The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-01-09
CHAPTER l.

range. In northwestern Mex
leo. just across the Arizona
- border. a mounted prospector
wound his way. his horse carefully
picking tn steps among the broken
granite blocks which had tumbied
upon the ancient path from the noun
balm wall shove A burro followed,
laden heavily with pack. bed roll. pick.
trying pan aud battered cO6eepot, Jet
stepping along sure f0otedly a. the
mountain sheep that Arst formed the
trail ages ago and whose petriHed hoof
prints still remain to afford footing
Tor the scarcely larger boots Of the
pack animal.
An awful stiffness hung over the
scene that was broken only By the
click Of hoofs Of horse and barro
upon the rocks and the ciatter Of the
loose stones they disiodsed that relied
and skipped down the naountain side.
Not Q breath Of air was stirring. and
he sun blaxed down from the Eenith
with such fierce and direct radiation
that the wayfarer needed not to OBJ
serve the shadows to note its exact
position In the heavens. Singly among
the broken blocks and in banks along
the lodges the cactus had burst under
the heat. as 1t were. into the spon-
taneous combustion Of dowery fame.
To the traveller passing beside them
their red blooms blazed with the irri-
tating superiority Of torchlight pro-
-cession at MONDAY.
The trail leads down to a fat ledge
which overlooks the desert and which
Is the observatory whittier countless
generations of mountain sheep have
been won't to resort to survey the
strange world beneath them. with
what purpose and what feelings 1t re-
mains for some imaginative writer Of
animal stories to inform US. From the
ledge to the valley below the trail
Is free from Instructions and broader.
more beaten and less devious than
above. indicating that 1t 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 to be an irregular pile OF
large powders was an artificial forti-
ication. the highest wall being toward
the mountains. Entering the inclO-
sure, the prospector dismounted. re-
deved his horse Of its saddle and his
ourro Of its pack and proceeded to
prepare his midday meal. Looking for
the best place where he might light
Gre, he observed in the most protected
corner fat stone marked by fire and
near 1t In the rocky ground pothole,
evidently formed for grinding maize.
The ashes Of ancient fires were scat
:ered about, and in cleaning them of
ais new found hearth the man discov-
cred potsherd. apparently Of ma
i've ola or water jar. and a Clipped
fragment Of flint too small to indicate
whether 1t had formed part Of an In
iian arrowhead or had dropped from
IN old fintlock musket.
Lucky strike" observed the pros
pector. ~ was down to my last
match" And, gathering some mes
.luIlc uSu lOI IuCl anu uCdu
Branch into tinder he drew out a
Knife and, rapidly and repeatedly
striking the back of its blade with the
tint. produced a stream of sparks,
which fell on the finder Blowing the
while, he started a fame. When the
ire was ready the man shook his can
aen. Precious little drink left" he
aid. IL wish that potsherd carried
water as the flint chip does fire. How
ever. there's lots Of cactus around
lere. and they're natural water jars.
Ny knife may get me drink out Of
he deserts thorns as well as kindle
1 fire from its stones. And right here's
ny watermelon. the bisnaga. the first
,ne I've found In months he exclaim-
ID. going over to the edge of the cliff.
above the level Of which peered the
at head of cactus covered with
pines that were barbed like fish
look. Its short taproot was fixed in