The Southern herald., 1892-09-16


for water 7 rsvs hin 8 HEtls 81 g
tine. built e Gre and made aim soma
ea8es. Be drank no less than siG cup
fall and q -lll11 and kaf 81 water
Be then begun 20 feel better.
BE could not have lasted over six
hours longer. His feet and hands we're
fan Of cactus tAorns and were cold.
while his head was burning hot
''We made him as comfortable IS cir
eumstanees would permit, and then took
him back TO the ella river and later 10
Tucson"
Van Horn was not the first who
sought the shelter Of the mesquite
brush that shaded the arroyo Near
where he Vas found was 3 broken
down wagon with the skeletons Of four
horses In the shade Of the brush were
four human skeletons Van Horns
story was their Story-only no rescuer
came 10 them in time. Il was days be-
fore Van Horn could tell the story Of
those days he waited for Waer. He was
eight days without water.
II waited anxiously for Waer's re-
turn the first day" said Van Horn.
AT last night came and l was
thoroughly alarmed. When daylight
broke and be had not returned l made
mp my mind that be had Perished but
decided 10 wait little while longer for
him. had no water, but fortunately
there was plenty Of canned fruit in the
wagon and / used that. At the end Of
two days ! came to the conclusion that
Waer was dead, and decided 10 return
to the last watering place we had left.
] wrote two notes and left them on the
seat Of the wagon aud then started out.
] carried too many things along, and
could not travel fast
The first day made twelve miles.
| travelled at night, for the sun made
me dizzy. The next night / was be-
ginning to get weak, and when
started l left my blanket under bush
in order 10 tighten my burden.
That night was terrible one. Ny
supply Of canned fruit gave out and
toward morning erawled no less than
four miles on my hands and knees,
dragging my things along with me.
was searching for a 'nigger head, the
leaf of = cactus plant About daybreak
I found one. shot several holes
through it, and with the barrel Of my
rife broke the leaf of. cut pieces OF
with my knife and chewed them. got
my hands full Of thorns, but / did not
mind that. There was moisture in the
feshy leaf, and It seemed to allay my
thirst.
During the day remained near the
nigger head. Toward evening dragged
myself upright with the help Of the
mesquite bush, and looked all around,
hoping to see something living My
gaze was arrested by line of low hills
on the southern horizon.
II was startled by their resemblance
TO a mans face. II seemed TO be turned
directly toward the sun. was weak
and dizzy, and almost tainted when
saw the features change before my
eyes. The corner Of the mouth seemed
to turn up aud the eyes wrinkled. l
knew | was going mad. Madness comes
before death on the desert, you know.
stared at the hills The great face
was distorted with hideous grin.
thought a malignant giant was laugh
ing at my sufferings. / knew | was
crazy, and l held on 20 the mesquite
bush lest should run out on the desert
shrieking and dash my brains out
against a rock. The horror of it all
drove the dizziness from my brain.
Then in an instant saw that the grin
was simply rayine in the hills which
the sun made prominent, and the
wrinkles about the eyes were caused
by the same combination of light.
ut was = relief to know that was
sane.
'Along about two o'clock in the
morning | heard a peculiar noise.
reused myself and listened. 1t sounded
like a mule braying. l fred my rife,
but heard nothing more. fired again.
Then | heard a shot Again fred,
and that time there was another shot
and Waer halloocd. was not 50 far
gone that l could not recognize his
voice. raised myself on my elbows
and tried to reply, but was too weak.
l remember saying something, but
what don't know. In little bit Waer
was by my side. II it had not been for
my gun would not be alive. God bless
that little gun" - Tucson Cor. San
Francisco Examiner.