mimi Ors: AUDUBON SOGIETY 11 
Robbers’ Cave in the face of it. Here the stream is narrow; be- 
yond, it runs in little rapids, a prospect to please the fisherman. 
Even more interesting to us was the field for the botanist. 
Whenever we stopped to rest we saw this. Some sixty kinds of 
trees grow here, we are told, such a variety as_ probably we 
could not find in another place in this section of the country. We 
found a long list of ferns, which grow in great luxuriance. The 
banks of the streams must be a paradise of blossom in spring. 
Here it came to us most forcibly that there was need of prompt 
action by the state, lest this rich collection of native plants be 
sacrificed before it is too late. 
Already some of the trees near Rattlesnake Rock have been 
cut down, and sheep are pastured on the banks. One can never 
tell when some unappreciative and vandal hand will get control 
of the land. The canyon area contains some thousand acres, a 
large tract, to be sure; but this land is along the streams where 
it is rocky, exposed, and cut with ravines. Consequently it is 
practically useless to the farmer, but it would be of inestimable 
value as a public recreation ground in our rapidly developing state. 
Time passed and the sun of the short September day was 
getting low in the west. We had reached Miners’ Ravine. Here 
we left the main stream and followed to its head, a mile or more 
up country, a beautiful little canyon where a small tributary fell 
over and under the shelving rocks of limestone, alone worth the 
trip to see. But we had to admit that we were tired, and were 
glad that our thoughtful Warren friends had arranged for our 
lodging at a comfortable farm house. 
Next morning we were out early and ready for more of it. 
We walked back to our starting place of the day before, this 
time, however, taking the three mile stretch of road on the up- 
lands, to the bridge on the old Millville site. Asters and other 
fall flowers were in their splendor in the open ravines. We 
found a spring we had been told about. Then, following the 
directions of our guides of the day before, we started to explore 
the canyon of the West Branch. This is a smaller stream than 
the main river, but quite as picturesque and more accessible. 
Back and forth the stream runs from right to left at the foot of 
the cliffs, affording the same delightful views and the same pro- 
fusion of vegetation. Here were possibilities for a week’s ex- 
cursion; but our visit had to come to an end. Clouds were 
gathering again, and before the last roll of films was exposed, 
the rain began to fall, and we were glad to see the car that came 
to take us back to Warren and our train. 
We are going again; that was settled. And we are going to 
tell others of this beautiful spot. Moreover, we shall do what 
we can to urge our fellow citizens to see that our law makers 
appropriate the money necessary to purchase this rare country 
for a great state park while it is still unspoiled. 
RUTH MARSHALL, Rockford College. 
