The Newtown bee., 1904-03-18

a uniform yellowish gray, which went
sliding along at our approach and hid
ing among the bushes. One which
started up almost under our horses
feet, gave a few notes wonderfully
clear and sweet, before he slanted
down into the nearest clump of bushes.
There are no crows, properly speaking,
but "ravens," which are "just the
same, onlx different" namely, twice as
large. Over one of the farthest peaks
I saw huge bird which may have
been hawk, but suspect an eagle.
The guide says that there is an occas-
ional rattlesnake, but these are not
plentiful. While our winter coats are
fairly comfortable the weather is not
cold. When we started out for our
drive this morning I noticed that the
thermometer stood at 80 degrees
above. In the sunshine it is much
warmer.
February 9, 1904.
We have staid over one more day
just as I told you last night that we
thought of doing, and tomorrow we
shall start for the Grand Canyon. Aft
er breakfast we started out for q walk
to the old Indian fort and the Hero
glyphic Rocks, some pictures of which
you will see in the circulars that sent
with my letter Yesterday. The land
across to the foot of the mesa is as
level as the house floor. 1t is some
two to two and half miles..across. We
started up seven rabbits, big gray fel-
lows, six of which one could have cas-
lily got with gun, and three sat up
and looked at us, so as to have been
pretty rifle shots. We saw more of
the sparrow-like birds spoke Of yes
terday, and a coyote. just at the foot
of the bluffs we scared up huge owl,
who flew little ways and then lit, so
that we could see him plainly with the
naked eye, and the glass brought out
every line and feather and marking.
He was beauty, and when he flew he
looked as though his wings were fully
as long as those of the largest hen
hawk. 1t was a splendid tramp, and
but for the mud we would have enjoyed
every step Of the way. When l say
mud 1 don't mean anything like what
1 have always before called mud. This
is mixture of clay, glue and India
ruber. 1t was not muddy in any ordi-
nary acceptance of the term. The top
was slightly moist, as it would be on q |
frosty morning when the sun first |
struck the ground. But every scrap Of |
that "slightly moist" earth stuck to
our shoes, and after quarter Of amile |
1 looked down to find that every step |
1 took was crowding the'mud below up |
over the sides of my overshoes, till my |
shoes must have weighed at least a |
pound. No amount of stamping or
rubbing will take it off. A stick and
many vigorous punches is required.
When it. once dries nothing can get it
off. don't wonder that the Indian
and Mexican houses stand a century
when built of the stuff. I saw the
children last night, after they came
from school, sitting in the back door
working away at their shoes with a
knife, and they were saving away
much as / have seen a blacksmith
work on horses hoof. or the cliffs
and ruins there is not much to tell.
Along one of the bluffs for miles are
the queer Indian figures cut in the
We spent hours climbing
about them. forever finding some new
/ i;ture more curious than the last.
The oil fort is in somewhat ruined j;
condition, and therehave Eeen too many
people there to have anything of any
value there, but we found quite num-
Der of broken pieces Of old Indian pot
terry. We have had delightful time
here, and if had plenty of money and 1