clear that we could see the fish in the bottom, it now has a broad,
sandy bed; the trees are gone, and the water is shallow and muddy.

The new inhabitants of this land have a tired and discouraged
appearance. They have a hard struggle to get enough to eat. The soil is
rocky, and it takes much labor to raise the scanty crops. They never
seem able to gather all the rocks from the fields, for the soil washes
away and new ones are constantly uncovered.

Where are the forests that once grew here? We find in their stead only a
few stunted trees and bushes. There is little grass and almost no
flowers, even in spring. Sheep and cattle wander far for their forage
and do not have the sleek appearance they once did.

There are few wild creatures of any sort, for since there are no woods
there are few hiding places. Neither do we see any birds, and we listen
in vain for a song or note of any kind.

[Illustration: _H. W. Fairbanks_
The women carry home the fuel.]

The houses are made of mud or stone and look cold and cheerless. The
people must suffer from cold in winter. The only wood they have is small
brush which the women and children gather upon the far hills and bring
home in huge bundles upon their backs.

In the towns of this country the only fuel now to be had is charcoal.
This is brought upon the backs of burros from the distant mountains,
where the few remaining trees give work to charcoal burners. The
charcoal is peddled through the streets and sold in tiny quantities at
each door. The people are too poor to buy much at a time and are very
careful in its use. It is burned in a metal or earthen dish called a
brazier, and a double handful may last a family a whole day.

Rains still fall in this country of the Poor People, as they did long
ago. But the waters gather quickly upon the unprotected slopes and run
off in muddy torrents, taking along some of the soil. Thus each
succeeding year there is less plant food for the crops.

[Illustration: _H. W. Fairbanks_
The rocky land of the poor people.]

How did this country, once rich and fruitful, become so barren? We are
sure from what we know of Nature's ways that she is not the cause of the
trouble. Through greed and ignorance of how to take care of their land
the present inhabitants have wasted and squandered its wealth until it
has become almost a desert.

We can do things with Nature, and direct many of her forces so that they
will work for our good. We