Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-05-30
Thrilling Account of the Narrow
Escape of the Death Valley
Explorers.
Notable Case Which Illustrates Some
of the Dangers Experienced in
Travelling.
Men Lost in the Desert Often Become
Crazed From Exposure and
Thirst.

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that region without the most ample equip.
ment. IL appears tina Professor Palmer,
who is the leader Of the expedition, set
nearest railroad point, ior load of sup
plies. He took two-horse wagon and
was accompanied by driver. While in
camp on the way, in some manner the
horses got away from them and struck out
for home. This, by the way, is a danger
that all old desert travellers guard against.
Horses appear to have perfect under
standing Of the danger attending such
journeys, and never lose an opportunity to
run away. Within the writer personal
experience, team broke loose from camp
on the Colorado desert one evening, and
by surprise the next morning they reached
home, nearly sixty miles distant
Professor Palmer and his companion be-
ing thus left on foot in the midst of the
desert, their only recource was to push on
as best they could to their destination.
They were of course, unable 10 carry suf-
ficient food and water, and for two days
they were obliged to subsist upon the
scantiest of supplies, all the time toiIing
under a broiling sun over the burning
waste The driver, as is usually the case,
became partially insane, and it was with
difficulty Professor Palmer was able to re-
tain control Of him. They finally reached
Dagget, however, in an almost exhausted
condition, and from there Palmer went by
rail to Claremont, in Los Angeles county,
which is his father residence, to recuper-
ate again and is undecided whether to re-
turn to Death Valley or not.
This experience brings to mind long
list Of cases in which the participants
were not so Fortunate as Palmer and his
companion The number of men who
have lost their lives on the desert will
never be known, but an idea may be
formed from the fact that in single sea
son the writer Kept record of thirteen
who thus persisted. In the old ante-rail-
road days it was a frequent occurrence for
the Arizona teamster and staga-lriyers to
tell of the finding by the roadside the
bodies of men whe had evidently persisted
from thirst. Generally the discJvtrers of
such ghastly remains would dig a shallow
hole and give them burial The coroner
was never called on to officiate, and if he
had been it is doubtful whether he would
have risked his life by going to the scene.
A notable case, illustrating the danger to
which even the most experienced desert
traveller is subjected, was that of q resident
of San BernardirG named Cornmau, which
occurred a out fifteen years ago. ! young
man was sent out by Cornman to visit the
remote mining camps of lyanpah and Res
ling Springs for the purpose of obtaining
the election returns After he had been
gone few hours it struck Corrman that
the messenger bad never been on the des-
ert, and was IN danger of being lost. As
he was himself familiar with the routes,
ne saddled horse, filled a canteen and
started out. Overtaking the messenger he
sent him back, and then continued on what
was destined TO prove his Death journey.
He reached the camp, obtained the
returns, and then started back for San
Bernardino But he never reached that
place.
Some time elapsed, and finally parties
arrived in town who had left lvanpah sew
eral days after Cornman's departure. Tn
at once caused an investigation to be made
Experienced crackers were put on trail, and
they found where COrnman, evidently
crazed with THIRST, and left the road in
search of water. had wandered aimlessly
about for miles and finally had come back
within few yards of the highway Corr
pletely worn out, he had thrown himself
down by the side of boulder and Uiowr
out his brains with a six.shooter to which
he had chung through his indescribaole
sutferings He left a rudeIy scrowled note
stating that ne was lost, that his horse had
got away, and that there was no other ref,
uge except suicide.
The singular fact that the belief of the
the victim that he is lost is almost i'm
mediately productive Of insanity has been
noted in scores of instances. The pro-
found disolatIon, the appalling quietude
the tremendous beat of the sun, and the
awful fortunes of thirst combine to upset
the stonteSt intellect in an incredibly short
time. While one Of the surveying parties
was running the lines for the railroad
across the desert some twenty years or
more ago a young man connected with
the party lost his life IN a remarkable
manner In some way he became separat-
ed from his companions in section that
was trayersed by range Of low hills
While he lost sight Of the wagon and his
fellow travellers they were in position
In the hill where they could see him in q
valley below For a while be appeare6 10
be walking along, easily following the
track left by the wagons Then he began
to wander about After watching him
through their glasses for some time they
became convinced that something was
wrong, and several Of the party hurried
down into the valley after him When
they reached him they found that he was
stark crazy having become SO through
thirst and tie entirely unfaunded belief
that he was lost He was carried to the
camp and teuderiy cared for. bat died the