THE GRAND CANON 



ride all the way to the river, where there is a 

 good spacious camp-ground in a mesquite 

 grove. This trail, built by brave Hance, be- 

 gins on the highest part of the rim, eight 

 thousand feet above the sea, a thousand feet 

 higher than the head of Bright Angel Trail, 

 and the descent is a little over six thousand 

 feet, through a wonderful variety of climate 

 and life. Often late in the fall, when frosty 

 winds are blowing and snow is flying at one 

 end of the trail, tender plants are blooming in 

 balmy summer weather at the other. The trip 

 down and up can be made afoot easily in a 

 day. In this way one is free to observe the 

 scenery and vegetation, instead of merely 

 clinging to his animal and watching its steps. 

 But all who have time should go prepared to 

 camp awhile on the river-bank, to rest and 

 learn something about the plants and animals 

 and the mighty flood roaring past. In cool, 

 shady amphitheaters at the head of the trail 

 there are groves of white silver fir and Doug- 

 las spruce, with ferns and saxifrages that 

 recall snowy mountains; below these, yellow 

 pine, nut pine, juniper, hop-hornbeam, ash, 

 maple, holly-leaved berberis, cowania, spiraea, 

 dwarf oak, and other small shrubs and trees. 

 In dry gulches and on taluses and sun-beaten 

 crags are sparsely scattered yuccas, cactuses, 



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