. The gate of the Pacific . gat no distant period a mere driblet, while the Coloradowill increase in volume, and become the main stream ofthe river. Considering therefore the unstable quality ofthe ground, the great size and immense solidity of sucha dam as would be required, and the swampy nature ofthe country through which the water would have to beforced,—the San Juan branch, be it remembered, beinganything but straight; on the contrary, winding andcurving sharply in its course; I am of opinion that, evensupposing the dam could be constructed, the stream, in-stead of scouring, would simply
. The gate of the Pacific . gat no distant period a mere driblet, while the Coloradowill increase in volume, and become the main stream ofthe river. Considering therefore the unstable quality ofthe ground, the great size and immense solidity of sucha dam as would be required, and the swampy nature ofthe country through which the water would have to beforced,—the San Juan branch, be it remembered, beinganything but straight; on the contrary, winding andcurving sharply in its course; I am of opinion that, evensupposing the dam could be constructed, the stream, in-stead of scouring, would simply spread over the swampyDelta, and ultimately divide itself into a hundred littlerivulets. The cost of these river operations would beenormous. At 7 (after sticking on the sandbar twTelve hours)we managed to pick our way into deeper water, and aboutan hour afterwards reached the San Juanillo,—an insigni-ficant stream, which, after leaving the river, takes a smallcurve and empties itself into the San Juan branch a few.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookidgateofpacifi, bookyear1863
