Impressions of the Desert 201 
selves. In all probability no one knows where 
they are and they are merely located on the 
map where they are supposed to be or where 
they were last seen. 
One is surprised here at the greenness of the 
desert, which has been well named arboreal, 
in distinction from the sandy desert of the 
Colorado which conforms to the conventional 
idea. As a fact, however, the larger part of 
the desert country of Arizona is of this arbo- 
real character—it is a plateau or a desert plain, 
its floor constructed of the detritus washed 
down from the mountains which rise from its 
surface. These arboreal deserts necessarily 
produce a very different impression than such 
a desert as the Sahara, and as a day’s ride will 
convince one, their charm is due largely to the 
mountains. That peculiar fascination which 
the great Sahara waste exerts by the play of 
light on the burning sands is not known on 
these verdant plains where millions of green 
bushes are distributed in unending monotony. 
In the distance this plain is lilac and blue, 
while out of it rise islands, purple in some 
directions, mauve and yellow and red in 
others, according to the hour—and it is ever 
the distance which is beautiful. 
While resting in the quasi shade of a small 
