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A Fresh Start. January 9 the entire community, guests and employees
of the hotel, accompanied the two men to the river edge, and bade
them an enthusiastic farewell. With a responding shout, the miners
pushed off into midstream and headed down river. For the first time
in their four months' fight against the river, the adventurers faced
water too wicked-looking for them to dare. It was out of the
question for both men to try to ride in the little rowboat, and the
shores on each side afforded no foothold, after half the length of
the rapids was passed. Russell would not leave Monett behind to
shoot the rapids alone in the boat.
Attempt to Lower Boat through Rapids. Accordingly they took out all th
provisions and camera (the latter obtained at El Tovar), and tried to
lower the boat through the rapids by means of along rope, to which
they clung from their station on the shore. The force of the current
was so great, however, that to save themselves from being dragged
into the water they were forced to let go the rope. The little boat
shot down the whirling cataract, and the men saw it pounded against
two sharp rocks below. Boat Is Lost. To lose their boat at this point meant death. They
could not climb out of the Canyon. Their only chance was to follow
and overtake the boat, now floating slowly down the still water
below the rapids, the forward air-tight compartment filled with
water and only the stern showing. Russell made the plunge first,
followed quickly by Monett. How they managed to live through these
rapids is a mystery. But they struck the still water together,
neither having suffered a scratch. The shores continued to be so
steep they could not climb out of the water, and they kept on in
their chase of the boat. When they were within one hundred yards of it
they saw it swept over the top of Boucher Rapids, and at the same
time discovered a landing place on the south shore. They gave up the
boat as lost, and spent the night where they were, with no matches
with which to light a fire.
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