e face; until finally Foote's partner gave up, said he would
drown himself. With an oath Foote drew his revolver, saying he had
enough of such cowardice and would save him the trouble. His companion
then begged for his life, saying he would stick to the end, and they
finally got through to the Hite ranch, which lay a short distance
below. They were taken care of here, and terminated their voyage a
short distance beyond, going out over land. Foote was afterwards shot
and killed while holding up a stage in Nevada.

The Hite ranch also proved to be a place of refuge for others, the
sole survivors of two other parties who were wrecked, one person
escaping on each occasion. Hite's ranch, and Lee's Ferry, 140 miles
below Hite, had mail service. We had left instructions at the
post-office to forward our mail to one or the other of these points.
These were also the only places on our 425-mile run to Bright Angel
Trail where we could expect to see any people, so we were informed. We
were about to descend into what is, possibly, the least inhabited
portion of the United States of America.

A party of civil engineers working here, joined us that evening at
Wolverton's home. A young man in the party asked us if we would
consent to carry a letter through with us and mail it at our
destination. He thought it would be an interesting souvenir for the
person to whom it was addressed. We agreed to do our best, but would
not guarantee delivery. The next morning two letters were given us to
mail, and were accepted with this one reservation. Before leaving Mr.
Wolverton showed us his motor boat with much pardonable pride. On this
boat he sometimes took small parties down to the beginning of the
Colorado River, and up the Grand, a round trip of three hundred miles
or more. The boat had never been taken down the Colorado for the
simple reason that the rapids began almost immediately below the
junction.

Wolverton, while he had never been through the rapids in a boat, had
followed the river on foot for several miles and was thoroughly
familiar with their nature. On parting he remarked,

"Well, boys, you are going to tackle a mighty hard proposition, but
I'm sure you can make it if you are only careful. But look out and go
easy."

Wolverton was no novice, speaking from much experience in bad water,
and we were greatly impressed by what he had to say.

Five uneventful days were spent in Labyrinth and Stillwater canyons,
through which the