good, as frequent showers are
required to keep the grass growing after it once starts. A settled
rain of one or more days' duration is of rare occurrence. During the
rainy season and, in fact, at all times, the mornings are usually
clear. In the forenoon the clouds begin to gather and pile up in dark
billowy masses that end in showers during the afternoon and evening.
But not every rain cloud brings rain. Clouds of this character often
look very threatening, but all their display of thunder and lightning
is only bluff and bluster and ends in a fizzle with no rain. After
such a demonstration the clouds either bring wind and a disagreeable
dust storm, or, if a little rain starts to fall, the air is so dry that
it evaporates in mid air, and none of it ever reaches the earth. In
this fashion the clouds often threaten to do great things, only to
break their promise; and the anxious rancher stands and gazes at the
sky with longing eyes, only to be disappointed again and again.

As a rule water is scarce. A long procession of cloudless days merge
into weeks of dry weather; and the weeks glide into months during which
time the brazen sky refuses to yield one drop of moisture either of dew
or rain to the parched and thirsty earth. Even the rainy season is not
altogether reliable, but varies considerably one year with another in
the time of its appearance and continuance.

The soil is sandy and porous and readily absorbs water, except where
the earth is tramped and packed hard by the cattle. One peculiarity of
the country as found marked upon the maps, and that exists in fact, is
the diminution and often complete disappearance of a stream after it
leaves the mountains. If not wholly lost upon entering the valley the
water soon sinks out of sight in the sand and disappears and reappears
at irregular intervals, until it loses itself entirely in some
underground channel and is seen no more.

Many a pleasant valley in the range country is made desolate by being
destitute of any surface spring or running brook, or water that can be
found at any depth. Occasionally a hidden fountain is struck by
digging, but it is only by the merest chance. Wells have been dug to
great depths in perfectly dry ground in an eager search for water
without finding it, and such an experience is usually equivalent to a
failure and the making of a useless bill of expense.

A never-failing spring of good water in sufficient quantity to supply
t