THE GRAND CANON 



away as if frightened, showing something of 

 the way Grand Canon work is done. Most of 

 the fertile summer clouds of the canon are 

 of this sort, massive, swelling cumuli, growing 

 rapidly, displaying delicious tones of purple 

 and gray in the hollows of their sun-beaten 

 houses, showering favored areas of the heated 

 landscape, and vanishing in an hour or two. 

 Some, busy and thoughtful-looking, glide 

 with beautiful motion along the middle of 

 the canon in flocks, turning aside here and 

 there, lingering as if studying the needs of 

 particular spots, exploring side-canons, peering 

 into hollows like birds seeking nest-places, or 

 hovering aloft on outspread wings. They scan 

 all the red wilderness, dispensing their bless 

 ings of cool shadows and rain where the need 

 is the greatest, refreshing the rocks, their off 

 spring as well as the vegetation, continuing 

 their sculpture, deepening gorges and sharp 

 ening peaks. Sometimes, blending all together, 

 they weave a ceiling from rim to rim, per 

 haps opening a window here and there for 

 sunshine to stream through, suddenly lighting 

 some palace or temple and making it flare in 

 the rain as if on fire. 



Sometimes, as one sits gazing from a high, 

 jutting promontory, the sky all clear, showing 

 not the slightest wisp or penciling, a bright 



365 



