Then the roads become hard and dry, and the light earth, pulverized by the numerous wheels which are continually passing over it, is taken up by the hot winds and whirled along the vast, plains, obscuring the sight as effectually as though there was a deep eclipse.  The eyes and nostrils of the traveller become irritated by the fine particles, and the dust is sifted into his ears and mouth.  The latter gets coated with dust, and all moisture is denied the palate.  Vainly the tongue is rolled from side to side to check the burning thirst, until at last the member gets so swollen that it becomes incapable of motion, and then, unless relief is soon afforded, death ensues.  Water, slimy, stagnant water, is drank with as much eagerness as a glass of iced Cochituate in summer.

The various sink holes with which the prairies abound are drained of their contents, and if the traveller is unacquainted with a miner’s life, he does not wait until the liquid is strained and boiled, and thus relieved of many of its bad properties, but swallows a large quantity of the nauseous filth, and for many days after repents of his folly.  He that drinks at a sink hole, and suffers long and repeated attacks of fever and ague, or dysentery, in consequence, learns to avoid it in future.

As Fred and myself were old miners, and had tramped over a large portion of California, and knew the dangers of such indulgence, we were not likely to be caught; although we had a good guide with us in the person of the convict, who really appeared to take an interest in our welfare, and gave us much friendly advice.

The sun did not set for three hours after we started, on the afternoon that we crossed the gulch; and while we found the heat growing less oppressive, we certainly did not feel much refreshed by its disappearance, as our legs, unaccustomed for many days to long walks, began to grow stiff, while blisters formed upon our feet and galled us extremely.

We would have given a small sum to have been enabled to halt for the night; but pride prevented us from asking Smith to do so.  We were fearful that he would laugh at us, and we had our reputation as Americans at heart too much to let him think that we were failing even on the first day from Melbourne.  But as mile after mile of ground was got over, we could keep silent no longer.

“How much farther do you intend going before camping for the night?” I asked of the convict in a careless sort of way, although I could hardly prevent limping.

“Feel tired?” he inquired, with a grin.

“O, no,” I answered, with an indifferent air.

“Well, as you are not tired, and night is the best time to travel, suppose we keep on until daylight?”

“I’ll be ——­ if I do,” broke in Fred.  “I’ve got a great blister now, on my great toe, bigger than a silver dollar, and my boot seems inclined to raise others.  I’ll tell you what it is, Smith, for the last two months we’ve been on shipboard, and not walked five miles during that time, and if you think we can compete with you as a pedestrian, you are mistaken.”