The Arizona Desert 



&quot; Look! See where it breaks through the moun 

 tain! &quot; yelled Jones in my ear. 



I looked upstream to see the stupendous granite 

 walls separated in a gigantic split that must have 

 been made by a terrible seismic disturbance; and 

 from this gap poured the dark, turgid, mystic flood. 



I was in a cold sweat when we touched shore, and 

 I jumped long before the boat was properly moored. 



Emmett was wet to the waist where the water had 

 surged over him. As he sat rearranging some tackle 

 I remarked to him that of course he must be a splen 

 did swimmer, or he would not take such risks. 



&quot;No, I can t swim a stroke,&quot; he replied; &quot;and 

 it wouldn t be any use if I could. Once in there a 

 man s a goner.&quot; 



&quot;You ve had bad accidents here?&quot; I questioned. 



&quot; No, not bad. We only drowned two men last 

 year. You see, we had to tow the boat up the river, 

 and row across, as then we hadn t the wire. Just 

 above, on this side, the boat hit a stone, and the cur 

 rent washed over her, taking off the team and two 

 men.&quot; 



&quot; Didn t you attempt to rescue them?&quot; I asked, 

 after waiting a moment. 



&quot; No use. They never came up.&quot; 



&quot; Isn t the river high now? &quot; I continued, shudder 

 ing as I glanced out at the whirling logs and drifts. 



27 



