Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-04-01
Prospecting Under Difficulties Chap
ter of Accidents.

wa VA 3ACC4uC0GSs
Connected with the sale of the Mt. Hop
Furnace property which was noticed il
the VINDICAToR week before last, Their,
was some of the toughest experience OF
the part of the prospecting parties that w
have ever heard of. Capt. VIM. N. Page
of Hawks Nest, to whom was entrusted
the purchase, by the English company, Sc
cured the services of that eminent geol
ogist, Prof John l.. Campbell of Wash.
ington and Lee University, who was en-.
gagged two weeks in examining the rocks
ard ores upon the large tract before it
was decided to make the purchase.
The party consisting of Capt. Page.
Prof. Campbell and his son, a young man
of about tweny, found themselves one
afternoon descending one of those high
and rugged mountains around the Rock
bridge Alum. There was no sign. of a
road and huge boulders covered with ice
and snow lay piled against each other, be-
tween and over which the horsemen had
to pick their way, the horses often stumb-
ling and falling. AS they proceeded in
single file down the mountain Capt. Page
who was in front was startled by a cry for
help which came from the rear, and leav-
ing his horse standing trembling on high
bare rock, hurried back to find young
Campbell upon the ground and his horse,
good young animal. shrieBing with pain
and fright. his leg fast in wedge shaped
crevice and strug ling violently on his side:
every effort imprisoning him the closer
as he hung over great boulder. The Pro-
fessor was now out of his element and
completely at loss what to do. Mr. Page
however, as the first and most important
thing was to stop the hol IS struggles, got
young Mr.. Campbell to sit upon his head
1.-THE horse's) and next decided the only
thing that could be done was to move the
boulder. After a great deal of effort Mr..
P. and the Professor contrived to do this
with long stick and the horse released,
though terribly lacerated and famed,
plunged forward over @ or three Other
huge rocks and finally fell on his back be-
tween them in a worse fix than he was be-
fore. his head being down hill.
At this second calamity the Professor
ejaculeted, s'Tut! TUT" in complete despe-
ration. the young man threw upthe sponge
and Mr. Page sat down and smoked Gig
arctic and pondered, If there had been
pistol in the party the animals brains
would have been blown out on the spo
AS there was not it was determined t.
make one r ore effort for bis release. Th.
brides were taken from the other tw'
horses who stood near by looking fearfuly
on, and by very skilful contrlvance and
some heavy lifting and hallooing and WHY
ping the discouraged animal was stimula-
ted 70 one more grand effort. In making
it he knocked Mr.. Page between the rocks.
strug gled over him and threw himself wit
great force square against Prot. Camp
bells horse knocking him two or three
somersaults. about 80 feet to the very edg'
of cliff where he lay on shelving rock
with his heels up and a high rock at his
back, the young horse taking the stand OF
the former on the rock above. shaking
with fright and bleeding, and Mr.. Page
picking himself up and glad to find MOTH
ing worse than bruises and scratches Or
his own body.
But what was to be done now for TIL
Professors horse ? It was impossible tt
turn him on one side on account of the
large rock there, and if TUNED over tbt
other side he would roll over the cliff .
This seemed the most desperate case Of
Ill. But at last the inventive genius OF
the engineer found way out Of it. Tax
ing lesson from experience he moved
The other horses TO safe distance, having
decided that the only possible way to ge'
The animal out was to lift him up on his
launches and turn him end for end. By
bringing the brides into requisition again
and some very cautious, steady prying and
pulling inch by inch, and scotching with
stick under his shoulders and back as he
was raised, the horse without ever having
made a struggle, which would doubtless
have been fatal, was pulled over and set
upon his feet in safety.
The party then proceeded cautiously and
painfully down the mountain each ont
leading his steed and happily reached it's
foot in safety, and after cutting and toll
ing through the heavy brush and under
growth of the valley, reached their quar-
tiers at late hour.