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1:~PL,RIL\iCl.~ IN Tllh t~ly_~~'L~ C.1.\Y(~,AT lU7
<br />.1 D:\NGIa:UUS \h'.\'1'1;1:1:11,1,
<br />:~ mile du\\'n the canyon \vas another
<br />fall, even higher than the lust, being
<br />r:rediterl \vith :1 drop of aver too feet
<br />(sec page tot). Lt was ~o feet wide, the
<br />water guiug aver iu :t sulirl \vall, nut
<br />sprcadin};, as dill the upl,cr fall. 'I'hc
<br />tint party of ntincrs ntct \vilh a fatality
<br />here, uuc of their number, 1~luoney by
<br />name, luting his life by the breaking of
<br />a rube with yvhich he was being lowered
<br />to the bottom of the falls- The mining
<br />contl,any Karl 1, r,.,vidcd a passage :uvlutd
<br />the falls in a spectacular manner. \
<br />sloping cave in the Lraverline, ur -depos-
<br />ited ntincral, had hero enlarged; and a
<br />winding stair\vav \vas hewn out of its
<br />sides. lu tyvu 1,laces an upenin;; had
<br />been made in the sides, allulving a vicvv
<br />of the falls. '1'hrsr; openings- \\'cre spa-
<br />cious, and compared well \vith a box in
<br />a theater. I,argc stalactites hunk pen-
<br />dant from the walls, and gave the \vhole
<br />scene an enchanting appearance.
<br />.A short distance below the fall an iron
<br />ladder was erected 200 feet up the side
<br />of the wall, leading to a cave, \yhich hail
<br />been enl:u'bed . h~ the miners. I t \vas
<br />held by spil.es iusurted into hales drilled
<br />into the walls, thin wedged with wooden
<br />pegs. \\'e had a creepy feeling .when
<br />one of these allowed the ladder to swing
<br />outward a fe\v inches as we climbed it.
<br />
<br />1-~~e visited the Indians' pontes where
<br />we thought we were \•velcuntc. 'I'hrir
<br />houses were merely a few ]ugs leaning
<br />together, overlaid with willo\vs, and
<br />tvtth a covering of red earllt over :tll.
<br />1Ne saw a Fcvv li~~ feces and many apricot
<br />and peach trees. Snmc of the latter
<br />mere in Lluultt, for this was the nuntth uF
<br />1[av. .\t uuc place \vc found a very old
<br />blind siln:ty-v, alone except fur her dn~s.
<br />She was busily en~a~ed in carrvin~ sonic
<br />coat front nnr building to another, guid-
<br />ing herself with a rope tied behveen the
<br />two siruclnres.
<br />Several years after this visit a clund-
<br />bm-st at the heart of the canyon caused a
<br />number of storage dams to give way, the
<br />waters swccpin~ down lhron~lt the tnt-
<br />forinnalc villa~c. 'I'bis hcll,lcss ul,l
<br />vv,nnan vwas drmvued, alid neatly every
<br />hrnt.tie in the ,lace was washed away.
<br />7'llis fact is ntcrcly noted in passing, be-
<br />rlusr it gives ;ante ilea of the violence
<br />uY the storms which sumetintes occur iu
<br />this country.
<br />~I`he fulloyving day we prepared fur the
<br />h:lyd trig, to the river t, mild betavvFonr
<br />catnl>. First we loadcrl our platy-huld-
<br />cr,, usitlg one ,~F the tunnels fw' a dart:
<br />ru,nn. 11'e have selduut Karl a better one.
<br />1~hen, \vith our cameras, food, and equip-
<br />nuut l,ac:ked un our hacla, \ve set u11-
<br />d,!tvn the canyon. as vve dcsccnled, the
<br />\v:llls ~re\v hi~hcr :unl ch!scr L,!gcthcr:
<br />the ,lrcant Karl increasr:d in valuate until
<br />it lvas more like a small but hn-hulent
<br />river; the foliage evcrv\vhere hluclced
<br />our path. A~1'e had to eras; the stream
<br />several lintrs. \t times \+'e would at-
<br />tentlrt to walk un the mineral deposit.
<br />OFten this \voulrl crunthle under our feet,
<br />and yve wciuld be plumed into the deeper
<br />\\ titer, our cameras heirs; saved b\ huld-
<br />in~ them above our heads.
<br />.After :tbuut five miles of such travel-
<br />ing, the luvver walls, which were about
<br />20~, feet high at run- camp, now tpwere,l_
<br />above ns to a hci~ht uF 2,04o fcet~; then
<br />tliev sloped hacl: ~uxl np a ;-:tin to a total
<br />heiriht of .,Soo feet. A~\~hen vv'e finally
<br />reached the river (see page toy) \ve
<br />found that mach the same r„nrlition uh--
<br />taincd there, the walls directly above the
<br />river l,cing alnt,~sf sheer-Fur ?,Sex, feet.
<br />with ,udv a Icdtic ur two to hrc:d: their.
<br />sides (see pages to.f and to5). \~'e
<br />aftcrw:u-ds cliscovcred the trail, of nunnt-
<br />tain sheep on these ]edges.
<br />I,1~;'I'I•;I:,\IININI: .\\'I;NI!I{S UI~ I~;SC:\I'ly
<br />Tn all our cxcnrsirnts to distant parts
<br />of the (:r:utd C:ulvon \\'c al\vaes cndeav-
<br />ured to reach the river and locate these
<br />possible aventics of escape from it fur
<br />saute day vvc itltcndcd to descend the
<br />slrc:un in Lriats, as \lajor I'oweil had
<br />clone in tS~~-'fit, and our lcno\\dedge o.f
<br />these places might j)rovc to be valuable.
<br />1Ve were t\vn weary hut- happy travel-
<br />ers when we dra~~cd r,nr fret inM camp
<br />that night. '1'hc distance traveled -\vas
<br />scare,cly more ihau Ia miles; fiat it was r2
<br />miles of I:ut~lcd ;;rape-vines; F:tllcn houl-
<br />rlrr,. and ralararls-:shout :is tinu-h as an
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