PALM SPRINGS TO SEVEN PALMS 87 



erto, when I had either led her by halter-rope or 

 marched alongside or behind, this had occurred once 

 or twice, but, laying it to some momentary qualm, I 

 had passed it by. Now, whether it were some sudden 

 access of those traits for which the tribe is notorious, 

 awakened by a suspicion that we were bound on a 

 long hard voyage, or mere spite at seeing me for the 

 first time riding while she was left to walk, I cannot 

 guess. Anyhow, of a sudden I felt a check on the rope 

 by which I was leading her, tow-line fashion, and, 

 looking quickly round, saw her deliberately gather 

 her feet, kneel down, and compose herself in an 

 attitude of luxury. I dismounted and pulled; she 

 was uninterested: I shouted and feinted blows; she 

 seemed coldly to smile: rope-ended, she put her head 

 to the ground and tried to roll, and though the pack 

 balked the attempt, I knew by disastrous sounds 

 that ruin was rife among the contents. In the last 

 resort I hit on a goad. Prodded lightly, she grunted 

 in contempt: prodded urgently, she kicked, but 

 shivered: prodded ruthlessly, usque ad sanguinem 

 (reader, the case was extreme, and the temperature 

 a good hundred and forty in the sun) — triumph ! 

 she scrambled to her feet and stood quaking and 

 defeated — for the time. 



Another quarter-mile, and the whole business was 

 enacted again: a furlong, and yet once more: and, 

 in brief, within the space of six miles, which brought 

 me to my first intended stop, eight several battles 

 were fought — I cannot say, and won, for the strife 

 was but intermitted, never closed. And on three occa- 

 sions the load had all to be thrown off and repacked. 



