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precious in his selection of good； interested in the game； indignant at the
wayward Dinkey； profoundly contemptuous of the besotted mule。 At a
bend in the canon interposed a steep bank。 Up this we scrambled； dirt
and stones flying。 I had just time to bend low along the saddle when；
with the ripping and tearing and scratching of thorns； we burst blindly
through a thicket。 In the open space on the farther side Bullet stopped；
panting but triumphant。 Dinkey； surrounded at last； turned back toward
camp with an air of utmost indifference。 The mule dropped his long ears
and followed。
At camp we corralled Dinkey； but left her friend to shift for himself。
Then was lifted up his voice in mulish lamentations until； cursing； we had
to ride out bareback and drive him far into the hills and there stone him
into distant fear。 Even as we departed up the trail the following day the
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voice of his sorrow； diminishing like the echo of grief； appealed uselessly
to Dinkey's sympathy。 For Dinkey； once captured； seemed to have
shrugged her shoulders and accepted inevitable toil with a real though
cynical philosophy。
The trail rose gradually by imperceptible gradations and occasional
climbs。 We journeyed in the great canons。 High chaparral flanked the
trail； occasional wide gray stretches of 〃old man〃 filled the air with its
pungent odor and with the calls of its quail。 The crannies of the rocks；
the stretches of wide loose shale； the crumbling bottom earth offered to the
eye the dessicated beauties of creamy yucca； of yerba buena； of the gaudy
red paint…brushes； the Spanish bayonet； and to the nostrils the hot dry
perfumes of the semi…arid lands。 The air was tepid； the sun hot。 A sing…
song of bees and locusts and strange insects lulled the mind。 The ponies
plodded on cheerfully。 We expanded and basked and slung our legs over
the pommels of our saddles and were glad we had come。
At no time did we seem to be climbing mountains。 Rather we wound
in and out； round and about； through a labyrinth of valleys and canons and
ravines； farther and farther into a mysterious shut…in country that seemed
to have no end。 Once in a while； to be sure； we zigzagged up a trifling
ascent； but it was nothing。 And then at a certain point the Tenderfoot
happened to look back。
〃Well！〃 he gasped； 〃will you look at that！〃
We turned。 Through a long straight aisle which chance had placed
just there； we saw far in the distance a sheer slate…colored wall； and
beyond； still farther in the distance； overtopping the slate…colored wall by
a narrow strip； another wall of light azure blue。
〃It's our mountains；〃 said Wes； 〃and that blue ridge is the channel
islands。 We've got up higher than our range。〃
We looked about us； and tried to realize that we were actually more
than halfway up the formidable ridge we had so often speculated on from
the Cold Spring Trail。 But it was impossible。 In a few moments；
however； our broad easy canon narrowed。 Huge crags and sheer masses
of rock hemmed us in。 The chaparral and yucca and yerba buena gave
place to pine…trees and mountain oaks； with little close clumps of
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cottonwoods in the stream bottom。 The brook narrowed and leaped； and
the white of alkali faded from its banks。 We began to climb in good
earnest； pausing often for breath。 The view opened。 We looked back on
whence we had come； and saw again； from the reverse； the forty miles of
ranges and valleys we had viewed from the Ridge Trail。
At this point we stopped to shoot a rattlesnake。 Dinkey and Jenny
took the opportunity to push ahead。 From time to time we would catch
sight of them traveling earnestly on； following the trail accurately；
stopping at stated intervals to rest； doing their work； conducting
themselves as decorously as though drivers had stood over them with
blacksnake whips。 We tried a little to catch up。
〃Never mind；〃 said Wes； 〃they've been over this trail before。 They'll
stop when they get to where we're going to camp。〃
We halted a moment on the ridge to look back over the lesser
mountains and the distant ridge； beyond which the islands now showed
plainly。 Then we dropped down behind the divide into a cup valley
containing a little meadow with running water on two sides of it and big
pines above。 The meadow was brown； to be sure； as all typical
California is at this time of year。 But the brown of California and the
brown of the East are two different things。 Here is no snow or rain to
mat down the grass； to suck out of it the vital principles。 It grows ripe
and sweet and soft； rich with the life that has not drained away； covering
the hills and valleys with the effect of beaver fur； so that it seems the great
round…backed hills must have in a strange manner the yielding flesh…
elasticity of living creatures。 The brown of California is the brown of
ripeness； not of decay。
Our little meadow was beautifully named Madulce；＇1＇ and was just
below the highest point of this section of the Coast Range。 The air drank
fresh with the cool of elevation。 We went out to shoot supper； and so
found ourselves on a little knoll fronting the brown…hazed east。 As we
stood there； enjoying the breeze after our climb； a great wave of hot air
swept by us； filling our lungs with heat； scorching our faces as the breath
of a furnace。 Thus was brought to our minds what； in the excitement of a
new country； we had forgotten；that we were at last on the eastern slope；
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and that before us waited the Inferno of the desert。
＇1＇ In all Spanish names the final e should be pronounced。
That evening we lay in the sweet ripe grasses of Madulce； and talked
of it。 Wes had been across it once before and did not possess much
optimism with which to comfort us。
〃It's hot； just plain hot；〃 said he； 〃and that's all there is about it。 And
there's mighty little water； and what there is is sickish and a long ways
apart。 And the sun is strong enough to roast potatoes in。〃
〃Why not travel at night？〃 we asked。
〃No place to sleep under daytimes；〃 explained Wes。 〃It's better to
keep traveling and then get a chance for a little sleep in the cool of the
night。〃
We saw the reasonableness of that。
〃Of course we'll start early； and take a long nooning； and travel late。
We won't get such a lot of sleep。〃
〃How long is it going to take us？〃
Wes calculated。
〃About eight days；〃 he said soberly。
The next morning we descended from Madulce abruptly by a dirt trail；
almost perpendicular until we slid into a canon of sage…brush and quail； of
mescale cactus and the fierce dry heat of sun…baked shale。
〃Is it any hotter than this on the desert？〃 we inquired。
Wes looked on us with pity。
〃This is plumb arctic；〃 said he。
Near noon we came to a little cattle ranch situated in a flat surrounded
by red dikes and buttes after the manner of Arizona。 Here we unpacked；
early as it was； for through the dry countries one has to apportion his day's
journeys by the water to be had。 If we went farther to…day； then to…
morrow night would find us in a dry camp。
The horses scampered down the flat to search out alfilaria。 We
roosted under a slanting shed；where were stock saddles； silver…mounted
bits and spurs； rawhide riatas； branding…