128 
THE GEAND CANON DISTRICT. 
busli, with many branches, growing from 3 to 6 feet high. The trunk and 
branches have a hard, wood}^ core, and are thickly fringed with rows of 
strong, sharp spines which present a very ferocious aspect Altogether it is 
the most truculent-looking member of the vegetable kingdom I happen to 
be acquainted with. Very common, too, are the yuccas, or “ Spanish bay- 
onets,” which resemble, on a small scale, the noted agave or century plant. 
Another common species, somewhat resembling the last, bears a cluster of 
melon-like seed cases of the size and form of cucumbers, which the Indians 
gather and dry for food.* 
At length the trail leads down into “Stewart’s Canon,” a rather broad 
canon valley descending towards us from the south. Just where we enter 
it it turns sharply to the west, forming an elbow, and, sinking thence ever 
deeper into the earth through a course of fifteen miles, it opens at last into 
the heart of Kanab Canon at a depth of nearly 3,500 feet. Here at the 
elbow it is comparatively shallow. Before reaching the elbow it runs north- 
ward close to the base of the Kaibab wall, which rises more than 1,200 feet 
above its floor, while the opposite or western side is only about 400 feet 
high. The difference in the altitudes of the two sides is accounted for by 
the presence of the west Kaibab fault, which runs at the foot of the wall, 
throwing down the western side more than 800 feet. The geological rela- 
tions here are worthy of some study. The presence of the fault is detected 
in a moment. Upon the western side the familiar grey limestones of the 
Upper Aubrey series form the entire wall. Upon the eastern side the same 
beds are seen upon the summit more than 800 feet higher than on the west- 
ern side. Beneath them is the hard cross-bedded sandstone, and still lower 
down the brilliant red sandy shales of the lower Aubrey. Here, too, is seen 
that curious phenomenon so often presented in connection with the faults 
of this region. As the thrown beds approach the fault plane they are 
turned down 
The trail leads southward up Stewart’s Canon with an ascent that is 
barely perceptible. We become conscious of increasing altitude indirectly 
by the barometer and by the change in the vegetation. The desert shrubs 
* The Mormons find a singular use for this plant. The pounded root, macerated in water, yields 
a thick liquid which makes a very good substitute for soap. 
