CHAPTER II. 
FROM GREEN RIVER CITY TO FLAMING GORGE. 
May 24, 1869. The good people of Green River City turn out to see 
us start. We raise our little flag, push the boats from shore, and the swift 
current carries us down. 
Our boats are four in number. Three are built of oak; stanch and 
firm ; doubled-ribbed, with double stem and stern posts, and further strength 
ened by bulkheads, dividing each into three compartments. 
Two of these, the fore and aft, are decked, forming water-tight cabins. 
It is expected these will buoy the boats should the waves roll over them in 
rough water. The little vessels are twenty-one feet long, and, taking out the 
cargoes, can be carried by four men. 
The fourth boat is made of pine, very light, but sixteen feet in length, 
with a sharp cut- water, and every way built for fast rowing, and divided 
into compartments as the others. 
We take with us rations deemed sufficient to last ten months ; for we 
expect, when winter comes on and the river is filled with ice, to lie over at 
some point until spring arrives; so we take with us abundant supplies of 
clothing. We have also a large quantity of ammunition and two or three 
dozen traps. For the purpose of building cabins, repairing boats, and meet 
ing other exigencies, we are supplied with axes, hammers, saws, augers, and 
other tools, and a quantity of nails and screws. For scientific work, we 
have 'two sextants, four chronometers, a number of barometers, thermome 
ters, compasses, and other instruments. 
The flour is divided into three equal parts; the meat and all other arti 
cles of our rations in the same way. Each of the larger boats has an ax, ham 
mer, saw, auger, and other tools, so that all are loaded alike. We distribute 
the cargoes in this way, that we may not be entirely destitute of some 
important article should any one of the boats be lost. In the small boat, we 
