Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1893-04-26
DESERT PHANTOMS
Wierd Visions That Lead Trav-
elers Astray in New Mexico
Vast Dry Stretches OF Territory Where
Even tho Wild Beasts Go Mad from
Lack OF Water-StrnnHe Stories
OF tho Plains.

stories have been told of them in recent
years than by Dean Duke, of San Fran
3iSco, who, as superintendent of great
cattle range in New Mexico, has been
much in the saddle during the last few
months, and has seen many of them.
Mr.. Duke, who, according to San
Francisco eXchanCH, lately arrived in
that city, tells of quaint towns beyond
the American border being refracted in
the skies and made to appear as actually
existing on the New Mexico deserts.
The towns vary in size, and the domes
of churches and of government build
ings. the stores, and all the outlines
stand out in clear view. The air is SO
thin and pure that a real object fifty
miles away does not appear to be more
than five.
'In riding over the plains have seen
many of these strange mirnges of
towns of Old Mexico" said he. 1.-The
spires of the churches, with their white
crosses, the adobe buildings and every
thing about them arc complete. Riding
at distance one takes them for real
towns, and it is only after learning
that there can be no such cities in the
vicinity that he gives up his idea of 60
ing to them. Many nacn have been de-
ceived by them, as they have been by
the Eirages resembling lakes.
Not long ago an American named
Frank Seybold Was journeying from the
old town Of JuareZ, Mexico, to Los Pa
Tomas, in New Mexico, with lot of
merchandise. About forty miles south
of Deming, in chihuahua, he saw
beautiful lake and pulled over the plains
to get water for himself and team, as
both were very thirsty. lie drove for
quito distance and still didn't appear
to get any closer. Still the lake was
there before him in such beauty and
naturalncSs that he never thought but
it was genuine, and kept on. lie could
feel, as he thought, the cool breeze
from the lake, and was encouraged to
push ahead.
Sat length after going several miles
and getting 10 closer the fact of its be-
ing mirage of the desert dawncd on
him and he wheeled his team around to
get back. But night came on before
he reached the road. lie pushed ahead
thinking to reach it anyway, and thcs
got lost and wandered around till he
could not reach the road.
"Ilc had. therefore, to stay whore nc
was, and in tic morning he renewed his
search. 1t was no use, however. He
could not find it, and after wandering
around n good while longer he IN
hitcheG his teams, left his goods, and
proceeded in the-tlircction he supposed
Los Palomas was. 1t was four days in
all before he got back, and in that time
he had no water and suffered greatly.
r, l,.o
Another case know of occurred last
summer. a Mexican got lost on the
plains, was deceived by the miragcs,
and went hithcr and thither in quest Of
| water. Finally he was deceived by this
so much and had gone so long without
anything to drink that he became DO
lirious, and whipping out his revolver,
shot himself to get rid of his srlffcrings.
His hand was unsteady, and instead
| Of infiictirg q fatal hurt he shot him
| self in the leg. He saw the blood COZ
ing from it, and IL his crazed condition
drank it as it came from the wound.
| Strange to cay, it revived him so that
he partially recovered his reason, and ut
| last got back to where he could ret.
| water md be treated. He eventually
| recovered.
'on tAe vast dry plains near the Mex
lean border last summer o, great many
| coyotes went mad because there was no
| water to drink. IN this mad condition
they would bito anybody they found.
Two Mexican boys were sleeping on the
! ground inr their blankets one night
when mad coyote attacked and bit
both of them. One of the boys after
wards died Of hydrophobia from the
coyote bite, but the other finally got
we'll.
"There have been several instances
of people dying down there Of hydro
| phobia from the bites of the mad coy
otcs. Rather more of them have oc-
cured over the line of Mexico than any
where else. 1t was the excessive dry
ness that caused the. coyotes to get
| crazed. At such times they ore danger