gain falls, this
time into the Grand Canyon.

Imposing as the Great Fall is, it must chiefly be considered as a part
of the Grand Canyon picture. The only separate view of it looks up from
the river's edge in front, a view which few get because of the difficult
climb; every other view poses it merely as an element in the canyon
composition. Compared with the Upper Fall, its more than double height
gives it the great superiority of majesty without detracting from the
Upper Fall's gushing personality. In fact, it is the King of Falls.
Comparison with Yosemite's falls is impossible, so different are the
elements and conditions. The Great Fall of the Yellowstone carries in
one body, perhaps, a greater bulk of water than all the Yosemite
Valley's falls combined.

And so we come to the canyon. In figures it is roughly a thousand feet
deep and twice as wide, more or less, at the rim. The supremely scenic
part reaches perhaps three miles below the Great Fall. Several rock
points extend far into the canyon, from which the gorgeous spectacle may
be viewed as from an aeroplane. Artists' Point, which is reached from
the east side, displays the Great Fall as the centre of a noble
composition. It was Moran's choice. Inspiration Point, which juts far in
from the west side, shows a deeper and more comprehensive view of the
canyon and only a glimpse of the Great Fall. Both views are essential to
any adequate conception. From Artists' Point the eye loses detail in the
overmastering glory of the whole. From Inspiration Point the canyon
reveals itself in all the intimacy of its sublime form and color. Both
views dazzle and astonish. Neither can be looked at very long at one
time.

[Illustration: _From a photograph copyright by Gifford_

YELLOWSTONE VALLEY FROM THE UPPER FALL TO THE LOWER FALL]

[Illustration: _From a photograph copyright by Gifford_

THE LOWER FALL AND THE GRAND CANYON OF THE YELLOWSTONE]

It will help comprehension of the picture quality of this remarkable
canyon to recall that it is carved out of the products of volcanism; its
promontories and pinnacles are the knobbed and gnarled decomposition
products of lava rocks left following erosion; its sides are gashed and
fluted lava cliffs flanked by long straight slopes of coarse volcanic
sand-like grains; its colors have the distinctness and occasional
luridness which seem natural to fused and oxidized disintegrations.
Geologically speaking, it is a young canyon. It