THE GRAND CANON 



two hundred and seventeen miles long, from 

 five to fifteen miles wide from rim to rim, and 

 from about five thousand to six thousand feet 

 deep. So tremendous a chasm would be one 

 of the world's greatest wonders even if, like 

 ordinary canons cut in sedimentary rocks, it 

 were empty and its walls were simple. But 

 instead of being plain, the walls are so deeply 

 and elaborately carved into all sorts of re- 

 cesses — alcoves, cirques, amphitheaters, and 

 side-canons — that, were you to trace the rim 

 closely around on both sides, your journey 

 would be nearly a thousand miles long. Into 

 all these recesses the level, continuous beds 

 of rock in ledges and benches, with their vari- 

 ous colors, run like broad ribbons, marvelously 

 beautiful and effective even at a distance of 

 ten or twelve miles. And the vast space these 

 glorious walls inclose, instead of being empty, 

 is crowded with gigantic architectural rock- 

 forms gorgeously colored and adorned with 

 towers and spires like works of art. 



Looking down from this level plateau, we 

 are more impressed with a feeling of being on 

 the top of everything than when looking from 

 the summit of a mountain. From side to side 

 of the vast gulf, temples, palaces, towers, and 

 spires come soaring up in thick array half a 

 mile or nearly a mile above their sunken, hid- 



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