Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-06-08
~ VIVA iSaas isa1aSgsnAasssnss.ss-,,
The Deepest Gorge in the
World. IA
ArIIopa Miner. y

aract creek, inhabited by Ava Supais, a
Tribe OF Indians numbering all told 200
souls. The party was known as the
beekman and Young prospecting expe-
dition. They went from Williamson
valley to the Bill Williams range, and
then to Pine Spring, small watering
place surrounded by pine forest.
Here they found every indication of an
old sea bed, the gravel and rocks being
round and smooth, similar to those in
the ocean bed. From Pine Spring the
party directed their course for the Ava
Supai village, which is reached by de-
scending from the table or mass land
one of the toughest trails ever travelled
by man for n distance of fourteen miles
dropping 5000 feet. AT places along
the trail we are told that it is not over
twenty inches wide, and winds around
the perpendicular walls of sandstone
mat loom above for hundreds of feet.
whlle on the other side dark, deep can
yons exist, hundreds upon hundreds Of
ieet deep, where, by one fllse step or
move, man or beast would be sent TO
eternity. With great care and good
luck ten ofthe party succeeded in reach
ing the village, three of tllom RETURNING,
rather than run the gauntlet in passing
1 n
down into this awful yet marvellous
crevice in the earth.
The Ava Supais practice polygamy,
each male having about three wives.
They have 1000 acres of farming land.
which is described as being of a yellow
lsh color and mostly composed of sand
however, il is said to produce good corn,
pumpkins, melons and beans, with the
aid of irrigatng water, of which they
have an abundance, and appropriate by
means of u good ditch around their farm.
They lave q peach orchard of $50 trees,
which were on the LIST of April loaded
with small peaches about the size of
Rcorns. .l.rsew r,e.
The party waswell received by these
red people, who stated that their great
est desire was to be left alone in the en-
loymentof their hand ana their proper
ly, Their houses are built with poles in
rude manner and matched over with
bear grass and thule. The only stock
they have are few ponies. NE.. t..
Cataract creek heads in the Bill VIII
liams and San Francisco mountains, the
streams connecting some distance above
the Indian village. This stream cmpties
into the big Colorado fifteen miles be-
low the Ava Supai town and a short dis
lance south of the Junction Of the Little
and Big Colorado rivers.
The party attempted to explore Cata-
ract creek to its confluence with the Col
orado, but were unable to do so from the
fact that they encountered precipice af-
ter precipice from 100 to 300 feet per-
pendicular, and it was in the foolhardy
attempt Of ID. w. Mooney, of williams
Valley, to descend one of these perpen-
dicular preciplces, 100 feet down, that
he was dashed to sudden and rocky
tomb, where he now rests as he fell, his
companions being unable to rescue his
body from that awful and ubyssmal
grave. Mr.. Mooney was persuaded by
his companions not to attempt such an
absurd undertaking, their importantly
availcd not He took Il small rope, hard
ly half an iuch in diameter, tied one end
to n bank, suspended 1t over the brink,
then taking hold of the rope, was soon
dangling between the bright heavens
and the dark, dismal gorge below. Evil
IDENTIFY crarnp came in his arms or his
mind gave way and he fell from almost
tho top TO this rocky and lonely grave
below The party remained nearly two
days, diyising ways aud means to rcscne
the corpce, but with failures, as no ono
cared to risk descent upon the weak
rope. The Indians informed the party
Tint no one man ever passed through the
canyon; that, IN fact, passage was on
~ possible for the birds of the mir or the
spirits Of The dead,
The party rctraccd their steps and
went around Cataract creek to the Grand
Canyon Of the Colorado. They took in
this peculiar freak Of nature and describe
the walls, which are about perpendicu.
lar, rs being about two miles from the
apex to the water Where they beheld
the Grand Canyon The water is describe
cd ne being 100 yards across; still, from
the elevated view Of the explorers, the
furious stream appeared TO he n silver
thread Of only q few inches In width.
A canyon two miles deep Is grand
wonder, which will, when the thirty
nClh parallel road is completed, draw
thousands 0t wonder seekers annually to
behold tie deepest gorge In the world,
In going to the Grand Canyon, the par
~ passed through Prospect valley, near
the Colorado, and had the pleasure Of
beholdlng Rldcnour 4 Zimmcrmml's
copper mine, which Is found imbcdcd
between two solid sandstone walls, II
thing unknown elsewhere Ia The world.
The ore from this mine IL worth from Co
to 90 per cent, and \ chunk Of almost
pure copper weighing at least u ton le no
uncommon thing to find. The death of
Mr. Mooney, which took place April !
frustrated the plans Of the party, aud
th.tr nriaIt,al ,tan of nNu1nrtu., nuJ ,,rns-