CUTTING OUR WAY. 67 
up towards the sky, as if striving to gain a glimpse of the 
_ upper world. Under a grove of the loftiest cotton-woods and 
—sycamores, at a distance of four miles from the head of the 
_ Cafion, we threw down our blankets for the first night’s rest. 
y Not far distant, a few deserted Indian wigwams were visible, 
perched upon the top of the cliff, which painfully reminded 
us of danger. The setting sun beautifully illuminated three 
Norman watch-towers, which some freak of nature had 
_ carved out upon the precipice that rose above our grove of 
trees. 
The obstacles our surveyors had to contend against natu- 
‘Tally made our progress very slow, not more than from two 
and a half to three miles per day being cleared ; for a path had 
to be cut through the brushwood which choked up the narrow 
Passage, and every tree obstructing the vision of the levellers 
had to be felled. The Mexicans whom we had picked up 
were of great assistance tous. We hired six of their animals 
for pack mules, and several of the men to help as axe-men 1n 
) cutting a path through the thickets. I obtained a mule for 
"My photographic “outfit,” and was thus enabled to take a 
Dumber of views of the gorge. During the second day’s 
Advance we came to a cave, hollowed out in the northern 
wall, capable of concealing about fifty men, and opposite this 
In 1863 a company of Californian volunteers on their way 
_ eastward to fight the “‘rebs,” and glad enough to get a little 
: located on this spot. The citizens and soldiers, guided by 
‘some tamed Apaches who were kept at Camp Grant, 
F 2 | 
