the grand canyon of arizona-第7节

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mit　at　an　elevation　of　eight　thousand　five　hundred　feet；　not　far　from　Greenland　Spring。　From　here　one　may　go　east　over　the　Walhalla　Plateau　to　Niji　Point；　and　overlook　the　Chuar　Valley　at　the　mouth　of　Marble　Canyon；　where　Dr。　Walcott　spent　a　winter　studying　the　Algonkian　strata　of　that　region。　To　the　west　is　Point　Sublime；　Powell　Plateau；　and　other　scenery　of　an　unusually　majestic　character。

Features　of　the　North　Wall。　But　let　us　now　return　to　the　main　north　wall　before　us。　The　green　tufts；　that　at　this　distance　appear　as　grass　or　shrubs；　partially　covering　the　top　of　the　wall　and　descending　the　slopes　into　the　Canyon；　are　in　reality　great　trees；　mainly　pines　and　black　birches；　from　twenty…five　to　over　one　hundred　and　one　hundred　and　fifty　feet　in　height。　The　forest　that　covers　the　Kaibab　Plateau　contains　many　majestic　trees；　and　some　of　these　have　wandered　over　the　rim　to　peep　into　the　depths　of　the　abyss　below。　The　cherty　limestone　strata　are　thus　largely　covered；　but　the　next　stratum　is　the　clear　band　of　cross…bedded　sandstone；　which　corresponds　to　the　second　member　of　the　geological　series　seen　in　the　arm　of　the　amphitheatre　at　Maricopa　Point；　and　is　from　five　hundred　to　six　hundred　feet　wide。

Then　the　eye　rests　upon　slopes　of　talus；　which　reach　down　to　the　red　strata　of　varying　thicknesses；　which　are　deposited　above　the　red…wall　limestone；　the　widest　member　of　the　whole　Canyon　group。　These　walls　are　cut　and　recessed　into　all　kinds　of　shapes　and　forms；　angles；　promontories　and　recesses；　which；　especially　in　the　early　morning　and　late　afternoon；　cast　shadows　of　inexpressible　beauty。

The　Red…Wall　Limestone。　We　now　come　to　the　red…wall　limestone　nearly　six　hundred　feet　in　thickness。　What　a　striking；　massive　wall　it　is；　and　how　impressive；　when　seen　even　at　this　immense　distance。　This　wall　is　red　only　because　it　is　stained　by　the　color　washed　down　by　the　rain　from　the　red　strata　above。　In　reality；　it　is　a　rich　creamy　lime；　but　only　where　the　red　strata　above　have　been　degraded　and　washed　away　does　the　natural　color　of　this　wall　appear。

The　Plateau。　Below　the　red…wall　limestone；　there　are　several　strata　of　red　and　gray　and　olive　rocks　that　slope　to　the　plateau。　This　plateau　is　not　quite　so　wide　on　the　north　side　as　on　the　south；　owing　to　El　Tovar　being　located　in　the　recess　of　a　great　amphitheatre。　It　is　from　these　plateaus　that　the　finest　views　of　the　real　Canyon　can　be　obtained。　The　visitor；　sitting　on　the　porch　or　on　the　rim　at　El　Tovar；　cannot　realize　that　below　his　feet；　as　it　were；　there　is　an　almost　exact　duplication　of　the　wall　and　slopes　of　talus；　the　thrilling　precipices；　the　alcoves；　recesses；　promontories　and　the　like；　that　he　sees　on　the　north　side。　And　yet　a　trip　down　the　trail　on　to　the　plateaus　reveals　these　stupendous　facts　in　a　manner　that　is　surprising　even　to　those　who；　for　years；　have　been　familiar　with　them。　How　much　more；　then；　is　such　an　experience　to　a　tyro。　I　have　met　men　who　were　world…wide　travelers；　and　who　were　visiting　the　Canyon　for　the　first　time；　some　of　these　were　expert　geologists；　yet　they　refused　to　go　down　the　trail；　with　the　excuse　that　they　could　fully　grasp　the　scenery　from　the　rim。　But　that　is　impossible。　The　human　mind　cannot　realize　the　effects　of　vastness　and　power　this　Canyon　scenery　produces；　except　when　one　stands　below　the　cliffs　and　looks　up。　And　where　the　opportunity　is　given　of　looking　both　up　to　towering　walls；　and　down　over　beetling　precipices；　the　effect　is　enhanced。

The　Tonto　Sandstones。　Below　the　plateau；　slight　slopes　lead　the　eye　to　the　last　of　the　stratified　rocks；　the　Tonto　sandstones　of　the　Cambrian　period。　These　are　readily　distinguished；　mainly　by　their　deep　buff　color　and　the　fact　that　generally　they　are　found　resting　on　the　archaean　or　unstratified　rocks；　locally　though　incorrectly　termed　the　granite；　which　makes　the　Inner　Gorge　through　which　the　river　runs。　This　〃granite〃　is　in　the　main　a　blackish　gneiss。

The　Algonkian　Strata。　Though　the　Tonto　sandstones　usually　occupy　the　location　named；　there　is　a　deviation　from　this　in　the　presence　of　some　remnants　of　strata　of　the　Algonkian　period；　directly　opposite　El　Tovar。　This　deviation　is　discussed　in　the　chapter　〃How　the　Canyon　was　Formed。〃　These　remarkable　rocks　occur　to　the　left　（west）　of　Bright　Angel　Creek；　and　lie　immediately　above　the　gneiss。　Their　brilliant　red　reveals　them；　and　they　can　be　followed　up　under　the　base　of　the　Cheops　and　to　a　small　wash　to　the　left　of　Osiris。　At　the　mouth　of　Bright　Angel；　they　rest　upon　the　archaean；　with　the　Tonto　sandstones　above　them；　but　just　in　front　of　the　Battleship　a　break　in　the　gneiss　occurs；　and　on　the　portion　nearest　us　the　Algonkian　strata　totally　disappear；　for　the　Tonto　strata　rest　directly　upon　the　gneiss。

Zoroaster；　Brahma　and　Deva　Temples。　Now；　in　turn；　let　the　eye　rest　upon　the　temples；　towers　and　buttes　that　stand　in　the　heart　of　the　Canyon；　more　or　less　detached　from　the　main　wall。　To　the　right　of　Bright　Angel　Creek；　striking　buttes　keep　guard。　The　nearest　is　an　angular　mass　of　solid；　unrelieved　rock；　sloping　in　a　peculiarly　oblique　fashion。　It　is　Zoroaster　Temple；　seven　thousand　one　hundred　and　thirty…six　feet　in　elevation。　Close　behind　it　is　a　more　ornate　and　dignified　mass；　Brahma　Temple；　named　after　the　first　of　the　Hindoo　triad；　the　supreme　creator；　to　correspond　with　the　Shiva　Temple；　soon　to　be　described；　on　the　right。　Shiva；　the　destroyer；　Brahma；　the　creator。　The　one　controlling　the　forces　that　have　destroyed　the　strata；　the　other　dominating　the　powers　that　have　brought　these　structures　into　existence。　Brahma　is　seven　thousand　five　hundred　and　fifty…four　feet　in　elevation。　Behind　Brahma　is　another　butte；　which；　however；　cannot　always　be　dissevered　from　the　main　wall。　It　has　no　cap　of　cherty　limestone。　It　can　be　readily　discerned；　therefore；　by　its　flat…topped　appearance。　It　is　Deva　Temple；　seven　thousand　three　hundred　and　forty…four　feet　above　sea　level。

Buddha　Temple　and　Cloister；　Manu　Temple。　To　the　left　of　the　Bright　Angel　Gorge；　quite　an　assemblage　of　buttes　awaits　inspection。　The　dominating　pile　almost　opposite　Brahmaacross　Bright　Angelis　Buddha　Temple；　and　below　it　is　Buddha　Cloister。　Beyond　this　is　another　butte；　which；　however；　at　times；　can　scarcely　be　detected　from　the　main　walls　of　the　Kaibab。　Yet　it　is　a　separate　butte　of　great　proportions；　and　is　named　Manu　Temple；　after　the　great　law…giver　of　the　Hindoos。　Buddha's　elevation　is　seven　thousand　two　hundred　and　eighteen　feet；　while　Manu's　is　seven　thousand　one　hundred　and　ninety…two。

Cheops　Pyramid。　To　the　left　of　Buddha　Temple；　and　nearer　to　us；　is　a　massive　though　less　ornately　carved　monument　than　Buddha。　It　is　Cheops　Pyramid；　a　detached　mass　of　the　red…wall　limestone；　which；　however；　is　rapidly　losing　its　red　color；　owing　to　the　disappearance　of　the　red　strata　from　above。　Cheops　is　five　thousand　three　hundred　and　fifty　feet　in　elevation；　and　is　of　a　peculiar　shape；　as　of　some　quaint　and　Oriental　device　of　symbolic　significance。

Isis　and　Shiva　Temples。　Just　above；　and　farther　to　the　left；　is　a　peculiar　temple；　resting　upon　sloping　taluses　of　the　red　strata　beneath；　its　cap　formed　of　alone；　narrow　ridge　of　cross…bedded　sandstone。　It　has　two　great　cloisters　in　front；　and　is　named　Isis　Temple；　after　the　feminine　god　of　the　Egyptians。　Isis　has　an　elevation　of　seven　thousand　twenty…eight　feet；　and　is　the　eastern　support　of　the　gigantic　rock　mountain　which　towers　over　all　the　lesser　structures。　This　is　Shiva　Temple；　a　solid　mass；　sliced　off　from　the　main　Kaibab。　The　elevation　is　seven　thousand　six　hundred　and　fifty　feet；　and　it　is　thus　described　by　Dutton；　who　named　it：　〃It　is　the　grandest　of　all　the　buttes；　and　the　most　majestic　in　aspect；　though　not　the　most　ornate。　Its　mass　is　as　great　as　the　mountainous　part　of　Mount　Washington。　The　summit　looks　down　six　thousand　feet　into　the　dark　depths　of　the　inner　abyss；　over　a　succession　of　ledges　as　impracticable　as　the　face　of　Bunker　Hill　Monument。　All　around　it　are　side　gorges；　sunk　to　a　depth　nearly　as　profound　as　that　of　the　main　channel。　It　stands　in　the　midst　of　a　great　throng　of　cloister…like　buttes；　with　the　same　noble　profiles　and　strong　lineaments　as　those　immediately　before　us；　with　a　plexus　of　awful　chasms　between。　In　such　a　stupendous　scene　of　wreck　it　seems　as　if　the　fabled　'Destroyer'　might　find　an　abode　not　wholly　uncongenial。〃

Horus　Temple。　Guardian　temples　to　the　west　of　Isis　are　Horus　and　Osiris。　The　former　is　nearer　to　the　river。　It　is　capped　with　the　white　sandstone；　and　is　so　closely　sculptured　that　white　fragments　have　fallen　upon　the　sloping　red　talus　beneath。　The　whole　appearance　is　not　unlike　a　giant　hat　of　an　Arab；　with　its　streaming　folds　of　white　reaching　far　over　the　neck　down　the　back。　It　rests　upon　a　massive　block　of　the　red…wall　limestone；　which　presents　a　bold　face　to　the　east。　Its　elevation　is　six　thousand　one　hundred　and　fifty　feet。

Osiris　Temple。　Behind　Shiva　is　Osiris　Temple；　with　an　elevation　of　six　thousand　six　hundred　and　thirty…seven　feet。　At　the　proper　angle　it　is　seen　to　be　as　prominent　before　Shiva　as　is　Horus；　but　our　angle　of　vision　gives　it　the　retreating　effect。　It　is　a　gracefully　domed　temple　in　the　cross…bedded　sandstone；　and　clearly　reveals　its　five　hundred　feet　superior　height