Part 2
On the great Alkali Plain.
InthecentralportionofthegreatNorthAmericanContinentthereliesanaridandrepulsivedesert,whichformanyalongyearservedasabarrieragainsttheadvanceofcivilisation. FromtheSierraNevadatoNebraska,andfromtheYellowstoneRiverinthenorthtotheColoradouponthesouth,isaregionofdesolationandsilence. NorisNaturealwaysinonemoodthroughoutthisgrimdistrict. Itcomprisessnow-cappedandloftymountains,anddarkandgloomyvalleys. Thereareswift-flowingriverswhichdashthroughjaggedcañons;andthereareenormousplains,whichinwinterarewhitewithsnow,andinsummeraregreywiththesalinealkalidust. Theyallpreserve,however,thecommoncharacteristicsofbarrenness,inhospitality,andmisery.
Therearenoinhabitantsofthislandofdespair. AbandofPawneesorofBlackfeetmayoccasionallytraverseitinordertoreachotherhunting-grounds,butthehardiestofthebravesaregladtolosesightofthoseawesomeplains,andtofindthemselvesoncemoreupontheirprairies. Thecoyoteskulksamongthescrub,thebuzzardflapsheavilythroughtheair,andtheclumsygrizzlybearlumbersthroughthedarkravines,andpicksupsuchsustenanceasitcanamongsttherocks. Thesearethesoledwellersinthewilderness.
InthewholeworldtherecanbenomoredrearyviewthanthatfromthenorthernslopeoftheSierraBlanco. Asfarastheeyecanreachstretchesthegreatflatplain-land,alldustedoverwithpatchesofalkali,andintersectedbyclumpsofthedwarfishchaparralbushes.
