Short Rations 211 
long before they saw the walls of the Grand Canyon break 
away. 
Nevertheless no thought of pursuing any course but the one 
planned occurred to them, and on July 2ist they cast off from 
In Cataract Canyon. 
Highest walls in this canyon 2700 feet. 
Photograph by E. O. Beaman, U. S. Colo. Riv. Exp. 
the sand-banks and were carried rapidly down on the swift 
torrent of the Great Colorado. They had not gone far before 
plenty of hard work was furnished, in the shape of two portages 
that were necessary to pass particularly dangerous places, and 
