If anyone wishes a plain statement, regarding the explor- 
ation, I will be happy to give it to him at my hotel’. 
After a moment’s hush, as the students grasped the impli- 
cation there came cries of “Sold.” However, a large 
number called upon him and found he had stated only 
facts, as of course he had. In his later years when he 
should have rested, he took up the study of psychology 
and philosophy, which aggravated his malady, sclerosis 
of the arteries, and produced his last illness. As a result 
of his later studies he published two treatises—“Truth 
and Error’ and “Good and Evil,” the first relating to 
matter, motion and conciousness as related to the exter- 
nal universe or the field of fact, and the other as related 
to humanity or to welfare. 
The life of Powell is an example of intelligent, per- 
sistent endeavor. His power to look ahead and to fore- 
east events, standing on the imperfections of the present, 
was extraordinary. As a soldier, he was a patriot; as 
