Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-05-26
LOST In A STORM.

A Ride of $50 Miles i'm the Mountains in
Pursuit of Stock-Five Days Without
Food.
The other story is told by the LYON
County Times of April 20, and describes
the adventures of John Carling, while
hunting cattle during a severe storm on
the '7th Of April, The narrative runs;
ssMr. Carling had cattle ranging in
the Big Bend country, and fearing the
herd would wander away during the
storm and extreme cold, his brother in
law, himself and one other, all residents
near Churchill, started on horseback
to look them up and bring them in The
party travelled all day without seeing
the herd, and at night camped about
twenty miles from Churchill. On the
following morning the three started out
again, in different directions, and with
the understanding that all were to meet
at the camp in the evening, if unsuc-
cessful. The brother-in-law and the
other were unsuccessful, and in the
evening returned to camp, built
up a fire, prepared supper, and
awaited the arrival of their companion.
Mr.. CARING. But the evening and the
night passed and morning came with
out his return. Fearing that he had
met with an accident or become lost,
the two saddled up, went in search, and
when several miles out struck the trail
of CARING, leading through the snow
toward the mountains. Thinking he
had obtained trace of the herd, and
hoping to overtake him soon, they fol-
lowed as fast as possible. Though the
trail looked fresh and they rode hard,
darkness came and they camped with
out him. So passed the next day and
the next day after on the tortuous trail
and no CARING. The scanty provisions
of the party in search were fast
giving out and had to be rigid
~ economical, if any was to
be saved for the missing man. At
times the trail led over log barricades,
through dense underground, and over
rocky declivities, and here and there
drops of blood on the snow marked the
struggles and falls of the wanderer and
and his faithful horses. I was now evil
dent that CARING was thoroughly lost,
and when found would be entirely help
less perhaps dead-as he took no food
matches or firearms. On the morning
of the fourth day, the searching party
emerged from the mountains upon the
edge of Death Valley, and at deserted
cabin near Black Springs, having
travelled over 200 miles. On entering
they were overjoyed to find their lost
comrade had recently been there, and
were rewarded few moments later by
discovering both horse and rider short
distance away. Both were in a famish-
ed and almost dying condition. Mr..
CARING was made comfortable
with food and fire, and was able
to give an account of his wander
ings. After becoming lost beyond
all hope, and neither not daring to trace
his long, wearisome trail back again, or
hoping to find speedier relief, he deter
mined to pursue straight course until
he found shelter and despair, as at last,
after all his determined struggles and
patient sutferings, he emerged from the
enveloping wilderness only to find him
self on the edge of Death Valley, tina
terrible waste of alkali plain, on whose
blistered, barren surf ace lie bleaching
the scattered bones of those who year
after year have undertaken its pilgrim
age. It will be remembered that
number of herders and band of six
thousand sheep, which they were at
tempting to drive across into the Cosco
country, persisted on the desert last
summer. The heat at that time was
most Intense. The remains of these
Mr.. CARING saw, and in his faint and
half delirious state, what wonder
if f he imagined he beheld
the unsepulchred host riding up before
his bewildered vision. To attempt to
cross that sixty miles Of plain was to APP
proach the deadly Upas, while to remain
on it's confines was no less death by
starvation; and Mr.. CARING was resign
ing himself to his fate when the voices
of his companions reached his ears.
When CARING first entered the cabin he
found two pieces of tallow candle, which
he devoured. He had despaired of
ever reaching home, and taking piece
of brown paper, in which the candles
were wrapped, he wrote his will, be-
queathing his property (worth $50, 0OO
to his wife and children, and also re-
corded the date and circumstances of
his adventures, that those who should
find his body might have clue to his
To-,