CHIHUAHUA WESTWARD. 
149 
and willow bush, not even disdaining a 
corner of a corral or a wagon tongue or 
two if times are going a little hard with 
them. Late in the afternoon we realized 
that we were entering the foothills of the 
mountains, for the road wound through 
many picturesque little ravines and 
ascended the rocky beds of the small 
creeks, often taking to the middle of the 
stream when the canon was very narrow 
or thickly strewn with bowlders. It was 
quite a common occurrence for the stage 
to be overturned on the road—if road 
it could be called—and the most decided 
talent in mule driving was necessary to 
guide the groups of little animals safely 
between the mossy rocks. Toward even¬ 
ing the walls of the long canon, with its 
broken craigs and fantastic turrets, almost 
met overhead, so narrow was it; but 
