104 COLORADO PLATEAU, NEAR BIG CANON—SNOW-STORM. 
mist were drifting through the glades of the forest, enveloping the landscape in obscurity. We 
held a course a little east of north. The pine trees became larger and the forest more dense 
as we proceeded. A heavy gale roared among the branches overhead, and about noon it 
commenced snowing. For some time we kept at the bottom of a ravine that afforded a partial 
shelter from the blast, but the surface of the ground was rough, and the snow fell so thick and 
fast that it was impossible to select the Way. 
Ascending to the table-land, we happened upon an open portion of the forest and encountered 
the full violence of the storm. The fall of snow was accompanied with thunder and lightning, 
an unusual phenomenon at such atime. The flashes were vivid, and the reverberations loud 
and frequeat. The scene would have been beautiful had it not been so thoroughly uncomfort- 
able. The storm at last became so vehement that we were unable to proceed. Men and mules 
huddled together under such trees as afforded the best shelter, and waited as resignedly as 
possible till the fury of the tempest had somewhat abated. The day was nearly spent; the 
packs were therefore taken off, camp made, fires kindled, and the mules driven into a ravine. 
About sunset it promised to clear off, but the clouds reassembled, the wind and sleet again 
drove past, and the night was bleak and raw. The unfortunate mules, benumbed with cold, 
stood shuddering about the fires that were made in the ravine. The sudden change from hot 
summer weather was a severe test of endurance, and there was danger that in their weak con- 
dition they would not be able to stand it. The snow and the gale continued nearly all of the 
next day. The grass was entirely covered.. The animals had to fast for twenty-four hours 
longer, and I thought that last night would have finished the majority of them, but singularly 
enough not one has died. 
This morning the sky was cloudless and the wind had abated. When the sun rose it became 
as warm as it had been in the Mojave valley, and the snow melted even more rapidly than it 
had fallen. ; 
- Our altitude is very great. During the last march the ascent was continuous, and the baro- 
meter shows an elevation of nearly seven thousand feet. A still higher plateau rises towards 
the north. The Colorado is not far distant, and we must be opposite to the most stupendous 
part of the ‘‘ Big Cafion.’”’ The bluffs are in view, but the intervening country is cut up by 
side caiions and cross ravines, and no place has yet been seen that presents a favorable ap- 
proach to the gigantic chasm. 
Camp 73, Colorado plateau, April 12—Two miles beyond the snow camp some lagoons were 
discovered—one of them large enough to be called a pond. I recognized the place as having 
been described by the Hualpais to Ireteba, but of the position I had not been able to form a 
part of the plateau was attained, and a sublime spectacle lay spread before us. 
Towards the north was the field of plateaus and canons, already seen and described, and 
shooting out from these a line of magnificent bluffs, extending eastward an enormous distance, 
Further south, eighty miles distant, 
conical summit covered with snow, 
marked the course of the cafion of the Little Colorado. 
plateaus. 
