, 1880-07-23
ATHIRST ON THE PLAINS.
Terrible BufIorinE from starvation and
Thirst Of n Party OF Explorers In

Xs4le Roek Gazette.
Tho following letter just received by Cot
Syberg from his son Fred, gives graphs
account Of rnther an unenviable piece of e1.
perlcnco:
Tn1ETy-FIvE MILE9 FROM FoHr SrocK.
TON, June So.-Yon have no idea Of the nils.
erable time VIC have had slnco being out on
the Plains. 1t is' true that we arc now Oh
tho river aud snfe, as fur as water Is con.
cerned, but what m experience VIC had ges-
ting herel I will endeavor to give youa
fair Idea Of our suffering. The Muatang
Springs, which arc just on tho edge
(oast) OF the plains. and 14o miles west
Of Buffalo GRp, was the last water m
found until we got To the Pecos, 100 miller
d.stant-just imagine that. Everything went
atonR very we'll for duy or two, for we bad
two wagon loads, OF WRter with US ttwelye
66afreS 6ay Mn but IT, On euh the a Syss en o. Nj ss H a
NOR had just, returned and reported hay.
Ing failed To find water In the snnd-hills which
are ffty-five miles west Of Mustang Springs
and where w9 expected to lind water. VIZ
require olie and q half barrels to water the
b. done, 50 I asked Nal. Laurence what 10
intended doing. lie safil he wished mo 70
course, I took three teams, with their
drivers, md s0tuo four or tive scouts and
started that night Tor the river; We fonna!tt4
aeoss 'Ss he sS Ills es 70 sae ns
did not expect to do, or l would have gons
back to Mustang Springs, only forty-elght
miles md over q splcndit! 'roal. OF course
sros3n 1a2%n thG % 3 eye1 with Rrty fRsp
and wo reached tho river II . yery
started east on. tho river ten miles,, and
there tllled the barrels, aud then turned due
tie illlls; but / did not succeed In doing 50,
! us they ran farther east thnn ten miles, so
out Of ten barrels reached camp with four
full onos, and the mules completely broken
days ind nlEhts " We s did rot t taste Al mouth
| full Of food. When we reached camp ! found
the corps In d terrible conlttton-tho boys
nearly fam!shed for water. Mai. lIamn!s,
asked him what wins his program. lie said
| hG could only sec forward movement acroa
the hills {just think Of trying. to cross tha
hills with nbout two barrels. OF water
4nd tho mules completely broken down; m;
TINT would. lie thell consented To let nie
tnke the stock back to Mustang Springs and
water and craze them for two days; ! +. r.
Hills with loaded wagons. we started. hoy.
ever, that night, and travelled until l o 0'ciock,
when we won't into camp; started again early
III tho 1norning.-Nnj. Lawrence on the train
and In charge Of tho wagons, etc. l had not
travclOd vory far when I wins compelled 10
abandonmy heaviest wagon. About iiye m!lsss
PIT six mules to tho two remaining wagons,
travelled about two miles and abandoned ons
Ut tho two wagons and threw out everything:
kept but little to eat and fow blankets, I
t9l,l the cook to turn the boys md start to the
night Us ! would not be able to bring any
water back. The ,party. did not start
until the next morning: We travelled thas
night and reached tho river about . O'Clock
the next day. Our, party, got separated
and some of us. nearly peftshetl for water
before we reached the. river. I, for ona
went to the river on tho back Of q mule, per.
killed calf and drunk ita blood, which Vas
all that saved them.,, As for the others, seY'
eral OF them nearly died. Ono of them, Ben,
nett, came into the river entirely naked and
crazy Campbell tried to blow. his btalIl
out, I aont out wutor and mules to the1l
relief. Thank God, we ara all safe.n