gorge only to be overwhelmed in an abyss of waters; still others of boats and boats' crews gliding down the swift river into underground passages, to be lost forever from the light. Such are the legends told in the hunter's cabin and the prospect er's camp, away out among the mountains; and now and then these have found their way into public print. 4. Expeditions sent out by the government to explore the Colorado, and the region round about, have reported the cañon inaccessible. The traditions of the early Spanish adventurers make it a land unknown, and forever to be unknown. The Indians of the countries adjacent have woven the mysteries of it into the myths of their religion. Thus Indians and Spanish adventurers, hunters and prospecters, have all united in telling fabulous stories of its wonders and terrors. 5. From a knowledge of other cañons, I came to the belief that the Grand Cañon of the Colorado could be explored by descending the river in small boats. Accordingly, on the 24th of May, 1869, a party, consisting of nine men and myself, all experienced in the wild life of the country, set off at the junction of the Union Pacific Railroad with Green River. 6. For a few days, our way was through a river of low cañons and small green valleys, until we reached the Wintaw Mountains. Through this range the river has cut a winding channel, forming the Wintah system of cañons. Near the lower end of this series, Yampo River enters the Green by a cañon. Farther down, in a valley portion of the river, the Wintah and White come in. About thirty miles below this point, we enter still another series. Low walls of gray, buff, and rust-colored sandstone shut us in. These walls slowly increase in hight as we advance. The gray rocks are lost, dark-red sandstones appear, the walls are broken down by lateral cañons, increasing in number until we are in the heart of the "Cañon of Desolation." 7. Sometimes these lateral cañons are so crowded that the rock between them stands as a narrow wall several hundred feet high, the end toward the main Some lateral a third series cutting the walls into sections, whose towering summits, though large cañons have their own lateral cañons, cañon. enough to support cathedrals, seem scarcely to furnish footing for a man. over 8. Two thousand feet- often three thousand feet head is the summit of the walls; while rocks and crags and peaks rise higher and still higher away back from the river, until they reach an altitude of nearly five thousand feet. These rusty-gray and dark-red sandstones have no beauty of color. A few greenish-gray cedars are seen, looking, not like pyramids of evergreen spray, but like clumps of knotty war-clubs bedecked with spires; this, with a little sage, constitutes all the verdure. 9. Through Still Water Cañon, the river winds with a quiet current, as if in no haste to leave the beautiful cañon carved out of the orange sandstone. All along its walls, domed alcoves and amphitheaters have been cut out of the solid rock; grottoes and caves abound; narrow lateral cañons, channels or rivulets, born of a shower, are cut or cleft in the rocks, and at every curve on the inner side is a spot of willowbordered meadow. 10. After a few days, we rowed into Cataract Cañon. Soon we heard the roar of waters, and came upon a succession of rocky rapids and cataracts, over some of which we were compelled to make portages. Usually only the cargoes were carried over the rocks, and the boats were let down with lines; but, now and then, boats and all had to be carried. Where these rapids or cataracts were unobstructed by rocks, or where there was any passage, we were able to run them, never finding any fall greater than nineteen feet in this cañon. 11. Sometimes the waves below would roll over a boat and fill the open part; but they could not sink it, as each one was decked fore and aft, and so had a water-tight compartment at either end. Now and then, a boat would roll over; but, clinging to its sides until they could right it, the men would swim to the shore, towing it with them. For twelve days we toiled through this cañon. 87 12. On the 31st of July, we reached the mouth of the San Juan, at the foot of Mound Cañon, and went into camp to rest for a day or two. Then we started again. We had now run once more into the dark-red and chocolate-colored sandstones with slate-colored beds below; these usually formed vertical walls, occasionally terraced or broken down, and from the crest of these the orange mounds sloped back, but variegated by monuments, now vertical, now terraced, now worn in steep slopes; others still combining these forms, and set with towers and pinnacles. This cañon, which is about one hundred miles long, we called Monument Cañon. 13. Other cañons succeeded, in one of which cool springs gushed from the rocks, and sparkling, foaming cascades plunged into marble fonts; and in contrast to these, after every shower, cascades of red mud poured over the walls from the red sandstone above, with a fall of hundreds of feet. We named this Marble Cañon; it terminated at the mouth of the Little Colorado, and was about thirty-six miles long. 14. From this point commenced the home-stretch; and after a variety of exciting incidents, we ended our exploration of the Grand Cañon of the Colorado, its head at the confluence of the Little Colorado, its foot at the entrance of the river in Mormon Valley, its length being about two hundred and thirty miles, its altitude from twenty-five hundred to four thousand feet, the whole region one of great scenic beauty and grandeur. J. W. Powell. (Adapted.) WORD ANALYSIS AND DEFINITIONS. Al' cove, a recess in a room, for books, etc. Am phi the' a ter (amphi, around; theater, a place for seeing), a circular theater with seats all around an open space. Lat' er al (later, the side), on the side. Port' age (port, carry), a carrying; a place where goods are carried from one body of water to another. Riv'u let (rivu, river; let, small), a small river; a creek; a streamlet. ი LESSON C. THE RIDERLESS STEEDS. [It is related that, on the morning after the terrible battle of Sedan (September 1, 1870), six hundred cavalry-horses, without riders, galloped up at the sound of the bugles, and took their accustomed places in the French ranks.] 1. Morning dawns on the hights of Sedan, Over the woods and rocky steeps, Over the castle-walls, Over the valley of the Meuse, Over the tented ground Where the scattered hosts are rallying 2. But yesterday, and the sun looked down When hostile foe met hostile foe 3. Morning dawns on the battle-field; No sound of the bugle stirs their souls No sound but the angel-trump shall call |