The attempt of a Ute to run through this canyon was described in picturesque terms by one of the tribe.

"Rocks, heap, heap, high," he said; "water go hoowoogh, hoowoogh; water-pony heap buck; water catch um; no see um Injun any more! no see um squaw any more! no see um papoose any more!" and thus begins and ends the only history of native navigation on this upper river I ever heard of.
After considerable hard work the party reached a particularly sharp, though not very high, fall, announced before arrival by a loud and angry roar.

Here a portage was deemed wise, and the goods were carried up over the huge broken rocks and so on down to a point well below the foot of the drop, where the cargoes were again restored to the boats, which meanwhile had been lowered by lines.

It was here that the name of Ashley and a year date were found inscribed on a rock.

Of this I made a careful copy in 1871, which is given on page 112.