A VARIABLE TEMPERATURE 143 



At length the sun went down sank in 

 golden ruin among the fang-like peaks of the 

 umber-tinted western mountains. Soon the 

 quivering earth flung off its Nessus-garment 

 and a delicious interval followed. But shortly 

 after nightfall the chilliness of the air be- 

 came so uncomfortable that I overhauled my 

 belongings in the wagon, seeking a warmer 

 coat. Father Simon, with a smile, produced 

 his thermometer; the mercury stood at 86 

 Fahr. I learned that five hours previously it 

 had reached 119 in the shade. 



Next day brought practically no diminution 

 of temperature ; but somehow I seemed to have 

 acquired resisting power. The fear of possible 

 collapse, even of death, which came upon me 

 the previous day, had gone. Perhaps the 

 fatigues of the long journey more especially 

 the heavy digging in the water pits may have 

 lowered my vitality. Presently we had another 

 severe ordeal to undergo, for we decided to 

 make our way down the gorge and spend a 

 night on the bank of the river. It seemed as 

 though it would be like descending to the 

 Gehenna-pit. 



But first to bend an examining eye upon that 

 strange community of men and women, those 

 adventurers from the Old World to a world 



