The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-08-08
A STRANGE RESCUE.

1
Oakes, in Nevada, and started OF on
prospecting tour among the mountains.
1t was not the most favorable season
of the year, for it was late enough to eX-
pect heavy Snowfalls but the miners
were somewhat excited over an account
brought them by a friendly Indian of
silver indications in the mountains. In
fact he proved the truth of his represen-
tations by showing some of the genuine
metal itself. jim, as the red skin was
called. was known to be sober and trust
worthy; and, as he offered to guide his
friends to the spot. the proposition was
gladly accepted.
They started with a single beurrO. or
donkey. that was loaded down with
mining tools, powder and provisions
until little more than his long ears were
visible The men were accustomed to
walking and they went afOot.
On the third day, when they were
close upon their destination. singular
accident befel Jim, their guide. He.had
raised his rifle to shoot a deer, when just
as he pulled the trigger the foot of the
Indian slipped, and he rolled down
precipice fully fifty feet high. BY the
/ time his friends could reach him he was
dead.
This sad occurrence threw a gloom
| over the miners, and Mccoy, with the
not unnatural superstition of his people,
regarded it asan i'll omen and advocated
q return.
Mccoy. however. was overTuled by
| the others. who thought it would be
throwing away an opportunity which
/ might never preSentitseG again, as other
miners would be apt to discover and
( claim the lead. Mccoy called their at
I tentiOn to the alarming appearance of
I . I. ..1r nd
raw from the hour they started; the sky
was overcast. and there was every prom
I ise Of q coming snow storm.
But the other two were determined to
! push ahead, and the ObieCtor consented
/ to keepthCir company. That night they
camped at what is known as the DEVILS
Canon such SulphUrOuS names being
in high favor in the mining countries.
Mccarthy insisted that the broken ac-
count given by the Indian jim located
the silver lead in a canon, and they con-
1 Guided that this must be the one. They
sat long time around their camp fire,
/ speculatmg upon the riches which they
/ expected to find during the next few
days, and building air castles with all
/ the enjoyment of q lot Of school boys
/ when they attempt to pierce the great
+ future.
( At am early hour the miners were Il
stir. and struck into the canon, all look
/ ing sharply about them for the expected
. Indication.
7 by the horned spoon - suddenly
/ called out Mcdonald, we've certainly
( struck it r.
, The three ran forward to a rocky
I ledge, where they discovered what all
/ agreed was evidently chloride ore, and
/ they instantly began their preparation
for blasting away the ledge. 50 as to get
! at the valuable stuff.
IL viii be borne i'm mind that lhis
work was being done I'm the canon, with
/ the rocky walls separated by less thau
, fifty feet and rising pcrpendicUlarly to
| more than four times That height. The
/ rock was dark and igncOus, and on the
side where the miners were working. q
short distance below the supposed silver
( ledge, The cliff projected outward some
! distance over the path.
This natural roof offered the most in
Niting spot for Il camp. The miners
leaned poles against it. and Wattled in
with brush and dry grass, thus forming
Il sort of cabin, which was extremely
useful iii providing against cold. There
I was no hesitancy about kindling a fire,
. since all the Indians they were likely to
/ encounter were Of a friendly disposition
toward the whites
The men toiled away all day with
moderate success. Silver certainly eX-
listed there but it remained to be seen
whether or not it was in paying quanti-
ties. They We're still quite hopeful
when jhey ceased their labor and went
into camp.
When night closed in. snow WAS fall
ing, and it looked very much as if it
would continued long time. Wrapping
their hIlDl-a+- 9l4G11r fBarye f11av- 4rfr.frAg3
their feet to the fire and sank to sleep.
not one Of the three opening his eyes
until morning.
They then discovered that the snow
lay to a depth of six inches and il was
still coming down. The wind was blow
ing, and the dry flakes were whirled
about in such eddies that the miners
could not see a dozen yards from their
cabin. Tie wind m0aued through their
primitive hut, as if to let them know
that winter had come upon them in a
night, and it meant to hold its victims
fast, now that it had fairly caught Them.
Mccoy once more urged a retreat
but in the hope that the storm would
abate, it was decided to defer their de-
parture Tor a while. There was danger
Of becoming lost, when they could not
see where they were going. and it look
ed simply prudent to wait
However, it proved a great mistake
/ lEe snow storm was one of the SeVereSt
ever known in that section. For siN
days succeeding there never was a min
ute Of cessation.
Sometimes, of course, the fall wa,
more rapid than at other times but the
flakes were drifting downward all tn,
while, and when the crystal clouds final
81 ly exhausted themselves. the snow lar
fully eight feet deep in the canon, Whilj
mountainous masses cuTled into all sort.
OF fantastic shapes. and hung over tn,
cliffs. The sight was sublime. hu
the fire was needed for cooking. and it,
- warmth was very pleasant.
On the third day it became apparent
that there was no saving the mule, ant
he was shot, dressed and placed away il
the snow against all contingencies.
It's good deal better to eat mule
meat than to staTye to death.
With the abatement OF tie storm tn;
sun came out and shone with grea
brightness. This started a thaW. Whicl
continued d couple of days, though i
was not to be expected that ii WOull
last until the snow disappeared. I
would require weeks of such weather
and That was very improbable at thi
season Of the year, for November Ia,
{ grown into winter
During al these long, dismal days o
the storm. the miners remained within
the hut, smoking, sleeping, eating an,
passing tile time as best they could bu
with the appearance OF the sun they dus
their way out, and climbing up the Iedg
where they had been working. clearel