DEDICATION

To one who, without complaint or previous experiencewith desert hardships, shared with me the difficult and oftendangerous adventures in part recorded in this book, whichbut for her persistent urging, would never have reached theprinted page. She is, of course, my wife—with me in asense far broader than the words imply: always—always.

CONTENTS

Dedication 5

This Book 9

I A Foretaste of Things to Come 11

II What Caused Death Valley 19

III Aaron and Rosie Winters 25

IV John Searles and His Lake of Ooze 30

V But Where Was God? 35

VI Death Valley Geology 39

VII Indians of the Area 43

VIII Desert Gold. Too Many Fractions 48

IX Romance Strikes the Parson 53

X Greenwater—Last of the Boom Towns 60

XI The Amargosa Country 64

XII A Hovel That Ought To Be a Shrine 82

XIII Sex in Death Valley Country 87

XIV Shoshone Country. Resting Springs 92

XV The Story of Charles Brown 102

XVI Long Man, Short Man 109

XVII Shorty Frank Harris 113

XVIII A Million Dollar Poker Game 125

XIX Death Valley Scotty 130

XX Odd But Interesting Characters 136

XXI Roads. Cracker Box Signs 144

XXII Lost Mines. The Breyfogle and Others 154

...