A Boat Abandoned 
319 
way of the south end of the Kaibab, and it was on this occa¬ 
sion that the valley on the southern part of the summit was 
named De Motte Park. Preparations for our descent through 
the great chasm were immediately begun. The boats had been 
previously overhauled, and as the Nellie Powell was found un¬ 
seaworthy from last season's knocks, or at least not in condi¬ 
tion to be relied on in the Grand Canyon, she was abandoned, 
and Lee kept her for a ferry-boat. Perhaps she might have 
been repaired, but anyhow we had only men enough to 
handle two boats. Steward’s trouble had not sufficiently im¬ 
proved to warrant his risking further exposure, so he had re¬ 
turned to his home in Illinois. Bishop was in a similar plight, 
and went to Salt Lake to regain his health, and Beaman had 
started off to carry on some photographic operations of his 
own. He came to the river and crossed on his way to the 
Moki country, while we were preparing to depart from the 
Paria. Johnson and Fennemore, who had been with us part 
of the winter, were too ill to think of entering the great can¬ 
yon, with all the uncertainties of such a venture, and as before 
noted they, too, had left. Our party, then, consisted of seven : 
Powell, Thompson, Hillers, Jones, W. C. Powell, Hattan, and 
Dellenbaugh, all from the first season’s crew. No one else was 
available, as the trip was regarded in that region as extremely 
desperate. On the 14th, the boats, Emma Dean and Canonita, 
were in readiness, and we loaded and took them down a mile 
and a half to the point near where the road came in from 
Kanab, whence our final departure would be made as soon as 
Powell, who needed a little extra time for arranging his papers 
and general affairs, should say the word. Everything was 
carefully attended to, as if we were preparing our last will 
and testament, and were never to be seen alive again, and I 
believe this was the firm conviction of most of those not going 
with the boats. Those who were going had abundant respect 
for the dragon, and well knew that no holiday excursion 
was before them. Their spirit was humble, and no precau¬ 
tion was to be neglected; no spirit of bravado permitted to 
endanger the success of the undertaking. Mrs. Thompson and 
De Motte ran down with us through two small rapids that exist 
