132 THE LOG OF A TIMBEE CRUISER 



fact remained, however, that during this trying time 

 Wetherby played the role of Little Sunshine with 

 something approaching success, and if not inva- 

 riably blessed therefor, at least did not receive more 

 than his proportionate share of abuse and vilifica- 

 tion. 



We finished the Animas watershed in less than two 

 weeks, then crossed the divide north and camped 

 in the canyon of the Seco. The work here was prac- 

 tically a repetition of what we had just been through, 

 with the pleasant added interest of rattlesnakes. 



During the earlier part of the season we had oc- 

 casionally run across a snake, but it was an event 

 when it occurred, a matter to be recounted at night 

 in all its details. We were thrown into mortal ter- 

 ror by the angry song of a diamondback. Our 

 course through brush, over rocks, or in fact in any 

 locality where snakes might be expected, was 

 marked by great circumspection. And if the dry 

 "b-r-r-r-r-" for which we momently waited did ac- 

 tually sound, our excitement was real and prolonged. 



In the Animas, snakes were an everyday occur- 

 rence. And while at first we went in fear and trem- 

 bling, later on we grew used to them to a certain 

 extent and did not mind so much. 



I have always thought that Bert was responsible 

 for the greater part of our initial terror. As soon 

 as it was evident that snakes were out he thought 

 up a set of appropriate yarns. The first one came 

 the evening after the discovery of a small rattler 



