The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-27
The Colorado Plateau.
INational Repository FOR pecember. j

uC III % 90 P0SApAS'
The Colorado Plateau.
National Repository for December.l
1t must be borne in mind that the
numerous tributaries of the Colorado
have subdivided the entire plateau into
hundreds of table-lands; and the trav
eler. ifhe be taking an overland journey
westward from the Rocky Mountains,
with the Grand Canon as his goal, will
not find the best of roads for himself or
his patient pack-mule. The close of
long day of such journeying is hailed
with supreme Joy. The fatigue of ten
hours in the saddle, going from peak to
peak, from valley to valley, and acress
table-lands of soft marls, is, perhaps, in
the end, good for the general constitu-
tion, but toward sunset the only end
worth living for is the end of the day.
The hungering for repose is evident in
the serious mien and silent lips of the
men. The pack-train does not come to
its camping ground, therefore, with the
hilatity, the fux of spirits, with which
it set off In the morning. If the march
has been a serious one, thirty miles, say,
the mules are jaded, the horses catch at
an occasional green shrub for bit OF
provehder. The first anxiety is water !;
in fact, the end of days toll is solely
determined by the desired arrival at a
brock or water-poeket. Not long ago it
was my great privilege to be admitted
into the study of Mr.. Edwin E. Howell,
n regular qeologist's denl Beside dom
ming genuine Indian blankets, and strid-
ing arotind with as fierce and savage a
look as an unusually good-natured tame
American could possibly assume, he
kindly related some personal anecdotes
connected with explorations in the West.
A division of the party thder Lieuten-
ant George NJ Wheeler, to which Mr..
Howell was attached, was endeavoring
to>reaeh the defile of the Colorado River,
which was, at the beginning of days
march, not many miles distant, as was
supposed. Filling their cafiteens from
the water of the gorge where they had
camped, the five men set out, hoping to
drink of the Colorado that nightl 1t
soon became evident that the distance
was deceiJing; gaining eminence after
eminence, the Grand Canon seemed as
far away as at first, and no promise OF
water in all the weary stretch. A consul
tation was held. 1t was agreed that the
defle left in the morning was their last
chance of water, and that lay sixteen
miles behind them, and the Colorado
many more ahead. Mr.. Howell and
another irrepressible, determined to push
on, if it took all summer, while the
others turned back to " the last chance
as they expressed it. And to this day
that canon is known and named on the
maps as "Last Chance Canon" formed
by a junction of the Grand and Green.
The Grand River has its source In the
Rocky Mountains. The Green River
rises In the Wind River Mountains.
Both have sources in alpine lakes, fed by
melting SHOWS. Thousands of these
picturesque lakes, with deep, cool,
emerald waters, are embosomed among
the crags of the Rocky Mountains.
These streams, born in the gloomy
solitxdes of the mountain regions, have
strange, eventful history as they pass
down through gorges, tumbling in cas-
cades and cataracts, until they reach the
hot, arid plains of the Lower Colorado,
where the waters, that were go clear
above, empty as turbid floods into the
Gulf of California. Including the
Green River, which is really the upper
continuation of the Colorado, the whole
length of the stream is about two thous-
and miles, The plateau is divided into
two distinct portions. The lower third
is but little above the level of the sea,
though here and there ranges of noun
tains rise to an altitude of from two to
six thousand feet. The upper two-thirds
lies from four to eight thousand feet
above the sea. The high region, on the
north, east, and west, is set with ranges
of snow-clad mountains, attaining an
altitude varying from eight to fourteen
thousand feet. All winter long, on its
mountain-crested rim, snow falls, filling
the gorges, half burying the forests, and
covering the crags and peaks with
mantle "woven by the wind from the
waves of the sea-" When summer
comes, this SHOW melts, and tumble:
down the mountain sides in millions Of
cascades. Ten million cascade brooks
unite to form ten thousand torren
creeks; ten thousand torrent creek
unite to form one hundred rivers, bese
with cataracts; one hundred roaring
rivers unite to form the Colorado! l
the explorer has plodded over rocks ant
sand, through sage-bush, over noun
tains, across gorges, all to see the wonder
full bed of these many waters, he come
to the very brink of the abyss almos
unawares. He finds himself standinl
on the edge of fissure awful beyon,
his widest dreams. He starts bac
amazed; a second time he draws neal
but nov cautiously, crawling on hand
and knees till his staring eyes peep owe
-down-down-more than mile int
the earthl He is seized with the CON
!. mon insane impulse to take one vii
: leap-hurling his littleness into nature
, immensity. He dislodges huge ston
, and pushes it over, watching it rol
| strike, bound, split, splinter, yet shoe
{ ing down till it seems to be annihilate
| in the illimitable depth; he conclude
he won't follow-just yet-you know.
5 WHEN Mr.. Vanderbilt drove lady Nj
S and Small Hopes on the Fleetwoc
e track in 2:23-the best double-tea
S time on record-he remarked that sti
better time could be made. Sma
Y Hopes, he said, had pulled the enti
e load, and with an equally handy al
C speedy mate could trot to the pole
: 2:20. He has been looking for bett
i mate, and has found him, as westel