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Show THE GRAND CANON OF THE COLORADO. 193 sharp crags and peaks seen along this edge of the Paria Plateau are not well represented in the section, as it was taken along the line a little too far to the south for that purpose. So the district of country through which the Grand Canon is cut, is divided into blocks by cliffs and canons, and to each of the greater blocks we have given a name, and called it a plateau. Only a few of these, like the Kaibab, are well defined as tables, i. e.-, blocks of land bounded on all sides by escarpments and slopes, which descend to lower lands. Many of them have escarpments and slopes to lower lands only on two or three sides, while the escarpments on the other sides are ascents to other plateaus. I shall not linger here to describe these plateaus in detail, but shall defer a more thorough discussion of the subject to the detailed report on the geology of the district. THE GRAND CANON. Through these tables the Colorado runs, in an easterly and westerly direction, in a deep gorge, known as the Grand Canon. The varying depths of this canon, due to the varying altitudes of the plateaus through which it runs, can only be seen from above. As we wind about in the gloomy depths below, the difference between 4,000 and 6,000 feet is not discerned, but the characteristics of the canon-the scenic features-change abruptly with the change in the altitude of the walls, as the faults are passed. In running the channel, which divides the twin plateaus, we pass around the first great southern bend. In the very depths of the canon we have black granite, with a narrow cleft, through which a great river plunges. This granite portion of the walls is carved with deep gulches and embossed with pinnacles and towers. Above are broken, ragged, non-conformable rocks, in many places sloping back at a low angle. Clambering over these, we reach rocks lying in horizontal beds. Some are soft; many very hard; the softer strata are washed out; the harder remain as shelves. Everywhere there are side gulches and canons, so that these gulches are set about ten thousand dark, gloomy alcoves. One might imagine that this was intended for the library of the gods; and it was. The shelves are not for books, but form the stony leaves of one great book. He who would read the language of the universe may dig out letters here and 25 COL |
