Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-08-06

obtlhOS anu iiZdlus NduIOJ NV IIltIe.
Maybe because of the awfni deSolation
and hideous dangers OF ibis country the
story Is believed that somewhere beyond
the desert there is gold more than would
make a whole Nation rich. Is it rel ic
of the superstition of the time when
headless men and fire. breathing dragons
were thought to guard treasures that
men always believe gold is most plentiful
where thirst and death threateni
A few days ago two men came back
to Tucson out of the desert. They found
10 gold and they are gaunt and fever
wasted, but they came back alive and
they are thankful for that. J. A. Van
Horn and Martin Waer. both of Tucson
City, arc the men. They knew what
they were undertaking, for they have
been on the desert before, but, with all
their precautions and experience, their
1 bones would have made another patch of
white on the sand but for the iron
strength and endurance of the younger
man, Waer.
About the middle of May Van Horn
and Waer decided to take trip down to
Sonora for the purpose of obtaining a
bond on mine. They had heard of
some ricn mines in the mountains near
the line on the American side, and they
decided that, after getting bond on the
mine IN Sonora, they would continue
their journey to these mountains, to see
for themselves whether or not the reports
circulated were true.
Ttey left this city on May 22l, at two
o'clock On Sunday morning, in a light
wagon Drawn by two good horses.
They had two kegs of water with them
ten gallons for the horses and five for
themselves. They carried an abundance
of provisions, including a good supply
of canned goods. They went from Tue.
sou to a mining camp known as Quito
toa, and from there they proceeded to
Souoita, small village on the Sonoita
River, in Sonora, near the line. They
experienced no difficulty in reaching
this noint, and after remaining over
night they made their way to place
called Quita Vocquita, which is situated
on the line between Arizona and Sonora.
Then they went into the wilderness to
look for he gold. They had to cross
Ell lula, the approach to the Garden
of He'll. They were aware that they
had not water enough to make the trip,
but they had been on the desert before
and knew water hole at the base of FL
Tula Mountains. They would be a few
hours out Of water, but that is nothing
when gold lies beyond
So they drove over Ell lula, past the
hundreds of rocky mounds each show
ing where a gold seeker had lain down
to die of thirst and madness-and on to
where the unburied skeletons dot the
road. When men get as far as this they
have no time to bury others. But Van
Horn aud Waer had seen mounds and
skeletons before, and it gave them no
anxiety that their water kegs went dry
even earlier than they expected, and all
day they Travelled without water, and
very thirsty they were before they
reached the rising ground that hid the
water hole.
At last they were there. They broke
through the thick cIump of mesquite
that marked the only water for miles.
They stood on the edge and looked, Van
Horn and Waer side by side and behind
them the quiveriug horses, with their
hot, inhamed nostrils. At the bottom
of the natural tank was patch Of cake
cracked yellow earth. The water hold
was dry.
The men knew OF another water hole
seven or eight miles further on around
the mountain. 1t was sunset, but there
was nothing to do but make the other
tank. So they urged the wretchvd
horses on. For two miles the wagon
ground its way through the sand,
Slowly they went, and more 'I,wly, and
at last the horses stopped and would pull
on more. They embarrassed the horses
and Waer went on leading them while
Van Horn waited in the wagon until his
companion should come back with the
horses refreshed and water for him. So
Waer left him, and with his cauteen and
the horses passed out of his sight, Van
Horn crawled under the wagon to wait
in the shade for his return.
Night came and Waer did not come
another day and another night, and still
he did not return. At the end of two
days he decided that his companion had
persisted and tried to save himself.
Both came out alive and both arc here.
This is the story of his warderings Waer
told your spondent.
81 looked back as passed around the
point aud saw Van Horn crawl under
the wagon. That was the last | saw o.
him until-but let me tell you about il
as it happened.
"Wheu got near the tank I tied the
horses to bush. They were wild for
water and [ was afraid they would break
from me and founder themselves and
foul the water into mud. might have
spared myself the trouble. The water
hole was dry. These water holes are not
living springs, you know, but merely
basins that catch the water that drau
from a bill and hold it. There was not
much rain last winter, and the evapora
ton had sucked from the ground the last
drop of moisture.