the grand canyon of arizona-第24节

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Difference　between　the　Rim　and　the　River。　Another　remarkable　difference；　or　surprise；　is　found　when　one　leaves　the　rim　above；　where　the　weather　is　lovely　and　there　is　not　a　sign　of　rain；　and　go　below　to　the　river；　which　gives　evidence　of　a　great　rise。　How　can　the　river　rise　without　rain？　Yet　it　seems　to；　and　one　almost　doubts　the　evidence　of　his　own　senses。

Experience　on　the　River。　Engineer　Stanton　tells　of　an　experience　as　his　party　went　through　the　river：　〃About　2：30　P。　M。　we　heard　a　deep；　loud　roar；　and　saw　the　breakers　ahead　in　white　foam。　With　a　great　effort　we　stopped　upon　a　pile　of　broken　rock　that　had　rolled　into　the　river。　When　we　went　ahead　to　look；　much　to　our　surprise；　the　whole　terrible　rapid　that　we　had　expected　to　see　had　disappeared；　and　there　was　only　a　rushing　current　in　its　stead。　While　we　stood　wondering；　there　rose　right　at　our　feet　those　same　great　waves；　twelve　to　fifteen　feet　in　height　and　from　one　hundred　to　one　hundred　and　fifty　feet　long　across　the　river；　rolling　down　stream　like　great　sea　waves；　and　breaking　in　white　foam　with　terrible　noise。　We　watched　and　wondered　and　at　last　concluded　that　this　was　the　forefront　of　a　vast　body　of　water　rolling　down　this　narrow　trough　from　some　great　cloud…burst　above。　（We　learned　afterwards　that　there　had　been　such　a　cloud…burst　on　the　head…waters　of　the　Little　Colorado。）　Believing　that　discretion　was　the　better　part　of　valor；　we　camped　right　there　on　that　pile　of　rocks；　fearing　that；　although　our　boats　would　ride　the　waves　in　safety；　we　might　be　caught　in　one　of　these　rolls　just　at　the　head　of　a　rapid；　and；　unable　to　stop；　be　carried　over　the　rapid　with　the　additional　force　of　the　rushing　breakers。〃

High　and　Low　Water。　The　piles　of　driftwood　found　on　the　rocks　in　the　Canyon　reveal　a　difference　of　upwards　of　two　hundred　feet　between　high　and　low　water。　This；　however；　does　not　refer　to　the　general　condition　of　high　water；　but　to　exceptional　cases。　As；　for　instance；　I　myself　once　saw　a　mass　of　rock；　the　whole　face　of　the　cliff；　containing　doubtless　millions　of　tons；　fall　into　the　trough　of　the　stream。　The　whole　course　was　at　once　dammed　up；　and　the　river　rose　sixty　feet　in　one　hour　before　the　principal　mass　of　rock　was　made　topheavy　by　the　power　of　the　flood。　Then　it　rolled　over　with　the　force　of　the　millions　of　tons　of　water　behind　it；　and　crumbled　as　it　rolled。　The　mighty　wave　dashed　on；　carrying　everything　before　it。　In　less　than　another　hour　the　rock　mass　had　disappeared；　and　the　water　had　resumed　its　normal　level。　A　rise　of　fifty　to　seventy　feet　is　not　so　very　unusual　in　the　heart　of　the　gorge；　where　it　is　narrow　and　the　waters　would　necessarily　pile　up。　To　see　such　a　rise；　without　any　evidence　of　a　rain　above；　is　a　wonderful　experience　that　one　occasionally　enjoys。

Snow　on　the　Rim。　Another　remarkable　contrast　is　observed　by　winter　tourists。　On　the　rim　at　El　Tovar；　Grand　View；　or　Bass　Camp　snow　may　fall　during　December；　January　and　February；　and　sometimes　in　March；　though　it　quickly　disappears。　This　is　not　surprising　when　one　considers　the　high　altitudes。　The　weather　is　then　sometimes　quite　frigid；　but　it　is　a　dry　cold　which　rapidly　yields　to　the　warm　midday　sun。　Do　not　imagine　from　this　general　statement　that　winter；　as　we　know　it　in　the　East；　is　the　usual　thing　at　the　Canyon。　Quite　the　reverse。　There　are　more　sunshiny；　warm；　windless；　stormless　and　no…snow　days　than　otherwise；　taking　one　year　with　another。　Real　winter　weather　often　stays　away　until　well　into　January。　Some　years　it　is　a　negligible　quantity。　At　no　time　need　it　be　feared　by　the　traveller。

Trails　in　Winter。　The　trails　for　half　a　mile；　or　even　a　mile；　down　into　the　Canyon；　during　a　part　of　the　winter；　are　sometimes　covered　with　light　snow。　As　soon　as　the　snow　line　is　passed；　the　climate　begins　to　change。　The　cold　is　less　penetrating；　and　by　and　by　one　enters　what　might　be　called　a　temperate　zone。　Warmer　and　more　comfortable　it　becomes；　until；　on　reaching　the　river；　the　word　〃delicious〃　alone　conveys　the　rich　sense　of　satisfaction　that　one　feels　all　over　the　body　in　the　delightful　sensation　experienced。　No　time　is　so　agreeable　for　a　long　stay　in　the　depths　of　the　Canyon　as　in　the　heart　of　winter。　A　semi…tropical　climate　below；　while　above；　within　three　hours　easy　ride；　a　snowy　winter　may　be　reigning　supreme！

Winter　in　the　Canyon。　Robert　Brewster　Stanton；　who　made　his　successful　trip　through　the　Canyon　in　wintertime；　comments　on　this　as　follows：　〃It　has　been　the　fortune　of　but　few　to　travel　along　the　bottom　of　the　great　chasm　for　a　whole　winter；　while　around　you　bloom　the　sweet　flowers；　and　southern　birds　sing　on　almost　every　bush；　and　at　the　same　time　far　above；　among　the　upper　cliffs；　rage　and　roar；　like　demons　in　the　air；　the　grandest　and　most　terrific　storms　of　wind　and　snow　and　sleet　that　I　have　ever　witnessed；　even　above　the　clouds　among　the　summit　peaks　of　the　Rocky　Mountains。〃

Change　in　the　Flora。　This　climatic　diversity　above　and　below　is　noticeable　all　through　the　year　to　the　man　or　woman　of　sharp　eyes；　in　the　difference　of　the　flowers；　the　shrubs；　and　the　trees。　Above　are　the　pines；　the　cedars；　and　junipers　of　the　cooler　climes。　The　further　down　one　goes；　the　greater　the　change　becomes。　The　pines　drop　out；　then　the　cedars　and　junipers；　and　when　one　reaches　the　patches　of　growth　in　the　lowest　depths；　the　agave；　and　other　plants　and　flowers　that　we　find　only　in　semi…tropical　climates　here　grow　profusely。

Indian　Garden。　Another　difference　between　the　〃above〃　and　the　〃below〃　is　found　in　the　fact　that　a　garden　is　almost　unknown　on　the　rim；　and　that　there　are　many　down　below。　On　the　Bright　Angel　Trail　is　the　Indian　Garden；　where；　for　many　years；　the　Havasupais　used　to　cultivate　their　corn；　beans；　onions　and　melons。　Along　the　Shinumo；　on　the　north　side；　Mr。　Bass　has　a　garden　where　all　these　things　grow；　where　peaches；　plums；　grapes；　and　apricots　have　thriven　abundantly；　and　where　now　he　is　planting　figs；　lemons；　oranges　and　grape…fruit。　The　Havasupais；　in　the　depths　of　their　Canyon；　grow　the　finest；　largest　and　most　tender　corn　in　the　world；　peaches　and　figs　galore；　and　all　the　ordinary　vegetables。　Boucher　also　has　fruit　and　vegetables　on　the　level　near　the　river；　on　his　trail。　At　Lee's　Ferry　also；　Elder　Emet　has　his　gardens　and　orchards；　as　well　as　fine　alfalfa　fields。　Nothing　is　more　delightful　than　to　come；　after　a　hot　journey　down　the　trail；　to　these　unexpected　oases　in　the　heart　of　the　canyons。

Soil　on　the　River　and　in　the　Canyon。　The　soil　of　the　〃above；〃　too；　largely　differs　from　the　soil　of　the　〃below。〃　On　the　plateaus　above；　there　are　millions　of　acres；　most　of　which　careful　examination　shows　to　be　covered　with　disintegrated　rock　and　comparatively　little　vegetable　soil；　except　below　the　surface。　The　winds　and　rains　have　carried　away　the　softer　and　lighter　soil；　and　allowed　the　heavier　and　harder　rocks　to　remain。　This　process　goes　on　all　the　time。　In　the　depths　of　the　Canyon；　however；　except　on　the　steeper　slopes；　the　soil　remains。

The　Silence　on　the　Rim。　A　remarkable　contrast　between　the　rim　and　the　Canyon　is　sometimes　found　in　the　absolute　silence　above；　and　the　roar　of　the　river　below。　It　often　occurs　that　not　a　sound　of　any　kind　can　be　heard　on　the　rim　but　one's　breathing　and　the　beating　of　his　own　heart。　One　morning　I　lay　for　an　hour　before　I　arose；　and　during　the　whole　of　that　time；　though　I　listened　again　and　again；　not　the　slightest　sound　reached　my　ears　save　the　two　named。

Song　of　the　River。　Now　descend　to　the　river　and；　day　or　night；　early　or　late；　June　or　December；　hot　or　cold；　wet　or　dry；　fair　or　stormy；　the　roar　and　rush；　fret　and　fume　of　the　water　is　never　out　of　one's　ears。　Even　when　asleep　it　seems　to　〃seep〃　in　through　the　benumbed　senses；　and　tell　of　its　never…ending　flow。　After　a　few　weeks　of　it；　one　comes　away　and　finds　he　cannot　sleep。　He　misses　it　and　finds　himself　unable　to　sleep　away　from　the　accustomed　noise。

The　Wind。　In　nothing　is　the　difference　of　〃above〃　and　〃below〃　more　marked　than　in　the　wind。　Last　night　on　the　rim　the　wind　blew　almost　a　gale。　The　pines　sang　loudly；　and　one　could　hear　their　roar　for　miles。　A　dozen　times　I　awoke　and　listened　to　their　weird　music。　If　you　go　outdoors；　the　wind　plays　with　your　hair；　and　tosses　garments　to　and　fro　with　frolicsome　glee；　or　even；　at　times；　with　apparent　angry　fury。　There　are　times　when　the　wind　comes　toward　you；　on　the　rim；　with　a　rapidity　and　force　that　are　startling。　Every　one　has　had　the　experience　of　hearing　a　military　band　approaching　from　a　distance。

As　it　comes　nearer；　the　sound　grows　louder　and　louder；　and　if　it　approaches　with　great　rapidity；　as　for　instance；　in　an　automobile　or　a　speeding　electric　car；　the　music　assails　the　ear　with　an　increasing　force　that　is　a　surprise。　It　is　just　so　with　the　noises　of　the　wind　at　the　rim　of　the　Canyon。

Now　leave　the　rim　and　walk　down　the　trail　a　couple　of　rods。　All　is　quiet　and　still。　The　change　is　startling　m　its　suddenness。　The　wind　may　be　blowing　far　above　you；　and　if　you　listen；　you　will　hear　its　effect　in　the　trees；　but　here；　where　you　stand；　you　are　protected　and　sheltered。

Diversity　of　Color。　Perhaps　the　greatest　difference　between　the　rim　and　the　interior　of　the　Canyon　is　found　in　the　diversity　in　color　and　feature　between　them。