The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-21
a MYSTERY OF THE DESERT.
a Naked Wanderer on the Moiave
Surprises Two Railroad Men.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Extending from the San Bernardino
meridian on the west to the Colorado river
on the east and from the south line of Inyo
county on the north to the north line of
san Diego county on the south is that vast
expanse of melancholy wasten known as
the Mojave Desert. Many are the tales Of
prlvation and suffering endured on this YER
dureless expanse. One Of the strangest and
yet true occurrences has been experienced
near tnls place, which is in the middle of
oI the DESERT Last Tuesday evening as
Engineer Spencer was returning from
Lave, he encountered the following expe-
rience, which is best told in his own words:
mad just rounded the curve near mile
post oi2 and had taken my watch from my
pocket. Noting the time, 6:25 o'clock, / re-
turned 1t to Its place, and naturally glanced
anead OF my engine. What was my in
tense surprise to see, not over thirty yards
ahead OF me and approaching the track
from the south, a man apparently 6 feet
tall, about IS years of age, with long, black
hair hanging down on his shoulders, and a
heavy black beard. He was entirely naked,
ana his skin was tanned. Putting on the
driver brake, brought the engine to a stop
just as the man crossed the track. After
- 40 SeSppO0 anu lOOhOQ db
II Immediately crossed over to the fire.
mans side, and as / started to climb down
TO the ground he started off. l called to
him as reached the ground, but with
frightened look he dashed away. Thought
l was good runner, 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 a
mia from tho froaly ko
The fireman, who had remained with the
engine, now came up, aud we went around
the hill, but he had disappeared from view
L confess L 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 enginen
On Wednesday party Of ten or twelve,
under the guidance Of Mr.. Spencer, went
to the scene Of the chase. They had no
difficulty in finding the tracks to where the
man was last seen, and mile or more
further 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, gradually
staggered back to town
Conductor Fitzgerald, on the morning
passenger train, reported seeing a man
about two miles of where Mr.. Spencer had
-SN~
found.
On Thursday morning Deputy Sheriff
Medlin, with an experienced desert man.
came down aud spent the entire day scour-
ing the hills, but no sign of the man could
be found.
Various theories are afloat, some logical
and others hardly probable, yet possible.
Inc one having the best hold is that he is
some proSpector who has become deranged.
and that he was crossing from the noun
talns ON the south, heading for this place,
when MS reason fed
Another is that week or ten days ago a
man answering Co this mans description
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 wandering, both mentally and
bodily.
The most sensational theory is founded on
the following fact:
A year or two ago man got off OF Condo
Wllds train, near Siberia, and was never
seen or heard Of afterward. A large party.
with Indian trailers, hunted for DAYS for
him and were obliged to give it up in de-
spair. Can this be the MAJ! Possibly.
During the search we found rabbits.
quail, coyotes innumerabIe, small ground
animals, and terrapin. Ali these eannot
exist without water, and their presence
shows conclusively that there must be
water attainable. Why should not a man
devoid of reason still have enough of the
brute instinct to find means of sustonauce
as well as the lower animalss The principle
of the survival of the fittest would lead the
man to stand guard over the 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 theories is
correct or not, the fact of the poor mortals
existence remains an awful and living re-
minder of the dangers attending the trav-
eler over the dreary expanse. Could the
drifting sands tell their story, what start
ling things would be brought before usi
But, silent and mysterious, naugnt is kuown
except where some poor nortsis whitened
bones are found, which silently tell the
awful tale of suffering and death