Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-10-23
A TRAIN IN THE DESERT.

Years since, was, as a child, one of a
party that met with sore distress in
northern Mexico Our train, comprising
twenty-on souls, was sent over false
trai into desert region. The springs
reported as being along the way were
not the few existing water holes were
all, save one, dried up, and when we
camped, after travelling four nights and
the cooler part of as many days, it was
where brazen sky looked down upon a
parched land that held no sign of animal
habitation, save one gaunt panther,
which the men scouting for water found
dead, half league from the road. In
all the desolate plain, stretching miles
away to iron bound mountain ranges on
either hand, there was no break save a
few shriveled bushes, and the windlass
of awell, few rods from the roadside
! The protector of the road had assured
our leader of finding here we'll of
water, pure and never failing. 1t now
contained perhaps ten feet of water, salt
as the sea, and impregnated with some
acrid mineral element. The stock was
now too much exhausted to drag the
heavy wagons further. Every drop of
water was gone from our kegs and can
| teens.
A hurried council was held and our
one possible plan cf escape arranged.
My uncle and another young man selected
the two least jaded mules, tightened
their belts about them, and, with bullets
in their mouths to chew to stimulate the
salivary glands, they started at night
fall upon the back track, in desperate
attempt to drive the stock to water, and
bring us relief.
My father, who had some little skill
as an amateur chemist, improvised from
the camp equipage and utensils still
afterward a second one. Fortunately
we had pair of camp stoves, and by
distilling the salt water with this i'm
perfect apparatus, nineteen lives were
preserved. Three men and five women
stood in watches of two at the still, two
hours at turn. The little camp'stoves
were kept red hot, and drop, drop,
drop, the priceless water fell slowl $50
frightfully slowly Into the cups. Our
rations were two teaspoonfuls every two
hours.
Of course, cooking was out of the
question, nor could our dry and stilfened
mouths bear even such food as was
available from the stores. The first day
the attempt was made to prepare coffee
with the salt water, but the experiment
was not repeated for the reason thai
one Mrs. B.-the sixth woman of the
party had persisted in drinking thC
clear, cool-looking water, and she be
came insane almost Immediately. Hel
seven children, forlorn little creatures
as they were, had all the attention pos
sible and bore their sufferings with
touching patience.
will not dwell on the five days sue
ceeding the departure of the young
men. To this day-even as | write
fall into a nervous chill at thought of ou
extremity. There was the baking sand
the glaring sky, the triumphant, mock
ing sun; the little lonely camp, with it
added degrees of heat from the CLOWN,
stoves; the fevcrish faces and tremb
ling forms, stretched about beneath tn
wagons, wherever a spot of shad
blessed the earth. The horses, that ha,
been too far spent to drive back lay dea
before us, none having strength to dra
them away, and splendid New
. foundland dog moaned out his life i
accompaniment to the insane woman
yells. Misery in every moment, an
agonies of suspense for the fate {
our two gallant boys. Had the
ridden safely to their succor an
ours, or were they lying, swollen, ghastly
stark shapes, in some lone defle of tn
mountains we had come through9 The
the fifth day the salt water gave out
That night the ration was reduced on
= half, the stills being supplied by wrin,
- ing semi-lquid mud in strainer
linen. While two ladies were tendin
the still, Thompson, the driver of OF
family travelling coach, came to then
and with threats compelled them to giv
up to him more than half pint of di
'e titled water. They complied, TO avo
A wakening to collision the two gentlemt
who were to take the next turn, but OF
whole ration was thus sacrificed to OF
person. The ordeal passed.
On the sixth morning one of our re
CuClo OdblO III Ialu pONNb Hhd obdSSS
ing under the weight of monstro
Mexican gourd that he had stra op,
upon his shoulders to forestall the slo
moving ox-car's, laden with water bs
20 rels, followed farther back The youl
men, snurred by the thought of low
ones dying behind them, had pushe t
stock to their utmost efforts, and h
reached Cienegas in some eighteen
twenty hours Not moment had be
wasted in organizing the relief part
:, and here came rumbling, groaning crea
;le ;,e ing into camp the great carretas, wi
M m. wheels of solid wood, and fastenings
rawhide thongs, driven by swart tea
sters rough and ferocious of aspect, W
nevertheless wept like children at t
sight of the wretched, wasted bein
who hailed them with black, swoil
lips and tongues all cracked and bleC
ing. They were but just
'Iy time. The insane woman and two
her children appeared then dying, a
surely could not have lived half-d
longer Water was doled out with q
raj precaution, congratulations and than
nu- givings offered; hastY but sutiici,
break fast was cooked, and all prepa
ton made for abandoning the scene
4 SO much wretohedness.
IL Then very nearly came about mis-