n
endless succession, as far as the horizon extended, from morning till
night, as if a billowy ocean had been suddenly transfixed in the midst
of its motion. They have only thin vegetation on them,--not enough to
disturb or conceal the beautiful forms, the curves which the waves leave
on the hills they deposit. Their colors are very subdued,--pale salmon
from the dead grass, or light green like a thin veil, with the red earth
showing dimly through. There is no change in looking at them, but from
light to shadow, as the clouds move over them.

We travelled, for a long distance, over sage-brush and alkali plains. In
this part of the country, sage-brush is a synonym for any thing that is
worthless. We found the little woody twigs of it available for our
camping-fires; but its amazing toughness reminded me of a story told by
Mr. Boller, in his book "Among the Indians." He was taking a band of
mustang half-breeds from California to Montana, when, to his surprise,
one of the mares presented him with a foal. Supposing it would be
impossible for it to keep up with the party, he took out his revolver to
shoot it. Twice he raised it, but the little fellow trotted along so
cheerily that his heart failed him, and he returned it to the holster.
The colt swam creeks breast-high for the horses, and travelled on with
sublime indifference to every thing but the gratification of its keen
little appetite. He resolved to take it through, thinking it would never
do to destroy an animal of so much pluck, and named it "Sage-brush." It
swam every stream, flinched from nothing, and arrived in good order in
Montana, a distance of three hundred miles, having travelled every day
from the time it was half an hour old. Its name was most appropriate, as
an illustration of the character of the plant.

Intermixed with the wastes of sage-brush were patches of bunch-grass.
The horses sniffed it with delight as luxuriant pasturage. It is curious
to see how nature here acts in the interest of civilization. The old
settlers told us that many acres formerly covered with sage-brush were
now all bunch-grass. It is a peculiarity of the sage-brush, that fire
will not spread in it. The bush which is fired will burn to the ground,
but the next will not catch from it. The grass steals in among the
sage-brush; and, when that is burned, it carries the fire from one bush
to another. Although the grass itself is consumed, the roots strike
deep; and it springs up anew,