1883. ] Butterfly Hunting in the Desert. 367 
next stage of the journey is eighteen miles, when a watering 
place is reached, and it being the only water for thirty-six miles, 
and limited in quantity, it is sold like any other necessity. Not 
a lepidopterous insect is seen on the route or about this watering 
place. It is a most desolate and barren spot, no shade except the 
roof of the whisky-seller’s cabin, no green thing about the spot 
except three little cottonwood trees planted at the horse trough, 
and all the wretched desert bushes look utterly dejected at the 
prospect of staying in that miserable place, and altogether it 
seems impossible to stay over night here, so another stage of 
eighteen miles is made. 
This brings us to a mountain, the highest for many miles around. 
Upon its side, at an altitude of 7000 feet, is a gold mine, and this 
must be reached to get food and water for man and beast. The 
foot of the mountain is reached at dark, but the miles of steep 
ascent to the mine are so long and tiresome that it is late when at 
length the haven is reached. But the superintendent in charge 
has been long listening to the unwonted sound of wheels coming 
over the rocks in the still night; his little dog has come part way 
down to interview'us, and as the expedition halts in front of the 
premises, tired out and done up, it is greeted with welcoming shout 
by the hospitable inmates, who, coming out, find a stranger and 
forthwith do take him in. And when the horse is fed, and when 
the expedition has washed a little dust from its face and hands 
and begins to feel a little more like a man than a bundle of 
dusty bones, the superintendent turns to his cook—* Bring on the 
doves—let ‘em fly!” And two dozen fat doves sail in from the 
kitchen, done up in a generous hot stew, with potatoes and onions 
and tomatoes, and with all the other accompaniments, flanked by 
fresh bread, strong tea, honey white as water, and such a lot cf 
other fixin’s that the butterfly-hunter concludes that entomology is 
: E pursuit if it brings him to such hospitality as this. And 
when at length the visitor’s hunger and thirst are appeased, and 
zo: thirst for news is in part satisfied in return, the stranger 
tak wn to his bed-place (for the traveler in these regions always 
es his bed along with him), the bed-place in this case being a 
Cosy corner of the room, on the ground floor, no other floor of 
Re ‘sed being allowed on the premises, and given good-night 
moun To bed, to bed, to sleep’’ and the guest replies— 
piy 
lo shi 
~~ Meep, perchance to dream ;?’ and sleep comes, so sound and 
VOL, xvi, 
NO. Iv, 26 
