tsteps deep enough to make them
absolutely safe. There was a constant dread lest out ladder should break
off, and we be thrown either down the snow-slope or into the bottom of
the crevasse. At last, in order to prevent myself from falling over
backwards, I was obliged to thrust my hand into the crack between the
ice and the wall, and the spire became so narrow that I could do this on
both sides; so that the climb was made as upon a tree, cutting mere
toe-holes and embracing the whole column of ice in my arms. At last I
reached the top, and, with the greatest caution, wormed my body over
the brink, and rolling out upon the smooth surface of the granite,
looked over and watched Cotter make his climb. He came up steadily, with
no sense of nervousness, until he got to the narrow part of the ice, and
here he stopped and looked up with a forlorn face to me; but as he
climbed up over the ledge the broad smile came back to his face, and he
asked me if it had occurred to me that we had, by and by, to go down
again.

We had now an easy slope to the summit, and hurried up over rocks and
ice, reaching the crest at exactly twelve o'clock. I rang my hammer upon
the topmost rock; we grasped hands, and I reverently named the grand
peak MOUNT TYNDALL.

THE GRAND CANON OF THE COLORADO

MAJOR JOHN WESLEY POWELL

[In 1869-72 Major John Wesley Powell was the chief of a party
which explored the Colorado River of the West and its
tributaries. The chapter subjoined is from his official
report, published by the Government Printing Office,
Washington, 1875. The substance of that report, with much
additional matter of great interest, appears in "The Canons
of the Colorado," by Major Powell, published by Flood &
Vincent, Meadville, Pa., 1895, with superb illustrations. For
fourteen years, beginning with 1880, Major Powell was
director of the United States Geological Survey; since 1879
he has been director of the United States Bureau of
Ethnology.]

_August 13, 1869._ We are now ready to start on our way down the Great
Unknown. Our boats, tied to a common stake, are chafing each other, as
they are tossed by the fretful river. They ride high and buoyant, for
their loads are lighter than we could desire. We have but a month's
rations remaining. The flour has been resifted through the mosquito net
sieve; the spoiled bacon has been dried, and the worst of it boiled; the
few pou