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Show 1088 not in a deeply inset cave, but under a good, solid overhang of the sandstone cliff, which made us perfectly safe from any direct fall overhead. " We saw this dark cloud come across as solid and tangible a thing, -- almost as solid and tangible as an enormous zeppelin passing through the sir. We saw the belly of this cloud begin to sag with the weight of the water. We watched the black mass of nimbus until it went over a sharp pointed butte. The action seemed to have the effect almost of tearing or breaking up the cloud as it would if a dirigible had run onto a church steeple. " Q. That effect did that have on the Colorado river? " A. On the river itself there was evidence of only a very slight rise. When the contents of the cloud tumbled down the precipitous side of this butte we saw actual white water, somewhat as if it was a real cataract. " The roar was as heavy and raucous as the descent of an avalanche of rock. Some of that water came to the river above, but without materially affecting its flow; but the storm left a tremendous wake of twisting air- currents which bothered us in the navigation later in the afternoon. " I remember being in trouble with Bill Jones' boat in getting up there; we were thrown together considerably. " Q. And from that point on up the river tell me, please, how the expedition progressed.[ R 2519] " A. Our speed improved a little from that day; I remember that from the notation in my diary; at the Crossing of the Fathers, which was forty miles, we had averaged ten miles a day, which means that we had made a better |
