For a time the stream was placid, allowing us to tie the boats together and drift again for a little while.

Thompson and the Major read aloud from Whittier, the men sang "Sweet Evelina," and all appreciated the opportunity for this brief relaxation.

Here and there evidences of crossings were noted, for it was in this valley that Gunnison went over on the trip that proved fatal to him, and here for years the Old Spanish Trail, which Wolfskill inaugurated, led many eastward and westward, while Utes and other Amerinds had used it long before that.

Indeed, as before mentioned, it was for a long time the first locality, coming up from the Grand Wash, where the stream could easily be crossed; a distance of about six hundred miles.

Many strangely eroded cliffs and buttes appeared as we descended, and one of these, near the mouth of the San Rafael, was named after me.