have reached a mighty canon,
into which it was impossible to descend. The canon was so deep
that rocks standing in the bottom, which were in reality higher
than the Seville cathedral, appeared no taller than a man.

Another party discovered the mouth of the river and called it,
because of their safe arrival, The River of Our Lady of Safe Conduct.
They went as far up the river as its shallow waters would permit,
but failed to find the seven cities of which they were in search,
and turned about and went back to Mexico. For years afterward the
river remained undisturbed, so far as white men were concerned.
A great part of the stream was unknown even to the Indians, for
the barren plateaus upon either side offered no inducements to
approach.

Trappers and explorers in the Rocky Mountains reached the head
waters of the river nearly one hundred years ago, and followed
the converging branches down as far as they dared toward the dark
and forbidding canons. It was believed that no boat could pass
through the canons, and that once launched upon those turbid waters,
the adventurer would never be able to return.

The Colorado remained a river of mystery for nearly three centuries
after its discovery. When California and New Mexico had become a
part of the Union, about the middle of the last century, the canon
of the Colorado was approached at various points by government
exploring parties, which brought back more definite reports concerning
the rugged gorge through which the river flows.

In 1869 Major Powell, at the head of a small party, undertook the
dangerous trip through the canon by boat. After enduring great
hardships for a number of weeks, the party succeeded in reaching
the lower end of the canon. Major Powell's exploit has been repeated
by only one other company, and some members of this party perished
before the dangerous feat was accomplished.

[Illustration: FIG. 1.--THE GRAND CANON OF THE COLORADO

The work of a river]

The Colorado is a wonderful stream. It is fed by the perpetual snows
of the Rocky Mountains. For some distance the tributary streams
flow through fertile valleys, many of them now richly and widely
cultivated. But soon the branches unite in one mighty river which,
seeming to shun life and sunlight, buries itself so deeply in the
great plateau that the traveller through this region may perish
in sight of its waters without being able to descend far enough
to reach them. After passing through