The Universalist., 1895-08-17

InrOugn cavernS meaSureleSS 70 man,
Down to sunless MAN."
But the greatest of all the expert
ences yet remained-the descent into
the bottom of the Canyon, to where
the red river Colorado, redcolor)
flowed. The picturesque guide and
owner of the trail, John Hance, de-
clined going, as no one but myself
wished to descend, but kindly depar-
ted from his rule and furnished me a
sure hoofed horse, and we two began
the descensats AUerni, to which, how
ever, the word fdcilis does not be-
long. l cannot hint the difficulties
and terrors of the way. Under over
hanging precipices thousands of feet
above, with detached masses that it
seemed breath might send hurting
into space, and fill it's ruinous path
way with distinctions splinters; on
the verge OF chasms that looked down
into ever lower depths -"Tartarean
acknowledgements of feet below;
up ascents that required every mus
Gle of biped and quadruped to scale;
down descents where it seemed i'm
possible to ride, and where the horse
seemed sure to execute summersaults;
round peaks and points where the
animal could only get one end round
at time, and where it seemed certain
that it was impossible to keep all
four feet on the narrow trail, just
scarfed on the face of the lodges;
limestone, sandstone, lava, archaic
rock, formation after formation was
passed, and it was easy to see just
how the earth's foundations were
laid; how the great Architect had
placed stratum on stratum, from the
igneous foundations up through the
strata, each of which in turn was the
surface, or the ancient sea- bottom,
and how the volcanoes poured their
molten streams, and were followed
by the ice-ages, when that chief tool
o. Omnipotence-the glacier -hewed,
carved, sculptured and ornamented
pediment and entablature, and round
ed the boulder, and produced the
strange shapes that people with gran
deur this awesome retreat of desola-
tion.
Scarcely tree or plant, except the
cactus has foothold on the precipi-
tous walls. Hardly voice or sound
of bird or living creature in all the
seven miles, and nearly seven thous-
and feet of descent. No human being
within miles, the almost lifeless soil
tude and death-like stiffness made
one feel as though he were the last
man and were wandering downward
to the abode of eternal silence and
death. After many experiences in
mountain climbing this days venture
will always stand out unique, and the
long day of four hours descending
and FIVE returning"solitary and alone"
will remain by itself, grand, gloomy
and peculiar" No pencil, however
daring, no pen, however cunning, no
tongue, however eloquent can give an
adequate impression to the eye, ear,
or mind of another, of this grandest
display of creative energy and power,
where, if anywhere on earth Deity
has expressed his power in the
heights, the depths. the vastness, the
sublimity the infinite variety, the
weird righteousness of which the
everlast ng rocks are capable. And
/ am sure that no one who has ever
gazed on the stupendous spectacle
will dispute me when / say that
whether looked at from above or be-
low, in the transparent monday light
or in the soft illusion of sunset, reveal
ing while concealing-in the darkness
of storm, or in the dim mystery of
moonlight, the Grand Canyon is
among material objects, the "Greatest
Thing in the World"
Disguised with the feeble terms l
have thrown at this great Spectacle,
let me close with the words of G. A.