392 ^ Journey Across the Sierras— 8. California. 
rain rattling on the tin-roof of the barn. While we were thank- 
ful it didn't catch us camping in the open, we were very much a- 
fi aid that it might block the mouth of tlie canyon, by flooding the 
stream . The Mexicans advised us most strongly not to venture, 
but the prospect of baing bottled up in these cramped sui'round- 
ings did not appeal to us, so after swallowing a few mouth - 
fuls of food, we got under way. The rain was coming down 
in torrents, and we were quickly soaked to the skin. The trail, 
which dropped about 2,000 feet in a couple of miles, zig-zagged 
down the mountain side, so that at times we could see it 
directly above as well as directly below us. It was finelj'' 
engineered and well kept, lait the rain had made it slippery, 
and at one extra steep place our cayuse calmly sat down on its 
haunches. The writer had to spring out and get a chain 
lashed round the wheel, before the clever animal would again 
make a start. At every bend the width of the road is doubled, 
so as to admit of vehicles passing each other, the rest of the 
trail being wide enough for one vehicle only. One can well 
imagine Avhat would happen if a horse getting out of control 
coming down met another coming up. At last we reached the 
stream, and were thankful to see that it was not yet much 
swollen. We knew from expeiience that we should have to 
cross it over seventy times before we got clear of the moun- 
tains. As it is noj'mally very shallow, this is usually a 
small matter. But a, storm in the mountains raises the water 
uxtraurdinarily quickly and we had noticed on a previous trip 
driftwood, etc., quite ten feet above the present level of the 
stream. It was evident that there was no time to be lost, 
so, as the gradient was not too steep, we put our old mare 
to her best speed. The rain still conthuied to come down in 
sheets, so we took it in turns to drive, as our hands got numbed 
with the cold and careful driving was essential. Each lime 
we cros )ed the stream we found the water deeper', and at 
last it was impossible to strike the crossing at exactly the 
right place. Time after time we had to jump out into water 
now waist deep and i)ractically lift the waggon over. At 
one place the walls of the canyon were not fifty yards apart, 
and we crossed here the old mare half swimming, and the, 
bed of the waggon afloat. A little fui'ther on the bed of the 
stream v, Idcned out again and the waler was a little sliallower. 
