the grand canyon of arizona-第13节

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Cushing's　Story　of　the　Havasupais。　On　returning　from　the　Havasupai　village；　come　out　by　the　Wallapai　Trail　or　ascend　the　steep　cleft　of　the　Hopi　Trail。　Both　ought　to　be　seen　and　gone　over；　in　order　to　know　something　of　the　engineering　skill　of　these　Blue　Water　Indians。　And　if　you　can　get　hold　of　it；　read　Frank　Hamilton　Cushing's　delightful　account　（in　Volume　50　of　the　Atlantic　Monthly）　of　his　trip　from　Zuni　and　down　the　Hopi　Trail　to　the　village　you　have　just　left。　Also；　if　you　care　to　read　more　ancient　history　still；　get　Lieutenant　Ives's　fascinating　report　of　his　trip　into　this　Canyon　（published　by　the　War　Department）　and；　even　earlier　still；　the　diary　of　Padre　Garces　（see　chapter　on　Garces）；　the　man　who　camped　with　the　ancestors　of　these　hospitable　Indians；　while　Jefferson；　Adams；　Washington　and　Hancock　were　defying　the　British　and　preparing　to　launch　the　Declaration　of　Independence。

To　Powell　Plateau　and　Point　Sublime。　Another　two　or　three　weeks'　delightful　experience　can　be　gained　by　arranging　to　go　down　Bass's　Trail；　cross　on　his　cable　ferry；　go　up　the　Shinumo　Trail　to　Powell　Plateau；　watch　the　herds　of　protected　and　preserved　deer　and　antelope；　look　longingly　upon　the　succulent　and　delicious　pine…hens　that　live　upon　pinion　nuts　and　roost　in　the　branches　of　the　pine　trees　of　the　Kaibab　forest；　and　pleasantly　saunter　along　out　to　Point　Sublime。　The　guide　will　point　out　to　youor　he　is　no　guidethe　spot　where　in　1873　Thomas　Moran　sat　with　Major　Powell；　and　afterwards　painted　the　memorable　canvas　of　the　Grand　Canyon　which　now　hangs　in　the　Capitol　at　Washington。　Sleep　out　on　Point　Sublime　and　remember　Dutton；　whose　beautifully　polished　descriptions　of　the　Canyon；　written　here；　have　thrilled　thousands　of　civilized　and　cultured　people。　Then　push　on　west　to　the　Greenland　Spring；　over　Walhalla　Plateau　to　Naji　Point；　whence　you　can　look　down　into　Chuar　Creek；　where　Dr。　Walcott；　with　three　Mormons；　spent　a　snowy　winter　studying　the　Algonkian　strata。

An　Adventurous　Trip。　Or；　better　still；　if　you　are　ready　for　whatever　adventure　may　befall　on　a　seldom　used　trail；　descend　Dr。　Walcott's　old　trail　to　the　river；　and　there　build　a　raft　（it　is　perfectly　feasible　and　not　too　dangerous；　unless　the　river　be　at　the　flood）　and　cross　to　the　other　side；　letting　your　horses　swim　over。　Then　come　out　by　way　of　the　Tanner　Trail；　after　riding　up　and　down　the　wide　beach　and　sandy　stretches　of　this　part　of　the　Canyon　as　far　north　and　east　as　the　Little　Colorado。

Indeed　you　may　walk　up　the　boxed…in　canyon　of　this　side　gorgewhere　few　white　men　have　trodon　your　return。

Qver　the　Desert　to　Hopiland。　A　fascinating　trip；　not　however　connected　with　the　Canyon；　is　suggested　in　the　chapter　on　〃An　Historical　Trail　across　the　Grand　Canyon　Country。〃　Arrange　to　go　in　mid…August；　even　though　it　be　hot　weather；　if　you　have　grown　a　little　toughened；　for　then　you　will　reach　Hopiland　at　the　time　of　the　Snake　Dance；　which　thrilling　ceremony　I　have　briefly；　but　truthfully；　described　in　a　special　chapter。

Many　such　trips　can　be　planned　for　those　who　really　wish　them；　and　he　who　is　wise　enough　to　take　them　will　probably　improve　in　health；　gain　a　wonderful　knowledge　of　one　of　the　most　fascinating　regions　of　the　earth；　and　fill　the　memory　with　treasures　that　nothing　can　destroy。



CHAPTER　VIII。　From　El　Tovar　Down　The　Bright　Angel　Trail

The　Start。　Leaving　El　Tovar　promptly　at　8：30　A。　M。；　fortified　with　a　good　breakfast；　and　suitably　clothed；　the　trail　party　in　a　few　minutes　reaches　the　head　of　Bright　Angel　Trail　near　Bright　Angel　Camp。　For　three…quarters　of　a　mile　this　trail　descends；　zigzagging　back　and　forth　until　the　top　of　the　cross…bedded　sandstone　is　reached。

Faulting　in　the　Sandstones。　Here　the　visitor　should　not　fail　to　observe　the　faulting　in　the　sandstone；　there　being　a　difference　in　the　two　sides　of　about　two　hundred　feet。　Without　this　fault　there　would　have　been　no　trail；　for　to　the　lifting　up；　or　dropping　down　of　the　strata；　is　due　their　shattered　condition；　which　alone　makes　trail…building　possible。　When　about　a　mile　down；　the　separation　line　between　the　cross…bedded　sandstone　and　the　upper　red　sandstone　is　clearly　revealed　to　the　left　of　the　trail。

By　this　time　all　timidity　has　vanished；　and　you　implicitly　trust　both　mule　and　trail；　even　when　going　around　that　narrow　ledge　known　as　Cape　Horn。

Now；　immediately　before　us；　the　majestic　pile　known　as　the　Battleship　presents　itself　with　new　power。　The　ship　itself　is　composed　of　the　red　sandstone。　The　base　upon　which　it　rests　is　the　red…wall　limestone。

A　few　feet　further；　and　the　cross…bedded　sandstone　may　be　seen　far　below　on　the　right；　out　of　plumb　with　the　same　mass　on　the　left；　to　which　it　belongs；　clearly　showing　that　some　convulsion　of　nature　has　either　thrust　the　mass　on　the　left　up；　or　forced　the　mass　on　the　right　down。

From　this　spot　a　fine　view　is　had　of　the　red…wall　limestone　below　and　the　Indian　Garden；　and；　far　below；　at　the　end　of　Pipe　Creek；　the　peculiar　folding　of　the　Algonkian　strata。　This　folding　is　also　to　be　seen　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　in　the　same　rocks。

Trees；　Flowers　and　Birds。　While　descending　the　first　mile　of　trail；　one　sees　plenty　of　flowers　and　shrubs；　and　many　Douglas　spruces。　These　do　not　exist　on　the　rim；　and；　strange　to　say；　the　pines　which　abound　there　are　never　found　on　the　trail。　One　will　generally　hear　the　sweet　descending　〃pipe〃　of　the　canyon　wren；　and　the　harsh　scolding　of　the　blue…winged　pinion　jay。　Hawks；　owls；　mocking…birds　and　robins　are　often　seen。　Butterflies；　moths；　and　humming…birds　wing　their　way　to　and　fro　and　give　a　delicate　touch　of　life　to　the　stern　rocky　features。　Time　was　when　the　visitor　at　El　Tovar　who　went　down　the　trail　to　the　river　might　have　seen　mountain　sheep；　bear；　deer；　antelopes　and　coyotes。

Jacob's　Ladder。　When　the　〃blue　lime〃the　top　of　the　red…wall　limestoneis　reached；　one　may　study　a　fine　piece　of　real　canyon　trail…making；　locally　called　Jacob's　Ladder。　Here　steps　have　been　cut　in　the　slippery　and　solid　rocks；　in　some　places　built　up　with　timbers；　and　thus　made　perfectly　safe。　It　is　customary　for　everybody　to　dismount　here；　so　as　to　lighten　the　load。　The　well…trained　saddle　mules　of　El　Tovar　stables　go　up　and　down　this　part　of　the　trail　without　hesitation。

Red…Wall　Limestone。　Standing　on　the　summit　of　the　red…wall　limestone；　we　are　again　forcefully　reminded　that　it　is　the　most　prominent　member　of　the　Grand　Canyon　strata。　Its　insistent　mass　is　a　thousand　feet　in　thickness。　The　face　of　this　wall；　close　before　us；　is　carved　into　numerous　alcoves；　and　as　we　near　its　base；　we　observe　to　the　right　a　vast　double…cornered　recess　known　as　Angel　Alcove。　From　here　it　is　interesting　to　look　up　to　the　rim　and　observe　the　peculiar　and　varied　contour　of　the　many　pinnacles　cut　by　wind　and　storm　out　of　the　cherty　limestone。

Buddha　and　Manu　Temples。　From　this　point；　also；　the　first　good　view；　from　below　the　rim；　of　Buddha　Temple　（seven　thousand　two　hundred　and　eighteen　feet）　is　obtained。　It　is　to　the　left　of　Bright　Angel　Creek。　Now　look　carefully　at　the　ridge　that　leads　the　eye　from　Buddha　Temple　to　Bright　Angel　Creek。　It　appears　to　be　a　portion　of　the　main　wall　of　the　Kaibab　Plateau。　In　reality　it　is　three　miles　from　the　Kaibab　wall；　and；　under　suitable　conditions；　may　be　seen　as　a　massive　temple；　which　has　been　named　Manu　Temple　（seven　thousand　one　hundred　and　ninety…two　feet）；　after　the　great　law…giver　of　the　Hindoos。

Indian　Garden　and　Cheops　Pyramid。　At　the　base　of　the　red…wall　limestone；　the　trail　opens　up　a　little；　and　permits　easier　breathing　by　the　tyro　on　horseback；　from　now　on　to　Indian　Garden　（three　thousand　eight　hundred　and　seventy…six　feet）　we　ride　in　a　boulder　bed；　where　large　blocks　of　rock　of　every　conceivable　shape　lie　as　they　fell　from　the　strata　above。　Small　shrubs　and　plants　abound；　and　tiny　lizards　and　inquisitive　swifts　dart　to　and　fro。　Nearer　to　us　is　Cheops　Pyramid　（five　thousand　three　hundred　and　fifty　feet）；　a　massive　monument；　though　less　ornately　carved　than　Buddha。

Isis　and　Shiva　Temples。　Above　it　and　farther　to　the　left；　is　Isis　Temple　（seven　thousand　and　twenty…eight　feet）；　the　cap　of　which；　at　this　angle；　presents　the　appearance　of　two　acorn…like　structures　resting　upon　their　cups；　the　taller　of　which　is　carved　out　of　the　cross…bedded　sandstone。　It　is　the　eastern　supporter　of　Shiva　Temple　（seven　thousand　six　hundred　and　fifty　feet）；　of　which　Captain　Dutton；　who　named　it；　wrote　eloquently　and　vividly。

Brahma　and　Zoroaster　Temples。　Now　turn　the　eye　away　from　Shiva；　across　to　the　east　of　Bright　Angel　Creek。　There；　outlined　against　the　sky；　are　two　noble…profiled　buttes。　The　rear　one　is　Brahma　Temple　（seven　thousand　five　hundred　and　fifty…four　feet）；　named　after　the　first　of　the　Hindoo　triad；　the　Supreme　Creator。　The　smaller　butte；　an　angular　mass　of　solid；　unrelieved　rock；　sloping　in　a　peculiarly　oblique　fashion；　is　Zoroaster　Temple　（seven　thousand　one　hundred　and　thirty　feet）；　thus　adding　to　the　Hindoo　pantheon　a　fane　for　the　founder　of　the　religion　of　the　Irano…Persians。

Deva　Temple；　Obi；　and　Komo　Points。　Behind　Brahma　can　be　seen；　when　at　the　right　angle；　a　flat…topped　detached　mass　（seven　thousand　three　hundred　and　forty…four　feet）　named　Deva　Temple。　Behind　and　above　it　are　two　po