Page:Life Amongst the Modocs.djvu/383

 tamarack grew dense and dark, with only now and then a clump of yellow trees, like islands set in a sea of green.

Here and there a scarlet maple blazed like the burning bush, and, to a mind careless of appropriate figures, might have suggested Jacob's kine, or coat of many colours. How we flew and dashed around the rocky spurs! Some chipmunks dusted down the road and across the track, and now and then perched on a limb in easy pistol-shot; a splendid grey squirrel looked at us under his bushy tail, and barked and chattered undisturbed; but we saw no other game. In a country famous for its bear, we saw not so much as a track.

Down under us on the river-bank the smoke of a solitary wigwam curled lazily up through the trees, and the Indian that stood on the rocks spear ing the autumn run of salmon looked no taller than a span.

Again we dashed around a rocky point, and the driver set his leaders back on their haunches with a jerk that made six full groans issue from inside the stage, and as many heads hurry through the windows. The driver pushed back his hat, the hat that stage drivers persist in wearing down on their noses, pointed with his whip into the air, and said,

"How's that for high?"

Then again he snapped his silk, settled the insiders in their seats, and we were dashing on as before.