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the grand canyon of arizona-第61章

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ve with interest the points of the story that are similar to points in the Hopi story just given。 This story was told to me by O…dig…i…ni…ni…na; one of the old men story…tellers of the Havasupais。

〃The two gods of the universe are Tochopa and Hokomata。 Tochopa he heap good。 Hokomata he heap badhanatopogiall same white man's devil。 Him Hokomata make big row with Tochopa; and he say he drown the world。

〃Tochopa was full of sadness at the news。 He had one daughter whom he devotedly loved; and from her he had hoped would descend the whole human race for whom the world had been made。 If Hokomata persisted in his wicked determination; she must be saved at all hazard。 So; working day and night; he speedily prepared the trunk of a pinion tree by hollowing it out from one end。 In this hollow tree he placed food and other necessaries; and also made a lookout window。 Then he brought his daughter; and telling her she must go into this tree and there be sealed up; he took a sad farewell of her; closed up the end of the tree; and then sat down to await the destruction of the world。 It was not long before the floods began to descend。 Not rain; but cataracts; rivers; deluges came; making more noise than a thousand Hackataias (Colorado Rivers) and covering all the earth with water。 The pinion log floated; and in safety lay Pu…keh…eh; while the waters surged higher and higher; and covered the tops of Hue…han…a…patch…a (the San Francisco range); Hue…ga…woo…la (Williams Mountain); and all the other mountains of the world。

〃But the waters of heaven could not always be pouring down; and soon after they had ceased; the flood upon the earth found a way to rush to the sea。 And as it dashed down; it cut through the rocks of the plateaus; and made the deep Chic…a…mi…mi (canyon) of the Colorado River Hackataia。 Soon all the water was gone。

〃Then Pukeheh found the log no longer floating; and she peeped out of the window Tochopa had placed in her boat; and; though it was misty and almost dark she could see in the dim distance the great mountains of the San Francisco range。 And near by was the Canyon of the Little Colorado; and to the west and north was Hackataia; and to the west was the Canyon of the Havasu。

〃The flood had lasted so long that she was grown to be a woman; and; seeing the water gone; she came out and began to make pottery and baskets; as her father had long ago taught her。 But she was a woman。 And what is a woman without a child in her arms or nursing at her breasts? How she longed to be a mother! But where was a father for her child? Alas! there was not a man in the whole universe?

〃Day after day; longing for maternity filled her heart; until one morning glorious morning for Pukeheh and the Havasu racethe darkness began to disappear; and in the far…away east soft and new brightness appeared。 It was the triumphant Sun; coming to conquer the long night and bring light into the world。 Nearer and nearer he came; and; at last; as he peeped over the far…away mesa summits; Pukeheh arose and thanked Tochopa; for here; at last; was a father for her child。 She conceived; and in the fullness of time bore a son; whom she delighted in and called In…ya…a; the son of the Sun。

〃But as the days rolled on; she again felt the longings for maternity。 By this time she had wandered far to the west and had entered the beautiful Canyon of the Havasu; where deep down between the rocks were several grand and glorious waterfalls; and one of these; Wa…ha…hath…peek…ha…ha; she determined should be the father of her second child。

〃When it was born it was a girl; and to this day all the girls of the Havasu are proud to be called 'Daughters of the water。'

〃When these two children grew up they married; and thus became the progenitors of the human race。 First the Havasupais were born; then the Apaches; then the Wallapais; then the Hopis; then the Paiutes; then the Navahos。

〃And Tochopa told them all where they should live; and you find them there to this day。〃



CHAPTER XXVIII。 The Colorado River From The Mountains To The Sea

Perhaps no river in the world has so remarkable a life…history as has the Colorado。 It is formed of two great streams; the Green and the Grand。 Both have their rise in the far…away mountains; in banks of virgin and purest snow。 Hence the waters of the Colorado at their source are pure and sweet。 Yet such is the vehement force of this river; such its haste to reach the ocean; that it cuts down and carries with it millions of tons annually of sand and silt; rock debris and dirt until; when it reaches the desert; through which it flows as a lazy dragon; reddish…yellow; tawny; it is the dirtiest stream in the world。 For not only does it carry the sand of its own grinding; as it passes through the hundred miles of canyon of its waterway; but it accepts the sweepings of vast areas made by its tributaries。 Some of these extend through barren and desolate areas;great stretches of the most forsaken desert lands; where the rains occasionally pour down with deluge…like force。 Cloudbursts and floods are common; for the whole country is high in altitude; with rising peaks; where electric storms play and rage; and the clouds drop; with a sudden sweep; their whole burden of water to the earth beneath。 At other times; the waters are allowed to pour down in torrential rains which quickly deluge the land; and as there are no barriers to hinder or detain; they sweep down the inhospitable slopes to the stream beds; carrying with them all the sand; silt; rock debris; vegetable mould and animal matter that have accumulated since the last storm。 So that while at its source it is the purest river in the world; at its mouth it is the dirtiest and most repulsive。 The Mississippi; with many more miles of length; the Nile; the Amazon; the Yangste…Kiang; the Hoang…Ho; are all far cleaner at their mouths than is this insatiable dragon of the Canyon。

Carrying Power of the River。 This suggests another singularity in which it doubtless reigns supreme。 Probably no river in the world; of its length; has anything like the carrying power of the Colorado within its waters。 Notice that I say 〃within its waters。〃 It is useless for carrying anything on its bosom。 No ships use its waters for beneficent commerce。 Its only carrying power is in the amount of sand and other material it holds in solution; and carries within itself。

Its Incredible Descent。 For it is doubtful whether any river in the world has so rapid a descent from towering mountain heights to its receiving ocean; as has the Colorado。 It falls over four thousand two hundred feet from its source to its mouth; and in less than five hundred miles of its distance it contains five hundred and twenty rapids; falls and cataracts。 A fall or a rapid or a cataract for every mile; and a few over for good measure。 Who can conceive the peril of journeying through such a river? And until the facts were known; how hopeless to attempt to ascend such a river; as did Alarcon; Ives and Wheeler!

Useless for Commerce。 As already stated; it is the most useless of the large rivers of the world as a carrier of ships of commerce。 No boat; carrying produce of field; mill or mart; has ever passed up or down its cours
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