On to the Si&amp;gt;wash 



would straighten up and gaze out beyond. I knew 

 the outlook was magnificent and sublime beyond 

 words, but as yet I had not begun to understand it. 

 The great pine trees, growing to the very edge of 

 the rim, received their full quota of appreciation 

 from me, as did the smooth, flower-decked aisles 

 leading back into the forest. 



The location we selected for camp was a large 

 glade, fifty paces or more from the precipice far 

 enough, the cowboys averred, to keep our traps from 

 being , Ducked down by some of the whirlpool winds, 

 native to the spot. In the center of this glade stood 

 a huge gnarled and blasted old pine, that certainly 

 by virtue of hoary locks and bent shoulders had 

 earned the right to stand aloof from his younger com 

 panions. Under this tree we placed all our belong 

 ings, and then, as Frank so felicitously expressed it, 

 we were free to &quot; ooze round an see things.&quot; 



I believe I had a sort of subconscious, selfish idea 

 that some one would steal the canon away from me if 

 I did not hurry to make it mine forever; so I sneaked 

 off, and sat under a pine growing on the very rim. 

 At first glance, I saw below me, seemingly miles 

 away, a wild chaos of red and buff mesas rising out 

 of dark purple clefts. Beyond these reared a long, 

 irregular tableland, running south almost to the 

 extent of my vision, which I remembered Clarke had 



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