The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-08-23

hnd water To drink, Already we had
gone several hours without water, and
were very Thirsty, We had looked
among all the abysses that we had cross
ed, but none vast To be found.
"UP-HuL" WORK,
at 5 o'clock in the evening we reached
the crest Of q ridge standing out like a
spur from the main mountain, Along
the top Of this the travelling was not so
hard. W. Judged that the top Of the
mountain was not now more than q
thousand feet above US, but was a mile
or two distant. A mile in such a place
is more than ten miles OF road, AL.
though late In the evening, we still had
hope OF passing over the summit OF the
mountain into Short Hair Valley before
dark, But in this we were doomed to
disappointment, AS we proceeded along
the ridge, 1t became so rough and broken
that at times we sat down and almost
gave up all hope OF getting further, But
each time, by searching, we could lind
some means OF advance, We wound
our way round p~innacles and crags and
lodges, in and out, searching cautiously
lest we should lose our footing, Our
horse climbed with exceeding care. Not
one horse in a thousand could have gone
where that one did, He Wouldwalk on
shelves OF rocks so narrow that one
would think a dog could not pass along
them,
II was evident now that we could not
cross the mountain that night, II was
growing dark. A deep canon was on
the tight and one on the left Of US. l
went into one and Mr.. Selby into the
other to see II water could be found, !
could find none, All was dry and rug.
ged, not a green leaf or spear OF grass
among the rocks. Isaw deep channels
where the floods OF winter had dug out
themselves a course. But all were dry
now.
With gloomy iorebodings, l returned
to the top oil the ridge, Mr., SelbY had
not yet come, Our hope now conferred
on him: Upon his success in finding
water depended our welfare for the
night. To sleep on that bleak height
with nothing to drink would be a severe
experience.
AoAMPINd PLAcR,
But fortune favored US for once, Mr..
Selby returned and said that he had
found a spring OF water and a plot OF
grass In the bottom Of the canon, The
grass would be as welcome 10 the horse
as the water so us. II was tedious aud
perilous path down to the watel, hut
before II was fully dark we had reached
II, and had removed the packs from the
back OF our tired horse, and had turned
him loose 10 crop the grass that grew
along the banks OF the brook.
A thick mass OF tamaraCk trees grew
there, and among them We built our fire,
and took the altitude. IT was nine
thousand feet above the sea. We ate
our supper and lay down upon the
ground to sleep. But in mn hour or two
we grew uneasy. Tho surroundings In.
that grizzly bears freQuGntcd
that place, probably coming down to the
water to drink. Under the CirCumstan.
ces, We did not consider it cowardice to
DO cautious. We were utterly unarmed
with any weapons etFectual against bears,
My pistol would avail nothing,
We built a ring Of fire round our
camp. We felt sure that no hear would
cross a ring Of fro to get to us. In the
first place, We hardly expected a bear to
come; but II one should come, 1t would
DO held at bay By the fire.
But the best laid plans often turn out
differently from the way they are In.
tended 10 turn out. True, no bear and
no wild animal attacked US that night,
but we had to fight an enemy more pow.
erful. At this high altitude the trees
are full OF pitch and resin, and burn iu.
riously. We had not counted upon this
when we built the ire.wall round US.
The neighboring trees soon caught the
flame and 1t was communicated from
tree 10 tree until 1t looked as though our
time had come. We had provided the
horse a place Of safety on the grass b.:
You'd the reach OF the flame, although
he could feel the heat enough to disturb
the quietude Of his grazing.
The leaves OF these tanarack trees
burn like papers, and 1t requires only a
few seconds for tho flames 10 do their
work. When the fire catches tho lower
branches, 1t leaps up rs though 1t had
touched kerosene, There Is q roar for a
few seconds, aud the flame dies out as
suddenly as 1t rose, and the tree Is stript
OF It's greenness.
FLAMING TREES.
Tree after tree was thus caught in the