ON THE PRAIRIE 67 



corners. On the tops and at the bases of 

 most of the cliffs grew pine trees, some of 

 considerable height, and the sand gave every 

 thing a clean, white look. 



Altogether it was as fantastically beauti- 

 ful a place as I have ever seen: it seemed 

 impossible that the hand of man should not 

 have had something to do with its formation. 

 There was a spring of clear cold water a 

 few hundred yards off, with good feed for 

 the horses round it ; and we made our camp 

 at the foot of one of the largest buttes, build- 

 ing a roaring pine-log fire in an angle in the 

 face of the cliff, while our beds were under 

 the pine trees. It was the time of the full 

 moon, and the early part of the night was 

 clear. The flame of the fire leaped up the 

 side of the cliff, the red light bringing out 

 into lurid and ghastly relief the bold corners 

 and strange-looking escarpments of the rock, 

 while against it the stiff limbs of the pines 

 stood out like rigid bars of iron. Walking 

 off out of sight of the circle of fire light, 

 among the tall crags, the place seemed al- 



