The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-26

now roam in peace and plenty. The
Apaches are not like the Pueblos, that
dwell on the mesas like swallows, nor
like the Navajoes, those pastoral peo-
pie. They are the one-time warriors
of Geronimo, still the independent
hunters that Will Drannan found in
'46. But they are superstitious and
never kill a bear or catch trout.
They would as soon shoot their grand
mothers-and a great deal sooner. SO
the country is literally overrun with
black bear. 1t is a rare experience
to light the pine cones beside the river
there-among the big trees. The old
dream of velison drying and skins
stretching on the logs of the shack
while the kind old guide talks pig
English with trading Indians and
smokes his pipe in the freight is re-
allied. In the middle of the summer
Al fitted out a scientist and college
professor named Lusk for this region
and only the other day the word reach
ed Los Angeles that he had killed the
biggest lion ever killed in Arizona. The
guide followed 1t with a firebrand into
its lair, and braved the terrible ami
NAL with a six-shooter. But that is
the professors story.
To the huntsman who is used to the
hills of New Hampshire or the Blue
Ridge Mountains in the Carolinas, the
scale of the landscape in Arizona will
seem enormous. AR all-day's tramp
will hardly cover a valley that seem
ed but little vale from an eminence
near by the camp. An all-day's gallop
will reveal as a great mountain what
seemed but little hill a few miles
off in the morning.
This is particularly true of the Grand
Canon, where Capt. Hance lives in
his imaginary past. Hance's endu-
rance and speed are notorious. AL
though he is to the eye very lean and
lanky, the old gentleman weighs 223
pounds-upon his honor.
"Yew wouldn't reckon it," says the
captain. "Well, by gravy, I do. l
weight 223 on any scales will weigh
that much"
Look here, now, captain, don't tell
me that" says a drummer, or some
body standing by.
I'll bet you $4,000 l weigh 223 pounds"
"Fiddlesticks, you haven't got $4,000;
you know you haven't"
I'D have you to understand" says
the testy old soldier, my check is as
good as my word" If you look right
close you can see him smile. People
say they have visited the Grand
Canon-as though it were not hundreds
of miles long and a fathonless wild
ClAGSS- mere 10 lIiuGGu d LOlCl Oll
the canon where the amazed traveller
can look across the thirteen miles of
chasms and cliffs. But If a person
loves to climb and explore and camp
away from all reach of the world, here
is his opportunity. Men talk of noun
tain climbing. The old negro who
stood for hours on the brink, scratch
ing his wool, was right about the
canon. He stood motionless for hours
to him and inquired:
What do you think of it, eh?"
Lord" replied the darkey, II can't
think. I reckon the whole Rocky
Mountains wuz pulled out'n dat pro-
clivity."
Two young and husky college grad
yates turned up at Hance's ranch,
twenty miles from the railroad, last
summer. They said that they wanted
to try the canon where it was wild
and presented something new and diff
fieult. An old-timer about the place
showed them the Red Canon trail, and
allowed it would fill the bill
He gave them salmon lines to put out
overnight, and forewarned them
against the mountain lions that leaves
their tracks in the sand The boys laid
in stock of bread and eggs and set off
for an exploration of the mysteries of
and winding about among the many-
colored mountains that have been cut
out by the ages, the trail from Hance's
runs for ten mortal miles into the
heart of the earth--runs down 1000
feet. and leads out on a beautiful
beach of sand. These fellows went
down very easily in three hours and
a half. They built their fire of drift
wood on the white beach. Here the
oh CnInra do in re I~1lcb
under mountain-a mountain as large
as Mt. Washington.
1t is warm. down there, and the soft
cOlors of the rocks multiply under the
inspiration of the sinking sun. Then
all at once it is night. So deep are
the shadows, and so ineXpressibly far
above is all creation, that deadly
lonesomeness creeps in with the hol-
low rush of the water. The boys put
out their salmon lines, and sat on the
sand in the circle of the fire, as far
from civilization as they ever hoped
to get. A great shrek filled the rocky
recesses with echoes. 1t was prolong
ed, and sounded to one like donkey.
1t sounded to the other like a lion,
and he piled the driftwood until the
shadows danced on the opposite cliff
All night the driftwood was piled on,
and in the meantime the adventures
would try to sleep. But the laws of
the earth do not hold down there.
Sometimes the stream sounds like a
stream flowing over the pebbles--then
of a sudden 1t grows into a thunder
ing roar, as If flood were approach
ing, and the gigantic walls reverberate
with catastrophe. Then the noise is
gone. A moment later railroad train
is heard coming from the other direc-
ton. 1t is nothing but the delusive
song of the wild river.
Morning was a blessing. Before 6
o'clock the travellers were on their way
to pass out of the famous camping
ground. All morning they walked, fol-
lowing the trail up many a gorge and
over the peaks of lesser hills. But by
noon they were still far far below tne
surface. and their strength began to
fail The canon is pitiless. Their steps
became more frequent, their advances
shorter. And finally when they came
to the foot of the great precipice that
leads out, one of them could go no
further. The other fellow managed to
get out, going 100 steps at time, and
lying on his back ten minutes every
stop.
Believe me, there is great opportuni-
ty for strong men given to climbing,
or fellows who never can find places
wild enough in these civilized DAYS.
-s-e-S
Several old members Of the house