The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1893-06-24

distinguish the dim trail. When be was
no longer able to followit he would
forge ahead a mile or more, or until ne
came to more favorable ground, and
would then slowly tack back and forth |
across the country until he again found
the trail. This he bad frequently to do,
and this accounts for the story told OF
his apparent aimless wanderings, by the
men who had seen his trail and crossed
it so many times, and who had arrived
in camp before him. That night he
camped under three large trees, the tops
of which leaned affectionately together,
and whose limbs were so closely inter
woven that they had caught and were
holding up an immense weight OF snow,
forming perfect roof overhead and re-
miuding him Of hinge umbrella. mas
much as the lirrhs dropped 80 much un-
der the weight of snow, that he had to
stoop TO crawl under. Hare he found
aufficient fuel for The night and felt that
he was fortunate in being thus sheltered
from the storm that was now threaten
inc. Supper over, dark ness came on.
He was lying on his blanket before tue
fire, resing and thinking. Thinking OF
the trail he was following; where would
i. lead him to the next day, and when,
where and in what condition would he
find his lost comrades? Would he him
self evei get ont of those mighty noun
tains and dangerous canyons would he
ever see a human face again ? Think
ing of dear ones far away, and compar-
ing their conditions and surroundings
will. that of his own at that moment,
and thanked God that none of them
knew where he was or what he was do
ing. Just then his attention was at
tracted by a slight rustling noise in the
brsnches overhead. Looking up, he
Yves startled TO see a pair of big, hrey
ewes staring at him out of the Egyptian
darkness. Hastily selling firebrand,
he hurled it in the direction of those
ewes, when out spraug two large cougars
and scampered away in the narkness.
They evidently were not very hungry
else they woold have pounced down
upon him from their perch overhead
They, like all the animals be met
seemed more afraid of him than he o.
them, and he never had occasion to fire
his pistol at any of them during the en-
tire trip. But this was not his last adj
venture that night under those bis
trees. It was very cold night. Hs
had made and drank another cup o
coffee (which he did sometimes three o
four times during the nighO and wa
lying on his blanket near the lire doz
ing-turning over frequently, burning
one side and freezing the other, whei
suddenly the branches overhead CAV
way under their weight of snow an
precipitated ton or more of the beau
tiful dump upon his fire, extinguishin
every spark in moment. Here he was
in total darkness no fire, and tenn
perature far below zero. He did nc
know what moment another dump fror
the overladen branches above would b
made. 1t was too dark to get out an
find another camping place. somethin
must be done. and that quickly. ID
must have fire right there-but how
His pack, in which were the sticks
pitch, W hieh he always carried for llgn
ing Tres when other kipdilng couH NJ
be procured, had been buried in IA
snow. Thrusting bis hands into b
coat pockets be discovered the piece
snowshoe "dopen he had found, as a
ready described, the day before. LIh
"dopen is composed of pitch, or Or oa
sam, beeswax, sperm, etc. and burr
readily.] Carefully shading his han
from the wind and striking a match, |
soon had this piece of "dope" burnir
fercely, by the light of which be huri'
ly gathered handful of dry tNigs ar
laid them on his burning treasure, TIN
larger limbs, and soon had good b
burning again (; but none too soon,as
was getting very cold. Had the 10
men left that piece Of "dope' " here
found il to save his life? Who sbi
saw? No more sleep that night. WI
sticks and the end of one of his sno
shoes he succefded in digging his pa
from under the snow, and as soon
daylight had dawned sufficiently to e
able him to follow The trail. he babe faI
we'll 10 his ''big umbrella" and start
out without break fast. He was now |
coming accustomed to snowshoe trav
ing, and could ride the shoes first ra
His pack was also much lighter h
when he eft Orc Grande-his suppl
AIo,, 49,, ~ "a,