The Romance of the Colorado River

by Frederick Samuel Dellenbaugh

Spirited and vividly written account chronicles the courageous deeds of men in frail boats who dealt with a mighty river and its raging rapids as they explored the last great unknown stretch of land in the continental United States. Enhanced with 20 of the author's charming illustrations, the volume also includes nearly 200 contemporary photographs that provide an accurate view of the landscape and terrain encountered by the historic Powell expedition of 1871. A splendid tribute to the men involved in an extraordinary and scientifically rewarding mission, this volume will be invaluable to students of American history and prized by environmentalists and armchair adventurers alike.

399 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1902

About the author

Frederick Samuel Dellenbaugh (1853–1935) was an American explorer.

An explorer of the American West at an early age, he was a member of an expedition that discovered the last unknown river in the United States, the Escalante River and the previously undiscovered Henry Mountains.

Reviews

[Richard Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the version out on Gutenberg.org. A good story of early western exploration. Powell's expedition is full of good detail so that you can follow it on Google Globe so that you can get a better idea of the country through which he traveled.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Romance of the Colorado by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh is a history of the exploration of the Colorado River by one of the men who made it (Dellenbaugh participated in JW Powell's 2nd Colorado River expedition). The narrative, originally published in 1902 shortly after Powell's death, provides the first description of the second expedition. This story was greatly expanded in Dellenbaugh's subsequent book, A Canyon Voyage. The book ends with the 1889-90 surveys of Robert Stanton for a railroad through the Grand Canyon. An epilogue provides a nice summary of the life of The Major.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts with a retelling of Spanish exploration into the area, backtracks a bit to the natives in the area. Lots of description of places and even riding the river.