A SOLEMN BREAKFAST. 99 
enty five miles away. True, the late rains have been favorable to us, should 
we go out, for the probabilities are that we shall find water still standing in 
holes, and, at one time, I almost conclude -to leave the river. But for years 
I have been contemplating this trip. To leave the exploration unfinished, 
to say that there is a part of the canon which I cannot explore, having 
already almost accomplished it, is more than I am willing to acknowledge, 
and I determine to go on. 
I wake my brother, and tell him of Rowland's determination, and 
he promises to stay with me; then I call up Hawkins, the cook, and he 
makes a like promise ; then Sumner, and Bradley, and Hall, and they all 
agree to go on. 
August 28. At last daylight comes, and we have breakfast, without a 
word being said about the future. The meal is as solemn as a funeral. 
After breakfast, I ask the three men if they still think it best to leave us. 
The elder Howland thinks it is, and Dunn agrees with him. The younger 
Howland tries to persuade them to go on with the party, failing in which, 
he decides to go with his brother. 
Then we cross the river. The small boat is very much disabled, and 
unseaworthy. With the loss of hands, consequent on the departure of the 
three men, we shall not be able to run all of the boats, so I decide to leave 
my "Emma Dean." 
Two rifles and a shot gun are given to the men who are going out. I 
ask them to help themselves to the rations, and take what they think to be 
a fair share. This they refuse to do, saying they have no fear but that they 
can get something to eat; but Billy, the cook, has a pan of biscuits prepared 
for dinner, and these he leaves on a rock. 
Before starting, we take our barometers, fossils, the minerals, and some 
ammunition from the boat, and leave them on the rocks. We are going over 
this place as light as possible. The three men help us lift our boats over a 
rock twenty five or thirty feet high, and let them down again over the first 
fall, and now we are all ready to start. The last thing before leaving, I 
write a letter to my wife, and give it to Howland. Sumner gives him his 
watch, directing that it be sent to his sister, should he not be heard from 
again. The records of the expedition have been kept in duplicate. One 
