Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-01-16
The Grand Canon Of the Colorado
in Arizona, and How We
Got There.

from Williams to Canon for the benefit
OF the copper mines, so it is very prob
able that no tourists will ever again ex-
perience the difficulties in getting to
the Grand Canon that have been over
come by the tourists in the past.
will tell you how we got there. One
party had to lie hungry on the noun
tain side until the driver went back to
get broken tire mended 1t took him
five hours. II hear that Flagstaff is
very small place, and overcrowded,
now, do you think it will be best to get
off r. 1--WE will get of at Flagstaff and
go to the Canon even if we have to
sleep in box car" The above remark
proved very cheering to me as / sat
pondering on the same subject. 1t
came from one of four "school-ma' ans"
that had just come in from Chalcydony
Park. May | join your party %
Yes, if you think you can keep up,'
said one, looking at my hair. We found
very nice rooms so missed the box car.
Before we left Flagstaff the railroad
company was obliged to leave car
sleepers to accommodate the tourists.
After dinner we got a carriage to take
us out to the cliffs to inspect the homes
of those queer little people that have
passed away SO many hundred years
ago. In many places the mason work
is still perfect. Those homes are built
on shelves, one above another, on the
mountain side, extending many miles.
We found a number of small broken
pieces of their pottery. 1t is very rare.
Mr.. Babbit, in Flagstaff, has few per-
feet pieces; also mummied chief thirty
inches long The skull contains large
well worn teeth On the way they
showed us the bottomless pit. During
the wet season, torrents of water rush
into it, to be seen no more. Of course
we went down as far as possible and
reached large crevice. Our watch
wcTd was Get to the top, or bottom, of
every place possible" When we re-
turned we engaged our passage for the
Canon. 1t was Saturday We were all
agreed MOTTO travel on Sunday so we
went to church. How good | felt for
once in my life not to be obliged to
look after myself. had only to keep
up'' to those four sprightly girls. One
was flower collector, ever on the look
out for something to press. Another
was ever on the watch for a bug or
horned toad or something to bottle.
The other two were only storing their
minds They had travelled before.
Early Monday morning our coaches
appeared. Oh such queer rigs. A
large old fashioned pack wagon on
springs 1t contained four seats, and
the drivers seat way up in front. At
tached to that was heavy three-seated
rig. The whole was drawn by six
/ hosses. As had found out something
of the dust, I asked the driver if |
might sit beside him. YES if you can
get up there" did. Up to this time
/ had never asked the distance. "Oh,
near seventy-five miles" | gasped,
but did not tumble off my seat. When
/ got my breath said eve cannot get
there in one day." Eyes, we drive like
fury, and get fresh horses at the end
of fifteen miles, The mountain driver
carries a sack of rocks, which he uses
with great dexterity to throw at the
laggard He throws them often in
such way that they bound and strike
one or two other horses,
The ride was enjoyable up above the
dust. Those in the rigs were calsomined
with it. The stories those westerners
will try to palm off on tourist are
wonderful. Just keep quiet and listen
and you will often be surprised. We
stopped at Cedar Ranch for dinner, and
that was the last water station. AT the
Canon they use water drawn twenty
miles. Asour driver could throw rocks
the surest, we arrived at Che hotel be-
fore the other rigs so got good rooms.
Before we left the floors were full, also
a number of tents Before going to
rest we engaged our ponies for going
down to the bottom of the Canon. For
the third time by only looking at me,
my endurance was questioned. We
knew before we went that we would
net have side saddles We would have
to ride mules or Mexican ponies on
Mexican saddle as a Mexican rides.
We were prepared outwardly, but in
our minds we were IA a-tremble.n
When we went out to mount one of the
cowboys said They'll bring the old
lady home on litter" but they didn't.
The distance to be travelled is seven
and one-haf miles The path is often
very steep / think in some places over
forty-fve degrees slant. In some places
steps are cut in the rock. The direc-
tions given are Let your rein lie on
the saddle and you are safe, the pony
knows; shut your eyes in dangerous
places, and for your life do not scream"
The girl that questioned my ability to
keep up did not dare take the trip.
The Canon comprises three plateaus.
Each plateau seven levels. The path
has over sixteen hundred sharp turns.
On the first level is the mine. On the
second there is spring We each car
ried canteen on our saddle bow. At
the bottom of the third level the heat is
often one hundred and twenty degrees
Farenheit. The climb is easier than
the descent The intelligence of the
ponies is wonderful. On our return
ride to Flagstaff | again got up with the
driver. At first he entertained me with
stories of broken wagon poles, over
turned coaches and such like. But the