Even before the end of the 1869 voyage, John Wesley Powell knew he had to return to the river. News of his first expedition captured the nation's imagination and admiration and helped persuade Congress to appropriate $10,000 for a second trip. Having learned from the hardships of the first journey, Powell made detailed preparations with more food, scientific equipment, photographic equipment, better boats, and rubber life preservers. The biggest change was the make-up of the crew: instead of frontiersmen, the men in 1871 were primarily scientists, including Almon Thompson, Stephen Jones, John Steward, Francis Bishop, E.O. Beaman, Walter Powell, Frederick Dellenbaugh, Andy Hattan, Frank Richardson, and Jack Hillers. On May 22nd, 1871, almost two years to the day from the first trip, the second Powell expedition launched from the first island west of this site as almost the entire town turned out for the event. Slower than the first because of survey work, the trip ended in Glen Canyon, now under Lake Powell, in 1871. Some of the men returned in 1872 and continued the survey until they reached Kanab Creek, about halfway into the Grand Canyon. Because of high water that year and knowing the rapids ahead, Major Powell ended the expedition, and his river explorations were done.