The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-10-07
THE FAMOUS DEATH VALLEY.
THREE ADVENTUROUS MEN FIND THE
LONG LOST MINES.


There are now in this city three men who
have recently crossed and recrossed the
r famous Death Valley of Southern Cali
fornia, and who have succeeded in solv.
ing mine of mystery which has baffied
the most daring and skillful prospectore
for many years. The Gunsight placers
were located in 40, but afterward lost,
and though repeated attempts have been
made to find them, most of the men en-
gagged in the effort have perished.
About six weeks ago when A. T.. Jud-
son, A. ID. Spring and Barney Garter an
nounced that they were going after tho
Gunsight trail, their friends tried to
disuade, them, and chance acquaintances
laughi1fgly bade them good-by forever.
No one ever expected to see them again,
and when they set out confidently on
their mission they were given up as dead
men might have been. So many such
expeditions had left this and othor towns
only to meet death in its most horrible
form that this one was regarded as es
peoially fool-hardy.
ABOUT week ago the three men re
tur1iS& They came in by rail, ragged,
emaciated and feoble, and one of them,
Carter, sick abed. But all were enthu.
slastlc over their achievements, and each
had in his pockets nuggets to prove his
assertion that tho Gunsight mine had
been found. The story of their trip
would be incredible were they not hero
as living witnesses to its truth their
bodies bearing all too plainly the proofs
OF the sutferings which they have under
gone.
Knowing that the disooverors of the
Gunsight mines crossed the Death Val
ley, these adventurers sought, if posi-
bic, to make the same trail. Oncc
through the Mojavo desert, they soon
came to the dazzling white sandy plain
where no life can exist. Almost at the
first step they wcro Frustrated by the
herce heat from above and below. Their
feet sWelled 80 that they were compelled
TO rip open their shoes, and the goggles
which they had prepared were but feeble
protection for their eyes.
The men had two wagons, each drawia
by two horses, and in these vehicles thew
carried water in barrels and other supS
Plies. After an hour or two of the most
painful locomotion, the heat becoming
more lntolerable at every step, the party
paused few minutes for rest and re-
freshment. The poor beasts fairl <
themselves did not dare look ut eaclt
other lest they would read in each others
eyes the despair which oil knew was set
thing upon them. On every hand they,
beheld the whitened skeletons of men, OF
horses and of burros. In some places
they found the remains Of what appere&i
TO have been an Xpedition-ruinefd
vehicles, with the skeletons of horses
and men lying about. Vultures swoop&d
down upon them with angry cries, and
other birds Of prey circled high abo&e
their heads, following them as tha,y
progressed.
When night came they followed the
north star, ore man trying to sleep while
the others drove. At dnybreak thehe
was nothing to relieve the eye. ALL
around them was the cleaning san A;
overhead the brassy sky, and far AWAY
the rocky sides of mountains on Which
no vegetable life was ever foGlnd.
Yearly they pressed on, confident that
the worst Was over, but when almost in
sight of the east range of the Amargbsas,
TO which they were bound, the blasting
heat played them merciless prank
The scorching which the mem and
beasts were endn!ng with reasonable
fortltude were too much for tho wStel
barrels and their wagons. The wood OF
which they were made shrank /and
shrivelled until they fell to pieces, first
the wagons and then the barrels.} All
attempts to keep them together were
useless. With the water gone the party
was well nigh in Despair 'put wien the
wagons, 700, fell to pieces there was q
minute when all recognized the proba-
bility that another expedition was to be
added to the long list Of those which had
int hot nf
be heard of again. When things ap
,peared at their worst, Carter spied some
Thing in tho white sand few rods away
lind, hurrying toward it, found the
, pieces of wagon which had belonged
8o O. '40er whose skeleton lay close a.
band. Wood never decays in that at
lposphere, and Of the three wrecked
wagons the men were able to gear NJ
one vehicle that would convey their re
mRining supplies and their tools.
20, Ihis delay came very near being fata
to all concerned. One horse died in the
hanness, and Carter was prostrated Sc
cor lpletely that for tiL1o his life wa
des, 2aired Of. Toiling painfully along
nov Swithout water and with no hope O
any until they could clear the desolatC
Val ley, Judson and Spring were q
o. Ter 9Th compelled in their agony to dig
oS' 10 ulUO Uli9 Shuu III Ule nope OF ma
In 1 moisture with which to quench thei
ipkolerable thirst. At depth Of foy
Get they came upon water, but it wa
salt. They drank of it, but it onl,
served to increase their suffering, ant
when they gave some of it to their horse
the beasts refused to swallow it. Wit
firm determination to press on to tn
utmost limit of their strength, the mel
>kontinued their journey, ard, at length
m'pre dead than alive, they emerged from
q thGsvalley and begc3 the ascent of tn
MOUNTAINS.
Htre, they found some bunch grass o.
which their horses feasted, and n sprin
Of wattlr, copious draughts of which 500;
reyivet tho entire party. Tarrying a
this sp fng for day or two for the pun
pose cf recuperating,. the men fnall
pusheGl on, prospecting the countr
closelylas they went. For week n
trace oA gold or the previous presence Q
man VI sas found, but on the eight