August 26.-The cañyon walls are steadily becoming higher as we
advance. They are still bold, and nearly vertical up to the terrace.
We still see evidence of the eruption discovered yesterday, but the
thickness of the basalt is decreasing, as we go down the stream; yet
it has been reinforced at points by streams that have come down from
the volcanoes standing on the terrace above, but which we cannot see
from the river below.

Since we left the Colorado Chiquito, we have seen no evidences that
the tribe of Indians inhabiting the plateaus on either side ever come
down to the river; but about eleven o'clock to day we discover an
Indian garden, at the foot of the wall on the right, just where a
little stream, with a narrow flood plain, comes down through a side
cañyon. Along the valley, the Indians have planted corn, using the
water which burst out in springs at the foot of the cliff, for
irrigation. The corn is looking quite well, but is not sufficiently
advanced to give us roasting ears; but there are some nice, green
squashes. We carry ten or a dozen of these on board our boats, and
hurriedly leave, not willing to be caught in the robbery, yet excusing
ourselves by pleading our great want. We run down a short distance, to
where we feel certain no Indians can follow; and what a kettle of
squash sauce we make! True, we have no salt with which to season it,
but it makes a fine addition to our unleavened bread and coffee. Never
was fruit so sweet as these stolen squashes.

After dinner we push on again, making fine time, finding many rapids,
but none so bad that we cannot run them with safety, and when we stop,
just at dusk, and foot up our reckoning, we find we have run thirty
five miles again.

What a supper we make; unleavened bread, green squash sauce, and
strong coffee. We have been for a few days on half rations, but we
have no stint of roast squash.

A few days like this, and we are out of prison.

August 30. €¦

[104]

Our arrival here [at the mouth of the Virgin River-the 1869
expedition's goal] is very opportune. When we look over our store of
supplies, we find about ten pounds of flour, fifteen pounds of dried
apples, but seventy or eighty pounds of coffee.

- J. W. Powell, Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and its
Tributaries (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1875), 96-96,
104.

--
Bob, Amazed that they had 70-80 pounds of coffee *left over*.
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