Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-08-26

-5sssStsH nlks1i&s7S/M, what Il picture is tc
ySSSSSiNfM n real landscape
-a->A'sS@'|' They shy that even
Snakes and lizards cannot live there.
Maybe because of the awful desolation
and hidcous dangers OF this country the
story is believed that somewhere beyond
the desert there is gold more than would
make whole Nation rich. Is it u rel ic
OF the superstition of the time when
hcadless men and fire. breathing dragons
were thought to guard treasures that
men always believe gold is most plentiful
where thirst and death thrcatenl
A few days ago two men came back
to Tucson out OF the desert They found
no gold and they are gaunt and fever
wasted, but they came back alive and
they arc thankful for that. j. A. Van
Horn and Martin Wner, both of Tucson
City, are the men. They knew what
they were undertaking, for they have
been on the desert before, but, with all
their precautions and experience, their
bones would have made another patch Of
white on the sand but for the iron
strength and endurance of the YOUNGER
man, Wacr.
About the middle of May Van Horn
and Wacr decided to take n 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 rcports
circulated were true.
They left this city on May 22d, at two
o'clock on Sunday morning, in light
wagon drawn by two good horses.
They had two kegs of water with them
ten gallons for the horses and i've for
themselves. They carried an abundance
of provisions, including good supply
of canned goods. They went from Tue
son to mining camp known rs Quito.
toa, and from there they proceeded to
Sonoita, small village on the Sonoita
River, in Sonora, near the line. They
experienced no difficulty in reaching
this point, and after remaining over
night they made their way to Il place
called Quita Vocquita, which is situated
on the line between Arizona and Sonora.
Then they went into the wilderness to
look for the gold. They had to cross
81 lula, the approach to the Garden
of Hell. 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 Mt the base of EI
lula Mountains. They would be n few
hours out of water, but that is nothing
when gold lies beyond.
80 they drove over FL Tula, past the
hundreds of rocky mounds-each show
ing where n gold seeker had lain down
to die of thirst and madness-nnd ON &c
where the unburied skeletons dot the
road. When men get as fer as this they
have no time to bury others. But Var
Horn and Wacr had seen mounds anc
skeletons before, and it gave them nc
anxiety that their water kegs went dry
even earlier than they expected, and al
day they travelled without water, ant
very thirsty they were before the,
reached the rising ground that hid thl
water hole.
At last they were there. They broke
through the thick clump of MESQUITE
that marked the only water for miles
They stood on the edge and looked, Var
Horn and Waer side by side and behind
them the qulvering horses, with their
hot, inilamed 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 aronnd
the mountain. 1t was sunset, but there
was nothing to do but make the other
tank. go they urged the wrctchrG
horses on. For two miles the wagon
ground its way through the sand
Slowly they went, and more slowly and
at last the horses stopped and would pull
ON more. They embarrassed the horse.
and Waer went on leading them whit,
Van Horn waited in the wagon until hi.
companion should come back with tn,
horses refreshed and water for him. ST
Waer left him, and with his canteen and
the horses passed out OF his sight. Van
Horn crawled under the wagon to wal
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 are here
This is the story of his warderings Wael
told your correspondent:
81 looked back as passed around tn,
point and saw Van Horn crawl unde
the wagon. That was the last 1 saw o
him until-but let me tell you about i
as it happened.
"When got near the tank 1 tied tn,
hoises to bush. They were wild fo
water and I was afraid they would breul
from ue and founder themselves ant