The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-21
IN THE VALLEY OF DEATH.
Terrible Experience OF Prot T. S. Palmer
Two Days Without Water.
from the Washington Post.

cTOIil lLS W OSI'
Information has reached Washing
ton, through a report to Acting Secre-
tary of Agriculture Willitts, Of the
terrible experience ofProf. Theodore S.
Palmer in charge of the Agricultural
Departments exploring party in Death
Valley, Southern California. The party
left here last November in charge Of
Prof. Palmer, who is the assistant
ornithologist of the Agricultural De-
partment, and has been surveying the
South valley region under his direction
until his recent terrible experience,
when he walked forty miles through
the burning sand Of the desert valley,
being for two days without water.
On the 18th of March Prof. G. r.
Merriam, the chief ornithologist of the
department, left here to join the explor-
ing party, which was, after bis arrival,
to divide into two parties, one under
Prof. Palmer. He had directed Prof.
Palmer to meet him at Daggett, the
nearest supply station, on the Sante Fe
Railroad, and it was on bis way there
that Prof. Palmer nearly lost his life.
In his report to the department Prof.
Merriam says that he arrived at Dag
gett the 18th OF March. Prof. Palmer
did not reach there till severa: days
later. He had started across Death
Valley to Daggett, according to the ar
rangement, travelling by team. One
night the team had broken away, leav-
ing him in the midst of the desert, with
nothing to depend on but his legs and
the supply Of food and water in the
wagon, which, Of course, he could not
take with him He tracked the horses
for forty miles through the desert to
spring, to which the horses instinct
had guarded them.
But before Prof. Palmer reached the
spring the horses had gone away, and
he could not follow them further, hav-
ing no ocercoat, no food, and only the
water at the spring in the midst of the
deadly Mojave desert. He could not
stay there, having no food, and be set
out and walked seventy miles, most of
the distance through the burning sands
of Death Valley to Daggett. He was
almost dead when he reached there, and
had to be sent home at Claremont to
recover. It is understood that driver
who was with Prof. Palmer was driven
temporarily insane by his experience
in Death Valley.
Prof. Palmer is-only % years old and
one of the Agricultural Departments
valued scientists. His great-grandfather
was jeremiah Day, former President
of Yale University
The exploring party sent out last
winter by the Agricultural Department
includes, besides Prof. Merriam and
Palmer, two other ornthologists, one
Mr.. Fisher, from this city, and the
other detailed from work in the field in
Utah; two hotanists, Mr.. F. Y. Coville
of this city and Representative Fun
ston's son; an entomologist from Cali
fornia. Prof. Koeber; a signal service
officer, who was sent with the party to
establish signal station in the Death
Valley region, and topographer sent
by the Geological Survey to make
Typographical survey of the region,
which has never before been explored.
Helpers and others Were added to the
party in California, including Tin Sin,
the Chinese cook.
The party is making study Of the
distribution of life in this wonderful
region. Death Valley is an alkali desert
seventy-fve miles long by thirty wide.
sunk 800 feet below the level of the sea.
At one side Off Mount Whitney rises
$4,000 feet skyward, and the party will
endeavor to accomplish its ascenta as
soon as thn snow Inelts. Death Valley
is well named. People enter upon it
with q scant supply of water, and de-
celved as to distances by the constant
mirages, press onward after their sup
plies are exhausted, thinking to reach
the pleasant region they see just before
them in the mirage. They often die OF
thirst before they discover that they
have been deceived by natures wonder
full optical illusion. The exploring
party has sent TO Washington hun
dreds Of valuable specimens, valuable
enough in a commercial sense alone.
Secretary Willitts says, to pay for the
expedition. 1t is expected back in
Aro,,c+