Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-08-07
A MYSTERY OF THE DESERT.
A Naked Wanderer on the Majave Sur.
prises Two Railroad Men.

Extending from the San Bernardino
meridian on the west to the Colorado
River on the east and from the south
line of Invo county on the north to the
north line of San Diego county on the
south is that vast eXpanse of ''melan-
choly waste known as the Mojave
Desert. Many are the tales of priva-
ton and suffering endured on this
verdureless eXpanse. One of the
strangest and yet true occurrences has
been experienced near this place, which
is in the middle of the desert. Recent
ly as Engineer Spencer was returning
from Lavie, he encountered the follow
inc experience, which is best told in his
own words:
Il had just rounded the curve near
mile-post 672 and had taken my watch
from my pocket Noting the time,
6:25 O'Clock, returned it to its place,
and naturally glanced ahead of my en-
gire. What was my intense surprise
to see, not over thirty yards ahead of
me and approaching the track from the
south, man apparently 6 feet tall,
about 35 years of age, with long. black
hair hanging down on his shoulders,
duu Il uCttN bidCh DGttiu' liz WIS tu~
tirelv naked, and his skin was tanned.
Putting on the driver brake, l brought
the engine to stop just as the man
crossed the track. After crossing he
stopped and looked at me.
L Immediately crossed over to the
tireman's side, and as | started to climb
down to the ground he started off. I
called to him as | reached the ground,
but with frightened look he dashed
away. l thought | was a good rum
ner but the way his bare feet got over
the cinders and gravel led me to believe
otherwise. Once or twice he looked
back, but did not slacken his pace.
Reaching the hills, which are about
half mile from the track, he soon dis
appeared. The fireman, who had re-
manned with the engine, now came up
and we went around the hill, but he
had disappeared from view. l confess
| did not dare to follow him around
there alone. AS it was late, and our
engine was standing on the main track
alone, we abandoned further search
and returned to the engine"
On Wednesday a party of ten or
twelve, under the guidance OF Mr..
Spencer, went to the scene of the
chase. They had no difficulty in ind
ing the tracks to where the man was
last seen. and mile or more into the
hills could be seen the bare footprints
in the sand. Every cavern and canon
was explored and the search kept up
until all the party, tired out gradual
ly staggered back to town.
Conductor Fitzgerald, on the morn
ing passenger train, reported seeing a
man about two miles west of where Mr..
Spencer had seen him. but no trace of
him could be found.
On Thursday morning Deputy Sheriff
Medlin, with an experienced desert
man, come down and spent the entire
day securing the hills but no sign of
the man could be found.
Various theories are afloat, some
logical and others hardly possible. The
one having the best hold is that he is
some prospector who has become de-
ranged, and that he was crossing from
the mountains on the south, heading
for this place, when his reason fed.
Another is that short time ago
a man answering to this mans de-
scription was seen in Death Valley,
which is about twenty-five miles north
of here. He had neither blankets, food,
nor water, and seemed to be wander
ing, both mentally and bodily.
The most sensational theory is found
ed on tho following fact: 4 year or
two AGO a man got off Of Conductor
Wild'S train, near Siberia, and was
never seen or heard of afterWard. A
large party of Indian traders hunted
for days for him and were finally
obliged to give up in despair. Can
this he the man? Possibly.
During our search we found rabbits,
quail, coyotes innumerable small
ground animals. and terraDin. All
these cannot exist without water, and
their presence shows ccnclusivcly that
there must be water attainable Why
should not man devoid of reason
still have enough of the brute instinct
to find means of suStenance as well as
the lower animals? The principle of
the survival of the fittest would lead
the man to stand guard over the water
supply, and when the smaller animals,
driven to thirst, were compelled to
come within the dead line" his food
would be assured.
All is, however, mere conjecture,
and, whether any one of the above the
cries is correct or not, the fact of the
poor mortafs existence remains an aw-
full and living reminder of the dangers
attending the traveller over this dreary
expanse. Could the drifting sands tell
their story, what startling things would
be brought before usi But. silent and
mysterious, .naught is known except
where some poor mortal's whitened
bones are found, which silently tell
the awful tale of suffering and death.
San Francisco Chronicle.