ie eS es Tee ee 
Colorado River of the West. 393 
mounted by every form of tower, minaret, dome, and spire, have” been 
_ moulded from the cyclopean masses of rock that form the mighty defile, 
The solitude, the stillness, the subdued light, and the vastness of every 
surrounding object, produce an impression of awe that ultimately becomes 
almost painful. As hour after hour passed we began to look anxiously 
ahead for some sign of an outlet from the range, but the declining day 
— only fresh piles of mountains, higher, mide than any before 
e had made up our minds to pass another night in the eafion, 
ed were searching for a spot large ah newts to serve as a resting place, 
when we came into a narrow passage, between two mammoth peaks, that 
seemed to be nodding to each other across the stream, and unexpected 
found, at the upper end, the termination of the Black cafion. 
Low hills of gravel intercepted the view, and prevented us sa pete 
far into the unknown region beyond. A mile above the cafion the ri 
swept the base of a high hill, with salient angles, like the tnations of a a 
s At the base was a little ravine, which offered a camping p 
Pe that would be sheltered from primar and we drew the skiff out of the 
or calminating point of oh voleanic disturbances that have left their traces 
over the whole region south, In almost every direction were hills a 
Mountains heaped together ao any apparent system or order. A 
‘small open area intervened between camp and a range to the north. and we 
ne trace the course of the river as it wound towards the east, forming 
Great Bend. In the direction of the Mormon road to Utah, — is 
h h 
hills, altogether of a blood-red color, that imparted a purely ghastly air 
to the se 
_ The a hich of darkness stopped further observations, and we de- 
Scended peoach having first taken a good look in every direction, for 
the smoke of Indian camp-fires, but without discovering ~~ In making 
€ sixteen miles ave last Pgptiaee bivouac, we have had to for 
thirteen hours, ste ming th e strong current, and crossing ihe numerous 
“sic and heli thorough r cakaaatbd, depend for security to-night more 
ur concealed position than upon any vigilance that is likely to be 
exhibited: ne 
Au. Jour. Scr.—Seconp Sere, Vou. XXXII, No. 99.—Mary, 1862 
50 
