70 EXPLORATION OF THE CANONS OF THE COLORADO. 
sand fantastic patterns. Through a cleft in the wall the sun shines on this 
pavement, which gleams in iridescent beaiity. 
I pass up into the cleft. It is very narrow, with a succession of pools 
standing at higher levels as I go back. The water in these pools is clear 
and cool, coming down from springs. Then I return to the pavement, which 
is but a terrace or bench, over which the river runs at its flood, but left bare 
at present. Along the pavement, in many places, are basins of clear water, 
in strange contrast to the red mud of the liver. At length I come to the 
end of this marble terrace, and take again to the boat. 
Eiding down a short distance, a beautiful view is presented. The river 
turns sharply to the east, and seems inclosed by a wall, set with a million 
brilliant gems. What can it mean? Every eye is engaged, every one 
wonders. On coming nearer, we find fountains bursting from the rock, high 
overhead, and the spray in the sunshine forms the gems which bedeck the 
wall. The rocks below the fountain are covered with mosses, and ferns, and 
f 
many beautiful flowering plants. We name it Vasey's Paradise, in honor 
of the botanist who traveled with us last year. 
We pass many side canons to day, that are dark, gloomy passages, 
back into the heart of the rocks that form the plateau through which this 
canon is cut. 
It rains again this afternoon. Scarcely do the first drops fall, when 
little rills run down the walls. As the storm comes on, the little rills increase 
in size, until great streams are formed. Although the walls of the canon are 
chiefly limestone, the adjacent country is of red sandstone ; and now the 
waters, loaded with these sands, come down in rivers of bright red rnud, 
leaping over the walls in innumerable cascades. It is plain now how these 
walls are polished in many places. 
At last, the storm ceases, and we go on. We have cut through the 
sandstones and limestones met in the upper part of the canon, and through 
one great bed of marble a thousand feet in thickness. In this, great num 
bers of caves are hollowed out, and carvings are seen, which suggest arch 
itectural forms, though on a scale so grand that architectural terms belittle 
them. As this great bed forms a distinctive feature of the canon, we call it 
Marble Canon. 
