Cañon de Chelle. Walls of the Grand Cañon about 1200 feet in height

O'Sullivan, Timothy H., 1840-1882 · [1873]

Descriptive legend of view no. 12: Camp Beauty, Cañon de Chelle, N.M. Leaving old Fort Defiance, the trail for 35 miles traverses a dry and desert plateau and then abruptly descends into this cañon, which, from the grandeur of its walls and the green growth of vegetation on its fertile bottom, is of unrivaled beauty. This narrow gorge, about one-fourth of a mile in width, is the principal home of the Navajo Indians, whose squaws cultivate the alluvial soil, raising corn, melons, peaches, and vegetables. From this secure fold their numerous flocks of sheep are driven out upon the neighboring plains to graze, returning at times for water and shelter. The walls are of sandstone, almost or quite vertical, 1,200 feet in height, of a vermilion color blending into a dark brown, whose effect is very beautiful in the sunshine. The three shafts of rock upon the right are 1,000 feet high, standing in an isolated group in the center of the canon. The columnar formation is also represented in the valley by the "Explorer's Column," a pillar of equal altitude with these, which is remarkable for its regular formation and narrow base. At Camp Beauty, where tents are seen in the foreground on the left, five lateral cañons branch in all directions from the main gorge, making this the center of a star of six rays. The word chelle is pronounced as if spelled chay-e.