The New York herald., 1871-01-11
THE COLORADO CANYON.

Lecture by Major j. =. Powell, the Explorer.
Major J. s. Powell, who has explored the Great
Canyon OF the Colorado river, lectured that sub
Ject last evening In the Parker Institute BROOKLYN
under the auspices Of the Long Island Historical
Society. The lecture hall was pretty well crowded.
While the gallant Major certainly lay no great
Claim to the title OF q public lecturer, 1t may be
justly conceded that he has. very pleasant
conversational style OF telling wnat he has heard
and seen. He spoke in a rather low ana
somewhat indistinct tone of voice. He described
the distinct portions OF the country the Colorado
stating that very little water fell In tie rim or the
basin of one portion. For hundreds of miles the
river had cut It's way through narrow, winding
gorges, the whole place cut as were, into laby.
rnth Fer days and days you might go on ana
find 1t impossible TO select q place where you
could climb up. This region Of the Colorado
was a region OF great wonders. Many curious
tales were told OF these pIaces-of persons
wandering along the cliffs and persling for want OF
the water which rolled below them, and which they
were unable to reach When the indians found that
he was e0ug through those places they looked at
him more as devil than man. In some parts Of
The lecturer referred to his adventures with his
four boats until lie came to the junction OF
THE GRAND AND GREEN RIVERS
Here his party took astronomical observations,
and be found the lateral canon coming in at the
junction OF the two streams. II was very narrow In
wide. They also found lateral caves. There
WAS word OF beauty and grandeur above them:
fs lateral canon edges uf rock stretching high up
and the deep Qorges, filled With everlasting SHOWS
the whole scene resplendent, IN the noon day sun,
win The Eiories OF heaven. tAppiause) The
waters plunged on. forming series OF waves diff
ferent ffon the waves OF the They went to
Cataract Canon the walls OF the cadon were hlgn,
mountain OF rock He stated that where they
had great nonDfain ranges there were wrinkles
or holes In tne earth; aud, pointing to his diagrams
he showed that there were great walls OF rock, or
sandstone, of limestone aud OF orange and vernlil-
Ion sandstone, cut OH from this range--In fact
nineteen thousand feet OIL rock washed away from
this range. The Cataract Canon he alluded 10 a. a
region ol native rock; there was no vegetation TO
relieve the scenery they came through. They then
came 10 Mound Canon, 20 called from the mounds
ret on the walls OF the canon. In other places In.
stead OF tho rock being worn back 1t was cut out
vertically with the lateral CANON
MAJOR Powell described Monument Canon, and
the chocolate and vermilion sandstone. They passed
through there for days, until they arrived at Marble
Canon. The orange and rerm.lioD clifls could be
seen irom tsis place 900 feet high and seme
~
THOSE CLIFFS
We're $500 feet hige.s The water danced, waltzed
~ way alopy the canon. rolling down in cascades.
one part ol the wall seemed 10 be set with ten
OF thousand jets, and the spray, being exposed
10 the action Of the snn,seL the entire scene agow
with heavenly beauty. The Grand Canon OF the
Colorado $50 miles IN length. The rocks wonId
be cut IN lateral canoBs almost everywhere
The southern bend cut through granite and the
walls were 100 feet, or apont one mpe high. Look
the dark gorge, the river looked
LIKE A SILVER THREAD
You could not see the course Of the rver, owing TO
Us windings, more than 200 or 500 feet ahead Every.
oriS carved In the rock; sorpething TO siarie You
" you went on day after day through that awe. |
nspir1n.x scene. MAJOR Powell concluded by giving
~ sccocV of Dis arrival At An indiaD village |