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the animal is； all the time； the same as if he carried a jib。 Now and
then he makes a marvelous spring with his long legs； high over the
stunted sage…brush； and scores a leap that would make a horse envious。
Presently he comes down to a long； graceful 〃lope；〃 and shortly he
mysteriously disappears。 He has crouched behind a sage…bush； and will
sit there and listen and tremble until you get within six feet of him；
when he will get under way again。 But one must shoot at this creature
once； if he wishes to see him throw his heart into his heels； and do the
best he knows how。 He is frightened clear through； now； and he lays his
long ears down on his back； straightens himself out like a yard…stick
every spring he makes； and scatters miles behind him with an easy
indifference that is enchanting。
Our party made this specimen 〃hump himself；〃 as the conductor said。 The
secretary started him with a shot from the Colt； I commenced spitting at
him with my weapon； and all in the same instant the old 〃Allen's〃 whole
broadside let go with a rattling crash； and it is not putting it too
strong to say that the rabbit was frantic！ He dropped his ears； set up
his tail； and left for San Francisco at a speed which can only be
described as a flash and a vanish！ Long after he was out of sight we
could hear him whiz。
I do not remember where we first came across 〃sage…brush；〃 but as I have
been speaking of it I may as well describe it。
This is easily done； for if the reader can imagine a gnarled and
venerable live oak…tree reduced to a little shrub two feet…high； with its
rough bark； its foliage； its twisted boughs； all complete； he can picture
the 〃sage…brush〃 exactly。 Often； on lazy afternoons in the mountains； I
have lain on the ground with my face under a sage…bush； and entertained
myself with fancying that the gnats among its foliage were liliputian
birds； and that the ants marching and countermarching about its base were
liliputian flocks and herds； and myself some vast loafer from Brobdignag
waiting to catch a little citizen and eat him。
It is an imposing monarch of the forest in exquisite miniature； is the
〃sage…brush。〃 Its foliage is a grayish green； and gives that tint to
desert and mountain。 It smells like our domestic sage； and 〃sage…tea〃
made from it taste like the sage…tea which all boys are so well
acquainted with。 The sage…brush is a singularly hardy plant； and grows
right in the midst of deep sand； and among barren rocks； where nothing
else in the vegetable world would try to grow； except 〃bunch…grass。〃
＇〃Bunch…grass〃 grows on the bleak mountain…sides of Nevada and
neighboring territories； and offers excellent feed for stock； even in the
dead of winter； wherever the snow is blown aside and exposes it；
notwithstanding its unpromising home； bunch…grass is a better and more
nutritious diet for cattle and horses than almost any other hay or grass
that is knownso stock…men say。＇ The sage…bushes grow from three to
six or seven feet apart； all over the mountains and deserts of the Far
West； clear to the borders of California。 There is not a tree of any
kind in the deserts； for hundreds of milesthere is no vegetation at all
in a regular desert； except the sage…brush and its cousin the
〃greasewood；〃 which is so much like the sage…brush that the difference
amounts to little。 Camp…fires and hot suppers in the deserts would be
impossible but for the friendly sage…brush。 Its trunk is as large as a
boy's wrist （and from that up to a man's arm）； and its crooked branches
are half as large as its trunkall good； sound； hard wood； very like
oak。
When a party camps； the first thing to be done is to cut sage…brush； and
in a few minutes there is an opulent pile of it ready for use。 A hole a
foot wide； two feet deep； and two feet long； is dug； and sage…brush
chopped up and burned in it till it is full to the brim with glowing
coals。 Then the cooking begins； and there is no smoke； and consequently
no swearing。 Such a fire will keep all night； with very little
replenishing； and it makes a very sociable camp…fire； and one around
which the most impossible reminiscences sound plausible； instructive； and
profoundly entertaining。
Sage…brush is very fair fuel； but as a vegetable it is a distinguished
failure。 Nothing can abide the taste of it but the jackass and his
illegitimate child the mule。 But their testimony to its nutritiousness
is worth nothing； for they will eat pine knots； or anthracite coal； or
brass filings； or lead pipe； or old bottles； or anything that comes
handy； and then go off looking as grateful as if they had had oysters for
dinner。 Mules and donkeys and camels have appetites that anything will
relieve temporarily； but nothing satisfy。
In Syria； once； at the head…waters of the Jordan； a camel took charge of
my overcoat while the tents were being pitched； and examined it with a
critical eye； all over； with as much interest as if he had an idea of
getting one made like it； and then； after he was done figuring on it as
an article of apparel； he began to contemplate it as an article of diet。
He put his foot on it； and lifted one of the sleeves out with his teeth；
and chewed and chewed at it； gradually taking it in； and all the while
opening and closing his eyes in a kind of religious ecstasy； as if he had
never tasted anything as good as an overcoat before； in his life。 Then
he smacked his lips once or twice； and reached after the other sleeve。
Next he tried the velvet collar； and smiled a smile of such contentment
that it was plain to see that he regarded that as the daintiest thing
about an overcoat。 The tails went next； along with some percussion caps
and cough candy； and some fig…paste from Constantinople。 And then my
newspaper correspondence dropped out； and he took a chance in that
manuscript letters written for the home papers。 But he was treading on
dangerous ground； now。 He began to come across solid wisdom in those
documents that was rather weighty on his stomach； and occasionally he
would take a joke that would shake him up till it loosened his teeth； it
was getting to be perilous times with him； but he held his grip with good
courage and hopefully； till at last he began to stumble on statements
that not even a camel could swallow with impunity。 He began to gag and
gasp； and his eyes to stand out； and his forelegs to spread； and in about
a quarter of a minute he fell over as stiff as a carpenter's work…bench；
and died a death of indescribable agony。 I went and pulled the
manuscript out of his mouth； and found that the sensitive creature had
choked to death on one of the mildest and gentlest statements of fact
that I ever laid before a trusting public。
I was about to say； when diverted from my subject； that occasionally one
finds sage…bushes five or six feet high； and with a spread of branch and
foliage in proportion； but two or two and a half feet is the usual
height。
CHAPTER IV。
As the sun went down and the evening chill came on； we made preparation
for bed。 We stirred up the hard leather letter…sacks； and the knotty
canvas bags of printed matter （knotty and uneven because of projecting
ends and corners of magazines； boxes and books）。 We stirred them up and
redisposed them in such a way as to make our bed as level as possible。
And we did improve it； too； though after all our work it had an upheaved
and billowy look about it； like a little piece of a stormy sea。 Next we
hunted up our boots from odd nooks among the mail…bags where they had
settled； and put them on。 Then we got down our coats； vests； pantaloons
and heavy woolen shirts； from the arm…loops where they had been swinging
all day； and clothed ourselves in themfor； there being no ladies either
at the stations or in the coach； and the weather being hot； we had looked
to our comfort by stripping to our underclothing； at nine o'clock in the
morning。 All things being now ready； we stowed the uneasy Dictionary
where it would lie as quiet as possible； and placed the water…canteens
and pistols where we could find them in the dark。 Then we smoked a final
pipe； and swapped a final yarn； after which； we put the pipes； tobacco
and bag of coin in snug holes and caves among the mail…bags； and then
fastened down the coach curtains all around； and made the place as 〃dark
as the inside of a cow；〃 as the conductor phrased it in his picturesque
way。 It was certainly as dark as any place could benothing was even
dimly visible in it。 And finally； we rolled ourselves up like silk…
worms； each person in his own blanket； and sank peacefully to sleep。
Whenever the stage stopped to change horses； we would wake up； and try to
recollect where we wereand succeedand in a minute or two the stage
would be off again； and we likewise。 We began to get into country； now；
threaded here and there with little streams。 These had high； steep banks
on each side； and every time we flew down one bank and scrambled up the
other； our party inside got mixed somewhat。 First we would all be down
in a pile at the forward end of the stage； nearly in a sitting posture；
and in a second we would shoot to the other end； and stand on our heads。
And we