Arizona republican., 1905-11-10

Fort Apache, AriZ., Nov. 5.-(Spec1al correspondence of The Republican.)- Since coming to Arizona nineteen months ago, my hearts desire has been to make a trip to the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, realizing that this doubtless is the one chance of life time, as I will never be nearer that marvel of nature than now. A lady friend here was to accompany me, but when matters transpired to alter her plans, I, nothing daunted, started out alone on the overland mail team to Holbrook, 96 miles away, from there to go by rail to the Canyon.
 The long, dusty drive came to an end and the black smoke of the train just pulling out of Holbrook looked and smelled good to me, the first train had seen for nearly two years. After resting a day at the Apache House, a cozy, home-like little hotel, I took the Santa Fe train at the next morning. arriving at Williams the next after noon, but missing connection with the Grand Canyon train, had a few hours in which to look about the little, breezy stirring western town. Plenty of Mex jeans and Indians in evidence, and the stores hold wonderful collections Of curios, and Mexican drawnwork which would make the eyes of eastern ladies glisten. Those who have made the handkerchiefs and small doilies know how dainty and intricate the work is, and the patience and ingenuity of these Mexicans seem simply wonder full when we look at the tea cloths pillow shams, sideboard scarfs and such large pieces with but a small center of plain linen, the rest being solid drawnwork of the most elaborate patterns, which it would seem must take months of close application This work sells very reasonably. I pur- chased four pieces of the most beauti- ful designs on best quality linen, prices ranging from $400 to $9.0O. The piece for which paid $9OO we would con- slider worth s25.OO had we to make it. Their silver filigree work, of which I have some specimens, shows the finest art of the silversmith, and is done by them with the crudest of instruments.
 At six was on the Canyon branch train, and very nearly had the expe- rience that night of being in wash out" it having rained hard in the mountains for couple of hours pre-
 
 the roadbed in places, so our train crept slowly forward inch by inch, and as we looked from the windows we could see the water glistening on both sides. At Il we pulled in and went di- rectly to a hotel and to bed, very tired with the long days journey and ex- citement attendant on the latter part of it.
 T -I1 for my first glimpse of the wonderful Grand Canyon of the Colorado. Step- ping on to the broad veranda I looked out into a grove of immense pines, with glimpses of blue sky between, and a second and third hotel stretching out at each side, with white tents glim- mering here and there. Walking slow ly forward hundred yards, something "a picture-began to take form through the thinning trees, and then all at once. without any warning the earth opened before me. I stood upon the brink of what seemed to me to be a bottomless pit. The suddenness, the surprise the revelation rooted me to the spot. With a gasp l raised my eyes and the whole magnificence of the Grand Canyon burst upon me, or burst upon that; no one could be pre- pared for it. For minutes, hours il might be- chung to the stone parapet motionless, hardly daring to breathe It is a scene to strike one dumb with awe, or to unstring the nerves. One might stand in silent astonishment another would burst into tear-. Al about me were those like myself talk ing their first look, and everywhere was the silence of deep feeling and awe, with an occasional hushed eX- clamation. What tongue can describe the scene? Who can describe the in- describable? No pen, no brush can dc it justicel The vastness of the view amazed me quite as much as its glo- rious beauty. There is no preparation for it. Unless you had been told, you would no more dream that out there amid those pines the flat earth is slashed to the depth of mile or more than you would expect to find an ice berg on the street in July. With ar ordinary running jump from the spot where I got my first glimpse of the canyon, could go down POGO feet with out touching. It is a terrific trough 6,CC0 to 1000 feet deep, ten to twenty lnIles wide, hun lreds of miles long thronged with hundreds of peaks taller than any east of the Rockies. Yet nUt one of them with its head as hig1 as ny feet. and ail ablaze with such Cclor as nc eastern CT European landscape ever knew. IL pc: sesses a strange and awful :asc hlasor for one who ga@es into it, mysterious depths. Joaquin Miller on his visit there, named It "the r9ndeSt work of Cod
 During the days I remained there and hung in wondering admiration near the brink, on drove to distant points to obtain other views, the whole scene was forever reminding me of