WITH A MORMON GUIDE 239 



and nights it rained, soaking everything. My 

 blankets were wet; so were the provisions; we 

 could scarcely kindle a fire. One night we went 

 supperless, simply discouraged and disheartened 

 trying to fight the wet. On two nights we made 

 a little smudge in the large tent to fry some 

 meat and heat some coffee. When it did not rain 

 in rhythmic pitter-patter, fierce showers swept, 

 through, which were worse. The streams that 

 were dry before the storm were now running 

 with torrents of water. 



On the fifth day the storm broke, the sun 

 came out warm and bright, licking up the wet. 

 The wild folk crept from their shelters and were 

 on the move again; even the birds sang joyfully. 

 All nature smiled. I rode three miles to the south, 

 where I took up my position on a knoll to watch 

 with the glasses a vast expanse of high hillslope 

 opposite. It was sparsely timbered and offered 

 an excellent opportunity to sight any animal that 

 might feed thereon or saunter past. For three 

 days I watched patiently, alone, surrounded by 

 Nature at her best. 



So picturesque and enwrapping was the scene 

 stretched about me that the hours slipped by sur- 

 prisingly fast. A little brook went meandering 

 through the gully below, ever singing a lullaby 



