We have some
difficulty in keeping the right trail. Mr. Bass has an excellent general
knowledge of the right direction but he has had to wander to and fro in his
desire to find water and dare not leave us, so we have to accompany him in
his searches. The result is we cannot reach Kanab Unats to-night. We go up
one very picturesque part of the trail where a deep gulch lies on the right
filled with old pine trees and many fallen ones, a true specimen of the
primeval forest. We see a small band of cattle grazing. After luncheon I
attempt to walk alone in the forest and immediately lose my sense of
direction. After some yelling on my part the men come to my rescue. We
start on again, the doctor putting the saddle on Belshazzar for me. When I
dismount, the result of unskilled effort appears, for, as soon as I throw
my weight over to the left, the saddle turns and I am dumped upon the
ground. We camp at an altitude of eight thousand feet; short of water.
Short of Water. "Thursday, Sept. 5, 1901. Near Kanab Unats. 6 A. M. Very
cold. Breakfast is prepared. I am allowed two tablespoonfuls of water for
toilet purposes. I help a little with the cooking. We are to a thick wood.
It is a fine, clear, sunny day, but a chilling wind is blowing.
Off for Water. "We make a late start, and go on to Kanab Unats where we
expect to find water. We arrive there about ten. Soon afterwards three
cattlemen come by. A conference with them is held. They talk doubtfully
about water, but tell where they think it may be found. They are much
surprised to hear that I have crossed the Canyon. With their consent I
kodak them. After they depart Mr. Bass and Mr. James start off for water,
Mr. Bass with one horse and all the canteens to a spring he knows of where
fine water is to be had, and Mr. James with all the animals to a place
where water fit for stock may be found. They both return in about two
hours, pack the animals, and we start again about 3:20 P.M. for Point
Sublime. We go through several grassy, well-wooded ravines, very nearly on
a level, through much fallen timber and thickets. Then we cross several of
them. I scramble down off Belshazzar and down a very steep hill. Mount
again and go on by myself, zigzagging up a steep hill. This is mostly
through an oak thicket without a trail. Over another ravine and I am sure
now we are near the end of our journey. Up another slight ascent and we
come in sight of the Canyon. We have left the tall trees and the thick
grass, and now have only mesquites, cedars, yucca and cactus. But we have a
good trail.
On Point Sublime. "At last we are on the Point itself. So ardently desired,
and with only an hour of daylight left, we begin to study the wonderful
panorama. I am photographed rounding up the burros. I am given a sheltered
place under a juniper tree for my bed, and make an arrangement with my
canvas to keep off the wind. A very comfortable bed. This Point runs out
far into the chasm, is narrow for a considerable distance, sides very
precipitous and the edges describing a very irregular line. Very near the
extreme end is a clump of cedars, with trunks and lower branches so densely
matted together as to form a good shelter on two sides from the wind (which
blows furiously). It is in this shelter that I place my bed, making with my
canvas a protection against the wind on the third side so that my sleeping
place is as cozy and warm as can be.
"Friday, Sept. 6, 1901. At Point Sublime. I sleep well and wake refreshed.
Many photographs are taken. The men go to explore another point not far off
and I stay in camp. I rest as well as I can in the face of such a
stupendous spectacle. Dutton's descriptions are wonderfully vivid and
accurate - yet words, do not convey ideas to those whose imagination is not
large enough to realize the full meaning of the words.
On the Return. "We start on the return at eleven o'clock having spent about
seventeen hours on the Point. At first we follow the trail by which we
came. Then our leader disregards the trail and makes our course in a more
direct line. We go over ridges, some of them terribly steep. We go through
several lovely valleys with the ridges that overlook the canyon on our
left. The air is still and cool down where we are, but we can see the tops
of the trees that show above the ridges tossed about in a violent wind and
can hear its roaring through the forest. We camp about three-quarters of a
mile from a spring, and by orders I sleep under a tree in company with many
beetles. It is very cold. Camp-fire is comforting.
Into the Canyon Again. "Saturday, Sept. 7, 1901. We leave camp at 8:20. I
put out fire while men are packing. Find track of small five-toed animal on
the trail. We go by cattle-trails a short cut to Swamp Point through the
forest, over ridges, through thickets and some of the grassy valleys. Out
on Swamp Point again I am shown Bass Camp on the south rim. It is scarcely
discernible even with glasses, the distance is so vast. We all walk down
the steep descent from this Point and make quick time to the place where we
camped Sept. 3. We descend one thousand nine hundred feet in one hour and
twenty minutes.
