The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-07-31
Death from Thirst.

| The death Of two young men was recent
ly announced on the plains of Colorado near
Carson's Creek, fifty miles south of Los
Animas The young men, s. Mactior Win
chester and Samuel johnson, together with
three others, left Medary's surveying party
to join the main camp. A misunderstand-
ing occurred between the line and camp
parties, and the two driftcd apart The
surveyors wandered around for several DAYS
in hopes of help being sent to their aid. A
correspondent writing from Trinidad June
l6 gives the following graphic account of
the country, and the unfortunate fate of the
Baltimoreans: "Our party from the main
camp went in search of the lost men,
Searching south from the Santa Fe track,
| and east from this point, we found sterile
plains, noticeable principally on account of
the absence of that much abused fluid,
water. a few petty streams, strongly i'm
prcgnated with alkali, and situated at great
| distances apart, furnish water for q large
| amount of stock, and redeem from absolute
worthlessncss vast domain, which at first
sight would impress the the stranger with
| the belief that its only mission was to pro-
| ducc cactus and rattlesnakes. Without
| some guide it is dangerous work to track
! across these desolate plains, and even "od
| timers" calculate their chances very care
fully before trusting themselves to the ten
| der mcrcics of a land where misdircction
may mean death. In the light of these
statements it is not hard to realize that the
non-appearancc of our bclatcd party caused
serious apprchensions in camp, and that an
immediate search for the missing men was
commenced rs soon as it was coniectured
that they were drifting. The five left our
main camp on June 5, intending to survey
north eighteen miles to the sixth correction
line Erom the point they reached they
proposed to walk six miles east expecting
by that time to find the camp moved ahead,
and waiting for them. In the event of this
failing, an over jealous informant had as
surcd them that they would at least reach
water; and without n thought of the awful
experience which awaited them, the men
started out for days labor of unusual
severity, cheering themselves with the pros
poet Of rest on the morrow. Alas, for two
OF their number, that rest has been a long
one. Night found tho weary men tortured
by thirst, and completely Mt sea as to the
whereabouts of the camp. The nearest
| water was over twenty miles distant, and
| the prospect of trudging back over that long
| stretch was disheartening and demoralizing
worn out by ovcrwork. Three struggled
bravcly on and reached the Cariso, and were
safe, after being forty to sixty hours with
out food or water. The other two tolcd OH
five or six miles, and waited in the vain hope
of being found by the searchers they knew
would he sent out after them, until 1t was
too late for further effort. They rested
under huge rock, which offered them the
poor mockcry of shade, to chase away the
! a-.,fnl dclirinr, nf tl,;-nt. All n~o,md no
base the brush was torn, and the ground
clawcd and trampcd in mute witness Of the
agonizcd struggles through which the un-
fortunate mon had passed before the weak
ness of our frail humanity succumbcd to
suffering and death cascd pain. Relief did
indeed come finally to one, but 1t was tCo
late. Mac. Winchester was found the after
noon of June 9th, just as he was breathing
his last. We buried him the following
day ON sunny hillside, whose base is
washed by the precious water he failed to
reach. As stated Johnson's body has not
been found, but Of the fate we can only con-
lecture one thing. After the long and faith
| ful search which was vainly made for him,
It is hardly possible that he can be alive.
Both young men originally came from Bal
timorc. No blame can be attached to any
one for this unfortunate affair. The line
and camp parties misunderstood each
other and driftcd apart. The mon
| became demoralizcd and trusted in for
| lOrn hope, rather than make an effort to
! save themselves, until effort was unavailing.
| 1t has been many years since the plains Of
Colorado offered grave to those who per-
| ishcd of thirst, and let us hope that it will
be many, very many more before they will
offer another"