the grand canyon of arizona-第13章

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！


oasting　in　the　ashes；　or　a　whiff　from　the　coffee…pot；　just　about　to　topple　over　on　the　burning　sticks。　The　fire　is　made　of　driftwood　washed　down　possibly　from　some　storm…swept　region　where　a　Mormon　dwells　with　his　numerous　family；　or；　mayhap；　from　a　forest　where　the　elk　of　Wyoming　still　roam。

How　real　life　in　this　Canyon　now　begins　to　be。　It　is　opening　up　its　secrets　to　us　as　we　thus　come　into　it。　We　are　learning　to　love　it；　therefore　it　shows　its　heart　to　us。　It　no　longer　is　a　〃thing〃　to　be　looked　at；　it　is　a　real　something；　an　individuality　to　love；　to　listen　to；　to　question；　to　honor。

On　the　Tonto　Trail。　We　are　now　ready　to　go　over　the　old　Tonto　Trail　the　trail　made　centuries　ago　by　mountain　sheep；　small　bands　of　which　are　still　to　be　found　in　the　remoter　corners　of　the　Canyonthen　followed　by　the　Indians；　whose　moccasined　feet　made　less　impression　upon　it　than　did　the　hoofs　of　the　sheep。　And　in　the　two　or　three　decades　just　passed；　a　few　white　men　trod　it。　Perhaps　Powell；　or　some　of　his　men；　or　Stanton；　walked　where　we　now　walk；　or　ride；　and　surely　some　of　those　early　mining　prospectors　of　the　CanyonAshurst；　McClure；　Marshall；　Hance；　Boucher；　Berry；　Brashear；once　went　this　way。

In　and　out　of　the　recesses　of　the　much　carved　walls；　up　and　down　the　wavy　ridges　of　the　plateaus；　sometimes　descending　into　deep　side　gorges；　we　ride；　our　guide　leading　the　way　to　the　Grand　View　Trail；　and　our　pack…mules　and　burros　following；　while　we　occupy　the　rear　of　the　procession。　We　stop　for　noon　lunch　in　one　of　the　side　canyons　where　is　a　spring　of　clear　water。　We　take　off　the　packs　from　the　animals；　and　let　them　nibble　away　at　the　rich　grama　and　gallinas　grasses　that　flourish　here　after　the　summer　rains。

Comfortable　and　contented　after　our　meal；　we　lie　on　our　backs　under　the　shelter　of　a　juniper　or　a　friendly　cottonwood；　or　in　the　shade　of　an　immense　block　fallen　from　some　cracked　wall　above。　Already　we　are　becoming　familiar　with　the　strata；　and　can　call　each　one　by　name。　The　red　wall　limestone；　we　find；　is　known　to　the　guides　and　miners　as　the　〃blue　lime；〃　owing　to　the　fact　that　its　capping　stratum；　where　exposed；　has　a　light　blue　color。

Cottonwood　Creek　and　Horseshoe　Mesa。　In　due　time　we　reach　Cottonwood　Creek；　which　flows　down　to　the　left　（west）　of　Grand　View　Point。　Here　the　plateau　opens　out；　but　we　leave　it　in　order　to　follow　the　creek；　on　the　Berry　Trail　down　to　the　river。　Perhaps　we　spend　the　night　here；　and　in　the　morning　ascend　to　the　mesa　on　to　the　Tonto；　then　up　the　well…engineered　trail　to　Grand　View　Cave　（see　description　in　chapter　on　Grand　View　Trail）。　Sending　the　pack　animals　on　from　here；　we　wait　until　some　one　descends　from　the　near…by　Horseshoe　Mesa；　where　the　camp　of　the　Canyon　Copper　Company　is　located；　with　candles　ready　to　conduct　us　through　the　wonders　of　this　natural　excavation　in　the　red…wall　limestone。　This　occupies　the　whole　of　our　afternoon；　so　that　when　we　reach　the　mesa；　we　are　ready　to　partake　of　the　substantial　and　cheery　fare　of　the　Camp；　and　then　unroll　our　blankets；　lie　down；　listen　to　the　chat　of　the　miners　and　guide；　hear　them　recount　some　of　their　thrilling　and　exciting　experiences；　enjoy　their　singing　of　old…time　melodies；　with　a　peculiar　western　flavor　to　them；　and　then　roll　over　to　dreamless　sleep。

Copper　Mines。　Half　a　day　can　be　well　spent　on　the　morrow　in　the　mines；　and　one　is　surprised　to　find　here　over　half　a　mile　of　tunnels　and　shafts；　with　workings　on　seven　levels；　and　ore　so　rich　that　under　usual　conditions　it　pays　to　mine；　sort；　pack　on　mules　three　miles　or　a　little　more　to　the　rim；　place　in　wagons；　haul　some　fifteen　or　twenty　miles　to　Apex；　load　on　railway　cars　and　shippaying　full　freight；　of　courseabout　six　hundred　and　eighty　miles　to　El　Paso；　Texas；　where　it　is　〃milled；〃　and　the　copper；　silver　and　gold　extracted。　These　various　processes　are　expensive。　It　costs　to　buy　grain　in　Flagstaff；　or　Phoenix；　and　pay　freight　on　it　to　Apex；　and　then　haul　it　to　the　head　of　the　trail；　and　thence　to　the　stables　on　the　plateau　near　the　mine。　Hay；　too；　has　to　come　just　as　far。　Every　pound　of　the　provisions　used　by　the　men　has　to　be　hauled　in　similar　fashion　over　railroad；　wagon　road　and　canyon　trail。　Every　pick；　shovel；　piece　of　iron　or　woodwork；　every　pound　of　powder；　dynamite　and　fuse；　every　box　of　candles　has　to　pay　toll　in　like　fashion；　before　it　can　be　used　in　the　mine。　So　we　are　not　surprised　to　learn　that　the　ore　is　rich；　the　first　thousand　tons　mined　going　as　high　as　thirty　percent　in　copper；　with　several　ounces　of　silver　to　the　ton；　and　small　but　appreciable　and　valuable　traces　of　gold。　（At　the　time　of　this　writing；　the　mines　are　temporarily　shut　down。）

To　the　Old　Hance　Trail。　The　mouth　of　the　mine　enters　the　face　of　the　cliff　to　the　east；　and　overlooks　the　trail　down　which　we　descend　into　Hance　Creek；　where　the　old　Hance　Trail　to　the　river　used　to　be。　It　is　an　old　friend；　for　we　have　been　down　it　more　times　than　once；　and　can　recall　every　feature。　We　rest　awhile　here；　in　order　to　go　down　to　the　place　where　the　side　canyon　through　which　the　creek　flows　〃narrows　up。〃　We　pass　through；　and　on　the　other　side　stand　before　the　shattered　Tonto　sandstones　that　Thomas　Moran；　years　ago；　named　the　Temple　of　Set；　and　even　further　on；　where　we　used　to　leave　the　horses　and　climb　down　a　boulder；　and　up　the　face　of　the　cliff；　and　down　the　rope　ladder　over　the　archaean　rockshere　a　crystalline　mica　schistand　so　on；　all　the　way　to　the　river。　So　another　day　passes；　and　we　stretch　out　our　blankets；　and　sleep　on　the　very　ledge　on　which　we　bunked　years　and　years　ago；　when　we　made　our　first　descent　and　camp　in　this　canyon。

Red　Canyon　Trail。　The　next　day　we　are　ready　to　continue　on　to　the　west。　We　climb　out　of　Hance　Canyon；　and　cross　the　ridge　into　Mineral　Canyon；　ascend　again；　cross　another　ridge；　and　find　ourselves　in　that　wonderland　of　the　geologist；　the　Red　Canyon　Trail。

What　do　I　mean　by　the　Wonderland　of　the　Geologist？　Ask　of　these　tilted　strata　of　red　rock；　that　give　the　canyon　its　name；　that　the　men　wise　in　rocks　call　the　non…conformable　Algonkian　strata！　Ask　of　the　folds；　or；　flexures；　in　the　strata；　which　the　untrained　eye　can　readily　discern！

The　Algonkian。　This　is　one　of　the　spots　that　all　geologistsfrom　every　part　of　the　civilized　worldaim　for。　They　know　it　is　one　of　the　rare　things　of　the　known　world；　and　they　come　here　to　see　it。　So　make　yourself　as　wise　as　you　can　while　you　are　here　and　have　the　chance。　Read　Dr。　Walcott's　monograph　from　the　fourteenth　report　of　the　United　States　Geological　Survey；　Volume　No。　2；　entitled　〃Pre…Cambrian　Igneous　Rocks　of　the　Unkar　Terrane。〃　Then　read　Major　Powell's　luminous　earlier　descriptions　of　these　rocks　in　his　〃Explorations　of　the　Colorado　River　of　the　West。〃　Learn　from　their　own　words　what　these　geological　masters　say　of　these　wonderful　five　hundred　feet　thick　remnants　of　twelve　thousand　feet　of　strata　that　were　once　piled　here　above　the　archaean　rocks。　Imagine　over　two　miles　of　strata　thrust　up　into　the　air；　and　then　pay　strict　attention　as　the　scientists　reason　out　their　conclusions　as　to　the　how；　why；　where；　and　whence　of　the　eleven　thousand　five　hundred　feet　of　washed　away　strata。

Asbestos　Mines。　If　your　guide　knows　how　to　compass　it；　cross　the　river　here　at　the　foot　of　the　Red　Canyon　Trail；　and　visit　the　asbestos　mines　of　the　Hance　Asbestos　Mining　Company　of　New　York。　Try　to　comprehend　what　asbestos　is；　how　it　is　formed。　See　where　it　is　located　in　these　much　burnt　and　much　twisted　strata。

If　possible；　go　up　and　down　the　river；　and　see　where　the　Inner　Gorgethe　granite　or　gneissreally　begins。　It　is　not　so　very　far　away。

Then；　when　you　are　ready；　watch　the　guide　adjust　the　much…lightened　pack；　for　the　supply　of　〃grub〃　is　getting　low；　perhaps　assist　him　swing　the　packs　on　the　packsaddle；　put　on　the　canvas　covering　and　throw　the　〃diamond　hitch；〃　and　then　saddle　your　own　horsefor　by　now　you　will　have　begun　to　feel　some　confidence　and　pride　in　doing　things　that　the　〃tenderfoot〃　generally　leaves　to　the　guideand　soon　you　are　climbing　up　the　trail　on　your　way　to　the　rim。　As　soon　as　you　are　on　〃top；〃　you　〃push　on〃　the　pack　animals　and　〃hit　the　trail　hard〃　by　way　of　Hance's　Ranch；　now　owned　by　Martin　Buggel；　to　Grand　View；　and　over　the　familiar　roa