erdure, like the gaudy headdress of some mighty
warrior.

We descend into the canon by a well-marked trail, and the shade of the
trees is most grateful after our walk in the sun. We follow
downstream, where the speckled trout lie hid in the deep pools, and
the song sparrows sing their sweetest, and at last find ourselves at
the object of our quest, opposite the caves.

There are three or four of these, large and small, which were used in
former times by the Indians. We had fully intended to climb the face
of this almost perpendicular cliff, to explore the caves, and
photograph the interiors with the aid of flashlights, but decided that
the climb was too hard, and the ground too wet and slippery for
safety. As a false step or an insecure foothold would send us to the
bottom with broken bones, if not broken necks, we contented ourselves
with photographing the face of the cliff from a safe distance.

Retracing our steps, crossing the stream, and making a long detour, we
tried to reach the caves from above. It was a hard, tedious climb,
over rough and jagged rocks, but after nearly an hour's struggle,
slipping and sliding, holding on to every shrub that offered the
semblance of a grip, we reached the top. Then by a more tedious and
dangerous descent, we reached a large flat rock just above the caves.
Crawling out upon the rock, and venturing as near the edge as we
dared, we found it almost as impossible to reach the caves from above
as from below, and finally gave up the attempt.

[Illustration: WILD-CAT CANON]

But we were well repaid for our rough climb, for a more magnificent
panorama could hardly be found. We looked for miles up and down the
canon, in either direction, so far below us that the head grew dizzy.
The trees followed the tortuous course of the canon, and two men that
we saw far below us looked like pigmies.

Far above us a sparrow hawk circled above the trees, and we were told
that an owl had a nest somewhere among the rocks. We did not look for
it, but certainly nothing but an owl, or some other bird, could ever
hope to scale the rocks successfully. We rested a long time on the top
of the rock, enjoying the view, and regaining our wind for the climb
to the top. This we accomplished without accident, save for the few
scratches incident to such work. It was the season when the flowering
currant puts on its gala dress of pink blossoms, and the banks of the
creek for a long distance were like a flower ga