THE GREAT CANON OF THE COLORADO.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1056, 18 January 1883, Page 1

THE GREAT CANON OF THE COLORADO.

By the side of this mighty rift in the cruet of the earth even the Gorge of the Arkansas ginks into com] urative insignificance. Not for feven miles only, but for some 600 the Colorado river fights its way through a similar cleft in the rocky strata at an average depth of3oooft. Along a groat, part of this length there is a strip of alluvial soil on each bank, but for miles together at intervals the walls approach so close that the water baß worn them smooth as glass. As the river .•una on it cuts its way deeper and deeper till the solid rock on either side rises to a height of not less tl an 5000 ft while some explorers calculate it. at 2000 more. Two prospectors were once driven by Indians into the stream at a point win re the bunks were about 200 ft h gh, end hud no lvsnuice lut to embark UieinM Ives i>n a hud :1, -i:i.i)sl:,i ucled raft of ilrit'i v. on'), ;tiul tni I to the lendti' mirei-s of ti i- i'iv-(-r. Kur rf.-iv t Iwv Hooted on, until a jntcii'ad, deep nt-wn in the larth upset the fra 1 s'rui lure, a'Hl one vas drowned. other Mirvived, hi dat length, worn out with/ • the horror:' of that fearful veyege and wa*A of lO'Tl, he emerged in'o t'-o world or>ge move beneath the iyis of tha < c,;upan:.s o- a ro- tier fort. Ue had been ' iourtthi. >'!i\s in the canon, though cot on tie w(,ter a. 1 ih<- t ine, and f.equoitly the lij.ii'.. cvni it- u.idday. His rri-euer- thought lie was man whenhe narrated ha s'ruy and d tcribeil si t>:ueh of tha l ; turr le time as ho ren.ember, d, and none iiiJeerl bu: a man if mere than ciCnary mould er.u'd have guro through it and pre-eri ed hii" reason. Jt is fcltuobt needless (o ay tiiiit Wliite, v.lii.-h, if we remember liy'llv vv.it the. n a.'/d name, ip the only luiui-in 1 e n<; who lias ever mada the pfltsnge. It, is n I lite'y that even the adventurous YhhWcs will want to nu kea milrcad through this gorgo.

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