SPORT AND TRAVEL 159 



of the bare ridges or low ranges of hills by which it 

 is intersected look like gigantic heaps of tailings 

 from diamond or gold mines. The faces of these 

 mud ridges have been worn by rain and snow and 

 sun and storm into innumerable grooves and fur- 

 rows, and in some places the soil is very beautifully 

 coloured with various shades of red, pink, and 

 mauve, the colours being possibly due to the alkaline 

 salts with which the whole district is more or less 

 impregnated. 



But although the basin of the Bighorn is in general 

 aspect an arid and uninviting-looking desert, it 

 is thanks to the fact that it is surrounded by 

 high ranges of mountains intersected by several 

 fine streams of water, by the aid of which consider- 

 able areas of ground have been put under irrigation 

 by the hard-working and intelligent settlers who have 

 taken up land in this district. The land bordering 

 the streams is usually very level, and there is not 

 much difficulty in leading the water on to it. Only 

 hard work and ordinary intelligence are required. I 

 saw excellent crops of wheat and oats standing where 

 the whole country but a few years ago was an arid 

 wilderness covered with sage brush. All kinds of 

 vegetables, I was told, grow well in the light soil, 

 and fruit-trees are being planted. 



The settlers in this part of America have, I think, 

 shown splendid energy and enterprise in converting 

 this uninviting-looking country into well-cultivated 



