The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons by John Wesley Powell
Due to his background in geology and teaching, John Wesley Powell was in the habit of taking copious notes. Since he was one-handed, no one would have blamed him if he wrote simple, bulleted items, or if he left out details. Instead, Powell filled his journals with his personal observations, using poetic language and artistically describing his experiences in a tone as one might find in a classic adventure epic such as the Iliad or the Odyssey. After the success of the 1871-1872 expedition, Powell's notes were used to create the book The Exploration of the Colorado River and its Canyons.
Below are some quotes from the journal that informed the Men on Boats' narrative. Some of them appear as lines in the show!
Below are some quotes from the journal that informed the Men on Boats' narrative. Some of them appear as lines in the show!
- "The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself. The resources of the graphic art are taxed beyond their powers in attempting to portray its features. Language and illustration combined must fail."
- “The Grand Canyon is a land of song. Mountains of music swell in the rivers, hills of music billow in the creeks, and meadows of music murmur in the rills that ripple over the rocks. Altogether it is a symphony of multitudinous melodies. All this is the music of waters. The adamant foundations of the earth have been wrought into a sublime harp, upon which the clouds of the heavens play with mighty tempests or with gentle showers.”
- “Frank Goodman informs me this morning that he has concluded not to go on with the party, saying that he has seen danger enough. It will be remembered that he was one of the crew on the "No Name" when she was wrecked. As our boats are rather heavily loaded, I am content that he should leave, although he has been a faithful man.”
- “Here we shall be compelled to make a portage; so we unload the boats, and fasten a long line to the bow of the smaller one, and another to the stern, and moor her close to the brink of the fall. Then the bowline is taken below and made fast; the stern line is held by five or six men, and the boat let down as long as they can hold her against the rushing waters; then, letting go one end of the line, it runs through the ring; the boat leaps over the fall and is caught by the lower rope.”
- "On my return from the first exploration of the canyons of the Colorado, I found that our journey had been the theme of much newspaper writing. A story of disaster had been circulated, with many particulars of hardship and tragedy, so that it was currently believed throughout the United States that all the members of the party were lost save one. A good friend of mine had gathered a great number of obituary notices, and it was interesting and rather flattering to me to discover the high esteem in which I had been held by the people of the United States. In my supposed death I had attained to a glory which I fear my continued life has not fully vindicated.”