The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-05-08

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we had eight loads among six men, and
already l could see one Of the spaRiaFds
beginning TO stagger and the old Indian
trembling like a leaf. Then a horrible
kind Of fear crept over me that We ShOnld
keep on dropping that way, man after
man, till there was only one lett, and then
but at that thought threw up my
arms and gave u sort Of yell like man
starting up from bad dream. But Seth
punched me in the ribs with his elbow,
and whispered
"Shl don't brighten the rest.n
And set my teeth and chOked il down,
II may have been an hour or two after
this-I was beginning to lose all count Of
time now-that Seth, who had got little
ahead Of the rest, suddenly sang out
"Hurrah p
We all looked up. .............
Heres sOmethin' civilized at last, by
the hOe.cake" says he. "Guess we've
struck the right track without KNOWN
1t. Look here"
Just in front Of US was gully about
forty feet deep, through which ran
smallstream, and across it lay bridge
not one Of the rope bridges you see in
Lower Peru, but good solid wOOd--two
long beams from bank to bank, with
cross-pieces dashed to them, Just like the
sleep6rs on railway. Then We all
shouted at once and stepped out 10 cross
it; but, all in moment, the poor old
Indian, who was one OF the hindmOst,
lurchcd over the edge, and went slap
down into the water, and the gold he car
ried Just sunk him like stone, WhGth-
or he'd got hurt in the fight, too, or
whether he was Just tired and dizzy like
the rest Of us, | can't say, but down he
went, and we never saw him more, SO
now we were cut down 10 five, and had
lost our guide into the bargain.
THAT'S bad Job" says Seth, "but
never mind, boys we mus! Jest steer by
the light Of natur' now. Whar thar's a
bridge like that thar Oughtcr be trail
somewhat"
Sure enough there was trail, and we
tried to iollowit, but We soon lost il again,
and tramped on all day at hapha1ard,
trying to steer by the sun.
Towards evening we halted TO eat and
then pushed oDiagain hot foot for that was
the last OF our provisions. LAD ......
just as the moon rose We came upon
gully with bridge across i, and there we
all stopped dead and looked at each other
"A look shall never forget. TWAS the
same bridge we had crossed twelve hours
before! ........
That minutes one Of the things ! never
like to think Of. There We were, lost in
a tropical forest, our guide gone, every
man Of US rs weak as child, and not .
aorsel Of food left! ........
"Well, boys" says old Seth (whO was
our mafnstay thfoughout) "we're in a
kind Of a fix, there amt no denyin' 1t.
Naow, | calc'late this bridge amt been.
long bnilt by the look oft, and 40, instead
o POin' lOsiTl' ourselves outer everybOuy's
way, guess Wen Jest stick here till some
party picks lis up-it won't be long. l
reckin, That's my ilee, how does itstrikc
yewT
we all agreed at once, and, indeed, we
were too far gone now for any more
marching. So we sat down here for three
days, bearing II us we'll as We could, and
irving to shoot game between whiles. But
our eyes were too dim, and our hands too
Shaky, for that; and the birds and mon
keys sCurried past, chattering and scream
Ing as II in mOckery. And at Inst we
couldn't keep it of amy longer Anu 1t
came. .,.......
der, poor fellows, for though some Of
them Are IA brave men us ever stepped,
they haven't the pith and fibre OF an Eng
| iisiman. The Portigec held out longer,
for he Ind the heart Of u lion; but at last
he went too, and old Seth and ] were left
"Seth," says !, "lets bury these poor
fellows while we can; for II they're left ly
inc heretand our hunger gets worse, We
might he driven to-yOu know
30 we wrapped the poor FELLOWSHIP thelI
blankets. with heavy stone in each, ant
rolled them over the edge Of the ravin'
down into the water. We buried the gol'
too, and marked the spot, In case anythinl
. should turn up 10 save us at the last; AM
, then we lay down again, az II we ha'
!, nothing left to do but TO die.
, And after that everything seems blur
red and hazy, like m ugly dream. tn
. trees and the rocks aud the sky seemed
20 round and round in whirl, and oil
4 Selh stood up as tall as :tceple, an
great black things came out Of tho btishe
-, md made faces at me; and then | was a.
u II linz under the old tree in the church
;. yard at home, and heard my old mother
= voice who's been dead this five Q"
4 twenty years. as plain as print I'LL oil 9
: once there were men'srvoices all aroun
II us, and | felt somebody lifting my he1
" and putting something into my mOntl
~ and then tainted right of. 4a' ~
J, We had been picked up by part
y coming back from the mines and the
~, y, carried lis down with them to Aricai OIL
" when we got around again We went baC
"a and dug up the gold, and gave lumpiTt
D az lot Of II to the wives and children oil Il
~ poor fellows that had died for u.s.
~ But when got back utter that Ia
y weeks work my hair was quite gray
h h gray MS you see it-now.o And that's
4, Tho story. 4llt aH.t