midday
This gulch was far from the beaten track of the ordinary explorer , a vast but attractive gash in the plateau . In spots there was verdure , and , where the water courses reached in , stretches of grass with here and there patches of gramma grass , grease wood and creosote plants with a profusion of flowers , mostly red , in harmony with the prevailing color of the rocks that towered high above them . At this point the walls of the Canyon reached nearly seven thousand feet up into the air . Down there on the levels the sun glared fiercely at midday , but along toward night refreshing breezes drifted through the Canyon , making the evenings cool and delightful . But there were drawbacks . There were snakes and insects in this almost tropical lower land . The boys were not greatly disturbed over these things .