the grand canyon of arizona-第4章

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lines　between　Chicago；　Los　Angeles　and　San　Francisco。

Though　surveys　had　been　made　years　ago　from　Ash　Fork；　Williams　and　Flagstaff；　it　was　left　for　the　Tusayan　Development　Company　of　New　York；　who　owned　a　group　of　copper　mines　located　twenty　miles　south　of　the　head　of　Bright　Angel　Trail；　actually　to　build　the　railway　part　way　to　the　Canyon。　It　was　later　extended　to　the　rim　by　the　Santa　Fe；　and　afterwards　practically　rebuilt。　The　original　purpose　was　to　reach　the　mines　referred　to　and　convey　the　ore　to　Williams；　where　the　smelter　then　erected　is　to　be　seen　on　the　hillside　east　of　the　town。

The　promoter　of　the　mines　and　railway　was　〃Bucky〃　O'Neill；　a　prominent　Arizona　citizen；　at　one　time　mayor　of　Prescott；　who　became　world…famous　by　his　tragic　death　during　the　charge　of　the　Rough　Riders　at　San　Juan　Hill。

The　First　Four　Miles。　Striking　due　north；　the　railway　passes　over　masses　of　malapais；　or　lava　float；　until；　four　miles　out；　it　crosses　Havasu　（Cataract）　Creek。　If　the　rains　are　just　over；　the　rough　rocks　will　be　entirely　covered　and　hidden　by　a　gorgeous　growth　of　sunflowers　and　lupines；　the　yellows　and　purples　making　a　carpet　that；　in　the　brilliant　sunlight；　fairly　dazzles　the　eye。　Here　and　there　a　band　of　sheep　may　be　seen；　with　straggling　herds　of　cattle　and　horses。　In　the　winter　time　it　is　not　unusual　to　find　snow　covering　the　plateau；　for　it　must　not　be　forgotten　that　it　has　an　elevation　of　nearly　seven　thousand　feet。　During　the　early　summer；　before　the　rains；　it　is　often　barren　and　desolate。

Yet　at　all　seasons　the　slopes　of　Williams　Mountain　are　charming　and　beautiful。　The　tender　and　vivid　tones　of　the　evergreen　trees　that　cover　it　render　it　a　restful　and　attractive　feature　of　the　landscape。

Havasu　Creek。　Havasu　Creek　flows　above　ground　for　several　miles；　then　disappears　to　make　a　subterranean　stream；　which　finally　emerges　in　wonderful　volume；　in　a　thousand　springs；　in　the　heart　of　Havasu　Canyon；　just　above　the　village　of　the　Indians　of　the　same　name。　Crossing　it；　four　miles　from　Williams；　the　railway　enters　a　belt　of　cedars　and　junipers；　passes　Red　Lake；a　volcanic　sink…hole；　which；　at　rare　intervals；　is　filled　with　water。

Deer　and　Antelope。　For　a　dozen　miles　the　road　passes　through　a　series　of　charming　parks；　where　deer　and　antelope　are　sometimes　seen。　While　driving　his　train　through　one　of　these　parks；　early　in　December；　1907；　S。　O。　Miller；　one　of　the　engineers　of　the　Grand　Canyon　Railway；　saw　a　majestic　black…tailed　deer　running　a　little　ahead　of　his　engine。　Suddenly　the　beautiful　creature　turned；　tried　to　cross　the　track；　and　was　instantly　killed。　Stopping　the　train；　Miller　got　help；　and　it　took　four　men　to　lift　the　dead　animal　and　place　it　on　the　engine。　The　skin　and　head　were　mounted。　The　animal　is　so　perfect　and　royal　a　specimen　that　the　owner　says　a　thousand　dollars　could　not　purchase　it　from　him。

Miller　rather　enjoys　the　distinction　of　being　the　only　known　deer　hunter　of　the　West　who　has　chased　his　game　and　killed　it　with　a　locomotive。

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。　No