The National tribune., 1892-09-29

IS 10 Granger of San Francisco, the
other day. It had little personal
u experience in that line once
and never want il repeated. &c
tM was in the Summer of 1872. A
VI young fellow named George Brown
and were prospecting in the Huachuca Mount
aims IN Arizona. IL was a comparatively ~
known country at that time, and filed With
dangers of ali kinds, against which va we're
amply prepared. We had fine outAk, veil
stored with provisions, and we carried rood
arms and an abundance Of ammunition. This
for the double purpose Of killing game and
defending ourselves against possible attacks Of
Apaches, who were bad at that time. We had
been out from civilization about six weeks, and
had made some small discoveries but nothing
| which we felt would justify US in working ss
that time, so pushed further up the mount
aims. following up canyon as far as We could
60 with our team, and when we could taxa our
wagon no further we made camp, and each day
prospected the country around it. packing oar
tools and water on our mules.
~ We bad started out early one morning on
one of these expeditions. The air was remark
ably calm, not breath stirred nor vas shers
q cloud in the sky. The sun came No clear
and hot, and Brown remarked to a. We
tol!ed up the narrow canyon that We we're SURE
of fine day at any rate. We reached the
scene OF our operations about 9 o'clock In the
morning, and tying our mules to a cIump Of
bushes proceeded on our climb up the hiliA
We had not gone far when the air became In
tensely sultry and mass Of light, feecY clouds
began to gather overhead, apparently the van
guard of two denser masses which were forminr
north and south of Us. Then a few drops Of
rain fell and the cloud masses thickeued be-
came blacker, and seemed to rapidly approach
each other.
Seeing that a storm was upon Us Brown
and started down the mountain for our mules
the clouds above in the meantime coming 20
gether, the darkness increasing and drops 20
large. apparently, as saucers falling around "a.
We redoubled our speed and gained cur mules
IS the two cloud masses met. 1t was now al.
most as dark as midnight, and the raindror3
increased IN size and rapidity until it seemed
! as though the clouds had veritably burss, and
there was rush of water like Eiagsra scn-
ing down from the heavens.
eve had reached our mules and were spu1-
ring down the canyon for our lives. The hill
sides were raging cataract of water. Great
trees were washed out by the roots; huge
powders were rolled down into the canyon
The water pouring down the hillsides found
small depressions, and in q few minutes tore
them out to rsvines. In places we could gee
the soil washed clean to the bed rock and khs
whole mass tumbling into the canyon tEroask
which we were riding.
1T was ride for life. Behind us wa q
solid wall of water 30 feet high, coming with
the roar of a thousand cataracts The noise
was deafening. In the face Of this wall Of
water was mass of debris-whole trees turn
ing end over end, powders as large as q house
being swept forward by the force behind u
dust Is swept before the broom of the housewife
we were urging our poor beasts 70 shsir
utmost limit of endurance, the water around
us growing deeper and deeper each second, the
rain Still falling IN torrents while that terrible
wall behind ns was increasing in hight and
velocity and steadily gaining on as I WAS
little in advance of Brown and shouted 70 him
TO break for the hills, but the horribls din BE-
hind drowned my voice and I could not hear
it myself spurred my mule up the hillside
and looking back to see if Brown gers follow
ing saw that irresistible current fairly lick him
up and In minute be, with the mule hs was
riding, was absorbed in the mass which was
rolling down the canyon as one might disappear
in the nav of some monster.
+" could not stop TO look further for him.
The rolling wall of water was coming down
the canyon with the speed of an express train
and every second lessened the distance BET Essn
it and me. 1t was matter of elfpressrys-
ton, a race for life with the elements. lad
got down the canyon to place where it vss
widening and the stream spread out in width
losing somewhat of its depth; but ssIll ID
seemed to press on like some hideous monster
| upon its prey and fearful lest it should -
the current was gaining on me. Moment By
moment it came nearer. It was now bat fsv
feet distant. If / could but force my poor
beast few feet higher up the montsln w
should be above its force and be safe. thrust
the roUels deep in his sides and be gave . mad
plunge. The water had reached US and tait
him carried off his feet. I grasped an ever
hanging bush and he was swept away IN sAe
torrent, leaving me suspended, my fsst last
touching the surface of the water. hung en-
that bush for my life, and despite the strong
est exertions on my part it was all could de-
to keep from being carried away.
sin few moments the fury Of the storm
had passed. the water sbsted sufficiently %
permit me to obtain . footing, and I turned
my way higher mp the mountain to place of
safety, where, drenehed to the skin, awaited
the subsistence Of the water.
1.-The storm cleared OFF Just as suddenly Is ID
had begun, the whole time occupied having
been little more than i have taken IN ths
telling but in these few moments dry can.
yon had been converted into raging soTrsnk
tho mountain-side had been denuded, Ao1-
sands upun thousands Of tons of earth and
rock had been carried to the 7slley halss
aud the whole face Of the country had sssn
changed. The clouds had expended their forcs
and in q few moments resolved themselves
again into fleece and then disappeared. Tha
aun shons bright and clear the torrent hsd
rolledaway and nothing was left 70 tell fshs
awful cataclysm but the scene of devastation lsfs
behind. mark on the mountain side fax
above the level of the canyon told iss depth.
Trees upr0oted and scattered marked its course.
immense powders which had been carried az
from their original resting place and lat in its
course showed its power, while the desOlation
around me proved its destructvsness.
AS soon IS / could safely descend from ay
place Of refuge l went into the canyon below
and made q thorough search for poor Brown,
but could not find the least sign of him. TAs
mules We had ridden had also disappeared, Aaa
not yeStige OF our camp remained"
Manned Soldiers League.
The MANNED Soldiers League met e khe q,
V. L. hall. The officers for the meeting Hsrst