Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-05-21
For the Ellsworth Americana
Our Trip.


pllment to the old troHtiersmen that modern
engineering throughout most of the
mountain passes, in fact everywhere that
we went, has found nothing better than
following the general trails searched out
by them. Halfway up the grade we pass
through the great tunnel" and little
later by the ruins of the gateway, an
adobe inn kept in the early days by an old
frontiersman, who not only charged for
his hospitality, but also demanded one
dollar for every traveller, who crossed his
dominion "a toll" 1t was called. 1t Is the
only accessible pass for scores of miles
and at times his income WAS considerable.
Slowly We climb one hundred and sixty
feet to the mile until at Ration we have
reached the divide 1900 fl. above sea level.
The sisters still tower ZOO feet above us
to the west. One or two In the car pant
a little upon exertion. but the most of US
suffer no discomfort from the rarefed air
A short rest and We are on again. very
soon upon level plain COCO feet high, in
| reality the summit of a great mountain
At this point it is about hfty miles wide,
an unbroken and seemingly desolate waste.
We shall ride nearly the whole day on the
summit of this mountain range diversified
by every conceivable change OF country.
| The plateau of which we now speak, just
beyond Ration has upon it the ranch of the
redOubtable Colonel Ingersoll, who, we are
told, is interested with Senator Dorsey in
the ownership of a large ranch, which we
see on the right. A gentleman whom we
! do not care TO dispute tells US that the
| land way up here is very fertile when
water is supplied. Some of the party
asked our informant with carefully yelled
satire How many rivers does it take to
the acre? Certainly the air was oppres-
| sively dry and hot, the soil looked like an
ash heap, the dust obliged us to close every
window. and yet everywhere were mean
looking cattle and horses. and everywhere,
too, were bones of these poor creatures
frozen, it was said during the cold OF
winter.
| must not pause however much wish
to DO so to speak in detail of the ride
across New Mexico and Arizona 1t is
Kaleidoscope of rapid change. the most
desolate that can be imagined Now we
are rushing across plain mile or twenty
miles wide; now through a canon so mar
row, so steep and high that our necks ache
in peering at the top. It, sides rent
and ridlird with uorUps spi Couptar 4
ons, its bottom heaped with great boui-
ers any one of which would make re-
spectacle hill At home. Then We reach q
lava field" Here the molten mass had
been poured out in streams Of VARYING
thickness over plain and while cooling
There were tracts where some terrible up
heavsl beneath had burst through. scatter
ing the melted rock out over its bed and
leaving it in every form of wild confusion.
| may say for myself that never magined
a scene OF such awful desolstion a scene
from which we almost shrink and wish 10
be away from as the lava beds Of New
Mexico and Arizona. The valley Of the
Rio Grande, in the former state which we
trsversed for some distance, is to be eX-
cepted.
The Pueblo Indians, who have a grant
along the valley. are industrious farmers
and herdsmen. This tribe mas long been
known for its contrast to other tribes in
this section of the country. They have
always been peaceful and industrious. A
village of adobe houses which we passed |
inhabited by members of this tribe, was
curious from the fact that the entrance to
each dwelling is upon the Hat root. Much
of the labor, as making baskets, prepari ne
wood for the IRE, etc, Is also done upon
the roof. The houses are quite large.
standing close together, and in many cases
there is 4 walk from one roof to that OF d
neighbours. The custom of building thus,
Is said TO arise from its giving them better !
means Of defending themselves from the I
msrauding tribes that formerly proved .
upon them.
We were so fortunate. just after enter
ing this state. a. to make the acquaintance ,
among our fellow passengers OF Il gentle
country was of great value to US. His I
gentle manners, his great dignity and the |
surprising generosity he displayed in Civ
ing US his services and time. so endeared 4
him to US all that fear my judgment of /.
him may be colored. | cannot recall man
that have ever known, whose knowledge, 4
not only Of the Western country, but also
of all else, was so varied and extensive as
his and he was SO unconscious of ii ALL As
soon a. he found that our mission was to
learn all We could of the country he enter
ed as heartily into the spirit of it ss our
selves. He was journeying to Arizona to
visit mine which he owned there, but
after long acquaintance of twenty-four
hours, he concluded much TO our gratifi-
cation to stop with US at Peach Springs. +!
Arizona, and visit the Grand Canon of |
the Colorado River. 1t was purely an act |
of hospitality on his part, but how much !
it added to our pleasure and knowledge, |
1t would be hard to tell. He knew all of
the meagre history of this spot as well as
the legends connected with it. countless in
number, and of the varied vegetation seen
on that long ride there was none with
which he was not familiar. We learned
afterward that he is one of the supreme
judges of the State of Missouri, and this
incident is related as illustrating the hospi-
tality that we met with everywhere.
1t was o'clock of beautiful afternoon
when our train pulled up at Peach Springs. /
Yes, dear reader, ! will spare you; | will
attempt no description Of that wonderful
place. but will pause for little to tell you
how We got there and what it is Since
reading years ago report by Major Powell,
the only man living who has seen it all, |
have wished to see the Grand Canon Ii
the young reader who owns an atlas will |
open it at the map of the United States, |
it will be found that the Colorado River in |
its course traverses the northwest portion |
of Arizona. Running its course through |
this state it passes through the centre of |
long range of mountains, that ages ago |
either cracked lengthwise for 400 miles |
through the whole range, or, as some
biologists believe, the rest is of glacial |