Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1906-03-15
and with a stout stick the pathwas perfectly


ed skirts and caps for the women and
corresponding outfit for the men. Down
few hundred feet we left the snow, also
the misty clouds and il was clear over
head and muddy under foot, thick red
mud. After going part way down we
would look back and wonder how we ever
got down and look ahead ard wonder how
we would eyer get down the remainder OF
the way some of the small rocks along
the way were beautifully marked and
many looked like red and white agate
There are also familiar varieties OF trees
and bushes all along the way. In some
places the trail was quite wide; 1t was In
one OF these where we met the patient.
cunning little burros comleg up with their
heavy loads OF water
IL grew warmer all the time and when
we reached the camp three and one half
miles down twas like summer. Here we
ate the lunch which the hotel provided
each one with, and then walked on one
and one-half miles farther 10 the edge OF
the plateau, from the edge OF which we
can look down on the Colorado river and
see all that could be seen we're one TO 60
down there. The walking from the camp
TO this point was dry and fairly hard.
Along the way grow beautiful purple
cacti; they told me of man last week
who wanted TO take one home with nim,
so he picked it and going up the trail he
| put 1t under his saddle so as to have his
hands free, when his horse felt IT prick
| he kicked and bucked the man Off, tortu-
| nately he struck on the trail and not over
the side. and escaped with only small
scalp wound and few bruises
Just az we reached the plateau the sun
came out and brought out all the beautl-
| ful coloring of this wonderful place. There
IS no picture of it that does it justice and II
cannot be described, It simply can't be
lone and shall not attempt It. 1t is said
one man few days ago fell down on his
knees and burst into tears at sight OF it.
| There is certainly nothing to equal 1t in
the world, of the same nature. | never
expect TO see anything that will make the
same impression on one that 1t did.
We walked back to the camp and had
coffee and lunch while waiting for the
horses we had ordered when we arrived
there. Three of the party, two men and
4 woman. walked up but It would have
been physical impossibility with me, the
six and one-half we had already gone was
all could do. We started up at little
after 4 p. m. and knew our chances were
small for getting up before dark. The
guide went ahead on his horse, next the
six year old boy on a burro, and then the
other eight. was the last of the process
sion, all but one on mules. am sure my
mule had suicidal mania because he al
ways walked as near the outside edge as
possible, but | soon became so absorb bed
in the scene we were leaving that forgot
TO look down. When about half way up
the sunset glow on the opposite side OF the
canyon was sight TO remain with per-
son always, then the shadows began tC
fall.
One woman of our party became faint
from cold and fatigue, but for the timely
widening of the trail enabling a man tc
ride beside her she would have faller
from her mule The guide came back
from the front and took her off. dis
mounted and gave her some whlskey anc
got her warm, she put on the guides coal
and rode on without further mshap, the
guide walked beside her until the small
BOY stopped his burro and called back thai
the guides horse was down. so he had tc
cave her and attend to it before we coulc
20 on.
AS soon as we struck the snow again
had troubl lies of my own 10 take up my at
tention, my mule was not sharp shod anc
slipped nearly every step and finally near
y went down. A little farther on where
there was not foot between the beater
path and the unprotected edge Of the prec-
pce he went down on his knees never
expect TO be in quite such perilous place
and come out alive. He. however got W
and went on without anything furthe
than little slipping. certainly wa:
thankful when he got all four feet on leve
ground.
1t was seven o'clock and pitch darl
when we reached the hotel. think tn,
small boy deserved great credit FOR oeinl
so brave under circumstances that would
have made many children panic stricken
After dressing and having dinner WI
went TO the Hopi Indians house on the
grounds. Here they weave rugs, alsc
make bracelets, rings and spoons from
Mexican dollars They sang and danced
for US, after awhile we returned to thu
hotel to go TO bed We left there at $3.50
the next day and our last view of the can
yon WIS with the morning sun on it. w,
travelled all day in Arizona and crossed
the Colorado river at Needles after dark
Here we had dinner and saw more Indian,
again, which was our last view Of them
NJ ddJHBIt VIC obOppSN az Oau Deindfo
mo for breakfast and had our first view o
California by daylight, with it, palm trees
flowers and oranges. From there OF
there were many groves of oranges anc
J bananas all along the way to Los Angeles
the trees we're so loaded that the limbs
} had to be propped up and the ground wa
covered with fruit IN many places. Tn,
} leaves are mostly green on the trees
} Oranges sell here from five to twent,
cents per dozen, the latter price is for tn,
} choicest fruit, large and ripe. There ar,
! flowers everywhere and palms that ap
parently have no care at all Guido on
I conservatory palms that are so tenderly
} cared for. Yesterday it rained until nooI
J and was cold and dlsagreeaSls, but sud
denly the sun came out and it has beer
} clear ever since. 1t is very warm in tn,
sun, but as soon as the sun goes down i
is as cold as it is in April in the east
} felt quite wretohed and tired until yester
day, when began TO get rested when
looked up DR.. Hutchinson whom | haC
known before He took me to lunch anC
then out to one of the hospitals where h
introduced me to the superintendent o
nurses who is a very pleasant younI