There is a region in the deep interior of the American continent, to which the name Great Plateau has been given. The name expresses its geological character. It is, however, a region which furnishes a wonderful field to archæology, and deserves careful study on this account. There is no part of our great continent where more interesting problems are presented than by this. These problems relate not merely to the physical and natural history, but to human history as well. In fact, it is the human history which gives the chief interest to it, as that history is totally unlike any other on the face of the globe.

It appears that a portion of the human race found lodgment in the midst of these grand scenes of nature, but became isolated by reason of their situation. Here, they developed a form of society which was largely the result of the environment, but which culminated in a type of art and architecture which was most peculiar. There has been a great deal of mystery thrown around the people, and a name has been given to them which starts a thousand fancies-the name CliffDwellers. The charm of this name does not come merely from the fact that the people dwelt so high up among the cliffs, as from the fact, that they developed so high a civilization in the midst of the cliffs.

The inquiry naturally arises, whether this civilization was altogether the result of environment, or was owing to some other influence. There are differences of opinion on this point, as some maintain that the Cliff-Dwellers and the Pueblo tribes were like a molten mass, which was thrown into this gigantic mould, and came out bearing the stamp, as thoroughly as a casting does that which is found in any ordinary furnace. Others, however, ascribe the condition of the Cliff-Dwellers to their remarkable intelligence, combined with the influence of inheritance and employment. It is probable that all these had their effect, but as the first (scenery) has been made so prominent, we shall give our thoughts to this, thus making it a background to the picture which we hope to draw in this volume. We do not believe that the background is the picture, but it is essential to it, and is always designed to set forth the picture more clearly.

We propose in this chapter to furnish descriptions of the Great Plateau, including the Grand Cañon of the Colorado, and other features; but, in doing so, sha': draw largely from the writings of those who have spent time in exploring and surveying, but whose descriptions are buried in the midst of voluminous reports and are likely to be forgotten. It has long been our conviction that these ought to be brought to light.

I. We shall begin with a description of the topography of the entire region, and shall quote largely from the report of Mr. C. E. Dutton, which is contained in the Second Annual Report of the Geological Survey. He says:

For convenience of geological discussion, Major Powell has divided that belt of country which lies between the meridian of Denver, Colorado, and the Pacific into provinces, each of which possesses topographical features

which distinguish it from the others. The easternmost, he has named the Park Province. It is situated in the central and western parts of Colorado and extends north of that State into Wyoming, and south of it into New Mexico. It is pre-eminently a mountain region, having several long ranges of mountains. The structure and forms of these mountains are not exactly similar to those of any other region, but possess some resemblance to the Alps.

As we pass westward of these ranges we enter a region having a very different topography. The mountains disappear and in their stead we find platforms and terraces, nearly or quite horizontal on their summits or floors and abruptly terminated by long lines of cliffs. They lie at greatly varying altitudes, some as high as 11,000 feet above the sea, others no higher than 5,000, and with still others occupying intermediate levels. Seldom does the surface of the land rise into conical peaks, or into long, narrowcrested ridges; but the profiles are long, horizontal lines, suddenly dropping down many hundreds, or even two thousand, feet upon another flat plain We are indebted to the courtesy of the Santa Fe Railroad Company for many of the cuts used to illustrate this chapter.

below. This region has been very appropriately named by Major Powell, the Plateau Province. It occupies a narrow strip of western New Mexico, a large part of southern Wyoming, and rather more than half of Utah and Arizona.

West of the Plateau Province is the Great Basin, so named by Fremont becaus it has no drainage to the ocean. Its topography is wholly peculiar and bears no resemblance to either of the two just alluded to. It contains a large number of ranges, all of which are very narrow and short, and separated from each other by wide intervals of smooth, barren plains. The mountains are of a low order of magnitude for the most part, though some of the ranges and peaks attain considerable dimensions. Their appearance is strikingly different from the noble and picturesque outlines displayed in Colorado. They are jagged, wild, and ungraceful in their aspect, and, whether viewed from far or near, repel rather than invite the imagination.

The Grand Canyon District is a part of the Plateau Province, and to this as a whole we call attention. As already indicated, it lies between the Park and Basin Provinces, and its topography differs in the extreme from those found on either side of it. It is the land of tables and terraces, of buttes and mesas, of cliffs and canyons. Standing upon any elevated spot where the radius of vision reaches out fifty or a hundred miles, the observer beholds a strange spectacle. The most conspicuous objects are the lofty and brilliantly-colored cliffs. They stretch their tortuous courses across the land in all directions, yet not without system; here throwing out a great promontory, there receding in a a deep bay, and continuing on and on until they sink below the horizon, or swing behind some loftier mass, or fade out in the distant haze. Each cliff

FOOT TRAIL.

marks the boundary of a geographical terrace and marks, also, the termination of some geological series of strata, the edges of which are exposed, like courses of masonry, in the scarp-walls of the palisades. In the distance may be seen the spectacle of cliff rising above and beyond cliff, like a colossal stairway leading from the torrid plains below to the domain of the clouds above. Very wonderful at times is the sculpture of these majestic walls. There is an architectural style about it, which must be seen to be appreciated. The resemblances to architecture are not fanciful or metaphorical, but are real and vivid; so much so that the unaccustomed tourist often feels a vague skepticism whether these are truly the works of the blind forces of nature, or some intelligence akin to human, but far mightier; and even the experienced explorer is sometimes brought to a sudden halt and filled with amazement by the apparition of forms as definite and eloquent as those of art. Each geological formation

KIVA AND PUEBLO.