Chapter 10

           Itwasamazinghowquicklythelandmended;withinaweeklittlegreenshootsofgrasswerepokingoutoftheglueymorass,andwithintwomonthstheroastedtreeswerecomingintoleaf.Ifthepeopleweretoughandresilient,itwasbecausethelandgavethemnoopportunitytobeotherwise;thosewhowerefaintinheartorlackingafanaticalstreakofendurancedidnotstaylongintheGreatNorthwest.Butitwouldbeyearsbeforethescarsfaded.Manycoatsofbarkwouldhavetogrowandfalltoeucalyptoidtattersbeforethetreetrunksbecamewhiteorredorgreyagain,andacertainpercentageofthetimberwouldnotregenerateatall,butremaindeadanddark.Andforyearsdisintegratingskeletonswoulddewtheplains,subsidingintothemattingoftime,graduallycoveredbydustandmarchinglittlehoofs.AndstragglingoutacrossDroghedatothewestthesharpdeepchannelscutbythecornersofamakeshiftbierinthemudremained,werepointedoutbywandererswhoknewthestorytomorewandererswhodidnot,untilthetalebecameapartofblack-soilplainslore.

           Droghedalostperhapsafifthofitsacreageinthefire,and25,000sheep,amerebagatelletoastationwhosesheeptallyintherecentgoodyearslayintheneighborhoodof125,000.Therewasabsolutelynopointinrailingatthemalignityoffate,orthewrathofGod,howeverthoseconcernedmightchoosetoregardanaturaldisaster.Theonlythingtodowascutthelossesandbeginagain.Innocasewasitthefirsttime,andinnocasedidanyoneassumeitwouldbethelast.