WORKING THE ANIMAS 129 



child's play I would feel that sudden faintness, 

 that suspicion of nausea, which preceded a fit of 

 "the trembles," and would have to stop in my tracks, 

 a prey to the most miserable sensations, until it was 

 over. I used to force myself to climb the same place 

 over and over in an effort to conquer this weakness, 

 but it was not of much use. Even to-day when I 

 stand in a high place and look down a wave of diz- 

 ziness comes over me. 



The rest of my run was as hard as any I had 

 hitherto encountered. Up and down hill all day, 

 one ridge after another, brush, dead and down stuff, 

 locust and manzanita. I got back to camp at seven 

 and found that I had not been alone in my discom- 

 fort. Each cruiser had tales to unfold of brush and 

 heat and giant hills and impossible situations finally 

 overcome. 



Yet through the chorus there was a note of cheer- 

 fulness, of buoyancy even. We had at last come to 

 grips with the bugbear of our season's task and won 

 the first bout. Henceforth there might be hard 

 work in plenty, but never again would we feel fear 

 of our enemy, that haunting, superstitious dread 

 that the Animas had inspired. Our imaginations 

 were on our side now ! 



