Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-04-14
An ExcIting Adventure.

Father Maloney, a Ctholic missionary,
well known In all pars OF Nevada, was
visiting White Pine, recently, and was in
terviewed by a reporteIwho gained from
HIM material for long nd interesting mar
rative. We publish oneof his adventures,
as we'll for its thrilling excitement as to give
an idea OF the fatigue au prlvations will
ingly undergone by tie men of whom
Father Maloney, Is worthy representa-
tive:
Recently, said the Reverend Father,
81 tried TO cross into Ruby Valley, just
sixty miles from here, b perform bap-
tism. There is no house between here and
there, and was nevel before over the
same read. / Thought Icould make it by
having an early start, as had ridden on
several occasions during ast Summer sew.
enty-tive miles per day collecting funds
for my church. Everything being ready,
my horse was shod, etc, Iud Istarted out at
eight o'clock on Mondaynorning. Every
thing went merry as larriaee bell till i
came TO The Cherry Crek summit, where
| | encountered heavy SOW.
| my way feeling we'll as gay as a lark,
thinking that the snow would not be so
deep as proceeded. Bt instead of get
ting lighter the snow beame deeper and
deeper Yet would moi return, and was
still under tie impression that l could
make Ruby Valley. Bsides, l felt half
ashamed to return, as smh action might
denote cowardice, and coTardice / cannot
tolerate IN any one, mucl less in myself.
The snow lasted all day, wo feet deep and
frozen over on top, whish made 1t more
difficult Of travel, as ii was not frozen
strong enough TO keep The horse up, which
at every step went dow knee keep, and
with much ado at times TO extrIcate him.
self.
'At five o'clock in the evening found
myself ascending the summit between
Long and Ruby Valleys, when | then and
there got into about three feet of snow on
the level. No road was hen recognizable.
Even the sagebrush was not to be seer.
The whole region round vas covered with
the deep, deep snow, to depth Of three
feet on the level, and in the drifts six to
ten feet. My horse sunk and fell down
under me. ! jumped of and fell down
alongside of him.
''lmagine my feelings in such predica-
ment IL was showing 81 the time, and
the wind was bowling teTifcally, such as
it is wont TO howl in Nevada All this,
coupled with the night coming on, and
with the dreadful prospect of one foot OF
snow more being on the ground before
panrnfno ran6at.aA uifttaRfnp vlgnpnu
and desolate in the extreme,
'My horse, now leg-tired and weary,
and myself ex-equo, lost all hopes Of
escape. The danger, however, seemed to
nerve me up. and in fact Ii almost made
me mad so ploughed through the snow
~ best L could.
"My horse, which | still held by the
reins, jumped up and followed after, aud
in half an hour we found ourselves on CON-
parative terra tirma, just fifty yards away,
ON side hull, under spreading pine
We were still standing on two feet OF snow.
The wind was high and there was drlzz-
ling sleet. had matches in my pocket
in abundance, well secured, and thought
that 1t would be good idea 10 light q
fire.
1T Is very easy to talk about lighting q
fire, but it was not easy TO do so In such
place and under such adverse circum-
stances. | was cold at the time. My
hands and othlng were wet, and even the
bark which pulled off the pine seemed TO
be saturated with moisture, and it was i'm
possible for me TO start fire. / tried and
tried in vain. Match after match was
ignited, and as often expired without any
effect, and so gave it up as bad job.
And now no fire, no possibility of pro-
ceeding any further, and not much prospect
of returning, as was then thirty-six miles
from home My horse was tired, and the
average depth OF snow over the thirty six
miles was two feet.
81 Ibegan to tn nix seriously on what was to
be done; yet there was no time tor think
ing or musiDg, as something had to be done,
and that Immediately. To remain till
morning under that dismal tree was TO al
most certainly perish from cold, or if l sur
vived the night, there were a thousand Ia
one chances of slow but sure starvation, as
six inches more Of snow would keep me
| there forever
OGNh WIZ NY NuCu
lheardA bark! 1t startled, ME and thought
Of st. Bernald's dogs in the mountain fast
ness of Switzerland, which saved the lives
of many hundred snow-bound travellers in
the Alps.
MY Joy was great, and exclaimed tc
myself, What can this be9 Surely some
friendly aid must be near at hand some
miners or woodman's cabin must be close
by, for have heard that familiar bark oi
the favored domestic of the miner or wood.
| man in these isolated and distant regions
or perhaps an Indian wigwam, which
would affuru me covering and shelter fol
the night.
''But my cheering hopes were so n dis
slpated. In vain did look around me fol
the smoke and wished.for cabin. No In
dian wigwams or domestic dog greeted my
view; but, in an instant, like flash o.
lightning, was surrou nded by pack o
oes six In number, which seemed t
dispu with me the mastery of the place
Bu MT with any motive or evil afop
thought did disturb their den. had NJ
love or longing for the spo', and woul(
have left & EN- alone if they had the grac,
of letting m q one.
"Appr sch ug me and my horse, they
simultaneou- u-iy set up a yell, which l
seemed to me penetrated the very skies
they growled, and howled, and snarled
and barked, until it seemed as if the heaYen
as well as the woods were swarming will
lnfuriated, maddened, raging, hungry, de
mon-likc coyotes. Cerberus at Pluto
gates could not open more ferocious. TheI