Stinging strokes of Billy's quirt.

Day by day the wild breeze flying,

With'ring in its scorching heat,

Hummed a tune to labored beating

Of the plodding horses' feet.

16  

Day by day this panorama

Passing slowly, dully by,

With the sun's brass disc high gleaming

From a white and cloudless sky,

Sometimes drew fantastic pictures.

Many a strange and gruesome sign--

Phantom trees and fairy castles--

Blurred the far horizon line.

Then they'd vanish like the fancies

Of a fever-smitten brain,

And returning, changed in outline,

Elsewhere on the mighty plain

Would allure the eyesore trav'ler

Till the very sky above

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