3 1 8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



of contrasts drifting snows and torrid deserts; 

 fertile plains and lofty mountains ; noble rivers and 

 giant trees; precious metals, oil and wine; fruits 

 and flowers and climates! If I could only dis- 

 pose of its cosmopolitan people in ten lines like 

 that but I can't! 



There are still the Gold Seekers as in '49, 

 though the tourist will not see them for they dwell 

 alone in the high rocky fastnesses and by the 

 tumbling streams that roar through the mountain 

 canyons. The prospector is a silent man, living on 

 a " grub-stake " and on hope and faith. Nor is 

 the cowboy tribe extinct though you may not dis- 

 cover him in all his pristine picturesqueness except 

 on the farthest cattle ranges. He is slow to let 

 down the bars and bid you " light " but once you 

 gain his confidence all he has is yours. The cattle 

 business is not what it used to be, they will tell you, 

 as they recount the good old times when they ruled 

 the range. Uncle Sam, since taking control of the 

 vast grazing areas within the National Forests, 

 has tamed these rough and ready pioneers. The 

 number of range cattle is likely to increase and of 

 sheep to decrease because sheep injure the young 

 trees and grass whenever the pasturage is short 

 or the land overstocked. 



