The Last Canyon
In the first of two parallel stories, John Vernon chronicles Major John Wesley Powell’s 1869 expedition through the Great Canyon. On May 23, Powell leaves Green River, Wyoming with 4 boats, 9 men, and enough provisions for a 10-month journey. His goal is to study and map a stretch of the Colorado River that no man, he believes, has ever seen. He and his companions are clueless about the trials they will face or the many ways in which their loyalties to one another will be tested.
Leaving their village at the south end of the Grand Canyon at roughly the same time, a family of Shivwits Paiute sets out on a journey to find a missing daughter. Toab and his companions also travel in unknown territory and must overcome fears and personal doubts in order to continue. Though their paths intersect closely at one point, the two parties don’t actually meet until they have both nearly completed their journeys. What results, considering the hardships and deprivation both groups have faced, is hardly unexpected.
This novel contains a nice blend of historical facts and imaginative recreation. Though a couple of passages, one in particular dealing with geology, seem a little text-bookish, Vernon has clearly done his research. The characters, both historical and fictional, are well developed, making the tensions that ensue believable. I appreciated the inclusion of a map charting the paths of both parties. In addition, he cites his source material and provides follow-up details on many of the historical figures in his afterword.
