Several days after this we reached a point where progress seemed to be impossible in that direction, and Thompson and Dodds climbed up on high ground to reconnoitre.

When they came back they said we were not on the headwaters of the Dirty Devil at all, and would be obliged to change our course completely.

The Dirty Devil entered the Colorado on the other side of the Unknown Range and the stream we were on joined it on this side, the west, therefore it was plain that we had made a mistake.

Accordingly, our steps were retraced to a point where we managed to ascend to the slopes of what is now called the Aquarius Plateau.

Three men were sent back to Kanab after more rations, while Thompson with the other six pushed on around the slopes, trying to find a way to cross the labyrinth of canyons to the Unknown Mountains.