XIV.--THE MOUTH OF HADES 184 XV.--DESERT MISCELLANY--UNUSUAL AND PECULIAR FEATURES 189 XVI.--JOURNALISM BELOW SEA-LEVEL 209 XVII.--THE END OF THE DESERT 218 INDEX 235 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE *TEAMING IN DEATH VALLEY _Frontispiece_ *THE DESERT 3 * MOUNT SAN JACINTO FROM THE DESERT 7 *ANCIENT SEA BEACH, COLORADO DESERT NEAR COACHELLA 11 *WHEN CALIFORNIA WAS AN ISLAND 15 From an old Spanish map. *AN INDIAN WELL IN THE DESERT 19 *AN OASIS IN THE COLORADO DESERT 23 *SENTINEL PALM 27 A welcome sight to the desert traveler, for it marks an oasis hidden in the cañon. *AN OASIS DWELLING THATCHED WITH PALM-LEAVES IN COLORADO DESERT 31 This might pass for a cannibal's hut in the South Sea Islands. *A DESERT BEDROOM 35 *SAHUARO, OR GIANT CACTUS 39 *SPANISH BAYONET 43 *A DESERT CACTUS IN BLOSSOM--ONE OF MANY VARIETIES 47 *"THE WELL OF THE DESERT" 51 *ONE OF THE DESERT BLOOMERS 55 *A YELLOW DIAMOND-BACK RATTLER 58 DESERT LIZARD, CHUCAWALLA, CLOSELY AKIN TO THE GILA MONSTER 61 HORNED TOAD 62 TARANTULA 64 CENTIPEDE 65 SCORPION 66 *A CHEMEHUEVI INDIAN AND COYOTE 69 *A CHEMEHUEVI DWELLING 73 *A CHEMEHUEVI SQUAW AND CHILD 77 *A DESERT DWELLING ON THE COLORADO RIVER 81 *THE DESERT "WHITE HOUSE" 85 *THE FUNERAL PYRE 89 *A MOJAVE INDIAN POUNDING MESQUITE BEANS IN WOODEN MORTAR 93 *RARE TULARE AND POMO BASKETS 97 *A YUMA WOMAN WEAVING COARSE BASKETS 101 *MOJAVE BASKET-MAKER 105 *THE ADVANCE AGENT OF PROGRESS 109