GOOD-BYE TO ARIZONA 137 



the Shinumo Altar — stood out prominently on 

 the landscape and within our view for two days. 

 On the plains we followed for several days the 

 Vermilion Cliffs, plodding our way toward the 

 Buckskin Mountains to the westward, through 

 which the Colorado breaks to form that stu- 

 pendous work of nature, the Grand Canon, 

 and to the southwest the entrance of the great 

 gorge was plainly visible. 



Fifteen miles from the ferry we crossed Soap 

 Creek. A tiny bit of water trickled down over 

 the sand and we dug a hole with our cups that 

 the horses might drink. The next water was at 

 Jacob's Pools, and twelve miles farther a vile 

 sink hole. Beyond that lay House Rock Spring 

 and finally Coyote Holes. 



On the third day from Lee's Ferry we 

 crossed Jones' buffalo range in House Rock 

 Valley and saw one lone buffalo cow, which 

 watched us curiously from a distance. That 

 evening the Escalante Mountains in Utah 

 loomed ahead, grim and gray. On our right 

 the Vermilion Cliffs still held their place, and 

 very near now on our left lay the blue-gray 

 Buckskins. It was that night, near dark, that 

 we reached the Coyote Holes and camped near 

 them, for a day's march lay between them and 

 the next water. 



