. To California and back;. esof black and red volcanic cinder, grass-carpetedparks, uncouth vegetable growths of the desert, andbleak rock-spires, above all which white peaks gleamradiantly in almost perpetual sunlight. The long-time residents of this region are unable to shake offits charm, even when no longer compelled by anyother consideration to remain. Its frequent widestretches of rugged horizon exert a fascination noless powerful than that of arduous mountain-fast-nesses or the secret shadows of the dense is the same dignity of Nature, the same mys-tery, potent even upon th
. To California and back;. esof black and red volcanic cinder, grass-carpetedparks, uncouth vegetable growths of the desert, andbleak rock-spires, above all which white peaks gleamradiantly in almost perpetual sunlight. The long-time residents of this region are unable to shake offits charm, even when no longer compelled by anyother consideration to remain. Its frequent widestretches of rugged horizon exert a fascination noless powerful than that of arduous mountain-fast-nesses or the secret shadows of the dense is the same dignity of Nature, the same mys-tery, potent even upon those who can least define itsthrall. Miners confess to it, and herdsmen. Tothe traveler it will appear a novel environment forcontemporaneous American life, this land of sageand mesquite, of frowning volcanic piles, shadowedcanons, lofty mesas and painted It seemsfitter for some cyclopean race, for the pterodactyland the behemoth. Its cliffs are flung in broad sin-uous lines that approach and recede from the way,31. w^ai^!^.^MLSr ^, their contour incessantly shifting in the similitude ofcaverns, corridors, pyramids, monuments, and a thou-sand other forms so full of structural idea they seemto be the unfinished work of some giant architectwho had planned more than he could execute. The altitude is practically the same as that of theroute through New Mexico, undulating between5,000 and 7,000 feet above sea-level, until on thewestern border the high plateaus break rapidly downto an elevation of less than 500 feet at the valley ofa broad and capricious stream that flows through al-ternate stretches of rich alluvial meadow arw:l barrenrock-spires—obelisks rising against the sky. Thisstream is the Colorado River, wayward, strenuous,and possessed of creative imagination and terrificenergies when the mood is on. It chiseled theGrand Cafion, far to the north and east, and nowcomplacently saunters oceanward. Despite its quietair, not long ago and at no small distance toward
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Keywords: ., boo, bookauthorhigginscacharlesa, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890
