Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-11-10
IOIrl IN rnE HSow.
Terrible SuEerings Of Two Aien
WiihOut Food In the Noun
tains Of Nevada.
virrinia CNev.) Enterprise.

j. II. Sporting, asSayer OF 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 a badly frost bitten foot, but is
able to limp about pretty we'll. In
other respects he looks as hale and
rugged as a grizzly. 1t appears that
he left Bonneville a small camp on
the vest side of the mountains, to ins
spect for eastern parties some mining
property on Mount Gibbs at tie head
of the Bloody Canyon. He had for a
guide and companion Dan McKinnen,
a man familiar with the section OF
country into which they we're going.
When they got up to Mount Gibbsa
furious snow storm set in. The guide
soon lost his way, and for two days aud
a half the two men struggled in the
snow, which was two feet deep on the
level, and in many places had so DRIFT
ed 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 snowshoes. They
we're exceedingly hungry the FIRST day,
and divided aud ate the bacon raw
After the first day they did not much
feel the pangs OF hunger, bat felt great
weakness. They had no blankets and
dare not attempt to sleep The place
was full OF p~recipices, 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 vas bare and barren. At a dis
lance they had seen what appeared 10
be = small grove, far down in Abie
canyon, but darkness came upon them
before they could reach the place,
There were SO many perpendicular
terraces and precipices in the place
that thew dare not venture TO 50 on
in the dark.
A council Of wsr" was held, and
they decided to split to pieces their
SnoEShOes, make torches of them and
push on down to where they had seen
What presented the appearance Of a
rrOve. The pitehy wood Of their
snowshoes made excellent torches,
but being filed with grease, they
burned away rapidly. The distance
to the FAT IL the canyon, where lay the
supposed grove, va much greater
than they had anticipated; besides,
their progress through the deep snow
was slow, and when they finally came
70 the fat their last torch was Amos,
burned out E1ough Of It remained
however, to show them that what they
! had taken for a grove was only
black patch OF sagebrush. the tops O
J which they had seen above the snow
: However, as they could make sun
cient FIRE with sagebrush 10 keep iron
freezing, they decided to pass th,
, night at the spot. They kept awak,
all night, and kept busy halt the tam
S pulling sagebrush in order to keel
: up their FIRE.
The next day they discovered thai
D they had got down into Blood
Canyon,th the mouth Of which strikes tn
I plains in the neighborhoOd Of Nom
e Lake. They pushed on. vallovinl
through heavy drifts and tumblinl
e down the rocky terraces with whiel
e the canyon is filed il being the rough
= est pass 10 the whole range Of th.
: Sierra Nevada mountains. During tn
day McKinnen became delirous, an
g Mr.. Sperling had great difficulty il
getting him to travel, He imaginet
e all sorts Of things. AT one time b
d declared he saw a horse tied toa tree
s There he is" cried he; don't vol
e see him2 And the dog-there is q do.
a With the horse. There must be a MAJ
e ear" There is no tree, no dog, n
horse" said Sporting; you only imag
e inc these things. Come on or We shal
. perish. 1t is only a little way doWr
the canyon" 1t was necessary TO hau
y McKinnen along down the canyon, a
he persisted in declaring that he say
a horse and a dog; if Mr.. Sperlin
could not see them he must be snoI
blind"
Next McKinnen declared that b
o saw a man but a little way of with
basket on his arm. "He is beckonin
to US to come to him" he said. lie
us go. He is a man sent to find u
He has in the basket something 70
US to at" "You are mistaken,
said Mr.. Sperling. There is n
man there. There is nothing at all.
d II tell you that you are snow blind
There lisa man there with a basket
and be wants US to come to him.
b Come along" cried Sperling; "ther
Is is no man and we shall perish if "
stop here" "No," cried McKinneI
ii I'VE shall die if we don't 60 to tb
man" "You are u little Eighty
little out Of your head" said Spel
.e ling; believe what | tell you an
l. come on" Il shall not 20 on. | sc
'e the man plainly enough. He has
4 basket on his arm and motions for U
to come to him. If you can't see hi
r you are either blind or crazy. | hay
+ as much right to my way as you hsv
to yours, and / say let US 90 to th
IN man." Sperling found it necessary
N drag his companion away by fore
lie Soon he became so much worse thu
Ie be would stop and talk to stumps an
lie stones, telling them he was lost an
le asking them to lead him out Of II
II mountains.
r With infinite toll and trouble NJ
IS Sporting and his companion final
l reached Troy's Ranch, near Nor
N Lake, and all their troubles we're 500
/ over. Mr.. Troy was not at home, b.
his wife did ali that any one coul
IT have done for the two men. McKil
men came out all right in mind att
r he had eaten and slept, but sti
thought he must have seen a horse an
dog, and a man with a basket on b
arm.
he "FemaIe Complaints"