rcome by a young
gentleman in the boat who had been suspected of a tendency to ape the
fashions of the effete east. When he blushingly produced a slug of
chewing gum, they were satisfied that their suspicions were well
founded. The gum proved efficacious, however, and the leak was plugged
up.

Tehama was reached about noon, where they were saluted by volleys fired
from shot guns, rifles and revolvers. Paul hauled up and sent a
messenger for glycerin and oil to use on his face which began to feel
the effects of the burning sun. As he lay in the dock answering a shower
of questions, about his name, age, fighting weight etc., an old
gentleman stepped to the front and said:

"Captain, why don't you come out? Tehama is famous for its widows. They
are handsomer and more of them than will be found in any other town of
her size in the world, and if you ain't married, I guarantee you will be
in an hour after you're ashore."

The widows present shyly smiled.

After being supplied with the glycerin, he left the newspaper men and
struck away alone. He kept on all night and passed Chico bridge early
next morning. Before sun-rise he noticed a tree that was strange and
wonderful. It was full of what appeared to be large white clusters
of feathery-like blossoms, which swayed to and fro as though alive, yet
not a breath of air was stirring. His wonder at the beautiful
spectacle was so great, that he ceased moving the paddle and drifted
with the current toward the snowy looking tree. When opposite, he saw it
was a roost for some sort of water fowl. He shouted and a cloud of white
heron rose in the air and soared away.

He now entered a stretch of river that was very lonely. The ranches were
far away from the banks. The sand bars were full of geese, ducks and
heron, while many buzzards sailed gracefully above. He noticed one large
flock of these scavengers, that hung over him and which gained in
numbers as they moved along, no doubt mistaking him for a dead body,
floating. He had commenced the voyage on Friday and the old
sailor superstition affected him. He did not like the persistence with
which the ill-omened birds kept him company; but they were far out of
range of pistol shot. He grew so nervous looking at the buzzards that
he could see nothing else along the river. Then he thought of a plan to
get rid of them, which he immediately put into execution. Taking a
powerful detonating rocket from