the grand canyon of arizona-第16节

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ll　five　hundred　feet　high　in　circular　form；　with　a　variety　of　pillars　standing　high　above　the　bottom　of　the　amphitheatre。　Its　red；　yellow　and　black　colors　combine　in　a　peculiar　harmony；　and　novel　effects　are　witnessed　at　sunset；　or　by　moonlight。　To　enjoy　this　trip　aright；　one　should　drive　there；　and　arrange　to　sleep　in　the　amphitheatre；　returning　on　the　following　day。

Extinct　Volcanoes。　Or；　if　a　more　extended　trip　is　desired；　one　can　drive　on　to　the　many　cinder　cones　and　extinct　volcanoes　that　lie　to　the　north　and　east　of　the　San　Francisco　Mountains；　including　Sunset　Crater　and　O'Leary　Peak；　and　then　into　Flagstaff。



CHAPTER　X。　A　New　〃Rim〃　Road　And　Trail　Into　The　Scenic　Heart　Of　The　Canyon

Large　corporate　bodies　do　not　always　move　with　the　same　rapidity　as　do　personal　enterprises　where　one　man　controls。　Many　minds　and　many　interests　often　have　to　be　consulted。　When；　however；　the　way　is　clear；　a　corporate　body；　with　its　vast　power；　can　accomplish　in　a　short　time　what　individuals　could　never　compass　in　several　successive　lifetimes。

These　remarks　are　exemplified　in　the　action　of　the　Santa　Fe　Railway　Company　at　the　Grand　Canyon。　It　has　taken　several　years　for　things　to　properly　shape　themselves　for　adequate　development；　so　that　all　classes　of　travelers　visiting　the　Grand　Canyon　could　be　suitably　provided　for。　In　hotel　accommodations；　El　Tovar；　and　the　equally　well　conducted　but　cheaper　Bright　Angel　Camp；　leave　nothing　to　be　desired。　In　transportation　facilities；　both　on　the　railway　and　for　drives；　riding　or　the　descent　of　the　trails；　provision　is　made　to　meet　the　most　exacting　demands。

Hermit　Rim　Road　and　Trail。　These　imperative　necessities　met；　attention　has　been　given　to　a　further　opening　up　of　the　scenic　portions　of　the　Canyon。　In　furtherance　of　this　policy　the　Santa　Fe　Railway　has　built　a　new　roadway　from　El　Tovar　and　Hopi　Point　along　the　south　rim　of　the　Canyon　to　the　head　of　Hermit　Trail；　nine　miles　west　of　El　Tovar。　It　is　called　Hermit　Rim　Road。

This　roadway　is　thirty　feet　in　width；　with　a　central　driveway；　fourteen　feet　wide；　of　crushed　stone　rolled　hard　and　sprinkled　with　crude　oil。　It　is　so　wide；　so　well　macadamized；　so　level　and　so　dustless　that　it　may　well　be　likened　to　a　city　boulevard　in　the　wilderness。

The　road　ends　at　the　head　of　Hermit　Trail；　a　new　pathway　now　being　built　down　the　south　wall　of　the　Canyon。　Though　this　trail　is　being　completed；　it　will　not　be　opened　for　regular　trail　service　until　the　summer　of　1912。　It　leads　down　into　the　very　heart　of　the　Canyon　and　reveals　innumerable　scenic　wonders　and　surprises。

Hermit　Rim　Road　to　Hermit　Basin。　Hermit　Rim　Road　closely　follows　the　rim　from　Hopi　Point　to　the　head　of　Hermit　Basin　and　the　top　of　Hermit　Trail；　not　too　near　the　brink；　but　in　and　out　among　the　trees；　affording　wonderful　vistas　of　the　Canyon　and　the　cliffs　of　the　opposite　wall。　Hermit　Rim　Road　is　perhaps　the　most　unique　highway　in　the　world；　for　there　is　no　other　roadway　on　the　brink　of　such　a　tremendous　gorge。　Startling　views　reveal　depths　of　the　Canyon　on　one　side；　and　on　the　other　are　quiet　scenes　down　long　forest　lanes。　In　places　there　is　a　sheer　drop　of　2；000　feet　within　a　rod　of　the　traveled　track；　and　another　drop　almost　as　far　below　that；　but　there　is　no　danger；　so　perfectly　have　the　engineers　of　the　road　done　their　work。

Leaving　El　Tovar；　the　road　quickly　ascends　El　Tovar　Hill；　giving　a　view　of　the　San　Francisco　Peaks　and　neighboring　mountains　standing　high　above　the　Tusayan　Forest；　and　purple　colored　with　the　haze　of　seventy…five　miles　of　distance。　Then；　down　into　Coconino　Wash；　up　Tusayan　Hill；　past　Maricopa　Point；　and　Hopi　Point；　long　noted　for　its　unrivaled　sunset　view；　is　reached。

About　a　mile　beyond　Hopi　Point　is　Mohave　Point；　standing　in　sheer　and　awful　precipices　above　Monument　Creek；　and　leaving　that；　a　huge　curve　on　top　of　Hopi　Wall　is　traversed；　and　opposite　this　place　the　granite　gorge　is　deepest。

Rounding　Mohave　Point　on　the　next　leg　of　the　journey　three　and　four…fifths　miles　to　Pima　Point；　is　the　greatest　curve　on　the　road；　and　along　this　section　there　is　much　to　claim　the　attention。　First　one　and　then　another　of　the　great　interior　rock　temples　seems　to　command　the　eye；　the　side　canyons　reaching　far　back　into　the　Kaibab　Plateau　on　the　north；　and　that　everywhere　enter　the　main　gorge；　show　depths　of　startling　distance；　the　predominant　colorsvermilion；　blue；　green；　buff；　and　grayare　incomparable；　and　the　wild　river；　roaring　and　tumbling；　may　be　seen　from　different　points；　though　from　the　roadway　it　seems　but　a　mere　ribbon　of　brown。　At　Pima　Point　the　road　curves　to　the　southwest　and　continues　for　more　than　a　mile　on　the　rim　of　Hermit　Basin；　until　the　head　of　Hermit　Trail　is　reached。　Wide　outlooks　across　the　Cataract　Canyon　country　and　unusual　views　of　the　river　are　afforded　on　the　final　mile。　The　road　ends　where　Hermit　Trail；　a　new　trail；　like　the　road；　wide　and　safe；　begins。

Hermit　Trail。　The　new　trail　is　being　built　on　the　most　approved　engineering　lines。　It　is　four　feet　wide　all　the　way；　with　a　low　protecting　wall　of　rock　on　the　outside；　and　is　most　carefully　laid　out。　Cuts　in　the　solid　rock；　likewise　heavy　stone　walls　built　up　as　a　support；　are　used　wherever　necessary　for　greater　safety。　It　descends　by　easy　grades　and　long　zigzags　for　nearly　five　hundred　feet　to　the　top　of　the　red　limestone；　where　from　wide　shelves　views　may　be　obtained　safely　of　the　narrow　cleft　far　down　in　which　Hermit　Creek　flows。　Further　descent　is　made　by　easy　steps　to　a　level　stratum；　which　is　traversed　by　the　trail　on　its　way　to　the　river；　and　the　Canyon　on　either　hand　seems　rapidly　to　open　out；　revealing　wonders　of　scenic　beauty。　The　northern　extremity　of　the　red　sandstone　under　Pima　Point　is　thus　reached　and　on　both　sides　of　the　river　such　a　stupendous　panorama　is　at　once　opened　up　that　even　superlatives　cannot　describe　it。　Under　Yuma　Point；　on　the　left；　an　ornately　sculptured　butte；　already　seized　by　Moran；　Leigh　and　other　discerning　artists　as　a　piece　de　resistance；　compels　the　eye。

On　this　point　one　may　linger　for　hours；　if　time　permits；　and　as　the　changing　lights　bring　into　prominence　different　mural　features；　or　the　moving　clouds　cast　their　revealing　shadows　on　first　one；　then　another；　of　the　temples　and　towers；　the　reverent　beholder　feels　that　he　is　on　holy　ground。　It　is　indeed　superlative　in　color；　in　shadow；　in　form；　in　majesty；　in　variety　and　in　general　effect。

On　the　Plateau。　The　trail　from　this　point　descends　to　the　plateau　and　continues　to　the　river。　A　rest　house　is　to　be　established　providing　ample　accommodations　both　for　eating　and　sleeping。　This　will　be　the　first　provision　near　the　river　for　all　travelers；those　who　wish　hotel　luxuries　and　comforts　as　well　as　those　who　desire　the　experience　of　camp　equipment。

All　the　way　down；　the　strong　scenic　features　of　the　Canyon　remain　in　evidence；　and　the　depths　traversed　by　the　trail　but　enhance　their　glory　and　beauty；　as　their　outlines　are　projected　against　the　perfect　turquoise　of　the　Arizona　sky。　Before　returning　to　the　rim　one　may　wish　to　take　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　spend　some　hours　exploring　for　himself　the　foot　of　the　greatwalls　near　by；　or　studying　the　geological　formations。

Mountain　Sheep。　Perchance；　also；　one　may　see　a　band　of　mountain　sheep；　for　now　that　they　are　so　strictly　preserved；　a　heavy　penalty　being　exacted　both　by　the　state　and　federal　governments　for　killing　one；　they　are　increasing　in　numbers。　One　of　their　usual　haunts　for　years　has　been　in　the　canyons　and　ravines　north　of　Shiva　Temple。　It　is　not　unreasonable　to　anticipate　that　they　will　often　roam　into　view　of　visitors　so　near　by　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。

Hermit　Trail　Loop。　On　the　return　journey；　provision　is　to　be　made　for　a　choice　of　several　routes；　viz：　up　the　Boucher　Trail；　which　is　on　the　other　side　of　Hermit　Basin；　along　the　Tonto　Trail　just　above　the　river；　westward　to　Bass's　and　up　the　Bass　Trail；　or　eastward　to　the　Indian　Garden；　and　up　the　Bright　Angel　Trail　which　route　is　known　as　the　Hermit　Trail　Loop。



CHAPTER　XI。　From　El　Tovar　To　Bass　Camp　And　Down　The　Bass　Trail

Bass　Station　and　Bright　Angel　Wash。　Leaving　El　Tovar　（elevation　six　thousand　eight　hundred　and　sixty…six　feet）；　the　road　winds　for　over；　five　miles　through　the　Coconino　Forest；　mainly　following　the　railway　track　until　Bass　Station　appears　（elevation　six　thousand　four　hundred　and　seventeen　feet）。　The　road　now　enters　a　narrow　defile　known　as　the　Bright　Angel　Wash；　giving　one　a　fine　opportunity　to　learn　the　singular　drainage　system　of　the　Canyon　plateau；　which；　as　has　been　explained　elsewhere；　is　away　from　the　Canyon　for　many　miles。　The　Wash　is　picturesque　and　rugged；　the　side　walls　occasionally　appearing　as　bare　masses　of　rock；　and　again　covered　with　fertile　soil　on　which　grow　great　pines；　also　ferns；　mosses　and　flowers。　The　road　is　fairly　easy；　and　the　horses　travel　well。　Six　and　a　half　miles　away；　the　Coconino　（Kohonino）　Wash　is　passed　on　the　left。　A　little　further　on；　the　Canyon　widens　somewhat；　and　a　rude　meadow；　occasionally　filled　with　rich　and　luscious　natural　grass；　is　crossed；　after　which　the　road　makes　a　slight　ascent　to　the　plateau；　and　more　open　country　is　reached。

Over　the　Plateau。　From　this　point；　the　ride　is　diversified。　The