the grand canyon of arizona-第37章

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ll　the　plateau　trails　through　the　Kohonino　（Coconino）　Forest。　Hence　our　roundabout　wagon　trip。

On　the　Fringe　of　the　Painted　Desert。　Filling　our　canteens　to　the　nozzle；　we　drove　over　the　western　fringe　of　the　Painted　Desert。　Skirting　the　mountain；　we　made　a　〃dry　camp〃　that　night；　and　used　up　every　drop　of　water　next　morning。　Some　went　for　our　coffee；　and　the　rest　was　given　to　the　animals。　Then　we　started　for　the　far…away　Tanner　Crossing　of　the　Little　Colorado；　across　the　thirsty　desert。　As　we　were　without　water；　it　was　natural　that；　on　that　particular　day；　the　elements　should　combine　to　make　it　hotter　than　usual。　A　few　clouds　sprang　into　existence；　but　we　felt　no　breath　of　cooling　air；　and　as　the　day　grew；　the　clouds　became　burning　glasses　to　focus　the　sun's　heat　more　powerfully　upon　us。　Late　in　the　afternoon；　our　eyes　were　delighted　with　the　sight　of　what　seemed　to　be　a　pool　of　water；　in　the　road　ahead　of　us。　Parched　almost　to　keen　suffering；　we　drove　our　weary　and　thirsty　horses　right　into　it；　scaring　away；　as　we　did　so；　several　horses　that　were　standing　there；　and　then；　not　waiting　for　cups　or　ceremony；　each　man　threw　himself　flat　on　his　stomach　and　began　to　drink　the　uninviting　compound。　A　heavy　shower　had　fallen　in　this　one　spot；　and　the　pool　had　not　yet　had　time　to　evaporate。

A　Dash　Across　the　Little　Colorado。　The　day　was　sultry　and　betokened　a　heavy　rain　storm；　so；　when　we　reached　the　Little　Colorado；　we　decided　to　get　over　that　night；　since；　if　the　storm　came；　it　might　render　crossing　impossible。　Our　ambulance　was　heavily　laden；　and　the　crossing　dangerous。　Before　I　ventured；　we　unloaded　about　half　the　weight；　and　then　I　undressed；　save　for　my　undershirt；　and　went　to　investigate　the　bed　of　the　crossing　for　quicksands。　As　soon　as　I　had　determined　where　to　drive；　we　started　across。

Whipping　up　the　mules；　and　keeping　their　necks　well　into　their　collars；　we　dashed　across　in　safety。　Immediately　the　wagon　was　unloaded；　I　turned　it　around　and　crossed　alone。　The　remainder　of　the　load　was　put　in；　with　our　two　men；　and；　one　of　them　seated　by　my　side　with　the　whip；　we　〃yelled〃　ourselves　across　again。　Our　wagon　was　stopped　in　a　sandy　drift；　our　grub　box　thrown　out；　a　fire　lighted；　and　with　the　impending　storm　in　close　proximity；　we　hurriedly　cooked　and　ate　our　evening　meal。　No　sooner　was　my　plate　cleared　than；　taking　my　roll　of　blankets；　I　wearily　threw　them　down　not　more　than　ten　feet　from　the　wagon；　too　utterly　〃played　out〃　to　seek　shelter　in　the　cliff　beyond；　where　a　number　of　cave…like　shelves　afforded　good　level　sleeping　places；　secure　from　the　storm。　As　I　unrolled　my　blankets；　I　called　to　the　men　to　be　sure　to　put　out　the　camp　fire　and　place　the　sugar　sack；　etc。；　in　the　grub　box　and　close　the　lid。　I　was　no　sooner　stretched　out　than　I　was　sound　asleep。

A　Storm　at　Night。　One　of　my　companions　insisted　upon　unrolling　his　blankets　close　to　me；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　a　terrible　storm　might　break　over　us　at　any　time。　Poor　fellow！　He　had　scarcely　gotten　to　sleep　when　a　frightful　gust　of　wind　swept　down　upon　us。　Awakened　with　the　noise；　my　eye　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　flaming　brands　from　the　fire　being　tossed　into　the　wagon；　and　I　rushed　to　the　rescue。　In　a　fierce　wind；　with　a　wagon　and　its　contents　dried　out　by　the　fierce　Arizona　sun；　I　knew　there　was　not　a　moment　to　lose。　Fortunately；　I　had　left　a　pail；　of　water　close　by；　and　with　this　I　doused　out　not　only　the　flames　in　the　wagon；　but　the　remnant　of　the　camp　fire。　It　was　pitch　dark　by　now。　All　at　once；　with　a　light　that　was　blinding　in　its　intensity；　and　with　a　terrible　clap　of　thunder；　the　storm　burst　upon　us。　It　was；　without　any　question；　one　of　the　fiercest　short　storms；　accompanied　with　the　most　vivid　lightning；　I　have　ever　seen。　The　darkness　was　so　black；　that；　like　that　of　Egypt　during　the　plague；　it　seemed　almost　as　if　it　might　be　felt。　With　a　suddenness　that　was　awe…inspiring；　it　became　light　as　noonday。　The　lightning　was　of　a　brilliant；　violet　tint；　and　shone　with　fervent　intensity。　And　it　was　not　merely　a　few　flashes。　It　came　down　in　millions　of　jagged　streaks；　completely　filling　the　heavens　to　the　horizon　in　every　direction。

A　Frightened　Traveler。　In　one　of　these　blinding　flashes；　I　caught　sight　of　my　neighbor。　His　face　wore　an　expression　of　anguish。　In　his　dread　he　had　arisen；　and　had　tried　to　pick　up　his　clothes　and　blankets；　in　the　hope　of　reaching　shelter。　In　one　of　the　sudden　lulls　of　the　tempest；　I　heard　him　talking　to　himself：　〃Shall　I　ever　live　through　this　awful　night？　Can　I　get　to　those　cliffs？　Why　doesn't　some　one　come　to　help　me？　I'm　going　to　die。　There's　no　help　for　it！〃　Taking　advantage　of　the　next　flash；　I　picked　up　my　blankets　and　carried　them　to　the　cliffs；　then　returned　to　him；　gathered　up　his　belongings；　and　urged　him　to　follow　me。　As　soon　as　he　was　secure；　I　spread　out　my　sopping　wet　blankets　in　the　first　space　I　could　find。　Wet　through　as　I　was；　I　rolled　myself　up　in　my　wetter　blankets；　and　soon　should　have　been　asleep；　had　it　not　been　for　the　moanings　of　the　man　I　had　rescued。　He　wished　he　hadn't　come；　he　was　sure　the　exposure　would　kill　him；　and　he　wondered　why　people　were　such　fools　as　to　take　unnecessary　trips。　Just　then　the　storm　waters　from　above；　seeking　their　accustomed　drainage　channels；　found　their　way　down　to　a　rock　which　overhung　my　sleeping…place　as　a　rude　spout；　and　began　to　pour　upon　me　in　bucketfuls。　Yet　I　vowed　I　would　never　admit　that　my　sleep　was　in　the　slightest　disturbed。　So　I　turned　over　in　my　watery　bed；　and　kept　up　the　play　until　morning　came；　while　the　angry　man　complained　the　entire　time。　Funny？　In　spite　of　my　own　misery；　it　was　funny　enough　to　make　a　burro　laugh。

Two　Days'　Rest。　It　took　us　a　couple　of　days　to　get　well　dried　out；　which　we　spent　at　Tuba　City；　a　Mormon　town　since　abandoned　by　order　of　the　Courts；　which　found　that　it　was　illegally　located　on　an　Indian　reserve。　Then　we　enjoyed　a　day　or　two　at　Moenkopi；　watching　the　Hopi　Indians　at　their　interesting　occupations；　caring　for　their　fields；　and　preparing　to　go　on　to　Oraibi；　forty　miles　distant；　where　the　Snake　Dance　was　soon　to　occur。

Camp　at　Blue　Canyon。　The　heat　was　fearfulit　was　the　middle　of　August　…and　the　sand　made　hard　pulling　for　the　horses。　It　was　late　in　the　evening　before　we　reached　Blue　Canyon。　The　road　was　uncertain；　so　we　camped　on　the　rim　above；　leading　our　animals　down；　as　best　we　could；　to　a　Navaho　hogan；　where　we　thought　we　might　get　water　and　some　cornstalks　for　them。　We　got　both；　and　then　decided　to　hobble　the　animals　and　turn　them　loose　in　the　Canyon；　while　we　returned　to　our　wagon　above。　The　wind　had　come　up；　and　was　blowing　fiercely；　so；　in　the　dark；　I　chose　for　a　sleeping　place　a　piece　of　ground　that　was　somewhat　sheltered　from　it。　It　was　irregular；　rocky　and　rolling；　and　as　the　wind　continued　to　blow；　the　fine　sand　blew　over　and　on　to　my　face；　while　the　coarser　sand　settled　into　my　blankets。　It　was　not　a　refreshing　and　comforting　night。

An　Exciting　Descent。　In　the　morning；　when　we　went　down　for　our　animals；　we　found　that　they　had　broken　through　the　flimsy　fence　of　the　Navaho；　and　had　worked　considerable　havoc　in　his　corn…patch。　The　Navaho　grumbled　and　gesticulated；　and　showed　unmistakable　anger；　but　I　took　the　matter　coolly　and；　after　seeing　the　extent　of　the　damage；　quietly　asked　the　head　of　the　family：　〃Tu…kwe　peso？〃　（How　many　dollars？）　On　receiving　his　answer；　I　offered　to　give　him　sugar　and　flour　to　that　amount。　We　became　friends　at　once；　and　he　invited　us　to　bring　our　wagon　down　and　spend　the　day　with　him。　As　we　were　all　wearied；　we　decided　to　do　so。　To　save　going　around　by　the　wagon　road；　he　showed　us　a　quicker　way　of　descent。　It　was　a　sand　bank　not　quite　vertical；　but　as　nearly　so　as　ever　any　one　drove　down　and　lived　to　tell　the　tale。　So；　harnessing　the　animals；　we　brought　the　wagon　to　the　edge　of　this　sandy　descent；　then；　tying　all　the　wheels　securely；　so　that　they　would　drag；　all　of　us　holding　on　to　the　hind　axle　and　with　weights　trailing　behind；　the　whole　mass　went　over。　Though　we　threw　ourselves　into　the　sand　and　held　on　to　our　ropes；　it　was　only　by　expert　driving　that　the　animals　were　kept　from　being　crushed。

Experience　with　a　Navaho　Pilot。　The　next　day　we　pushed　on　to　Oraibi；　piloted　by　a　Navaho。　When　we　reach