The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-15
In A CLOUDBURST.
Terrible Experience OF Two Pros
pectors.
a Deinge In Canyon-A Miner witnesses
the sad Fate Of His comrade- His
Own Marrow Escape from
Death.

speaking OF clondDurs,S, SAID Col.
Granger, putting his feet on the table
and lighting fresh cigar, u had i lit
tie personal experience in that line
once, and never want it repeated. :
Being pressed to relate hisexpericncc,
the colonel continued: 1T was in the
summer Of 1872. A young fellow
named George Brown and were pros
pecting in the IIuachnca mountains in
Arizona. 1t was a comparatively un-
known country at that time, and filled
with dangers of all kinds against
which we were amply prepared. We
had fine outfit. we'll stored with pro-
visions, and we carried good arms AMI
an abundance Of ammunition This for
the double purpose Of killing game and
defending ourselves against possible
attacks OF Apachcs, who were bad at
that time. We had been out from civil
lization about six weeks, and had made
which thought would justify ns IN
Working ut that time. SO we pushed
further up the mountains. following up
canyon as far MS we could 70 with our
team, and when we could take our
wagon no further we made camp. and
each day prospected the country around
1t, packing our tools and water on our
mules
"We had started out early one
morning on one oftkese expeditions
The air was remarkably calm; not a
breath stirred, nor was there cloud
In the sky The sun came up clear and
hot, and Brown remarked to me as we
toiled up the narrow canyon that we
were sure OF fine day at any rate. We
reached the scene of our operations
about nine o'clock in the morning, and
tying our mules to clump of bushes
proceeded on our climb up the hills
We had not gone far when tire air boz
came intensely sultry and mass Of
light, 6eecy clouds began TO gather
overhead, apparently the vanguard Of
two denser masses which were form
ing north and south Of US. Then a few
drops Of rain fell and the cloud masses
thickened, became blacker and seemed
to rapidly approach each other.
Seeing that storm was upon un,
Brown and ! started down the noun
tain for our mules, the clouds above In
the meantime coming together, the
darkness increasing and drops as large
apparently as saucers falling around
us We redoubled our speed and gained
our mules as the two cloud masses met.
II was now almost as dark as midnight
and the raindrops increased in size and
rapidity until it seemed as though the
clouds had vertically burst; and there
was a rush Of water Lire Niagara
coming down from the heavens.
1--WE had reached our mules and were
squirting down the canyon for our lives.
The hillsides were a raging cataract Of
water. Great trees were washed ont
by the roots; huge powders were
rolled down into the canyon. The
water pouring down the hillsides found
small depressions and in few minutes
tore them out to ravines. In places we
could see the soil washed clean to the
bedrock, and the whole mass tumbling
into the canyon through which we were
riding.
1T was ride for life. Behind us
was d solid wall of water fifty feet
high, coming with the roar Of thou
sand cataracts. The noise was deafen-
ing. In the face Of this wall Of water
was mass of debris hole trees turn
ing end over end, huge powders large
as house being swept forward by
the powerful force behind Us dust is
swept before the broom Of the house
wife.
1--WE were urging our poor beasts to
their utmost limit Of endurance, the
water around us growing deeper and
deeper each secondA the rain still fall
ing in torrents. while that terrible wall
behind us was increasing in height and
velocity and steadily gaining on us.
was a little in advance OF Brown, and
shouted to him to break for, the hills,
but the horrible din behind drowned
my voice, and could not hear it my
self sparred my mule up the side
hill, and looking back to see II Brown
were following. saw that irresistible
current fairly lift him up, and in an In
slant he, with the mule he was riding,
was absorbed in the mass which was
rolling down the chny on rs one might
disappear in thesmawoi some insatiate
monster
II could not stop to hook farther for
him The rolling walFpf water was
coming tlown the canyca NTH Tire speed
~ Az III ress train, ;.ad every second
lessened the eis.ance between i and