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Note To Dkos Readers: If you are just joining me for this series of diaries on, please read the introduction in the first diary (http://www.dailykos.com/...). I also recommend reading the ensuing diaries. It will help explain the essence of both the adventure and the social politics behind same.
Despite The Loss And Setback: After Lodore Canyon's whitewater wake-up call to the men, including the camp fire conflagration, the expedition continued down river and prepared itself to face whatever toil or pleasures the remainder of the trip had in store for the men. Mostly, they counted on the major acquiring replacements at the Uinta Indian Agency where such supplies and gears could be had for free (see below).
On June 18, the truly tried and tested expedition had reached the junction of the Green and the Yampa Rivers, which at the time was called the Bear River. This was an important benchmark in the journey. The previous year Major Powell, along with some of the men in the first expedition’s crew, had explored some stretches of the canyon cut by the Yampa. For them to have reached almost-familiar territory again seemed like a good omen. For one thing, the cliffs were lower, and as the walls of the canyon fell away, the men’s spirits rose. Major Powell surmised they had now successfully run the last of Lodore Canyon. He, along with the others, could only wonder what canyons were still ahead. But it was a sure bet they hoped the worst of the whitewater was now behind them. True to Bradley’s private skepticism he mentioned in his June 18th entry how the rapid was the worst they had encountered thus far and predicted it would be the worst they would ever meet. Nothing could have been further from the truth, however.
In contrast, Oramel Howland felt he was safe on shore for the time being and didn’t agree with the major’s disgust about the chapter of disaster and toil the major had mentioned in his private journal (intended for future newspaper editorials). Oramel wrote another letter to the News on July 1, or else it was written on June 18. He and the others were camped at the mouth of the Unita and near the White River. He spoke about how severe the trip had been up to that time. Yet the excursion was still exciting. He, like most of the others, felt the best part of the excursion was running the rapids. Oramel equated the experience with the excitement of being victorious in battle. The way he told it you could almost feel the waves crashing over the boat and the men laughing and enjoying every bit of it.
Oramel also contrasted the excitement in that report with the ennui of having to row the lumbering boats through calm water. One gets the sense it was just too boring for him and the others. He said something about danger is our life and that’s pretty much what he and the others expected from that wild river they were on. As long as the rapids showed up, which he referred to a white foam, the men were cheerful and all was well with the lot of them.
Apparently, this date saw Oramel in high spirits, in spite of his near death, as well as the loss of most of the No Name’s cargo and personal supplies, at Disaster Falls.