178 CAMP FIRE REMINISCENCES 
but we visited his garden, finding a tremendous 
fig and two pear trees covered with fruit. The figs 
were impossible, but we breakfasted and lunched 
off unripe pears, and pushing on reached Avalon 
at eight Pp. M., absolutely exhausted. 
In a hot country it is always well to be independ- 
ent of water by the way, and to take a canteen. 
The little shallow streams we found were posi- 
tively warm and some tea or coffee would have 
been a luxury. 
Next morning I crossed to San Pedro, having 
my heads inasack. It was necessary to bring them 
to a taxidermist in Los Angeles at once, as the Mexi- 
can would not be bothered skinning them. I tried 
to check the bundle by the train, but was staggered 
to find out that they would not take it at all unless 
crated. As there was no way of having this done 
in time, I shouldered my sack and going around 
to the other side of the train, entered a coach and 
put my heads under a seat, then leaving the car, 
I stood on the platform and awaited events. We 
started in a few minutes, and the passengers got 
up in ones and twos and left the car. The conduc- 
tor then coming along opened the windows but 
never noticed my precious heads, so they arrived 
at Los Angeles with me, but a little too late to save 
some of the scalps which should have been attended 
to the day before. 
