Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-17
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BY WILLIAM WALLACE. JR.

George Frankyn had gone to visit his
uncle and aunt, who lived In Southern
California. not far from the great desert
In whose very heart was spreading the
salton Sea.
When George left his home. in one Of
the Ea stern states, the temperature there
was below zero. 1t was in the month Of
February, and heavy snow lay all over
the ground. George was dressed for that
sort of weather, and when he arrived
at ri Paso, Tex, en- route to Southern
California, he was obliged to put his
overcoat out Of sight. its very presence
almost suffocating him. The next morn
ing, on rising from his berth, he dis
pensed with some OF his heavier gar
ments when dressing. for he had now
come Into salubrious climate where the
Northerner sometimes finds even Febru-
ary too warm for comfort.
But George did not feel uncomfortable
vet The first suggestion Of too much
heat for comfort In winter clothing was
at Yuma, Arlz., that interesting town
that lies below sea level, and whose
houses have double roofs to protect the
inhabitants from the tropical sun which
comes down so 1ercely during nine
months Of the year. There be found n
4.
warm sands stretching all around. At
Yuma the train crossed the Colorado
River, that uncomfortable stream which
has broken through it's banks and is I'LL
Ing up the great Salten Desert basin.
making of 1t q sea.
George left the train at Yuma and
walked about the station, buying a string
Of beads from a Yuma Indian squaw,
who, with a number of her tribe. was
nNFN cod
railway station Offering her wares for
sale.
In 10 minutes George was again on the
train going westward through the Yuma
Desert. As they sped along through sand
and sand George became deeply impressed
with the mystery and silence of the des-
ert, and longed to go about in 1t. In the
distance, both to the right and the left,
were dim mountains, at times almost lost
In the purple haze that denoted great
distance. On top these mountains cleaned
snow in the tropical sunshine, problem
George could not solve. why" he
asked himself, elf the mountain tops are
nearer to the burning sun than are the
valleys, do they keep so cold?" But the
question remained unanswered.
As they pushed on into the desert the
heat became much greater. 1t made
George think of an August day during
urOuln Ill Ills own SIdIe- linen ne Tell TO
thinking how it was that very moment
at his home. Doubtless a blizzard was
In progress, snow blowing and piling
everywhere in great drifts, while here
was he, less than 1000 miles from home,
riding under a tropical sun through great
wastes of sand and endless sand
1t was evening when George reached
the little town where his uncle met him
at the station. But his journey was not
yet ended. He stayed with his uncle
at a hotel that night, and early in the
morning they set out for 10-mle drive
over dry, sandy roads. His uncle had
a fruit ranch right on the edge of a des.
ert, his orchards being fed by means OF
irrigation.
During the pleasant ride George ex-
pressed his ish to go into the desert to
make some geological study. He was
deeply interested In that science and
wished very much to take advantage of
this visit TO the West to further his
knowledge.
''Ill tell you what you may do" said
his uncle, who was fond of his bright
young nephew. You may take a mule
tomorrow and ride over beyond that low
range of mountains. It's a good days
journey to go ana return. You'll have
to start before breakfast and eat snack