SWALLOW CAStON. 19 
bling down from 3,000 to 5,000 feet in a distance of five or six miles. Along 
their upper courses, they run through grassy valleys ; but, as they approach 
Red Caiion, they rapidly disappear imder the general surface of the country, 
and emerge into the canon below in deep, dark gorges of their own. Each 
of these short lateral canons is marked by a succession of cascades and 
a wild confusion of rocks and trees and fallen timber and thick under 
growth. 
The little valleys above are beautiful parks ; between the parks are 
stately pine forests, half hiding ledges of red sandstone. Mule-deer and elk 
abound; grizzly bears, too, are abundant; wild cats, wolverines, and mountain 
lions are here at home. The forest aisles are filled with the music of birds, 
and the parks are decked with flowers. Noisy brooks meander through 
them ; ledges of moss covered rocks are seen ; and gleaming in the distance 
are the snow fields, and the mountain tops are away in the clouds. 
June 4. We start early and run through to Brown's Park. Half way 
down the valley, a spur of a red mountain stretches across the river, which 
cuts a canon through it. Here the walls are comparatively low, but ver 
tical. A vast number of swallows have built their adobe houses on the face 
of the cliffs, on either side of the river. The waters are deep and quiet, 
but the swallows are swift and noisy enough, sweeping by in their curved 
paths through the air, or chattering from the rocks. The young birds stretch 
their little heads on naked necks through the doorways of their mud houses, 
clamoring for food. They are a noisy people. 
We call this Swallow Canon. 
Still down the river we glide, until an early hour in the afternoon, when 
we go into camp under a giant cottonwood, standing on the right bank, a 
little way back from the stream. The party had succeeded in killing a fine 
lot of wild ducks, and during the afternoon a mess of fish is taken. 
June 5. With one of the men, I climb a mountain, off on the right. 
A long spur, with broken ledges of rock, puts down to the river; and along 
its course, or up the "hog-back," as it is called, I make the ascent. Dunn, 
who is climbing to the same point, is coming up the gulch. Two hours' 
hard work has brought us to the summit. These mountains are all verdure 
clad; pine and cedar forests are set on green terraces; snow clad mountains 
