Powell's Colorado River Expedition and a Giveaway

Nancy J. Farrier filling in for Naomi Rawlings

Major John Wesley Powell

Major John Wesley Powell holds the distinction of being the first to navigate the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. In 1869, Powell commissioned four boats, built in Chicago, and transported to Green River City, Wyoming, where he would start his expedition. On May 24, Powell and nine other men, including his brother, departed on their journey into mostly uncharted territories. They would navigate some of the most difficult rapids and see some of the most beautiful country they had ever seen.

On June 9^th, before they reached the Grand Canyon, the

Grand Canyon and Colorado River

Powell expedition experienced their first calamity. While Major Powell scouted a rapids, one of the boats was sucked into the rapids before the crew could make shore. The crew all ended up on an island in the middle of the river and were rescued. The boat broke in half, and they found part half a mile downstream. One-third of their provisions and instruments were lost early in the trip.

When Major Powell realized all his barometers, used for determining the altitude

Camp at Night

of the river, were lost, he decided they needed to try to recover them. They spent the next day portaging boats while two of the men attempted to find the barometers. They were successful in recovering the instruments and a keg of whiskey.

Major Powell wrote of the Lodore Canyon, "This has been a chapter of disasters and toils, notwithstanding which the Canyon of the Lodore was not devoid of scenic interest, even beyond the power of pen to tell. The roar of its waters was heard unceasingly from the hour we entered it until we landed here. No quiet in all that time. But its walls and cliffs, its peaks and crags, its amphitheatres and alcoves tell a story of beauty and grandeur that I hear yet - and shall hear."

Cliff Rescue

The adventures continue as they encounter rapids, difficult portages, and at one point, Major Powell being rescued from a cliff face. One of the crew had to take off his pants and lower them to the Major in order to pull him to the top of the cliff. By the time they reach Marble Canyon, the walls are over 2,000 feet high and the rapids are difficult to navigate. In August, Major Powell wrote in his journal, "We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknown river to explore. What falls there are, we know not; what rocks beset the channel, we know not; what walls rise over the river, we know not. Ah, well! We may conjecture many things. The men talk as cheerfully as ever; jests are bandied about freely this morning; but to me the cheer is somber and the jests are ghastly."

In Mid-August, the weary party comes to a slower section of the river. In the afternoon they encounter a beautiful stream emptying into the Colorado River. They stop to camp and explore. Major Powell names the creek, Bright Angel in contrast to a smelly stream they encountered previously that they named Dirty Devil. They explore the Bright Angel canyon and find many artifacts and ruins.

Toward the end of August, the party comes to some large lava rocks in the middle of the river. Farther down they see Lava Falls, a spectacular sight. Major Powell writes, "What a conflict of water and fire there must have been here! Just imagine a river of molten rock running down into a river of melted snow. What a seething and boiling of the waters; what clouds of steam rolled into the heavens."

Boat at Rest

On August 29^th, 1869, the Powell Expidition exited the Grand Canyon. Three of their party left before they reached the end. Another of their boats had to be abandoned. They accomplished an amazing feat and encountered many hardships in these few months.

Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon? Back in 1982, I hiked to the bottom of the Canyon with my parents, a wonderful experience. Have you ever hiked the Canyon, ridden the mules down to Bright Angel point, or ridden a boat in the rapids? Leave a comment and your email address to be entered in a giveaway.

My latest release, the Timeless Love Romance Collection, includes a reprint of  some stories set a the El Tovar Lodge in the Grand Canyon. Four of the stories center around the Harvey Girls. We've had some past posts written about the Harvey girls. You can read about them here: http://www.hhhistory.com/2014/04/harvey-girls-and-el-tovar-hotel-by.html

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children and one grandson. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

Taken Captive: The Olive Oatman Story

Nancy J. Farrier here. This is a story I happened across during some of my research.

In August, 1850, the Oatman family joined a group traveling from Independence, Missouri to the juncture of the Colorado and Gila Rivers near Fort Yuma, where they wanted to start a new town. (At this time, Fort Yuma was called Camp Yuma, located in what would be Arizona today.)Following months of difficulties and disagreements, in 1851 the nine members of the Oatman family found themselves on their own in Southern Arizona Territory, which at that time still belonged to Mexico. After much debate, on the advice of a solitary traveler, they set out for Fort Yuma, almost 200 miles west across an unforgiving desert.

Over the next ninety miles, they struggled with exhausted animals, roads washed out making it necessary to carry goods by hand when the oxen and mules were exhausted, and discouragement. The Oatman parents were at a low point, their only choice to carry on. At the half way point, they spent the night on a sand island in the middle of the Gila River where the wagons mired.

The next morning, they hitched the oxen to the wagon again to finish crossing the river. The road led up a steep hill with the team so weakened they had difficulty pulling the empty wagon up the grade.

The family members had to carry their goods up by hand. At this point, Mr. Oatman, who had always been very hopeful and positive became downcast and feared something bad would happen.

Once they all made the crest of the hill, they discovered more hills to come and stopped to rest. They were approached by nineteen Indians, who expressed friendship. Mr. Oatman shared a pipe with the men, who then asked for food. Although their stores were dangerously depleted, Mr. Oatman gave them some bread. The Indians wanted more, but were turned down. After consulting among themselves, the Indians, with fierce cries, attacked the family.

Olive Oatman, a young teen at the time of the attack, watched with horror and confusion as her family member were beaten with clubs and struck down. Olive fainted and when she came to only her seven-year-old sister, Mary Ann, was alive and unharmed. Their captors ransacked the wagon, left the dead and dying family members and rode away with Olive and Mary Ann.

Unknown to Olive, Lorenzo, her fifteen-year-old brother, survived the attack, but didn’t regain consciousness until the next day. After a harrowing trek, which included an attack by wolves, he
made it to safety. Lorenzo vowed to never give up searching for his sisters.

One year later, Olive and Mary Ann were sold to the Mojave Indians as slaves. During their first year of captivity with the Mojaves, Mary Ann contracted an illness and died. Olive spent four years with the Mojaves. During that time, she received a tattoo on her chin, one that all captives were required to have, but some reports say the Mojave women all received a similar tattoo.She made friends and adapted well to their lifestyle.

Five years after the deaths of her family, Olive’s release was negotiated. The Chieftan’s daughter, Olive’s good friend, accompanied her to Fort Yuma. Olive’s brother, Lorenzo, heard of her release, but said he wouldn’t believe it to be true until he saw her for himself. Imagine the excitement of both Lorenzo and Olive, since Olive thought her brother died in the attack.

Olive Oatman after captivity

Olive proved to be an incredible person. After watching her family die, she adapted to life with the Yavapai Indians and then to the Mojave Indians. After her rescue, she once again had to adapt to life with a brother she thought dead and a culture far removed from Indian life. Many times Olive would weep as she longed for her friends in the Mojave camp. Olive later married a cattleman. They adopted a young girl and lived on their ranch in Texas. Olive died in 1903.

There are many interesting books and accounts of Olive’s capture. The first written account is the Captivity of the Oatman Girls by R.B. Stratton. Another book that might be of interest is The Blue Tattoo by Margot Mifflin.



This month, one of my books, Sonoran Sunrise, is on sale as an ebook. This book takes place in the 1870's Arizona Territory. Check it out:Amazon; Barnes & Noble; or CBD.

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest and interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.