The magnitude
of the undertaking appalls me. It is so much more tremendous than I
anticipated.
The Start. "The saddling and packing of the animals occupies much time. We
start about nine o'clock with nine animals, six burros, two horses and one
mule. My Belshazzar is slow but very sure. Mr. James rides the mule, a red
creature, very nervous and excitable and which they tell me is not well
broken and does not like to be ridden.
Ascending the Trail. "We go up a long trail over a ridge, with loose soil,
quite barren. The ascent is not very steep but the hillside across which
the trail passes slopes down to canyons and precipices which suggest
unfathomable depths. At one place the trail, for about fifty feet, is over
ashes or some exceedingly loose material that allows the animals to slide
very quickly down towards the deep precipice on the right and the sight is
most trying to my nerves, but Belshazzar's deliberate walk and
sure-footedness soon restore my usual equanimity.
"From this we pass into a canyon or series of canyons where one can plainly
see that in the remote past a torrent has poured down, tearing away the
soil and tossing huge boulders about. Many naked rocky ledges show, and my
burro is occasionally required to carry me up stone steps.
Muav Canyon. "Presently we enter a narrow canyon through which flows a
clear, cool stream. Walls of red rock on both sides with, much gray stone.
Many large sycamores, cottonwoods and alders, grass and flowers, with
maidenhair ferns on the rocks. We stop for lunch under a big cottonwood
tree. About four thousand five hundred feet elevation. We leave this lovely
spot and go up the canyon which makes a sharp turn to the left. This is
Muav Canyon.
Climbing Higher. "After a little distance we emerge from this canyon and
leave the stream. Then begins a tremendous climb which I accomplish by
clinging to the coat tails of the guide with one hand and sometimes with
both hands, he holding tight to the burro's tail ahead of him. Belshazzar
accepts this - to me - novel situation with accustomed cheerfulness and does
his best to haul us up the mountain, stopping occasionally to recover his
breath. Finishing this part of the ascent, we come to a fertile plateau
with trees in great number and variety. At an angle of the canyon below,
nearly opposite the steep trail up which we have just climbed, is the
eroded terminus of a great promontory, carved into a high and slender
pedestal upon which stands a rude figure not unlike one of the wooden
statues seen in the old Franciscan missions of California. Below this the
rock strata are curved and twisted into all kinds of shapes. In one place
there is a fold where the strata seem to have been curved and forced almost
into a circle.
"On this plateau we still see the canyon with its perpendicular gray stone
walls. It falls below our trail and we ride along the brink of it and down
in the bottom see the black entrance to a cave. Then we come to the dry bed
of a stream which we follow until we come to water. The quantity is small
but it is sweet and pure. We camp here; elevation six thousand one hundred
feet.
"The canyon walls are steep and the bottom narrow. We are in a heap
together, - rolls of bedding, camp-fire, burros, horses, mules, men, kyacks
containing food, saddles and packs, myself, etc., all in a very small
space.
The Charm of the North Side. "The north side of the canyon is much more
beautiful and diversified than the other, and no one can really know the
canyon who does not cross and climb to the summit on this side. There is a
greater variety of fine views, a good proportion of fertile country and a
far better opportunity for studying the geological formation.
"Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1901. We have had a very cold night and though my bed
was most comfortable I awake feeling rather miserable. My courage almost
fails and I talk of giving up, but after awhile feel better and decide to
go on.
"A discussion goes on as to the time we shall spend on the trip and the
determination is finally reached that, if possible, we shall return to this
spot from Point Sublime in four days.
"The little stream, which failed in the night, now runs freely, the result
of condensation of moisture in the atmosphere above. We start again and
ascend a steep, loose trail in the manner of yesterday. The trail is very
pleasant here, springs of excellent water coming out from under the
cross-bedded sandstone and trees of considerable size shadowing the way.
The Saddle. "At the Saddle there is a long pause for repacking the burros.
I am started up the next and last steep climb on my burro. After a little
the trail becomes very steep and dangerous looking and I am ordered to
dismount and finish the climb on my feet with the aid of Belshazzar's tail.
He is in a hurry and sometimes very unceremonious with me.
On the Kaibab. "We are now on the top of the north side, - really on the
summit of the Kaibab Plateau. Dutton Point, the great salient promontory of
Powell Plateau, seen so clearly from Bass Camp on the south rim, is close
before me, and views and vistas in every direction are glorious and
sublime. We ride on to Swamp Point. The views are magnificent, but who
shall attempt to describe them? We soon enter a pine forest. Tall pine
trees and Douglas spruces are the principal trees, with many beautiful
groups of white aspen. Rich grass and wild oats and great quantities of
beautiful flowers. We see many deer. We stop for lunch and some
photographing is done.
