The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-09-20

Two men, painting, haggard, wild eyed,
are staggering across the burning sands of
the tornado del Muerto-"the journey of
death" Far behind them lie two dead
horses, the animals having been urged on
ward until they dropped beneath the bla2
ing sun-dropped to rise no more. The des
ert wanderers are covered with sand and
alkali dust their eyeballs are scared with
the reflected glare of the sum- their lips are
cracked and swollen, and they reel as if in
toXicated.
Somewhere to the west lies the Rio
Grande. They know it is beyond the line
of purple peaks that rise against the sky
But their strength will not hold out TO
reach it. They must have water soon or
perish.
Water! Where can it be found in this
desert of doom? On all sides are sand and
cacti, the horrid crossword and bleaching
bones of animals and men, There are por-
tons of the desert where even the cactus
has not the bOldness to penetrate. Across
the accursed plain sweeps wind that seems
to come direct from the mouth of fur
mace In its teeth it carries fine particles of
sand that cut and sting when they touch
the flesh. At times it whirls the sand into
eddies and columns that waltz and gyrate
over the desert like grotesque and mon.
strous things of life.
The fires of madness burn in the brains
of the miserable wretches who are making
one last, fierce struggle for life. They lift
their hands to heaven and try to shrek or
curse, but only mumbled groans come from
their bullying lips. Sometimes they stun
BILE and fall, then drag themselves to their
knees, get upon their feet and reel on once
more.
They begin to see horrible visions. Red
lizards and bright green snakes play about
the human skulls scattered all around
them, unshapely forms rise up from the
sand and gather on every side, croaking
monsters hover over them, and CHASTITY
faces, from which CLEAN burning eyes, are
pressed close against their own. They cry
out thickly in terror and try to thrust these
fearful things from them.
Finally one of them falls to rise no more
He partially lifts himself and calls family
to his comrade but the other does not heed
Then the fallen man sinks PROSTATE on his
face where the burning sand scorches and
stings, but he no longer feels its cruel
touch For him the last mad struggle is
ended.
Through the swirling sand clouds the
survivor sees some stunted trees and he
suddenly comes on break in the desert-a
depression. III IS no mirage, ana ne stag
gers down where few brown pecans and
stunted post oaks grow, great hope in his
heart. There must be water near, else
these things could not exist in the midst of
the dread desert.
He is right He finds it--a tiny bubbling
spring, the water clear as crystal All
around it are strewn the bleaching bones of
animals and men. He filings himself on his
stomach-he drinks-he plunges his hands
and his face into the cool liquid-Lc laughs
and thanks God.
Then he thinks of his comrade who has
fallen so near this delicious spring, and he
resolves to return and drag that comrade
to the water. He waits a moment for ad-
ditional strength; it is so sweet to lie there
close by the bubbling spring. He sees the
bones about him and wonders why man or
beast should have persisted after reaching
the water.
He grows drowsy, his eyelids droop, sweet
music sounds family in his ears, and at
length he sleeps. 1t is the sleep of death,
for he has drunk from the poison spring OF
the Tornado del Muertol