the last of the plainsmen-第36节

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Examination　of　my　position　showed　how　impossible　it　was　to　arrive　at　any　clear　idea　of　the　depth　or　size；　or　condition　of　the　canyon　slopes　from　the　main　rim　wall　above。　The　second　walla　stupendous；　yellow…faced　cliff　two　thousand　feet　highcurved　to　my　left　round　to　a　point　in　front　of　me。　The　intervening　canyon　might　have　been　a　half　mile　wide；　and　it　might　have　been　ten　miles。　I　had　become　disgusted　with　judging　distance。　The　slope　above　this　second　wall　facing　me　ran　up　far　above　my　head；　it　fairly　towered；　and　this　routed　all　my　former　judgments；　because　I　remembered　distinctly　that　from　the　rim　this　yellow　and　green　mountain　had　appeared　an　insignificant　little　ridge。　But　it　was　when　I　turned　to　gaze　up　behind　me　that　I　fully　grasped　the　immensity　of　the　place。　This　wall　and　slope　were　the　first　two　steps　down　the　long　stairway　of　the　Grand　Canyon；　and　they　towered　over　me；　straight　up　a　half…mile　in　dizzy　height。　To　think　of　climbing　it　took　my　breath　away。

Then　again　Sounder's　bay　floated　distinctly　to　me；　but　it　seemed　to　come　from　a　different　point。　I　turned　my　ear　to　the　wind；　and　in　the　succeeding　moments　I　was　more　and　more　baffled。　One　bay　sounded　from　below　and　next　from　far　to　the　right；　another　from　the　left。　I　could　not　distinguish　voice　from　echo。　The　acoustic　properties　of　the　amphitheater　beneath　me　were　too　wonderful　for　my　comprehension。

As　the　bay　grew　sharper；　and　correspondingly　more　significant；　I　became　distracted；　and　focused　a　strained　vision　on　the　canyon　deeps。　I　looked　along　the　slope　to　the　notch　where　the　wall　curved　and　followed　the　base　line　of　the　yellow　cliff。　Quite　suddenly　I　saw　a　very　small　black　object　moving　with　snail…like　slowness。　Although　it　seemed　impossible　for　Sounder　to　be　so　small；　I　knew　it　was　he。　Having　something　now　to　judge　distance　from；　I　conceived　it　to　be　a　mile；　without　the　drop。　If　I　could　hear　Sounder；　he　could　hear　me；　so　I　yelled　encouragement。　The　echoes　clapped　back　at　me　like　so　many　slaps　in　the　face。　I　watched　the　hound　until　he　disappeared　among　broken　heaps　of　stone；　and　long　after　that　his　bay　floated　to　me。

Having　rested；　I　essayed　the　discovery　of　some　of　my　lost　companions　or　the　hounds；　and　began　to　climb。　Before　I　started；　however；　I　was　wise　enough　to　study　the　rim　wall　above；　to　familiarize　myself　with　the　break　so　I　would　have　a　landmark。　Like　horns　and　spurs　of　gold　the　pinnacles　loomed　up。　Massed　closely　together；　they　were　not　unlike　an　astounding　pipe…organ。　I　had　a　feeling　of　my　littleness；　that　I　was　lost；　and　should　devote　every　moment　and　effort　to　the　saving　of　my　life。　It　did　not　seem　possible　I　could　be　hunting。　Though　I　climbed　diagonally；　and　rested　often；　my　heart　pumped　so　hard　I　could　hear　it。　A　yellow　crag；　with　a　round　head　like　an　old　man's　cane；　appealed　to　me　as　near　the　place　where　I　last　heard　from　Jim；　and　toward　it　I　labored。　Every　time　I　glanced　up；　the　distance　seemed　the　same。　A　climb　which　I　decided　would　not　take　more　than　fifteen　minutes；　required　an　hour。

While　resting　at　the　foot　of　the　crag；　I　heard　more　baying　of　hounds；　but　for　my　life　I　could　not　tell　whether　the　sound　came　from　up　or　down；　and　I　commenced　to　feel　that　I　did　not　much　care。　Having　signaled　till　I　was　hoarse；　and　receiving　none　but　mock　answers；　I　decided　that　if　my　companions　had　not　toppled　over　a　cliff；　they　were　wisely　withholding　their　breath。

Another　stiff　pull　up　the　slope　brought　me　under　the　rim　wall；　and　there　I　groaned；　because　the　wall　was　smooth　and　shiny；　without　a　break。　I　plodded　slowly　along　the　base；　with　my　rifle　ready。　Cougar　tracks　were　so　numerous　I　got　tired　of　looking　at　them；　but　I　did　not　forget　that　I　might　meet　a　tawny　fellow　or　two　among　those　narrow　passes　of　shattered　rock；　and　under　the　thick；　dark　pinyons。　Going　on　in　this　way；　I　ran　point…blank　into　a　pile　of　bleached　bones　before　a　cave。　I　had　stumbled　on　the　lair　of　a　lion　and　from　the　looks　of　it　one　like　that　of　Old　Tom。　I　flinched　twice　before　I　threw　a　stone　into　the　dark…mouthed　cave。　What　impressed　me　as　soon　as　I　found　I　was　in　no　danger　of　being　pawed　and　clawed　round　the　gloomy　spot；　was　the　fact　of　the　bones　being　there。　How　did　they　come　on　a　slope　where　a　man　could　hardly　walk？　Only　one　answer　seemed　feasible。　The　lion　had　made　his　kill　one　thousand　feet　above；　had　pulled　his　quarry　to　the　rim　and　pushed　it　over。　In　view　of　the　theory　that　he　might　have　had　to　drag　his　victim　from　the　forest；　and　that　very　seldom　two　lions　worked　together；　the　fact　of　the　location　of　the　bones　as　startling。　Skulls　of　wild　horses　and　deer；　antlers　and　countless　bones；　all　crushed　into　shapelessness；　furnished　indubitable　proof　that　the　carcasses　had　fallen　from　a　great　height。　Most　remarkable　of　all　was　the　skeleton　of　a　cougar　lying　across　that　of　a　horse。　I　believedI　could　not　help　but　believe　that　the　cougar　had　fallen　with　his　last　victim。

Not　many　rods　beyond　the　lion　den；　the　rim　wall　split　into　towers；　crags　and　pinnacles。　I　thought　I　had　found　my　pipe　organ；　and　began　to　climb　toward　a　narrow　opening　in　the　rim。　But　I　lost　it。　The　extraordinarily　cut…up　condition　of　the　wall　made　holding　to　one　direction　impossible。　Soon　I　realized　I　was　lost　in　a　labyrinth。　I　tried　to　find　my　way　down　again；　but　the　best　I　could　do　was　to　reach　the　verge　of　a　cliff；　from　which　I　could　see　the　canyon。　Then　I　knew　where　I　was；　yet　I　did　not　know；　so　I　plodded　wearily　back。　Many　a　blind　cleft　did　I　ascend　in　the　maze　of　crags。　I　could　hardly　crawl　along；　still　I　kept　at　it；　for　the　place　was　conducive　to　dire　thoughts。　A　tower　of　Babel　menaced　me　with　tons　of　loose　shale。　A　tower　that　leaned　more　frightfully　than　the　Tower　of　Pisa　threatened　to　build　my　tomb。　Many　a　lighthouse…shaped　crag　sent　down　little　scattering　rocks　in　ominous　notice。

After　toiling　in　and　out　of　passageways　under　the　shadows　of　these　strangely　formed　cliffs；　and　coming　again　and　again　to　the　same　point；　a　blind　pocket；　I　grew　desperate。　I　named　the　baffling　place　Deception　Pass；　and　then　ran　down　a　slide。　I　knew　if　I　could　keep　my　feet　I　could　beat　the　avalanche。　More　by　good　luck　than　management　I　outran　the　roaring　stones　and　landed　safely。　Then　rounding　the　cliff　below；　I　found　myself　on　a　narrow　ledge；　with　a　wall　to　my　left；　and　to　the　right　the　tips　of　pinyon　trees　level　with　my　feet。

Innocently　and　wearily　I　passed　round　a　pillar…like　corner　of　wall；　to　come　face　to　face　with　an　old　lioness　and　cubs。　I　heard　the　mother　snarl；　and　at　the　same　time　her　ears　went　back　flat；　and　she　crouched。　The　same　fire　of　yellow　eyes；　the　same　grim　snarling　expression　so　familiar　in　my　mind　since　Old　Tom　had　leaped　at　me；　faced　me　here。

My　recent　vow　of　extermination　was　entirely　forgotten　and　one　frantic　spring　carried　me　over　the　ledge。

Crash！　I　felt　the　brushing　and　scratching　of　branches；　and　saw　a　green　blur。　I　went　down　straddling　limbs　and　hit　the　ground　with　a　thump。　Fortunately；　I　landed　mostly　on　my　feet；　in　sand；　and　suffered　no　serious　bruise。　But　I　was　stunned；　and　my　right　arm　was　numb　for　a　moment。　When　I　gathered　myself　together；　instead　of　being　grateful　the　ledge　had　not　been　on　the　face　of　Point　Sublimefrom　which　I　would　most　assuredly　have　leapedI　was　the　angriest　man　ever　let　loose　in　the　Grand　Canyon。

Of　course　the　cougars　were　far　on　their　way　by　that　time；　and　were　telling　neighbors　about　the　brave　hunter's　leap　for　life；　so　I　devoted　myself　to　further　efforts　to　find　an　outlet。　The　niche　I　had　jumped　into　opened　below；　as　did　most　of　the　breaks；　and　I　worked　out　of　it　to　the　base　of　the　rim　wall；　and　tramped　a　long；　long　mile　before　I　reached　my　own　trail　leading　down。　Resting　every　five　steps；　I　climbed　and　climbed。　My　rifle　grew　to　weigh　a　ton；　my　feet　were　lead；　the　camera　strapped　to　my　shoulder　was　the　world。　Soon　climbing　meant　trapeze　worklong　reach　of　arm；　and　pull　of　weight；　high　step　of　foot；　and　spring　of　body。　Where　I　had　slid　down　with　ease；　I　had　to　strain　and　raise　myself　by　sheer　muscle。　I　wore　my　left　glove　to　tatters　and　threw　it　away　to　put　the　right　one　on　my　left　hand。　I　thought　many　times　I　could　not　make　another　move；　I　thought　my　lungs　would　burst；　but　I　kept　on。　When　at　last　I　surmounted　the　rim；　I　saw　Jones；　and　flopped　down　beside　him；　and　lay　panting；　dripping；　boiling；　with　scorched　feet；　aching　limbs　and　numb　chest。

〃I've　been　here　two　hours；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　knew　things　were　happening　below；　but　to　climb　up　that　slide　would　kill　me。　I　am　not　young　any　more；　and　a　steep　climb　like　this　takes　a　young　heart。　As　it　was　I　had　enough　work。　Look！〃　He　called　my　attention　to　his　trousers。　They　had　been　cut　to　shreds；　and　the　right　trouser　leg　was　missing　from　the　knee　down。　His　shin　was　bloody。　〃Moze　took　a　lion　along　the　rim；　and　I　went　after　him　with　all　my　horse　could　do。　I　yelled　for　the　boys；　but　they　didn't　come。　Right　here　it　is　easy　to　go　down；　but　below；　where　Moze　started　this　lion；　it　was　impossible　to　get　over　the　rim。　The　lion　lit　straight　out　of　the　pinyons。　I　lost　ground　because　of　the　thick　brush　and　numerous　trees。　Then　Moze　doesn't　bark　often　enough。　He　treed　the　lion　twice。　I　could　tell　by　the　way　he　opened　up　and　bayed。　The　rascal　coon…dog　climbed　the　trees　and　chased　the　lion　out。　That's　what　Moze　did！　I　got　to　an　open　sp