The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-03
TRAMPS CF THE DESERT.


via Pleasing 4 Slse OF etrikans II RE-
Ne Dsgunss 4, ksa( che OLE Aaiaer lns
Supplies Hin Win Feed, whSeh n
Eats n lAlsness at . Desert Oasis-
vsssess - wen = Lesy-Dessrs oypssss
DAooxrr. GAL. Marcf 25.-In spite Of It's arit
wastes. in spite Of Il % discomforts. and II
spite OF tho positive hangers to which ever
Well-eouipped travell trs are exposed. tn,
great desert region. OF which Death Valley Il
the most noted porti bn. IL not without III
trnmps. Human hab Nations are scattered
SCORES Of miles apart. md the country pro
duces no food save ech - . Pluto In.
dian could live mp Vn. but tho lazy
thloving beRgAr finds his way up and
down the length ant breadth Of the
desert. refusing to prk. yet somehow
managing olive without york. Tho desert has
even oriRinated species OF tramp OF its own.
and It IL an interesting as well as novel
branch OF the worthless tr tba
In the course Of journ By over the desert
regions Of Nevada and Cal fornia arrived OF
tho old borax works In the Amargosa Valley
after days drive OF III ty-one miles, tho
greater part OF which was through most dis
agreeable storm Of mixed rain and hail and
snow. A moro wretched do, and night have
rarely experienced. The AIT morning the
sun came out. but the cir ", p nevertheless SO
cold that could not walk alb ont the buildings
without an overcoat
While taking such . walk thowever. saw
tho figure OF man coming along tho trail
that runs across the valley tn, ire toward Rest
ing Springs, little oasis wher b there is an old
disused quartz mill The ma a was walking
slowly. and as he approached d ould see that
.Nh6was limping. His boots we.i run over ct
Ii ohsel in fashion that woul d have made
WAY king we'll nigh impossible u Z an ordinary
man, but this one was in sdditit n really lame
in onA foot His boots wevo 4 racked open.
showinh stookingless and so CO feet His
trousers we're faded and fra ted. his coat was
thin and fun Of holes. and his sh irt plainly one
which minsH in the region h, \d thrown away.
In fact. his who6 suit was OF ca et .oftestmentA
Over his shoI6dor he carr tsi q bundle in
which the forms ottwo or tire, Sscans could be
seen, and In onet hand he had hn empty beer
bottle. ReacbingXhe old cryst, Viking watts at
the borax works heHook drink from the fow-
ing we'll. and then going around Ito the sunny
side of the watts ctyled.down on he sand and
went to sleep. And there he lay rom about
o'clock In the morning until $3.50 In the after
noon without ever turning over fr making
movement save when o blast Of wind would
eddy around the,vats and make Inn tremble
and shiver.
At about AZ he, reused upaand after pain
fully getting on his feet. rubbed hi joints GIN
seriy. and then st>down again. n p took some
scraps Of food fromNh bundled and ate them.
His meal did hot occupy man! minutes. and
he soon wauA.to q boy at the kit ehen door ana
asked for atmsibsead. saying . had been at
work ct . mining \camp called Montgomery.
10 did not get anythlpg. for the family living
favor . desert tramp. So filling hi beer bottle
With water. he started of over the hail toward
vas 3 trait los miles lons ,tot house
end but three springs IN all ,es 81 length /
dim IN places and because the w,iather was
freezing cold he was Obliged to walk ct night
ever reached Dageett; / could learn nothing |
shout him on my return thvre. but suppose
50 pulled through unless he\ lost his way.