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he last woeful； despairing wail of a woman。 It was the song of the sea sirens and the music of the waves； it had the soft sough of the night wind in the trees； and the haunting moan of lost spirits。
With reluctance I turned my back to the gorgeously changing spectacle of the canyon and crawled in to the rim wall。 At the narrow neck of stone I peered over to look down into misty blue nothingness。
That night Jones told stories of frightened hunters； and assuaged my mortification by saying 〃buck…fever〃 was pardonable after the danger had passed； and especially so in my case； because of the great size and fame of Old Tom。
〃The worst case of buck…fever I ever saw was on a buffalo hunt I had with a fellow named Williams；〃 went on Jones。 〃I was one of the scouts leading a wagon…train west on the old Santa Fe trail。 This fellow said he was a big hunter； and wanted to kill buffalo； so I took him out。 I saw a herd making over the prairie for a hollow where a brook ran； and by hard work； got in ahead of them。 I picked out a position just below the edge of the bank； and we lay quiet； waiting。 From the direction of the buffalo； I calculated we'd be just about right to get a shot at no very long range。 As it was； I suddenly heard thumps on the ground； and cautiously raising my head； saw a huge buffalo bull just over us； not fifteen feet up the bank。 I whispered to Williams： 'For God's sake； don't shoot； don't move！' The bull's little fiery eyes snapped； and he reared。 I thought we were goners； for when a bull comes down on anything with his forefeet； it's done for。 But he slowly settled back； perhaps doubtful。 Then； as another buffalo came to the edge of the bank； luckily a little way from us； the bull turned broadside； presenting a splendid target。 Then I whispered to Williams： 〃Now's your chance。 Shoot！' I waited for the shot； but none came。 Looking at Williams； I saw he was white and trembling。 Big drops of sweat stood out on his brow his teeth chattered； and his hands shook。 He had forgotten he carried a rifle。〃
〃That reminds me；〃 said Frank。 〃They tell a story over at Kanab on a Dutchman named Schmitt。 He was very fond of huntin'； an' I guess had pretty good success after deer an' small game。 One winter he was out in the Pink Cliffs with a Mormon named Shoonover； an' they run into a lammin' big grizzly track； fresh an' wet。 They trailed him to a clump of chaparral； an' on goin' clear round it； found no tracks leadin' out。 Shoonover said Schmitt commenced to sweat。 They went back to the place where the trail led in； an' there they were； great big silver tip tracks； bigger'n hoss…tracks； so fresh thet water was oozin' out of 'em。 Schmitt said： 'Zake； you go in und ged him。 I hef took sick right now。'〃
Happy as we were over the chase of Old Tom； and our prospects for Sounder； Jude and Moze had seen a lion in a treewe sought our blankets early。 I lay watching the bright stars； and listening to the roar of the wind in the pines。 At intervals it lulled to a whisper； and then swelled to a roar； and then died away。 Far off in the forest a coyote barked once。 Time and time again； as I was gradually sinking into slumber； the sudden roar of the wind startled me。 I imagined it was the crash of rolling； weathered stone； and I saw again that huge outspread flying lion above me。
I awoke sometime later to find Moze had sought the warmth of my side； and he lay so near my arm that I reached out and covered him with an end of the blanket I used to break the wind。 It was very cold and the time must have been very late； for the wind had died down； and I heard not a tinkle from the hobbled horses。 The absence of the cowbell music gave me a sense of loneliness； for without it the silence of the great forest was a thing to be felt。
This oppressiveness； however； was broken by a far…distant cry； unlike any sound I had ever heard。 Not sure of myself； I freed my ears from the blanketed hood and listened。 It came again； a wild cry； that made me think first of a lost child； and then of the mourning wolf of the north。 It must have been a long distance off in the forest。 An interval of some moments passed； then it pealed out again； nearer this time； and so human that it startled me。 Moze raised his head and growled low in his throat and sniffed the keen air。
〃Jones； Jones；〃 I called； reaching over to touch the old hunter。
He awoke at once； with the clear…headedness of the light sleeper。
〃I heard the cry of some beast；〃 I said； 〃And it was so weird； so strange。 I want to know what it was。〃
Such a long silence ensued that I began to despair of hearing the cry again； when； with a suddenness which straightened the hair on my head； a wailing shriek； exactly like a despairing woman might give in death agony； split the night silence。 It seemed right on us。
〃Cougar！ Cougar！ Cougar！〃 exclaimed Jones。
〃What's up？〃 queried Frank； awakened by the dogs。
Their howling roused the rest of the party； and no doubt scared the cougar； for his womanish screech was not repeated。 Then Jones got up and gatherered his blankets in a roll。
〃Where you oozin' for now？〃 asked Frank； sleepily。
〃I think that cougar just came up over the rim on a scouting hunt； and I'm going to go down to the head of the trail and stay there till morning。 If he returns that way； I'll put him up a tree。〃
With this； he unchained Sounder and Don； and stalked off under the trees； looking like an Indian。 Once the deep bay of Sounder rang out； Jones's sharp command followed； and then the familiar silence encompassed the forest and was broken no more。
When I awoke all was gray； except toward the canyon； where the little bit of sky I saw through the pines glowed a delicate pink。 I crawled out on the instant； got into my boots and coat； and kicked the smoldering fire。 Jim heard me； and said：
〃Shore you're up early。〃
〃I'm going to see the sunrise from the north rim of the Grand Canon；〃 I said； and knew when I spoke that very few men； out of all the millions of travelers； had ever seen this； probably the most surpassingly beautiful pageant in the world。 At most； only a few geologists； scientists； perhaps an artist or two； and horse wranglers； hunters and prospectors have ever reached the rim on the north side； and these men； crossing from Bright Angel or Mystic Spring trails on the south rim； seldom or never get beyond Powell's Plateau。
The frost cracked under my boots like frail ice； and the bluebells peeped wanly from the white。 When I reached the head of Clarke's trail it was just daylight； and there； under a pine； I found Jones rolled in his blankets； with Sounder and Moze asleep beside him。 I turned without disturbing him； and went along the edge of the forest； but back a little distance from the rim wall。
I saw deer off in the woods； and tarrying； watched them throw up graceful heads； and look and listen。 The soft pink glow through the pines deepened to rose； and suddenly I caught a point of red fire。 Then I hurried to the place I had named Singing Cliffs； and keeping my eyes fast on the stone beneath me； trawled out to the very farthest point； drew a long； breath； and looked eastward。
The awfulness of sudden death and the glory of heaven stunned me！ The thing that had been mystery at twilight； lay clear； pure； open in the rosy hue of dawn。 Out of the gates of the morning poured a light which glorified the palaces and pyramids； purged and purified the afternoon's inscrutable clefts； swept away the shadows of the mesas； and bathed that broad； deep world of mighty mountains； stately spars of rock； sculptured cathedrals and alabaster terraces in an artist's dream of color。 A pearl from heaven had burst； flinging its heart of fire into this chasm。 A stream of opal flowed out of the sun； to touch each peak； mesa； dome； parapet； temple and tower； cliff and cleft into the new…born life of another day。
I sat there for a long time and knew that every second the scene changed； yet I could not tell how。 I knew I sat high over a hole of broken； splintered； barren mountains； I knew I could see a hundred miles of the length of it； and eighteen miles of the width of it； and a mile of the depth of it； and the shafts and rays of rose light on a million glancing； many…hued su