122 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



outfit was purchased and the horses and wagons were 

 made ready. 



Learning at Spokane that a good wagon road led 

 to Palmer Lake, it was determined to go on at once, 

 and the doctor and the judge went ahead, leaving 

 Dyche and Mac, the guide, about a day behind. The 

 road lay through a country where there was but little 

 grass and water, and it was ten o'clock the first night 

 when Dyche and his companion reached a ranch. 

 The task of keeping off the horde of vicious dogs and 

 waking the ranchman fell to Dyche, who accom- 

 plished it after much trouble. A little wheat-straw 

 was obtained for the horses, and next morning, when 

 Dyche went to the house to apologise for the trouble 

 he had given them, he was invited to a fine break- 

 fast. 



All day the road led through a hot and dry country. 

 Dust and sand from five to ten inches deep made the 

 way almost impassable. When the wind blew it 

 felt as if it came from the mouth of a furnace and 

 the hot dust flew in clouds, completely enveloping the 

 wagon and pack-horses. The whole country was as 

 dry as a desert, covered with large stones, and there 

 was little or no vegetation to be seen anywhere. 

 Late in the afternoon a ranchman sold them enough 

 wheat-straw to make a partial feed at three cents a 

 pound, but he would let them have no water at any 

 price. His well was nearly dry, and he gave them 

 a little to drink, but the horses had to go without. 

 Camp was made, but at three o'clock next morning 

 they started and travelled to Wilbur, a small town, 

 where, at six o'clock, they got sufficient water for the 



