Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-03-20


feet the road, crossing ravine, was
blocked by drift in the deepest part
ten feet, we were compelled to make
detour Of quarter of a mile, up the
hillside, through the snow that was
nearly two feet deep-our horses at
times sinking to their bellies. And so
for three hours We pushed on in our
descent, when, darkness coming on, and
our stock being tired out, l determined
to stop and remain there till daylight,
when we could finish the remaining nine
miles of the Pass. Noticing 10 the right,
some go yards, gulch in the hillside,
rode up to it through the snow, two
feet deep, and found some clumps of
box elder which would answer for fire.
wood; and thither we proceeded. The
Judge, however, by this time had be-
come alarmed, and, fearing a heavy
storm, and our being showed in during
the night, called NE back and advised Il
return to Everett's at once. We held q
council of war To return was nine
miles, ahead the same. The latter way
we knew nsthing Of the roads or the
drifts, and so, as the skies and the ris-
ing temperature indicated storm, we
had Connolly, the driver, put our bed
ding on the mules, and, leaving the
blackboard to the mercy of the Z" beau
tiful snow,n we babe il adieu and left il
rs rapidly as possible. We had scarcely
gone mile before noticed it becoming
warmer, and, while walking over drift.
observed the snow so soft that dropped
back and told Connolly TO hurry on the
D VI inl r IA
tremendous storm.
1t was very dark, SO much so that we
could not see one hundred feet ahead,
only kept the way by riding between
the tracks of the wheels, made in our
going west. Before the summit was
reached the storm broke upon us in all
its fury-a high gale, fast-falling snow,
with sudden falling of the tempera-
ture. The night now became pitchy
dark and exceedingly cold, and we had
TO run on foot or ride with our heads
down low to watch the wagon-ruts that
were being rapidly obscured by the fall
ing and drifting snow. 1t was so dark
that, when twenty yards behind, each
ore would be out Of sight, and we were
constantly calling out to find out each
others whereabouts. And so we pushed
on, frequently falling, our animals
stumbling in the drifts. At half-past
3, after coming seven and half miles,
when we were only one and half
miles from the cabin whose shelter we
We're seeking, my horse, which had thus
I far been leading, and had faithfully
scented the trail under the deep snow,
gave way in a snow-bank and fell back
ward on me, pitching my gun, carried
across my saddle, some six or eight feet
to the rear.
The animals here fioundered about,
completely exhausted; and, with the
storm growing worse and worse, We
could go no farther. While off fifty or
one hundred yards, looking for the road
in the snow, lit a match in my hat,
when l heard Connolly yell out,
a." There's the cabin! There, Judge,
look quick, See the light?' Never
have heard more joy in any ones
voice in my life. Alas! il was ''will-
o'-the-wisp," for my match went out in
moment, and could not find the road;
nor were either Of the others success
full.
We were compelled to stop till day
light: but what a ''camp!" No food,
no tent, and no fire, for there were no
trees about, and all the small bushes
were under the snow. Tying our poor.
exhausted animals to rocks, we quickly
threw down our bedding on bare
piece of ground. Itook out my shelter
tent, put it under the Judge-poor fel-
low!-and over him my overcoat, I'M
derneath his buffalo-robe. My feet were
SO wet and cold, and my boots so full
of snow, that took them off-an I'M
wise move. Although We covered our
selves completely with our bedding,
well tucked in, so fine was the snow, SO