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tion; and his poetic eloquence of description。 It is between Kaibab and Powell Plateaus that Bass's Trail to Point Sublime climbs its circuitous and winding way;this portion being called 〃The Saddle。〃 The dark growths which crown the plateaus are in reality pine trees; which; on the north rim of the Canyon; attain immense size。 They; and lesser tree growths; descend to the bottom of the second mass of talus。
The Rocks of the North Wall。 The rock bands on the opposite walls; a large part of the way down; are like those found on the same north wall seen from El Tovar。 First there is the band of cherty limestone; from which a sloped talus leads to the creamy sugary sandstone。 Immediately below this begins the 〃red;〃 which descends in strata of varying width and color down to a rather narrow…appearing slope of red talus; which leads the eye to the widest member of all the Grand Canyon strata。 This is the so…called red…wall limestone。 All these strata; from the rim down; are said to be in the Upper and Lower Carboniferous Systems。
Below this majestic wall appear the variegated strata of the Cambrian; in grays; buffs; olives; greens and yellows。
The Tilts。 Now we see a large exposure of the nonconformable strata; which; on account of their very markedly tilted condition; have been named 〃The Tilts。〃 Below this is found the Archaean rock。
It is hard for any but the well…trained observer to realize that practically the same conditions that exist on the north wall; exist on the south wall; directly under his feet; except that the Algonkian is absent。 The talus shuts off the view; and it seems impossible that there can be such great precipice walls as the opposite mural face reveals。 It is not as high; however; on this side as it is on the other; by fully one thousand six hundred and fifty feet。 The difference is caused by the great upthrust in the earth's crust; which detached Powell's Plateau from the Kaibab Plateau。
One may approximately estimate the various strata of the wall of the Kaibab as follows:
Colorado River; say。 。 。 2400 feet above sea level Archaean 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1000 〃 thick Algonkian 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1100 〃 〃 Cambrian 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1000 〃 〃 Carboniferous 。 。 。 。 。 2750 〃 〃 … Total level above sea。 。 8250
Bass Tomb or Holy Grail Temple。 The great north wall is not featureless。 There are a number of architectural forms; of wonderfully varied shape; resting upon bases of massive solidity。 The most striking of these is a squarebased monumental mass;Holy Grail Temple; formerly Bass Tomb;on which rests a well…shaped pyramid; crowned with a red and white circular shaft。 The whole butte is well proportioned; having a base of sixteen square miles; and rising to a height of six thousand seven hundred and ten feet。
King Arthur Castle。 Slightly to the east of it is another majestic butte; inferior only in size。 The crowning shaft is missing here; but a castellated structure of red rock suitably dominates it。 It bears the name King Arthur Castle; and is seven thousand three hundred and fifteen feet elevation。
Guinevere Castle。 Still further to the east a winding ridge of rock; standing over one of the many oblique gorges within the main gorge; leads up to a third dominating figure of rock sculpture。 This is Guinevere Castle; seven thousand two hundred and fifty…five feet。
Huethawali。 Now let the eye rest upon the objects immediately before it; and more in the center of the Canyon。 The chief object is an almost detached mountain; crowned with irregular cross…bedded layers of white sandstone。 The Indians call this mountain Hue…tha…wa…li; (the final 〃i〃 being pronounced as 〃e;〃) which signifies White Rock Mountain。 This is now the name they give to Bass Camp; and the Havasupais at El Tovar; who are starting for their Canyon home; will often remark: 〃We go Huethawali tonight。〃 Its elevation is six thousand two hundred and eighty feet。
Darwin Plateau。 The main plateau before us is named Darwin Plateau; after the learned evolutionist。 Take this plateau as a rude and misshapen hand; imagine the thumb and little finger gone; and it will be seen that the other three fingers radiate from Darwin Plateau in the shape of three irregularly contoured; but fairly level plateaus; Huethawali resting like a great wart upon the base of the middle one of the three。 To these plateaus have been given the following names: the one to the right is Grand Scenic Divide; the middle one is named Huxley Terrace; and the one to the left (the west) is Spencer Terrace。
For a few moments let us look at each of these plateaus; and grasp such features as the eyes may observe。
Grand Scenic Divide and Dick Pillar。 Grand Scenic Divide was so named because it is the point where the granite of the Inner Gorge disappears from the Grand Canyon; and this disappearance makes as vast and wonderful a difference in the Canyon scenery as it is possible to find in its whole two hundred and seventeen miles of length。 To the right of the Divide; looking eastward; where the granite is still in evidence; one can see the temples; buttes and towers that make the view from El Tovar and Grand View Points so interesting。 Looking westward; the whole aspect changes; so markedly; indeed; that one scarcely can believe it to be the same Canyon。 Hence the appropriateness of the name。 At the extreme end of this plateau; a detached rocky pillar stands peering down into the deepest recesses of the Inner Gorge。 This bears the name Dick Pillar; from Robert Dick; the baker…geologist of Thurso; Scotland; who gave such material assistance to Hugh Miller in his studies of the Old Red Sandstone。
Huxley Terrace。 Huxley Terrace is the center plateau。 At its end is an eroded mass of red sandstone; to which the name of the noted naturalist and evolutionist; Wallace; has been attached。 Still nearer the end; and belonging to the marble wall; is a pagoda named Tyndall Dome。
Spencer Terrace。 Spencer Terrace is the most western of the plateaus; and is where the Mystic Spring used to be; which for many years gave its name to Bass's Trailthe Mystic Spring Trail。
These three plateaus vary in width from a quarter of a mile to over a mile wide; they are dotted with what seem to be patches of grass; but which in reality are juniper and pinion trees from ten to forty feet in height。
Terraces of the Explorers。 About a quarter of a mile to the west of Bass Camp is the amphitheatre in which my earlier book; 〃In and Around the Grand Canyon;〃 and a large part of the present book were written。 From this restful spot I have looked out thousands of times across the great bend of the river and Garnet Canyon to the five terraces named after the early…day Spanish explorers; Marcos; De Vaca; Tovar; Alarcon; and Garces。
Points of the Explorers。 To the west stands out Chemehuevi Point; six thousand six hundred and twenty…six feet; while across the river; terminating Powell Plateau; are Wheeler Point; six thousand seven hundred and fifty feet; and just beyond it Ives Point; six thousand six hundred feet。
To the north of Ives Point; but hidden from view; are Beale Point; six thousand six hundred and ninety…five feet; Thompson Point; six thousand seven hundred and thir