THE PASSES 00 



by Bloody Canon, which begins at the summit of 

 the range, and runs in a general east-northeasterly 

 direction to the edge of the Mono Plain. 



The first white men who forced a way through 

 its somber depths were, as we have seen, eager 

 gold-seekers. But the canon was known and trav 

 eled as a pass by the Indians and mountain ani 

 mals long before its discovery by white men, as 

 is shown by the numerous tributary trails which 

 come into it from every direction. Its name ac 

 cords well with the character of the " early times " 

 in California, and may perhaps have been sug 

 gested by the predominant color of the meta- 

 morphic slates in which it is in great part eroded ; 

 or more probably by blood-stains made by the un 

 fortunate animals which were compelled to slip 

 and shuffle awkwardly over its rough, cutting 

 rocks. I have never known an animal, either mule 

 or horse, to make its way through the canon, 

 either in going up or down, without losing more 

 or less blood from wounds on the legs. Occasion 

 ally one is killed outright falling headlong and 

 rolling over precipices like a boulder. But such 

 accidents are rarer than from the terrible appear 

 ance of the trail one would be led to expect ; the 

 more experienced when driven loose find their way 

 over the dangerous places with a caution and sa 

 gacity that is truly wonderful. During the gold 

 excitement it was at times a matter of considerable 

 pecuniary importance to force a way through the 

 canon with pack-trains early in the spring while 

 it was yet heavily blocked with snow ; and then 



