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Sierra Club Bulletin. 



Pate Valley is a beautiful example of the gentler aspect 

 of the canon — a high-walled, heavily wooded valley, with 

 clear, swift-running streams, tall fern-beds, and open 

 grassy meadows dotted with oak-trees. During the day 

 we spent there we were fortunate enough to find an old 

 Indian encampment. One of the oak orchards, sloping 

 back from the river, ended in a high rock wall whereon 

 some hieroglyphics were painted in red, and near which 

 were many traces of former Indian occupation, smoke- 

 blackened rocks, piles of obsidian chips, and a mortar and 

 pestle. 



Having planned to cross the river at Pate Valley and 

 make the rest of the trip on the south side, thus reversing 

 the route taken by the party of three years ago, we were 

 greatly relieved to find a log which with the aid of our 

 long rope would serve to carry us across the first and 

 largest branch of the river, here divided by a narrow, 

 rocky island. The log was not very inviting to look 

 upon. Its roots lay some ten feet from our bank, and 

 this space was spanned by two smaller logs, one of which 

 was inclined at a steep angle and very slippery. After 

 crossing these and reaching the root there was a space 

 of several feet where the big trunk was lying under 

 rushing water. The rope, tied from the root to a branch 

 at the farther end, served as a hand-rail, and one by one 

 we slowly edged across. Over the second branch a great 

 log had fallen, giving us a safe and easy crossing; but 

 what was our dismay to find beyond this a third branch, 

 fully as large as the second. Exploration up and down 

 the little island showed that there was nothing to do but 

 wade. The water came nearly to our waists and the 

 current was quite strong, but with the help of the rope 

 we made the crossing without accident. 



Below Pate Valley the canon walls are less precipitous 

 and the river fall more gradual. From this point the 

 brush was the worst difficulty we had to overcome. On 

 the south side there are only three places after leaving 

 Pate Valley where the course lies for any distance far 



