Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-02-23

| against Inc ground Win Bucn IOrCe aS
to tear apart several of the ropes, throw
ing Eric Gilbert out, with all our instru-
ments, the pigeon crate and ballast, in
an instant. The loss Of 30 much weight
caused the balloon to rise at once and
dash away again, going higher every
moment. I was almost crazy and lost
control of myself. I looked down, and ]
fancied saw lights and dwellings
!, down in the canyon, people and cattle
running about when the lightning IL
lumined the scene, but as I knew that it
was an uninhabitable wilderness laid
it to excited imagination. and I knew
that poor Gilberts bones would be
whitening under the burning sun in
few days. It was impossible to help
him. I could only hold on and let the
balloon drive. It became frightfully
cold, and l found that had also dislo-
Gated my arm.
CATER time / became unconscious
and fell to the bottom of the car, which
was covered with ice. When I recovered
consciousness / found myself in the
hands Of Mexican cattlenfan, on whose
ranch the balloon had descended, near Al.
buquerque, New Mexico. Twas with him
for several weeks, very i'll and delirious
most Of the time. But I recovered and
returned to San Francisco, where, to my
surprise, found that all but one Of the
carrier pigeons had returned before me.
I heard nothing of Eric and naturally
mourned him as dead, for no man could
exist in the region three days. 1t Is
waterless, burning, alkai desert.
Snow for the strangest part Of my
story:
"One evening two weeks ago l OBJ
served a carrier pigeon, evidently a
stranger, endeavoring to enter my coop,
with message fastened to his tail in
the usual manner. went up and let
him in and recognized him at once as
the bird that had failed to return. My
heart sprang up in my throat. and my
hands trembled so that could sc-- cely
detach the message. 1t was written on
some kind of small skin and read thus,
for here it
Pierce took srom his pocketbook
white parchment and nnfolded it upon
the table. The others watched him with
an intense gaze. Then holding it up to
the light he read:
M r. Pierce, San Francisco. California:
III you are alive, help me. ain in city Of
ancient people in a canyon, latitude thirty
three degrees thirty minutes, longitude thirty
two degrees thirty minutes west from WASH
ington, as near as I can make It. There Is no
way Of escape. The people know Of no other
world or race and believe me supernatural,
but it can't last much longer. There's millions
Of dollars here In solid gold. 1t will pay re-
lief party. The population is about twenty
five hundred. have learned the language
and written book that will make peoples
eyes open. II this falls into the hands of any
white man, for Gods sake forward to H. R.
Pierce, San Francisco, or, if he is missing, send
help to me ut once. ERIC l.. GILBERT.
"Well, that's all there is of it. i am
going to fipd him, and you are the kind
of men should like to have join me in
the endeavor, for believe he is alive. !
believe every word of this message. /
should like to have you organize wag-
on train and search for him while l
make the attempt in the balloon. It's
risky, I know, but I've feeling that it
will succeed. believe that it was the
same city thatI saw as was whirled
away that night when we struck the
cliff. AsI figure it, my friends, the To-
cation of this unknown city must be in
the San Francisco river region, one OF
the most inaccessible places in the
United States. It lies north of Fort
Borie, where, / think, we might make
our start, and is bounded by the Black
river on the north, the Gila range on the
west and on the east by the Rio Salarosa
and the White mountains.
"Clifton is the nearest settlement, l
believe, to this arid wilderness, and ]
find that the chances for successful
balloon search would be best if begun
in that locality. The air current seems
more steadily southwestern than other
wise, and I wish to start from there. 1t
is tough country in which to travel,
from all accounts, but I think we can
overcome all difficulties, and the venture
will pay us if successful. I want to
make business proposition to you
without calling for any feeling or sym
pathy on your part at all. l will give
you each ten Thousand dollars if we sue
ceed in rescuing Gilbert, and FIVE thou
sand if we fail after making all proper
efforts. How does it strike YOU"
Gale had already felt his blood stir
with the spirit of adventure and had
made up his mind long before Pierce
ceased speaking, and as he concluded
said emphatically:
81 am with you. heart and soul. It's
just the kind Of work I need, and ! be-
lieve this old gas bag here is as anxious
as am to undertake the search"
The sheriff, slow minded, as most men
of his size and kind are, was, however,
as willing as Whitley, but he was older
and more lethargic, more prone to SET
the difficulties, if not the dangers, than
Gale, snd, too, he relished the ease and
comfort Of the standardization of Evans
Gulchn npreferring it to hard riding and
hard sleeping on the sunburned plains.
For him, however, the money considera-
ton was the motive power; the prize was
too glittering not to be worth an effort
such plums came In his way all toorare-
ly nowadays-and he signi6ed his assent
by asking Pierce how soon he wished to
start.
cat once," he answered. every mo-
ment Is precious. While we idle here
Gilbert may be In danger. ] feel it in
some way, and am anxious to get to
work"
Gales mind had been busy for some
time on the problem, and bringing out
the new map was intently studying its
lines, in which the others Joined him.
Before them in imagination spread
the desert of the San Francisco-only a