Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-07-29


groups ON the stems Of O cactus that was
Ike hugo bear; groucs Of painted cups
were seen here and there, with yellow bios
SONS protruding through scarlet bracts.-
Little blue-eyed flowers were hid away In
the grass, and the air was fragrant with n
white flower of the family "Rosacee." A
mountain brook runs through the midst.
which below was damned by beaver.
Twas quiet place for retirement from the
raging waters of the canon.
Well, am only half way down IL This
camp, and my letter is now long. I'll wsite
again. Good night.
JUNE z, 1S69.-On the 18th of June we
came down into Browns Hole. Half way
down the valley spur of the Red Noun
tain stretches across the river, which cuts
canyon through it, Here the walls arc
comparatively low, but vertical, and vast
multitudes of swallows have built their
adobe houses on their sides. Tho waters
are deep and quiet; but the swallows s.te
swift and noisy enough, sweep az about IN
their curved paths through The air and
chattering from the rocks, the young birds
stretching their little heads on naked nccks
through the doorways of their mud nests
and clamoring for food. They are lively
people.
So we called this Swallow Canon. Still
water Canon was suggested as aname. Still
down the quiet river We glide until an ear
Fly hour in the afternoon, when we went
into camp under a giant cottonwood tree,
standing little way back from the river,
ON the right bank. By night wild geese
and ducks had been shot and mess OF
good fish taken. We have q good supply
of fish usually, and some birds, though the
birds are not fine eating just now.
The next day, with one of the men,
climbed up mountain off on the right. A
long spur with broken lodges of rock, juts
down nearly to the river. Along its crest
or up the hog bank, as it is called, made
the climb. Dunn, who was climbing tc
the same point, went up the gulch. Two
hours of hard work brought us to the SUN
nit. These mountains are all yerdure
clad pine and snow-clad mountains arr
seen in the distance to the west. The
plains of tho upper green stretch out Il
the north until they are lost in the blue
heavens, but the half of its river cleft range
intervenes, and the river valley itself Is o.
our feet. These mountains beyond the
river are split into long ridges nearly para
lell with me valley. On the further ridg,
to the north four creeks are formed. Thes,
cut through the intervening ridges-one o
which is higher than that on which thel
head-by canon gorges: then they run il
gentle curves across the valley to the river
their banks set with willows, box elder
and aspen groves. To the east you 1ool
, up the Valley of the Vermillion up whicl
Fremont found his path on his way to tn
parks of Colorado.
That night my sleep was sweet, undo
, the cotton wood tree. At daybreak a cho
/ rus of birds awokc me. 1t seemed q
{ though oil the birds of the region In.
, come to the old tree several species @
: warblers, and meadow-larks i'm great Nun
ibers, with wood-peckers and fiickers, an
! wild geese in the river / reclined on IA
elbow and watched meadow-lark in Tn
: grass near by for time, and then wok
! my bed-fellow to listen to my Jennie Lind
A morning concert for me, hone of you
, matinees. Our cook has been an ox-drivel
! or s.bull-whacker, on the plains in one c
; those long trains now seen no more, an
, he has learned their ways In the yer
midst of the concert his voice broke In
"'Roll out! roll out bulls in the corral
chain up the gap roll ont ! roll out !" wit
voice like that of the wagon-boss an
i night-herder combined and multiplied b
two.
Our next days journey was TO this point
the head of the canon, made by the river
where it turns 10 the southwest and cut
through the southern half of the range
This morning climbed to the summit q
the cliff ON the left in one hour and thir
teen minutes, and found it above CAM
two thousand and eighty-six feet. Tn
rocks are split with assures deep and mar
row, sometimes q hundred feet 10 the bot
tom. A grove of lofty pines find root n
assures that are filled with loose earth IN,
decayed vegetation. On rock found
pool of clear, cold water, caught from yes
terlay's shower. After good drink
walked out TO tho brink CT the cliff al
looked down into the waters below. Ai.t
yet l cannot look on quietly and see an
other do the same. i must either beg hin
to come away, or turn my back aud leave
The canon walls are buttressed ON
grand scale, and deep alcoyes arc cut ont
ragged crags crown the cliffs, and there 4,
the river roaring below While 1 write,
am sitting on the same rock where | raj
last spring. with Mrs. Powell, looking down
| into this canon. When i came down, nj
noon, the sun shone in splendor on its yer
million walls, shaded into green and era,
when the rocks are ichened over The
river fills the channel from wall to wall
The canon opened Ikea beautiful portal tc
region of glory. Now, as write, the sun
is going down and the shadows are setting
in the canon. The vermillion CLEANS and
rosy hues. the green and gray tints, are
changing to sonibro brown above, and
black shadows below. Now It's CRANE
portal 10 region OF gloom.
And that is the gateway through which
We enter on our voyage of exploration to
morrow and what shall We find?