Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-02-27
CHATTER /

N Own an old trail ln the Ghost
range. En- northwestern Mex
leo. just across the Arizona
- border. n mounted prospectof
wound his way. BIS horse carefully
picking its steps among the broken
granite blocks which had tumbled
upon the ancient path from the noun.
tain wall above. A burro followed
laden heavily with pack. bed roll. pick
frying pan and battered coneepot. yet
stepping along sure footedly as the
mountain sheep that first formed the
trail ages ago and whose pctrihed hoof
prints still remain 10 afford footing
Tor the scarcely larger hoofs OF the
pack animal
An awful stiffness hung over the
scene that was broken only by the
click OF hoofs OF horse and burro
upon the rocks and the clatter OF the
loose stones they dlslodged that rolled
and skipped down the mountain side
Not a breath OF air was stirring. and
the sun blazed down from the zenith
with such herce and direct radiation
that the wayfarer needed not TO oh
serve the shadows 10 note its exact
the broken blocks and I'm banks along
the lodges the cactus had burst under
the heat. as IL were. into the spon-
taneous combustion OF fiowery flame.
To the traveller passing beside them
their red blooms blazed with the irrl-
Eating superiority OF a torchlight pro
cession at MONDAY.
The trail leads down 10 fat ledge
which overlooks the desert and which
IS the observatory whittier countless
generations OF mountain sheep have
been wont 10 resort 10 survey the
strange world beneath them. with
what purpose and what feelings Il re
mains for some imaginative writer Of
animal stories TO inform US. From the
ledge 10 the valley below the trail
IS free from distractions and broader.
more beaten and less devious than
above. indicating that IL has been
formed by the generations OF men toll
ing up from the valley TO the natural
watchtower on the heights.
Reaching the ledge. the prospector
found that what seemed from the an.
gle above 60 be an irregular pile Of
large powders was an artificial fOrti-
hcatiOn, the highest wall being toward
the mountains. Entering the inclo-
sure the prospector dismOunted. re-
lieved his horse Of its saddle and his
burrO Of It's pack and proceeded 10
prepare his midday meal Looking for
the best place where be might light a
fire. he observed in the most protected
corner fiat stone marked by FIRE and
near il in the rocky ground a pothole.
evidently formed for grinding maize.
The ashes OF ancient fires were scat
tered about. and I'm cleaning them of
hts new found hearth the man discov-
cred a potsherd, apparently OF a ma
tive ola or water jar. and a clipped
fragment OF nint too small to Indicate
whether It had formed part OF an In
dian arrowhead or had dropped from
an old dintlock musket
Lucky strike" observed the pros
pectOr. Il was down TO my last
match" And, gathering some mes
quite brush for fuel and rubbing n dead
branch into finder. he drew out a
knife and, rapidly and repeatedly
striking the back Of it's blade with the
Tint. produced a stream Of sparks,
which fell on the finder Blowing the
while, he started a flame When the
fire was ready the man~shook his can
teen Precious little drink left" he
said. II wish that potsherd carried
water as the flint chip does fire How
ever. there's lots OF cactus around
here. and they're natural water Jars.
My knife may get noe a drink out of
the deserts thorns as well as kindIe
fire from us stones And right here's
my watermelon. the blsuaga. the first
one I've found IN monthsr' he exclaim-
ed, going over 20 the edge Of the cliff.
zbove the level OF which peered the
fat head OF a cactus covered with