Photo by Kolb Brothers 



above; the soap creek rapid, in marble canyon 



The scene of two of our upsets. TJote figure on the right shore (see text, page 162) 



when we found him. This was the only- 

 thing that seemed to worry him. He 

 seemed to have no idea of the country 

 below, but thought it was getting better. 

 We told him what we knew of it, and, 

 on the following morning, offered to take 

 him through with us and help him with 

 his boat, but he declined. It almost 

 seemed like suicide to us. On parting 

 he promised to write to us if he ever got 

 out of Cataract Canyon. 



As we proceeded on our journey we 



wondered more than ever if he had not 

 made a serious mistake in attempting it 

 alone. The rapids increased in violence 

 and frequency ; the walls drew closer to- 

 gether and towered above us until they 

 were over 2,000 feet high; there was 

 small chance to climb out. At one point 

 the river descended 75 feet in three- 

 fourths of a mile. We had so many nar- 

 row escapes ourselves as we ran these 

 rapids that we temporarily forgot all 

 about Smith and his troubles. 



159 



