SOUTHERN ARIZONA 241 



After this rain the country again presents for a 

 brief period a most luxuriant vegetable growth 

 of grasses and flowers. Chief among the latter 

 is a kind of convolvulus, which, when in bloom, 

 covers the plain about the middle of July with a 

 blue carpet rivalling the gold of the poppies in 

 March. Coincident with this, the yucca raises its 

 white stalk of waxen bells, and the whole presents 

 a scene the very antithesis of one's idea of a desert 

 country. 



A short sketch of a friend who was of great ser- 

 vice to me in many ways during my long stay in 

 the Santa Catalinas will round out the story of 

 that region. He was conversant with every part 

 of this wilderness, and as a hunter had few equals. 

 While he spoke no English, he taught me the 

 Spanish dialect of the country. I came to know 

 the local birds and their habits, and learned the 

 musical Spanish names that really seem to belong 

 to the beautiful creatures, when Castro went with 

 me afield. 



The conception that most of us have of the 

 swarthy Mexican is conventional, and is in a 

 general way correct. They are lithe, dark-skinned 

 men, with straight, black hair, and eyes like sloes. 

 Gay and debonair in manner, they are nervous 

 and excitable, and generous and hospitable to a 

 fault, but withal improvident. Jesus Maria Castro 

 was in appearance the exception that proves the 



