Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-03-26
THROUGH THE BURNING SANDS.
"Reminiscences of Thirty Years AgO--A Trip from the Rio Grzncs to the Colorado Reconnoisancs for the Memphis and Fl Paso RailToad-Ths sufsrtngs and Privasions of the Pionsers
No. l,

No. l.
 By special request Rev. and Dr. II. ".
 Read has furnished for this paper some
 notes from his journal of the first ex-
 plorations for a railroad from Fl Paso,
 Texas, to Fort Yuma. Cal.
 HABT's MILL, Franklin, Texas, March
 Is, IS54.-Arrsngements being com
 pleted, we are to start tomorrow, Sun
 day. This 1 regret as I was expecting
 tO preach here once more. Again wrote
 to my dear family at Albuquerque. New
 Mexico. Our party consists of 26 men. Colonel A. B. Gray has charge. Mir. De
 Lacy Is Topographer; Ed. King, splen- did Texas.Ranger, Is hunter; Mir. 4. F.
 Brady, IS general manager, while l am Chaplain, Physician, Botanist and TreGs-
 urer. Ny mind is oppressed in view of the undertaking which l am about to commence. I am not insensible to the
 fGct that this iOnrney must be attended
 by many privatiOns, danger and perhaps
 loss of life. But, if We are successful, I
 trust that the results of this exploration
 will further the cause of missions and do much towards developing the agri- cultural and mineral resources ot this almost unknown country, lyirg between the Rio Grande and the Colorado.
 March 19.-At 11;3O a. m, took leave of Judge and Mrs. Hart, whose hospit- tslities have enjoyed for a lew days past. while preparing for our journey. At F meridian, we leave camp. Col Gray takes l2 men intending to go 40 miles down the Rio Grande to examine a crossing and the other 13prOceed west ward to find Lake Guzman, and wait | till the arrival of rhe Col. 1 accompany the party of which MT. De Lacy is the commander. We are glad that we have him, Ed. King and Mir. Brady with us. Our trail ascends from the river through rather pretty canyon; the mesa is sandy and destitute of timber. Mez- quite and sOapweed, also an abundance of last years grass abound. We have a wagon for the transportation of our sup plies and viameter with winch to as- certain the distance. Travelled till near sunset and encamped without grain or water for our stock. Distance If miles. The day had been very warm and the sand deep and hot. Started at s. en- eamped at , p. m. All day have followed an old Indian trail, almost obliterated. travelling very slow al d tedious and could make only 20 mi es. The country over which We have passed and as far as the eye can reach Is one vast q sert. Saw no animals except two rabbits and one antelope. Our Delaware Indian guide Charley, sent a bullet after her. but she did not heed the invitation to ! stop and soon was ont of sight; DO water for our animals today or tonight They are suffering SO badly that they will not eat. Our men have but D pint each into which we stir a little pinole, and this makes all the supper we have Our sufferings begin toseem severe. March 21-Arose at one o'clock; nc breakfast and no water, started at three, with difficulty followed the trial til after sunrise when our guide lost i:, and could not find it. By ten A. H some of the animals fully gave out, which obliged us to halt for several hours Our guide became utterly bewildered and could give no information about the country ahead of us or where Vt could find water, neither could he tell the direction of Lake Guzman. We have now been three days travelling through the deep, hot sand of this in hospitable desert without a drop of water for our suffering animals, and very little for ourselves. Some Of our men havt given out and are completely discour- aged and declare that they cannot and will not go any further. Some are swearing vengeance against the guide, who has utterly deceived and lost us, G. he knows nothing of this country. We camped at the baRe of solitary mound some POO feet bigh- Mir. De Lacy, asked King. Brady and myself to ascend it and with the aid of a good spy-glass try to ascertain if water could be seen in any direction. But no signs of water, not 1 even a tree could anywhere be seen. The ne rest mountains were fifty miles away; l very rugged and destitute of vegeta- 1 ton. To prevent some of our men from | shooting the guide required all our skill 1 and influence. Happily, we succeeded after deciding as the only apparent means of saving our lives and the liver of Our animals to return to the Rio l Grande. So, we left the wagon and all | our effects except some small sstchels and started back. We tried to eat some dry cornmeal, but ls there was no mois- 'ure m our mouths, we could not swallow 1t. We tried grass and that slckened us, we then tried prickly peal leaves, which we could not eat any more than shoemakers' wax can be eaten. -ome of our party told what they would glve for drink of water. Mir. Brady, Wlo seemed to own more property than an! other of the party. said he would g1v hls whOia plantation in Texas for one good drlnA O. -vater; some who had been great lovers O whisky now de clared that they would -.5.r baraa quart of water than all the VI the world In trying to cheer the np I told them that while I very much needed water, would give more for my faithful and almost frantic horse than l would for myself; that if had a gallon or a quart I would give three quarters of 1t to him. We talked of water and anti cipated our relief and enjoyment in drinking 1t when we should reach tue river. and thus the met caught new hope and all beng mounted though | several without saddles, we soon per ceIved a better feeling prevailing. Our | poor animals seemed to know that they | were returning tO the river and pressed l on with all their strength. Travelled | until II P. II. when we halted until | 6 AM
 March 22-One horse and two mules are missing. The sufferingsof both men and animals have now become intense. Such glaring, sunken eyes, husky voices, unsteady steps, betoken the fearful and perhaps fatal delirium now fast ap- preaching. As my fine blooded horse evidently had greater power of endur- ance, told the men that # they would