Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-07-11

A beneAA Enc I<Ez. the vawn-
ing gulfs 40 black. silent.
swift movins IL water that
90 to make tks canon Of the
Colorado The sE natural won
der on khe cd <l1<: and / have
no overwheIn; <zlre 10 renew
their acqnaiuka
In the earlS eoon after the
completian of 5l1 Atlantic and
Pacific raiIxos. the pscific.
When iaznIxe zorlez III he
wonders Of the canon told by Ma
jor powell and bis brave band of
adyentnrers, public interest in the
canon ran high. Colonel Bill Ash
forth, well-known throughout the
southwest. established bi-weekly
stage line between the town of Ash
forth and the canon.
AT that time | was pretty we'll
known throughout northern Arizo-
ma and the Colorado country; and
had been connected in Q minor way
with one Of the canon exploring ex-
petitions. On account of my sup
posed familiarity with the canon, I
was employed By Colonel Ash forth
to guide tourists into its depths.
incidentally, was manager of the
little canon hotel.
From the terminus of the stage
line, a narrow, difficult trail led
down to the river; and, as q great
majority of the tourists wished to
make the decent, it was my duty to
guide them over this trail.
The trail was practically only on
foot. and at points it was danger
ous. One day there was an acci-
dent that came near resulting IA
tally, and. after talking the matter
over with my partner and cook,
Steve Olhausen, now of Randsburg,
California, / decided to make an
effort to discover another trail that
would lead tothe river and would
be less dangs s.. aud which, if
possible. might be made passable
for burros.
Accordingly, one fine morning, |
set ont eastward along the canon
rim, bent upon finding new route
to the river. ! had food sufficient
for three or four days, more than q
hundred feet of strong rope, nv
hatchet and knife; and / did not
feel that / was taking any risk in
veuturing into the canon alone.
There were several trails in the
immediate vicinity of the sehotel'
that led down to the first level and
we're practicable for burros; so /
did not greatly concern myself
about this drst two thousand feet;
but, when ! had proceeded some
six miles east. made my way down
to the first level by the quickest
route.
Once upon the frat level
reached it about midday began
to examine the rocky wilderness
about me with more care. l had
heard from some exploring geolo-
gists that there was q great fault in
the canon wall somewhere in this
region; and this was what sought.
might write details of my search
how clambered up cliffs and
crawled about the jutting points Of
rocks, and ell my weary trudging
to and fro; my disappointment at
finding that what promised to be
the very thing for which was
searching ended in an impossible
gorge or Q frowning cliff. but it
would interest few, if any. Suffice
to say that when night came l had
not progressed more than few
hundred feet below the first level.
/ was rather discouraged, and |
came near returning to the "ho-
tel" the following morning, with
ont making any further attempt to
reach the river.
However, / persesered, and about
nine o'clock / discovered q little
rivulet that led down, at q pretty
stiff angle, bat practicable never
theless. into the depths Of the can
on.
Pretty soon the riyulet turned
of over > precipics. bnt the gentle
slope Of the fault continued, and |
followed it.
More than once + got ont Of the
right way, and there we're two yswn-
ing chasms that had some diff
culkv In ornzrsnu kut 49, ~oraa