Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1890-01-12
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mAn's life and often the Lives g
arc saved by The msrsss chance. Two
gentlemen Of this city. sAys tAA Lad
VILE tCol.) HeralA-Democrat. know Now
true his Il, n one Of them was saved
from . horrible death BY . match. Tho
eircumstanee, ~ related by themsslves,
happencd in the following manner One
summer they concluded 70 dsvots the
whole OF their attention 70 prospecting.
and started with pack animals for
section Of country In Garfield County
tha. was at the time creating eonsidera-
BILE comment among mining men. They
left the city 1t the beginning Of sum.
mer, well equipped with all tho neces-
saries required by prospectora. The
scene Of action was reached without In
cident worthy OF any special mention.
except, perhaps, the loss OF ono Of their
pack animals, which was drowned In tho
Grand river while fording. They had
tho usual experience that all p-rospectors
have, and also the usual amount or
trouble with their pack animals. After
the hrst week they got used 70 all tho
petty annoyancos and took them In q
matter-of-faot manner. After spend
ing ak weeks In the new
country they left, as they found
nothing to suit them, and. like
q great many new countries, it
proved to Do q flzxle, and the mineral
that was reported to be in largo auanti-
ties has, as yet, mover been discovered.
Tho two prospectors on learning Of tho
new fields went in \ westerly direction.
and thoroughly looked the ountr over.
Several good prospects were struck and
the work done on them. TWAS now tho
middle of October, and they concluded
that 1t was timo to return home. Tho
jacks were packed, and they started
across the country for home. The route
that they laid out took them over tho
fat-tops, Us 1t was tho nearest road TO
Lcadville. Tho third day out they saw
that q storm was brewing, and not wish
Ing to DO caught on tho fat-tops they
rushed their animals through, but night
camo before thcy reached q valley, and
they were obliged to camp on the high
ground. Every thing was made snug
for tho night, and wishing that tho
storm would blow over they wrapped
themselves in their blankets and laid
down to rest. About midnight they
werc awakened from their sleep by tho
bowling Of tho wind, which whistled
through tho trees under which they
camped. Tho heavens were black and
tho two mon knew that tho storm would
soon descend. They had not long to
wait before tho first fake Of snow fell,
and the storm broke with terrific force.
No ono who has never spent n night ON
the iat-tops during q snow-storm can
form any idea Of tho fearful velocity at
which tho wind travels and how
dreary and lonesome the 81 sound
ing country becomes. Tho two men
were by this time thoroughly aroused TO
tho danger OF their position and lonRed
for daylight to appear. BY this time
thes snow was falling thickly, and was
being whirled hlther and thither bv
the evcr-changing wind. Morning at
last dawned and they started out in
search OF their animals In the face of
the awful blizzard, deter mined to leave
tho country ut all hazards. Tho prog
ress was slow, as the snow had driftcd
heavily, and when they came to whore
they had turned their horses loose the
previous evening the animals had left.
When the storm started the stock
rstarted before It, and by tho time tho
prospectors reached whore they should
have been tho animals wero some miles
away. The men kept on trailing them,
and when evening was approaching
they were nearly played out and mado
up their minds to camp. 1t was q long
and weary tramp, and when half the dis
TANGO was travelled they had to give It
up and mako camp for the night under
a sheltering Pine treo. Ono Of tho mon
was completely played out and could
not go a step further, and, although It
was bitterly cold, when the spot TO
camp was selected no stretched himself
put on the ground thoroughly exhausted
and cared not whothor he died or livod.
His companion being stronger, started
to got some wood together. and encour-
aged his companion with cheering
words. He knew that II hc did not got
q fro started pretty soon his partner
would froezo to death. It did not take
long to collect tho flre-wood, cut some
shavings and have every thing in readt-
ness to start tho FIRE. Ho put his hand
in his pocket, whom to his horror tho
match safe was gone. Every pocket
was searched, but not a match
could he find. Ho rined tho pockets of
his friend, with the same result. Tho
hSShiLobiOh VI VIC uWlul position NO WAS
placed in struck him, and no know that
without o fro certain death stared his
companion in tho face, II not himself.
onco moro no searched. and TO his 10y
found ono solitary match In his vest
pocket. Tho wind was still blowing
and snow drifting, Would he suocood
in kindling tho lre7 was tho question
no asked himself. Under . fallen log
he found some dry, withored grass and
twigs, which no carefully put in his hat:
no whitfield & mo moro shavings, pro-
cured moro small limbs, and, with q
prayer on his lips, knelt down, lit the
match, applied 1t TO the grass, saw IL
suddenly blaze up and as suddenly 90
out; but before II did one Of tho shay.
ings had ignitcd, tho flamo extended 70
tho rest and 70 tho twigs. Whom they
blazed up no know that thoy wcrc saved.
Logs wero piled on and the hardy pros.
pcctor turned his attention TO his friond.
whom hc liftod up and carried to the
hrc. Tho warmth o 0 revived him.
and all that dreary night tho two sat DO.
fore tho fire, every now and agsin
throwing o fresh log on, afraid to sloep
for fear Of being frozen. Whom the
morning camo tho storm had passed,
and thcy atarted out after their atook