394 
JVILB BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 
CHAP. 
If they could have left their perfume behind, 
together with the profanity, our table would have 
been sweeter ; but the flannel shirts were seldom 
washed, to prevent shrinking, just as their owners 
seldom spoke, to avoid swearing; an over¬ 
powering smell of horses was emitted by the driver, 
and of stables by the ostler, while the proprietor 
exhaled the mixed but indescribable odours com¬ 
bined from his various duties, such as cooking, 
cleaning up, sleeping in his clothes, and never 
washing them. 
The meal over, we again started. This stage 
was interesting, as we left the treeless expanse of 
prairie, and drove over highland through pictur¬ 
esque forests of spruce firs among rocks and 
canyons. About 20 miles of this scenery was 
passed; then we descended a long slope, and once 
more emerged upon the dreary, treeless prospect. 
At the end of 35 miles another speck was 
seen, which eventually turned out to be a station 
similar to that at which we had halted in the 
morning. There were two pretty - looking and 
clean girls here; they had come to assist their 
brother, who “ran” the house. It was curious to 
observe the little evidences of civilisation which the 
presence of these girls had introduced. At first 
sight, among a rude community, I should have had 
strong misgivings concerning the security of young 
girls without a mother; but, on the contrary, I was 
assured that no man would ever presume to insult 
a respectable woman, and the girls were safer here 
