10 



THE DESERT 



Mountain- 

 dwellers. 



Invading 



hosts. 



arms give the look of the cross ; and beside 

 the sahnaro rests a tall yucca with four feet of 

 clustering bellflowers swinging from its top. 



And who were they who built these stone Avails, 

 these primitive entrenchments ? When and 

 where did they come from and what brought 

 them here ? The hands that executed this 

 rough work were certainly untrained. Indians ? 

 Very likely. Perhaps some small band that had 

 taken up a natural defence in the mountains 

 because too feeble in numbers to fight in the 

 open. Here from this lookout they could watch 

 the country for a hundred miles around. Here 

 the scouts could see far away the thin string of 

 foemen winding snake-like over the ridges of 

 the desert,, could see them grow in size and 

 count their numbers, could look down upon 

 them at the foot of the mountain and yell back 

 defiance to the challenge coming up the steep 

 sides. Brave indeed the invaders that would 

 pluck the eagles from that aerie nest ! Climb- 

 ing a hill against a shower of arrows, spears, 

 and bowlders is to fight at a terrible disad- 

 vantage. 



Starve them out ? Yes ; but the ones at the 

 bottom would starve as quickly as those at the 

 top. Cut off their water supply ? Yes ; but 



