Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-07
TWO DAYS AND NIGHTS IN THE
SNOW.
Terrible SnfferinEs Of two Men Without
food I'm the Mountains Of Nevada.

From the Virginia tNev.) Enterprise, Oct. Is.
]. H. Sperlng. assayer for the Great Sierra
Mining company, Tioga, who came near losing
his life in the Sierras week before last, arrived
in this city yesterday morning. He still suffers
from badly frost-bitten foot but is able to limp
about pretty well. In other respects he looks
as hale and rugged as grizzly. 1t appears that
he left Bonneville, q camp on the west side of
the mountains, to inspect for eastern parties
some mining property on Mount Gibbs al the
companion Dan McKinnen, man familiar with
the section of country into which they were
going. When they got up to Mount Gibbs q
furious snow storm set in. The guide soon lost
his way, and for two Nights and two days and a
half the two men struggled in the snow, which
was two feet deep on the level, and in many
places had so drifted that it reached almost
breast high. ~
They had no provisions with them and all
they had that they could eat was a small piece
of raw. fat bacon, which they had taken with
them for use in greasing their snOw-shoes,
They were exceedingly hungry the first day. and
divided and ate the bacon raw. After the first
day they did not much feel the pangs Of hunger,
but felt great weakness. They had no blankets
and dare not attempt to sleep. The place was
full of precipees. and the nights being very dark
they could only travel during daylight. They
were obliged to stop wherever dark came upon
them.
The first night they stopped where there was
some wood, but the next dark came upon them
In place where all was bare and barren. At q
distance they had seen what appeared to be q
small grove far down in a big canon. but dark
ness came upon them before they could reach
the place. There were SO many perpendicular
terraces and precpices in the place that they
dare not venture to go on in the dark.
A council of war" was held. and they decided
to split to pieces their snow shoes, make torches
of them and push on down to where they had
seen what presented the appearance of a grove
The pitchy wood of their SnOw-shoes made eX-
cellent torches, but being filled with grease
they burned away rapidly. The distance to the
fiat in the canon, where lay the supposed grove
was much greater than they had anticipated; be-
sides, their progress through the deep snow was
slow. and when they finally came to the fat their
last torch was almost burned out Enough OF it
remained however. to show them that what they
had taken to be grove was only q black patch
OF sagebrush, the tops of which they had seen
above the snow. However. as they could make
sufficient fire with sagebrush to keep from
freezing, they decided to pass the night at the
spot They kept awake all night and kept busy
about half the tire pulling sagebrush in order
to keep up their fire.
The next day they discovered that they had
got down into Bloody Canon. the mouth Of
which strikes the plains in the neighborhoOd Of
Mono Lake. They pushed on, wallOwing
through heavy drifts aud tumbling down the
rocky terraces with which the canon is filed. it
being the toughest pass in the whole range OF
the Sierra Nevada mountains. During the day
McKinnen became deliriOus, and Mr.. Sporting
had great difficult in getting him to travel. He
imagined all manner OF things At one time he
declared he saw a horse tied to a tree. There
he is, - cried he; don't you see him3 And the
dog-there is dog with the horse. There must
be man near" ''There is no tree no horse,
no dog" said Sperling; ''you only imagine these
things Come ON or we shall perish. 1t is only
little way down the canon" 1t was necessary
to haul Mckinnen along down the canon, as he
persisted in declaring that he saw a horse and a
dog; il Mr.. Sporting could not see them he
must be snow blind"
Next Mckinnen declared that he saw a man
but little way off with basket on his arm
" He is reckoning us to come to him." he said
" Let us go He is man sent to find US He
has in the basket something for US to eat"
:" You are mistaken" said Mr.. Sporting. There
is no man there. There is nothing at ALL" 81
tell you that you are snow blind There is q
man there with a basket, and he wants us to
come to him." Come along" cried Sperlng;
There is no man. and we shall perish il we
stop here" mo" cried McKinnen; 1--WE shall
die if We don't go to the man" ''You are a
little flighty-a little ont OF, your head" said
Sporting; "beeve what I tell you ia and come
on" ~ shall not 60. ON. II see tho man
plainly enough. He has basket on his arm.
and motions for US to come to him. II you
can't see him you are either blind or crazy.
have as much right to my way as you have to
yours, and say. let us go to the mani" Sper-
ling found it necessary to drag his companion
away by force. Soon he became so much worse
that he would stop and talk to stumps and
stones. telling them he was lost, and asking
them to lead him out Of the mountains.
With infinite toll and trouble Mr.. Sporting
and his companion finally reached Troy's ranch.
near Mono Lake, and all their troubles were
soon over. Mr.. Troy was not at home, but his
wife did all that any one could have done for the
two men. Mckinnen came out all right in mind
after he had eaten and slept but still thought
| he must have seen horse and dog. and man
with a basket ON his arm f'''