Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-06-26
THE YELLED HERMIT.

near Willow creek in a small cave
partly natural and partly eXcavated /.
Lin, lined with skin and decorated with
drawings on the wall which are said to
be the work of an artist of cultivated
taste and great talent. Very little is
known of the recluse beyon" ~" fact
that he is white man. a. IMAM
or American by birth, a -,cd in
his cave for the past fit 49,. He
always wears n closet = mask of
oucllsl1in, which, falling to his breast,
completely hides his face, and dresses
skins in the winter, while in summer
lie is clothed in n loose garment said to
)e woven of the prairie grass.
This strange being, says the Philadel-
ohia Times, by some regarded as a
myth, is only seen at long intervals,
when some traveller runs across him by
lccident, when he will make no attempt
20 escape, but respond pleasantly, if
oriehy, to any question or greeting and
quietly walk away. If followed or
molested he first mildly protests, and
then, if tho attempt is persisted in, has
been known to draw a weapon, which
has usually the effect of Kidding him of
his tOrmcntor. He carries small rifle,
which, however, he has never been
seen to use, but snares all his game
after the manner of poachers, or fishes
along the creek. On such fare as he Sc
cures in this way and patch of ground
which he cultivates the recluse lives,
for he has never been known to visit
town, though several attempts have
been made to induce him to abandon
his solitary life. His cavern, though
known to n few, is never visited, for it
is believed that he would resent any in
trusion in very unpleasant manner.
The only man who has ever entered
the cave is Col. j. Nixon, who, on one
occasion was invited there by it's mys-
FERROUS inhabitant. His story is: II
had driven out from Harold to Lloyds
ranch, when l was overtallen by one of
our sudden prairie storms. My ponies
soon grew unmanageable, and 1 got
out to hold them by the bit, when a
tremendous peal and binding flash
caused the little demons to break away
from me and go tearing across the prai-
RE. After relieving my full heart by
few words suitable for the occasion !
trudged on, but soon found the road so
heavy for my thin shoes that l aban-
doncd it for one of the cattle paths
which seemed to run parallel with it.
"All at once, rs plunged on, heard
voice hailing me, and looking closely
about, saw sitting in the mouth of e
dugout or cave in the side of q good
sized hillocll a man with something
over his face. / hallooed in answer,
when the stranger called to me to come
in out of the rain, so / marched boldly
up to him. knew him in a moment.
or l had often heard of the yelled her.
Of Willow creek, though up to the
time 1 actually Deneld him had never
believed in his existence.
He led me into his cave and lighting
a fire of pine knots, piled up in n rude
fireplace with funnel leading up into
the open air, revealed me to q scene
which for wildness / never saw equalled.
Snakes SO well preserved as to appear
alive, in all their ugly viciousness, hung
pendant from rafters that supported
the clay-daubed roof; grinning heads of
panthers, catamounts, bears, jaguars
and every wild beast to be found for
hundreds of miles around added to the
weird grotesqucness Of the place, while
their skins carpcted the cavern and
made the hcrmit's bed, which was all
The furniture the place afforded, except
low stool before the fire.
The walls Of the cave were of clay,
evidently hardened by heat, and were
covered with drawings made by some
sharp instruments while the clay was
yet soft. am sufficient Judge of art to
know that the hand which executed the
pictures was that of skilled artist and
they were fine indeed. They were, for
the most part, from the Bible md repre-
scnted Peters denial of Christ, Judas
kissing His check, and the disciples
asleep in the garden of Gethscmane, but
also remember one or two scenes from
tho Odyssey and Had.
My host brought on some cold veni-
son and plate Of beans. of which ate
thankfully after which he resumed his
scat in the door of the cave. tried to
talk to him, but his monosyllabic re-