QM of 



Long before sunrise we started down the 

 mountain. Both Rob and I were hungry, and 

 although we startled birds and rabbits, Rob 

 paid not the least attention to them. At noon, 

 on Madano Pass, I lay down for a sleep and used 

 Rob for a pillow. This he evidently enjoyed, 

 for he lay still with head stretched out and one 

 eye open. 



At mid-afternoon we met a sheep-herder who 

 was carrying a club. I had seen this man else- 

 where, and, on recognizing me as he came up, 

 he waved his club by the way of expressing 

 gladness. Rob misinterpreted this demonstra- 

 tion, and dragged me almost to the frightened 

 herder before I could make him understand that 

 this ragged, unwashed, club-carrying fellow had 

 no ill wishes for me. 



I had in mind to climb Sierra Blanca the fol- 

 lowing day, and hoped to spend the night in a 

 ranch house on the northern slope of this great 

 peak. Toward sundown Rob and I climbed 

 through a pole fence and entered the ranch 

 house-yard. Round a corner of the house came 

 a boy racing on a willow switch pony. On seeing 



103 



