the grand canyon of arizona-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Surrounding　Mountains。　One　should　not　fail　to　look　back；　as　the　train　journeys　along；　for　fine；　full　views　of　the　Volcanic　Mountains；the　San　Franciscos；　Kendricks；　Sitgreaves　and　Williams。　The　two　former　are　sharp；　pyramidal…shaped　masses；　towering　from　nine　thousand　to　twelve　thousand　feet　into　the　blue；　while　the　two　latter　are　well　wooded　and　rounded；　though　volcanic；Williams　Mountain　having　seven　distinct　crests　at　different　altitudes。

When　about　ten　miles　out；　Mount　Floyd；　another　volcanic　pile；　rises　above　the　plain　on　the　west。　Two　sharp　peaks　come　in　sight；　and　later；　long　ridges　of　deep　blue　stretch　away　to　the　north。　These　are　the　Blue　Ridge；　and　are　formed　of　lava　which　has　flowed　from　Mount　Floyd。

Ant…Hills。　To　many　it　is　a　novel　sight　to　see　the　ant…hills　that　dot　the　plain　all　the　way　along。　These　tiny　creatures　build　their　homes　underground；　carrying　out　all　the　small　pieces　of　rock　that　are　in　their　way。　By　and　by　they　build　up　quite　a　mound　of　these　stones；　and；　it　is　on　these　that　the　Navaho　Indians　often　find　the　garnets；　rubies　and　peridots　they　offer　for　sale。　Around　the　mounds　the　ground　is　stripped　bare　by　the　busy　ants；　who　remove　every　particle　of　vegetation　in　a　radius　of　two　or　three　feet。

Desert　Rains。　If　it　is　early　summer　when　you　ride　over　this　region；　do　not　be　deceived　by　the　barrenness　of　the　thirsty　country　（as　you　leave　the　cedars）；　and　the　dry；　cloudless　sky；　and　imagine　that　it　never　rains。　I　have　been　here　in　the　midst　of　such　rain　storms　as　I　have　rarely　experienced　elsewhere。　When　the　showers　do　fall；　they　often　come　with　a　fullness　that　is　as　distressing　as　is　the　want　of　water　during　the　dry　season。

Red　Butte。　Twenty…nine　miles　out；　near　the　station　of　Valle；　is　the　big　bridge；　some　fifty　feet　high　and　three　hundred　feet　long；　over　a　branch　of　the　Spring　Valley　Wash；　and　here　Red　Butte　becomes　a　prominent　landmark　on　the　right。　This　is　known　to　the　Havasupai　Indians　as　Hue…ga…da…wi…za；　the　Mountain　of　the　Clenched　Fist；　for　this　is　its　appearance　when　seen　at　certain　angles。　It　is　a　remnant　of　the　Permian　sandstone　that　once　covered　the　whole　Grand　Canyon　region；　and　its　brilliant　red；　when　illuminated　by　the　vivid　Arizona　sun；　explains　why　for　so　many　years　it　has　been　a　prominent　landmark　of　the　plateau。　It　stands　boldly　forth　on　the　eastern　edge　of　what　was　undoubtedly　once　a　portion　of　the　vast　Eocene　lake；　the　drainage　way　of　which　helped　to　cut　down　the　Canyon　we　are　so　soon　to　see。

Interesting　stories　might　be　told　of　Red　Butte　and　its　region。　The　Havasupais　have　a　tradition　that　many　years　ago　a　large　spring　of　water　flowed　from　near　its　base；　but　in　the　great　convulsion　of　nature　which　changed　the　current　of　the　waters　of　Havasu　Creek　the　spring　disappeared；　and　never　has　been　seen　since。　The　presence　of　a　number　of　quaking　aspens　in　the　region；　however；　denotes　that　water　is　still　there。　It　also　has　been　claimed　that　documents　on　file　in　Tucson　prove　that　silver　mining　was　extensively　carried　on　here　as　early　as　the　year　1650。

Prehistoric　Lake。　At　the　twenty…eighth　mile　post；　we　have　left　the　cedars　behind；　and　until　we　strike　Anita　junction　only　a　few　scraggly；　solitary　trees　are　to　be　seen。　We　are　on　the　edge　of　the　great　prehistoric　lake。　The　country　is　seamed　with　small；　rocky　gorges；　which　we　cross。　They　are　sometimes　lined　with　scrub…brush；　and　made　beautiful　by　many　colored　flowers。　All　these　〃draws〃　are　tributary　to　Havasu　（Cataract）　Creek；　but　it　is　interesting　to　remember　that　most　of　them　convey　the　drainage　water　away　from　the　rim　of　the　Grand　Canyon　until；　by　the　subterranean　channel　before　referred　to；　the　stream　is　taken　back　to　the　Havasu　Canyon　and　soon；　deep；　deep；　deep　down；　some　five　thousand　feet　below　the　rim；　is　ejected　into　the　muddy　Colorado　River。

The　First　Sight　of　the　Canyon。　A　glance　out　of　the　right　window　will　now　show　one　a　portion　of　the　north　wall　of　the　Canyon。　It　is　a　fairly　level　stretch　of　wall　running　east　and　west；　though　there　is　a　break　in　it；　and　then　an　uprising　curve；　as　if　the　crust　here　had　received　a　lateral　thrust　strong　enough　to　break　and　then　〃buckle〃　it　up　from　east　to　west。

Crossing　the　Red　Horse　Wash；　known　to　the　Havasupais　as　Ha…i…ga…sa…jul…ga；　the　line　reaches　Anita　Junction。　Here　a　spur　three　miles　long　connects　the　main　line　with　the　copper　mines　of　the　Anita　Consolidated　Company；　for　which　the　railway　originally　was　built。　The　grade　of　the　spur　was　so　engineered　that　the　loaded　cars　of　ore　from　the　mine　（when　in　operation）　are　brought　down　by　gravity。

Coconino　Forest。　A　few　miles　further　on；　the　railway　enters　a　country　of　pine　and　juniper；　a　stately　prelude　to　the　majesties　and　grandeurs　of　the　Kohonino　（Coconino）　Forest。　Here　it　seems　as　if　one　were　suddenly　transported　to　England；　and　were　passing　through　a　succession　of　landed　estates；　without；　however；　finding　the　accompanying　mansions。　Aisles　of　stately　trees；　nature　planted　and　grown；　yet　as　perfectly　in　line　as　if　set　with　mathematical　precision；　lead　the　eye　into　open　glades　where　deer　and　antelope　move　to　and　fro；　and　where　one　looks　instinctively　for　the　bold　facade　of　an　historic　building；　or　the　battlemented　towers　of　some　romantic　castle。

Arrival　at　El　Tovar。　Now；　bearing　off　in　a　westerly　direction；　the　railway　leaves　the　Kohonino　Wash；　and　soon　crosses　a　divide　beyond　which；　to　the　left；　may　be　seen　the　house　at　Bass。　This　is　a　flag…station　for　Bass　Camp。　A　mile　or　so　further；　and　a　wash　opens　to　the　left。　This　leads　to　Rowe's　Well　（Ha…ha…wai…i…the…qual…ga）；　where　the　chief　ranger　of　the　Forest　Reserve　has　his　home。　Another　four　miles　of　steady　upgrade；　and　the　whistle　of　the　engine　denotes　that　Grand　Canyon　is　reached。　Here；　in　addition　to　El　Tovar；　Bright　Angel　Camp；　the　powerhouse；　and　the　buildings　of　the　transportation　department；　are　a　postoffice；　photograph　gallery　and　several　buildings　for　employees　of　the　railroad；　rangers；　etc。；　so　that　there　is　quite　a　little　settlement。

The　main　attractions；　however；　are　the　Canyon　and　El　Tovar；　the　hotel　itself　being　so　unique　and　picturesque　as　to　require　a　separate　chapter　for　its　description。



CHAPTER　III。　El　Tovar　And　Its　Equipments

Location　of　El　Tovar。　The　West　has　several　unique　and　picturesque　hotels；　but　I　question　whether　it　possesses　one　more　so　than　that　bearing　the　name　of　the　gallant　Spanish　cavalier；　Coronado's　lieutenant；　the　Ensign　Tovar。　Built　upon　the　very　edge　of　the　Canyon；　in　latitude　35　degrees　55　minutes　30　seconds；　it　is　the　arc　of　a　rude　curve　of　an　amphitheatre；　the　walls　of　which　are　slightly　higher　than　the　elevation　of　the　hotel。　Its　location　affords　the　most　intimate　views　of　the　great　gorge；　attracting　spectators　from　all　over　the　civilized　world。　Indeed；　were　it　not　for　these　visitors；　El　Tovar　would　never　have　been　built。　Its　existence　came　out　of　a　crying　necessity。　It　was　built　by　the　Santa　Fe　Railway；　and　furnished　and　equipped　by　Fred　Harvey；　whose　hotel　and　dining　service　for　over　a　quarter　of　a　century　has　made　the　Santa　Fe　noted　as　giving　the　best　food　service　of　any　railway　system　in　the　world。

The　Building。　And　what　of　the　building　itself？　Stand　away　a　little　distance　say　half　a　mile　or　more；　for　it　is　large　enough　to　be　seen　and　well　described　that　far　awayand　it　presents　the　appearance　of　a　three…storied　bungalow；　though　later　you　find　that　in　some　points　it　is　four　stories　high。　Its　base　is　of　solid；　native　limestone　rock；　well　built　up　and　continued　in　the　massive　outside　chimneys；　one　of　which　stands　at　each　end　of　the　dining…room。　The　first　story　is　of　solid　logs；　brought　from　faraway　Oregon；　and　the　upper　stories　are　of　heavy　planking　and　shingles；　all　stained　to　a　rich　brown　or　weather…beaten　color；　that　harmonizes　perfectly　with　the　gray…green　of　its　unique　surroundings。　It　is　pleasant　to　the　eye；　artistic　in　effect；　and　satisfactory　to　the　most　exacting　critic。　Its　width；　north　and　south；　is　three　hundred　and　twenty…seven　feet；　and　from　east　to　west；　two　hundred　and　eighteen　feet。　The　main　building　and　entrance　face　the　east。

Architecture。　Its　lines　are　in　harmony　with　the　simplicity　of　the　surroundings。　The　architect　has　followed；　in　admirable　proportions；　the　Swiss　chalet　and　the　Norway　villa。　Here　are　expressed　a　quiet　dignity；　an　unassuming　luxury；　and　an　appreciation　of　outing　needs。　Not　a　Waldorf…Astoriaadmirable　as　that　type　is　for　the　city　but　a　big；　country　clubhouse；　where　the　traveler　seeking　high…class　accommodations　also　finds　freedom　from　ultrafashionable　restrictions。　You　may　wear　a　dress　suit　at　dinner　or　not。　You　may　mix　with　the　jolly　crowd；　or　sit　alone　in　a　quiet　nook。　You　may　lunch　at　almost　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night。　You　may　dine　with　other　guests；　or　enjoy　the　seclusion　of　a　private　dining…room。　Good　fellowship　perhaps　best　expresses　the　motto　of　El　Tovar。

The　hotel　contains　more　than　a　hundred　bedrooms。　Ample　accommodations　are　provided　for　two　hundred　and　fifty　guests；　and　more　can　be　comfortably　housed　in　the　annex；　at　Bright　Angel　Camp。　Outside　are　porches　and　roof　gardens；　from　which　one　has　wide　views　in　every　direction。　The　inside　finish　is　mainly　of　peeled　slabs；　wood　in　the　rough；　and　tinted　plaster；　interspersed　with　huge　wooden　beams。　Triple　casement　windows　and　generous　fir