56 EXPLORATION OF THE CAKONS OF THE COLORADO. 
great speed. An hour of this rapid running brings us to the junction of the 
Grand and Green, the foot of Still water Canon, as we have named it. 
These streams unite in solemn depths, more than one thousand two hun 
dred feet below the general surface of the country. The walls of the lower 
end of Stillwater Canon are very beautifully curved, as the river sweeps 
in its meandering course. The lower end of the canon through which the 
Grand comes down, is also regular, but much more direct, arid we look up 
this stream, and out into the country beyond, and obtain glimpses of snow 
clad peaks, the summits of a group of mountains known as the Sierra La Sal. 
Down the Colorado, the canon walls are much broken. 
We row around into the Grand, and camp on its northwest bank; and 
here we propose to stay several days, for the purpose of determining the 
latitude and longitude, and the altitude of the walls. Much of the night is 
spent in making observations with the sextant. 
The distance from the mouth of the Uinta to the head of the Canon of 
Desolation is twenty and three quarters miles. The Canon of Desolation is 
ninety seven miles long; Gray Canon thirty six. The course of the river 
through Gunnison's Valley is twenty seven and a quarter miles; Labyrinth 
Canon, sixty two and a half miles. 
In the Canon of Desolation, the highest rocks immediately over the river 
are about two thousand four hundred feet. This is at Log Cabin Cliff. The 
highest part of the terrace is near the brink of the Brown Cliffs. Climbing 
the immediate walls of the canon, and passing back to the canon terrace, and 
climbing that, we find the altitude, above the river, to be 3,300 feet. The 
lower end of Gray Canon is about two thousand feet; the lower end of 
Labyrinth Canon, 1,300 feet. 
Stillwater Canon is forty two and three quarters miles long ; the highest 
walls, 1,300 feet. 
