69 



open desert. Almost before the afterglow had gone, shooting 

 stars began to streak the clear sky. Ravens, suddenly grown 

 silent, still circled about before settling to roost among 

 the branches of the largest dying mesquites. Jack-rabbits, 

 frightened by my horse, appeared in the changing light 

 to glide prodigiously over the bushes, like pale phantoms. 

 Other eerie creatures that sprang into life at this hour were 

 the nighthawks. By day these birds rest on the ground 

 under creosotes and mesquites, coming forth by thousands at 

 about the same moment just after sundown. The sound 

 produced by their wings, as we often heard it through the 

 night and particularly at early dawn, is an obscure bell-like 

 vibration, as if the very atmosphere were trembling. Its 

 source is difficult to discover; sometimes it seems like a 

 noise within one's ears. 



On April 10, I decided that after one more day's work I 

 should start for Calexico, taking Pancho, most of the pack- 

 animals, all the heavy luggage, the cases of specimens, and the 

 least practicable amount of food. Rockwell and the Captain 

 would remain to continue the hunt. 



According!}^, on the morning of April 11, we were up before 

 the narrow crescent of the old moon. The three of us were 

 off early towards the northwest, the Captain's little dun mule 

 setting a pace that kept us spurring. We rode directly into 

 very rough country, near a gap in the Tina j as, evidently 

 frightening a small troop of antelopes on the way, for we 

 found their scampering tracks. 



Tethering the mounts in an arroyo where there was good 

 feed, we started toward the Caparote separately, the Captain 

 taking the low-ground route, Rockwell the middle, and I 

 the higher, stony slopes near the base of the mountains. 

 Along my way the vermilion ocotillas were in full bloom, 

 and some of them were giant plants indeed, close to thirty 

 feet tall. The tiny leaves and saffron blossoms of the palo 

 verde were just sprouting. There were also many white 

 hibiscus-like flowers, and two kinds of yellow <^omposites 

 {Encelia eriocephala and Tricoptilum incisum). Among the 

 stalks and on the golden blossoms of the former species, were 



