The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-28
TERRORS OF THE DESERT.
MADNESS AND DEA tn THE PENALTY
GE fNDISCRE1ION.
PerishSnc within Isia ..shot or suceor-The
F~asc,aatton With which the 6iiitsring
Enpnnse Of Sand Lsr~s Its Vic tns.

10 IHOuabiS uO iuuuocupo "hiVh i'o'
duces so aueerly powerful an effect upon the
imagination as tho Colorado desert. 1t fasci-
mates by its dread and the glitter which the
deadly snake holds In its cold eyes is contained
In the broadly shimmering sand eXpanse.
Strong minded and out hearted men have
been known to utterly abandon hope when the
painful thought has seized them that thoy
are lost. 1t is well known that within
one mile and a half of the old Fay
mastor Camp n man went insane and was
lost Like tho Breedlove party. many
have gone mad and died within half a milo.
yes. within a hundred yards OF water. 1t is In
sanity that kills-thc insanity OF fear. Once a
man surrounded almost by friends was so
con. pletely taken possession OF by the fear OF
being lost that within their hail he died.
The Glowing story Is but an example OF
many and was outlined to me by a man who
lost his companion whom actually within
sight OF the railroad track:
! urged him not to start. begged. prayed.
aud finally swore. "Eilcy." l said. you are a
fool. not . raltry, ordinary fool. but II pig
headed. obstinate. laundering. blitherinG
idiot" | could not say moro to a friend.
But 1t was useless. II I had gone down on
nay eP ssen a ,1at e ~ seten h1% not to 60 it would
Swearing. | generally. ind. brings more
sens .I int bad mans anal head I'D. than entreasy; but Il
y ~ h'Wh WV 40 L NhSW ltlus you
commonly splendid specimen q an ass. 80
I'm going to saiton and shall be in San
Fr.ncisco on her bitthday." was sure that
we're in the chuekawaiiaS district. Which uver ~
soms thisty.t!ye miles back q salton on ths
a 40 y aha Is sa As h dis ina ana rs forsaken u land
Yes. but old, Connors will be passing in a
sure. So why not wait 7"
,.n n,tHe S SSid he would hd,, be here ,S.t to;sdHy; and he
sGa needn't iooi i 4 you're AFRAID" -.
Kilsy had NO right to sheer. knew the
wasn't c Sseiet sSta B. Besi dos i "n neve .n' believe ihSs5
that foolishness is pluck.
word Tor that heat. The sun came up at 44:aaS0
tell by his blood red crescent as it topped the
Tor q scorchinGt time.
H,you have never seen a sunrise on the dos |
The sand plains wero clittering with strange
H Ho,se e na ana daoS Te enav m 1oat Ie ors e. ,or death !
breathe that he cannot imagine lifeis entirely
extinct, and imaGination is generally SO pow
u freshly made corpse.
Not SO with the desert In early morn. She is
culiar fascinating beauty Of death. but when
the sun commences.t to throw his rays she be-
sias 81 spa %ei isb s5s% sSen inp siGMaHl at and 1'dst m ana
with the pulse Of returning life.
vances. the dark sage brush seems suddenlyto
grow psleS, and the grey hues Of dawn quickly
ri6le, Expressing: Killing heat.
cheek felt the first beams. W are in for it,
@%W.3" =, he returned co0lly.
"Ara vou D,in1Sv
Shall I see you 60 ,aloneT
"Gh. come now. its no use your coming.
'" "N I, 0s at z ALL nH's my so xl!" yS e8es slihi,!t answered.
II want to see, how on amateur behaves
VIII whfp be tG .a isas1 a by t the . ss55sss r Ct thi i + It
write OF tho .sun,stabbed silence which they
have never seem"
rough in the y~icinaRe Of the claims..queer
sHGllias 81 SE0 gnSh,. Illegally d HeSpstts g ID. with
level plain that the weariness commences.
You feet first seen It. to glide sn eyer errdtIhHss sur,
sinE 80 deeply that every step is accompanied
Riley Was not used to this sort of exercise.
and the strain soon began TO tel on him. We
had not walked an hour before he expressed q
wish to make a short halt.
was, well IN In the heavens. sent down a flood
of glory Which We consigned remorsclessIy to
There don't seem to he a bit OF shade"
said Riley Rloomilyy. as he craTled BY the PRO
:".XXo9 didn't expect trSesT
He was pulling at his ,%cantecn; taking down
BE, ch Ia With that water demonstrated;
oh. that's all right" and he took another.
He was very white about Inc face; You have
seen a hot iron applied 10 the flesh. have YOU
ton His face showed that Wilderness. There
was a curious glitter about his eyes. They
glare they looked more gay, queer light
shone in them. and they danced as Il ipirthiul
thoughts were lurking in his brain; he was
bush. crushing it by the handful and throw
ing 1t away from him with d leering laugh.
hurled It. Come said i. we must start.
Every moment the day. is getting hottor; and
we had better rush on for Saiton at once
"Oh. yes" he sang.
well go to salton BY ID" sea,
And there weil catch the railroad tram.
For SRltou's The town TO forget ali pain
I looked at him. Riley. the cool.headed. tho
compose tho wretched stuff himself. and howl
II with such beastiy lervor II The sun -stabhed
The sand was baking. hot and the reflection
Of the sun from its shifting. heaving bosom was
sf' earned tie "s, sni Of a stick and rubbed tho
charcoal under RiIey's eyes, lie, subm tilted to
the operation gracefully and raid me a trif!ing
could tell by the curGle that 1t was low, ;.
Riley, you are at the bottom of the thing"
Yes, curse i'll" he said ilerrely.
We stumbled along tor Il lew rods. when he
Would You let me die of thirst when you
NO: but You have been imprudent and self
ish. and you deserve to suffer-
You lie. you ugly bruto.'
Look here. / am not going to stand being
cnllei names, and you had better nurse your
speech"
called ugly. Yon'ret thu uGliest man in Chuck. |
awalla. la, ha!' and his iem9niacal laugh
reverbernirI over the desert. and to add to its
Krotesaueness he executed a fantastic dance.
The man was going mad. stark. staring mad.
nut this cant"cn /" his liIs sufficiently long
to molstcn them and dragged It away:
He made IL dash Tor the flask. but l beat his
hands down.
and OBTAIN II: ]cant""n, knew what It would
soon ben iight. ard u desperate, one, for the
water. "SuIpos ing now said To myself.
Il give the r. low AL The water ~ wants. he'll!
men. viii, cure and patience we may 10th
pull through" ,,
Ahead OF us WAS a low range Of hills. 1t Is