WATER TRAILS OF THE CERISO 



smelling vilely, but by a lone juniper where 

 the rim of the Ceriso breaks away to the 

 lower country, there is a perpetual rill of 

 fresh sweet drink in the midst of lush grass 

 and watercress. In the dry season there 

 is no water else for a man's long journey 

 of a day. East to the foot of Black Moun- 

 tain, and north and south without count- 

 ing, are the burrows of small rodents, rat 

 and squirrel kind. Under the sage are 

 the shallow forms of the jackrabbits, and in 

 the dry banks of washes, and among the 

 strewn fragments of black rock, lairs of 

 bobcat, fox, and coyote. 



The coyote is your true water-witch, one 

 who snuffs and paws, snuffs and paws 

 again at the smallest spot of moisture- 

 scented earth until he has freed the blind 

 water from the soil. Many water -holes 

 are no more than this detected by the lean 

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