The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-02-24


taken the leader. l was 30 taken by
surprise that nearly pitched off head.
first, but managed to catch the saddle
horn and held on for dear life, pounding
up and down on his back until he saw fit
to slow down again. After he had play
ed that trick on me once or twice l
learned to prepare for gallop at every
level spot. These were not frequent, as
the greater part of the trail led down
dizzy heights where vista after vista of
wonderful canyons and gorgeously color
ed cliffs opened before US. Twice the
descent was so dangerous that we were
forced to dismount and walk while the
mules slipped and slid after US, but the
trail on the whole seemed to me no
worse, though much longer, than the
descent from Glacier Point in the Yo-
semitic Valley.
The heat was intense and grew worse
as we descended, while the red dust was
so thick that we were soon completely
covered with it. At Indian Garden, a
plateau about half way down, where
there was spring and a few trees, we
were glad to dismount and rest for few
moments, but our guides soon hurried us
on, as we were supposed to make the
trip on schedule time. At the Cork
screw, spiral descent down an almost
perpendicular wall, the two other ladies'
in our party became frightened and
wished to ''stop or go back" but the
autocratic guide refused to leave them
behind, so willy-nilly they had to go on
with the rest of us. We crossed several
streams of water, but at only one were
the mules allowed a drink-the others
were alkali.
Finally about one O'Clock we reached
our objective point, five thousand feet
and more below our starting place. Here
was the Inner Gorge of the Colorado,
and here the river, literally ''River of
Red Mud" nearly three hundred feet
wide, rushed madly between its rocky
walls. My chief impression of that gorge
is that of heat and more heat, intense
and insufferable, and of attempting to
eat our lunch-ham sandwiches and hard
boiled eggs, of course-leaning up
against hot cliff in blazing sun. The
only water for drinking purposes, since
the river water was red with mud and
silt, had been brought by the guide in
canteens from the Indian Garden pla-
teau. 1t was lukewarm and musty, but
it was wet, and for that reason was well
come. Almost anything was preferable
to remaining there in the hot sun, so the
guides call to mount again was prompt
ly answered.
If the descent had been hot, the as
cent was hotter, and our peanut straw
hats. ludicrous though they were, soon
proved their worth. The other two la
dies were nearly overcome with heat,
and the guide reversed his usual rule
and rode behind them, watching them
closely lest they should faint in their
saddles. have thought since that per-
haps the reason they did not do SO was
because of the guides cheerful answer
when asked what he would do in that
emergency. "Oh," he said, ''throw 'em
over the saddles and let the mules carry
'em up. 1t happens lots of times, ard
good many women have gone up out of
this canyon and never known how they did
it." Possibly the mental picture thus
furnished gave the necessary stimulant,
for we all survived and rejoiced in seeing
Indian Garden and its cool spring once
more.
AS l dismounted, Tom threw himself
down on the grass and rolled over and
over. Poor fellow, l sympathized with
him for he had had hot trip. too, but it
was only by quick jump that l escaped
being knocked down myself. The spring
was most popular, and 1t afforded US in
slant relief to take off our hats and pour
the cooling water over our heads. The
grass under the trees was quickly cover
ed by recumbent pilgrims, grateful for
the half hours rest that was allowed US,
and that gave US all new courage for the
remainder of the journey.
The five guides were all young fellows,
and the remainder of the climb up to the
Rim was enlivened by their cowboy
yells that made the walls of the canyon
ring. We were a forlorn looking party
as we gained the top at about half past
five, weary and hot and coated thickly
with red canyon dust. Two of us at
least were very glad to have had the ex-
perience, but very sure that we had no
desire to ever do it again unless we
could be assured of weather at least
forty degrees cooler.
For my own part was greatly ''set
up VIXEN one of the gentlemen in our
party complimented me on what he
chose to call my display of ''nerve,"
though save for the heat l did not con-
slider the experience particularly try
ing one, and told him So We have
been asked, and have wondered our
selves, just why Bright Angel Trail was
so named, and have formed our own con-