Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-29
SORENSON'S DESERT DEATH.
An Old Resident of Anaheim
Perishes From Thirst.
Adventures and Perils of the Party
That Found His Body.
He Started over the Sands with Only a
Canteen of Water : Friends and
Indian TraiIers Try to Rescue
Him = His Letters.

The startling intelligence was received
on Thursday last, that d. j. Sorenson
had died and was buried in Lincoln
county, Nevada. Mr.. Sorenson left
Anaheim few weeka ago to go into
that country for R. B. Taylor, OF South
Riverside. Through the courtesy OF S.
E. Kieffer, who, on Friday, returned
from South Riverside, the Anaheim
Journal gives, inidetail, the account re-
ceived from the members of the party
who found the body.
Sunday morning, August 14th, Mr..
Sorenson started from Clark's mill to
examine the timber east of the noun
tains adjacent thereto, and CLARK, VINO
is cripple, accompanied him short
distance to show him the trail. Soren-
son had food aud canteen OF water.
CLARK cautioned him about getting lost,
and he laughipgly replied that he could
follow his own tracks back.
Beckerton, the partner OF Sorenaon,
left for Yount's ranch at the same time,
intending to meet Sorenson on Tuesday.
when both were to leave for Pahrimp
ranch.
At the mill were three men, Fred
Brant, William Yount and CLARK. When
evening came and Sorenson did not re-
Monday morning Brant started cut to
search for him. He followed the trail
to Lee caf1on and to Mud spring, and
back then to within quarter OF mile
Of the summit of the mountains, when
bo H,,t h 60 hod
found his way to the mill, Brant re-
turned, only to be disappointed.
THE PASSES EXAMINED.
Brant and Clark examined all the
passes where he would likely have trav-
eled, but could discover no signs Of hia
having been through them.
All the passes west Of Charleston come
together and Brant followed the wash in
the direction of Pahrimp ranch, and
Tuesday morning met Beckerton, who
stated that Sorenson had not been seen
in that direction.
Mr.. Yount Immediately started after
Indian trailers, and securing three OF
the best, rode all night, and at daybr
took up the trail where Brant had lost
it. A half day was lost in finding it, as
Sorenson had apparently travelled in q
circle.
ON THE TRAIL.
The party composed of Beckerton,
Brant, Yount and the three Indians
separated, and some distance down the
canon to the east Yount discovered the
trail and signaling to the rest they
took up the chase on the run down Lee
caflon, towards Corn creek.
Near the trail is spring, but Soren-
son missed this, and the trailing party,
after filling canteens and eating lunch,
followed Sorenson's tracks for about
three miles, when they again lost the
trail.
Yount again discovered it few miles
further down, and the party again
started on the run, hoping to overtake
Soreneon at Corn creek.
NIGHT WITHOUT WATER.
Night came on and yet nothing but
the tracks of Sorenson TO reward them.
Tired, hungry and thirsty, without either
food or water the exhausted trailers
camped for the night. Thursday morn
ing they took up the trail and at o rate
of about seven miles an hour kept up
the hunt for the missing man.
and were followed to little eminence
gone to view the country. The trail
then led directly into the desert.
LEAVE HOPE BEHIND.
The Indians said there was no possible
hope of rescuing him alive as no water
existed in that direction. Out about
five miles from where he had left the
trail, under the shade of the desert brush,
marks were found where Sorenson had
laid down to rest.
The party were nearly used up and
two of the Indians pushed on ahead to
where there was little brush hut.
THE BODY FOUND.
With the sands of the desert for a
couch and with no clothing on but his
undershirt and shoes, the sturdy pros
pector had gone to sleep. His troubles
were done with, and without the cheer
ing words of wife, children or friends,
his light had gone out.
The expression of the features were
such as to indicate that he had gone to
sleep peacefully aud never wakened.
His left hand was on his breast and the
other by his side. It is supposed he
had been dead forty-eght hours. His
silver watch was found hanging in the
brush shanty, his knife, compass, tape
line and rule were on the ground beside
him, and his level was discovered stick
ing in the brush. About $33 was found
in his pockets, beside three notes, one
written Monday, at 10 or IL O'Clock, an
other Tuesday and the last at p. m.
Tuesday.
THE REsCUERs IN DANGER.
Up to this time the excitement had
kept up the members of the reecuing
party, but the over-exertion, besides the
lack of food and water began 10 tell.
Covering the body with canvas, held
down with rocks, the rescuers started
for Towner's ranch, a distance of about
sixteen miles. One OF the horses gave
out, and two Of the white men rode
while the other walked.
Beckerton finally gave out entirely and
was unable to 20 any farther. Leaving
Brant with Beckerton, Yount started on
the remaining horse for the ranch. On.
arriving there, Yount cent young Tow
ner after the remainder OF the party,
with water and fresh horses, and they
nR n IN I