Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1893-03-11


asked
Lie Iere," says he, "and birstle."
That me good Scotch word, birstle,
was INDEED the most Of the story of the
day that we had now to pass. You are
to remember that we lay on the bare
top of rock, like scones upon Il griddle;
the sun beat upon US cruelty; the rock
grew so heated man could scarce en-
dure the touch of it. and the little patch
of earth and fern which kept cooler was
only large enough for one at a time.
All the while we had no water, only
raw brandy for a drink. which was
worse than nothing; but we kept the
bottle as cool as we could, burying it in
the earth. and got some relief by bath
ing our breasts and temples.
The soldiers kept stirring all day in
the bottom of the valley, now changing
guard, now il patrolling parties hunting
among the rocks. These lay around in
so great a number that to look for men
among them WAS like looking for
needle in bottle of hay, and being so
hopeless a task it was gone about with
tbs les care. Yet we could see the sol
diers pike their bayonots among the
heather. which sent a cold thrill INTO
my vitd!s, and they wouil sometimes
hang about our rock SO Tat We scarce
dared to breathe
The tudiUusuess and pain Of these
hours upon the rocks grcw only the
greater as the day went on, the rock get
ting sill the hotter and tie sun tiercer.
At last, about two, it was beyond
mems bearing. and there WAS now temp
tation to resi- as well rs pain to thole.
For the sun being now got little into
the west, there came a patch Of shade On
the east side OF our rock. which was the
side sheltered from the soldiers.
"As well one death ag another sad
Alan, ard slipped over the edge and
dropped on The ground on the shadowy
side.
followed him ut once, and Instantly
fell al my length, so weak was | and
so giddy with that long exposure Here
then we lay for an huur or two, aching
from head to foot, as weak rs water,
aad lying quite naked 10 the eye Of any
soldier who should have strolled that
way. None came, however. all passing
by on the Other side So we got our
selves at once in marchAg order az d
began to slip from rock toroc6 one amer
the other, now crawling fat ON our bel
lies in the shade, now making a run for
it, heart in mouth.
The soldiers. having searched this side
Of the valley after Il fashion and being,
perhaps. somewhat sleepy with the sui
triaess Of the afternoon, had now laid
by their vigilance and stood doing ut
their posts, or only kept Il lookout along
the banks of the river, so that in this
way keeping down the valley and at the
same time toward the mountains we
drew steadily away from the ne.Shbor-
hood.
BY sundown we had made some dis
tance, even by our slow rate of pro 5ress,
though to be sure the sentry on the rock
was still plainly i'll our view. But now
we came on something that put all fears
out of season, and that was deep, rush
ing burn that tore down in that part to
join the glen river, AT the sight of this
we cast ourselves on the ground and
plunged head and shoulders in the wa
ter, and | cannot tell which was the
more pleasant, the great shock rs the
cool stream went over us or the greed
with which we drank of it.
We lay there (for the banks hid us),
drank again and again, bathed our
chests, let our wrists trail in the run
ming water till they ached with the chill,
ana at last, being wonderfully renewed,
we got out the mealbag and made dram
mach in the iron pan. This, though it
is but cold water mingled with oatmeal,
yet makes good enough dish for
hungry man; and where there are no
means of making fire or (as in our case)
good reason for not making one it is the
chief stand by of those who have taken
to the heather.
AS soon as the shadow of the night had
fallen we set forth again, at first with
the same caution, but presently with
more boldness, standing our full height
and stepping out at good pace of walk
ing. The way was very intricate, lying
up the steep sides of mountains and
along the brows of cliffs; clouds had come
in with the sunset, and the night was
dark and cool, SO that walked without
much fatigue, but in continual fear of
falling and rolling down the mountains,
and with no guess at our direction
The moon rose at last and found us
still on the road. 1t was in its last
quarter and was long beset with clouds,
but after awhile shone out and showed
me many dark heads of mountains, and
was reflected far underneath us on the
narrow arm of Il sea loch.
At this sight we both paused, struck