CHAPTER XIX 

 CAMP FIRE YARNS 



THESE stories are of a miscellaneous character. Some 

 are true accounts of thrilling adventure, while others 

 are merely travellers' yarns, the recounting of which 

 has doubtless served to pass a pleasant hour round 

 the camp fire. 



The first one has often appeared in various disguises. 

 It is taken from Mr. Clarence King's reminiscences 

 of California, 1 published as far back as 1874 : " Early 

 in the fifties, on a still, hot summer's afternoon, a 

 certain man, in a camp of the northern mines which 

 shall be nameless, having tracked his two donkeys and 

 one horse a half-mile, and discovering that a man's tracks 

 with spur-marks followed them, came back to town and 

 told * the boys ' who loitered about a popular saloon that, 

 in his opinion, ' some Mexican had stole the animals.' 



Such news as this naturally demanded drinks all 

 around. * Do you know, gentlemen,' said one who 

 assumed leadership, ' that just naturally to shoot these 

 greasers ain't the best way? Give 'em a fair jury 

 trial and rope 'em up with all the majesty of law. 

 That's the cure.' 



Such words of moderation were well received, and they 

 drank again to ' Here's hoping 1 we ketch that greaser.' 

 1 See Bibliography, 35. 



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