Los Angeles herald., 1890-03-31
wagons, as we still had some of the sub

wagons, as we still had some of the sub
stance from the wells in our kegs.
After discussion all around | found
Major Lane agreed with me, and that.
was that we would rather make another
effort, and if we got to the Carson with
enough animals to take the other men
to the "diggins'' they could have them,
and we would take it afoot rather than
leave part behind and have to come
back and consume two or three days.
So that was agreed on without any hard
feelings, but purely business transac-
ton. We then embarrassed the mules
that appeared to be the most
jaded and unpacked those that ap-
peared freshest, and put the packed
mules to the harness and the packs on
the others, but that did not appear to
help the situation. The packed mules
appeared more jaded than those taken
out of the harness, so, in a little while,
we had to change them again. Ofcourse
all this took time, and gave the animals
some rest, for by this time it was quite
cool, and for a short time the mules
moved along better than they had done
before; but it was soon the same thing
again, go few steps and stop. When
urged to go some would try to go, while
others could scarcely be induced, by
coaxing or otherwise, to make an effort.
So it did look as if it was useless to
spend any more time, or we would have
no mules to carry anyone to the
''diggins.''
Just as day began to dawn we could
see in the distance something that out
lined something different from the sand
domes that encircled us on all other
sides. We moved up a short distance
and looked again, and as the light be-
came stronger we could discern what we
thouget were trees. If it were trees we
felt sure there must be water there; so
we continued to move on little by little
until we saw without doubt it was
trees, and large ones. We estimated the
distance at about four miles. While it
revived us with the thought that we
could reach there ourselves, how were
our poor brutes to get there, even should
we turn them loose. We did not have
water enough to do them any good, and
the sun would be high in the heavens
before they could travel that far at the
gait they were going, and that
appeared to be all they could do,
for those in the wagons got along
about as well as the pack ones.
About this time we noticed one mule in
| the six-mule team throw up her nose, as
! though scenting something from afar.
| Pretty soon another did the same, and
we did not move up but a time or two,
| before we discovered all were doing the
same, and we were satisfied they had
scented water; and, from that to the
river, all of four miles, instead of being
urged, they had to be held back for fear
1 hax ~ 10,
| lively time for those of us who had the
pack mules to lead. Before a. m. we
! had reached the river, having travelled
| forty-five miles from our camp at the
wells. We gave our mules that would
drink from bucket, part of a bucket
of the most delicious water man or beast
ever tasted, Then we turned down the
river few rods, and unhitched and un-
packed and turned our animals loose and
it was pleasure to see those poor, dumb
brutes go into that beautiful stream and
stand and drink; after waiting awhile
drink again. They did not appear to
crave food as they did water, although
they had scarcely had good feed in 800
miles. The grass was not good where
we first came to the river, the bottom
being narrow and the grass was eaten
off. After hasty meal the boys took
their mules a few hundred yards
down the river, where they found good
grass, and while the mules enjoyed their
grass and rest the boys had good days
sleep. l had just cleaned up my cook
ing utensils and prepared to give the
boys a good dinner when they came in
at night and had lain down to Sleep
when the Tennessee boys came up, hav-
ing to leave their wagon and bring on
their mules.
1t appeared to me I never could get
walked up to the situation, but poor fell
lows, when l did get awake got them
some breakfast, and | felt so thankful
that we had persevered and got through.
1t seemed to me | would almost as leave
abandoned the wagons and their contents
as to have to go back on that desert an
other day.
After taking a sleep and letting their
mules feed and rest through the day,
they took their dinner about sundown
with us, and packed their mules with
some cooked food and started for their
| wagons