The expedition left Green River, Utah, July 10, 1891.

The members were James S.Best, Harry McDonald, John Hislop, William H.Edwards, Elmer Kane, L.H.Jewell, J.
H.Jacobs, A.J.Gregory, and J.A.McCormick.Four of these, Hislop, McDonald, Kane, and Edwards had been with Mr.Stanton, to whom I am indebted for this information.

The men had cork life-jackets.

In Cataract Canyon one boat was wrecked but no one was lost, and they made their way to Lee Ferry with the remaining boat and there abandoned the expedition.
In 1891, a steam launch, the Major Powell, thirty-five feet long, with two six-horsepower engines driving twin screws was brought out in the summer from Chicago by way of the Rio Grande Western Railway to the crossing of Green River, and there launched in September of that year.
A screw was soon broken, and the attempt to go down the river abandoned.
In 1892 another effort was made, but this also was given up after a few miles.

But in 1893, W.H.Edwards, who had been with the Stanton party, together with L.H.Johnson and some others, took the Major Powell down to the Junction and back, making a second trip in April.