76 MOJAVE VALLEY TO MOUTH OF BLACK CANON—RAPIDS AND ROCKY SHOAL. 
depth of water would be found, Captain Robinson had the boat lightened and Mr. Carroll put 
on a head of steam that made the stern wheel spin around like a top, and a line being taken 
out ahead, the summit of the rapid was quickly attained. 
Abreast of the last camp was a rapid that occasioned more trouble, although the flow was 
less violent. The river was divided by an island into two channels, and in neither was there 
more than two feet of water. The shoal extended for some distance and the bottom was 
had been brought to the crest of the rapid, when the line broke and the Explorer drifted 
down, bumping upon the rocks, and was in imminent danger of having her hull stove. The 
day’s work was undone in an instant, and we were very glad that it was no worse. When she 
finally brought up, it was upon some rocks, where she was wedged so fast that it occupied half 
of the next day to extricate her. The remainder of the day was spent in a second and more 
successful attempt, and at dark we had the satisfaction of seeing our steamer safely anchored 
ove. That same night the fiercest norther sprang up that has yet been experienced, and 
continued throughout the following day. We ate, drank, breathed, and saw little but sand 
for twenty-four hours, and the gale was so violent that the Explorer was dragged from her 
anchorage and driven upon the rocks. At night the wind subsided, but recommenced the 
next day, though with diminished force, and we got the steamboat, by evening, into deep 
water. To-day we had made one or tw 
