THE PALM OASES AND CANONS 37 



Naturally, those nuisances the motion-picture 

 people have seized on Palm Canon for their antics, 

 with the result of setting fire to some of the finest of 

 the palms. But why repine? Rather let us rejoice 

 that Nature is thus honored in serving Art. Hardly 

 less picturesque than Palm Carion is the adjacent 

 Murray Canon. Here again clusters and files of 

 palms give brightness to a ravine sombre with high- 

 piled rocks. Not far away are Eagle and Andreas 

 Cafions, similarly beautified with these graceful 

 trees. 



It is much to be desired that some square miles of 

 this locality, with Palm Canon as a centre, should 

 be set aside as a National Park. Scenically the place 

 is more than remarkable; it is strictly unique for 

 this country, as well as strangely beautiful : while for 

 its botanical rarity alone it should be preserved in 

 the public interest. As facilities for reaching it im- 

 prove, ever larger numbers of people will come to 

 view this bit of pure Arabia that has somehow fallen 

 within our territory. As it is, I am expecting shortly 

 to find installed at the strategic point a notice- 

 board, a fence with little gate, and a cool highway- 

 man collecting dollars, halves, or quarters — "what- 

 ever the traffic will bear." 



