The herald., 1893-07-09
ANOTHER CESSEEfi CESSEiifi TRAGEDY,
PrOspectOr Foster Makes &
CHASTITY Discovery.
Two More Victims to the Peglea
Mine Story.
Two Men, Their Horses and Dog Perish
from Thirst-some Facts About
the Terror of tae
Desert.

Banning Herald Every year adds tn
the list OF prospectors and others whe,
die of thirst on the Colorado desert, ana
still men continue to court death by ex~
ploring it in this, the worst time of the
year. In winter it is not 80 bad, az
water 10 abundant, but in summer thu
water ia searcs- and unless Iaan be aeBf
quainted with ali the ysger;ng places iI3
is w0tse InSn foolish to ySntare forthaa
and evan then it is dangerous
Monday prospector bv tho nams o
Foster arrived III Tanning AMI reported,
sad case of death ior want q wsssR
lie was in search of the Pegleg mineo
and while in the heart OF the ee.sero dis.
covered the CHASTITY rem2ins of mining
party.
He was travelling in the desert aboua
130 miles southeast of here whea no
found the party. Two men lay dead
near each other, and not far away were
the carcasses of two horses and also that
of dog. The onl, survivor was horse
that WAS almost at ita last gasp.
They showed evidence of having died
OF thirst, and their snfferings must have
been intense. Mr.. Foster could go
nothing, go went on. He stated that
water WAS within very few miles of
where he found the bodies, but they
were either ignorant of the country
or too exhausted to travel further. The
sand was knee deep and travelling v8sy
difficult.
Mr.. Foster learned later that one d
the men had started on search for afsas
y,1ir from Elautiy,o Walls 49,
from another point which was not re-
membered. These two men swell the
number OF victims of the desert in gen.
eral and this probably fictitious mine
in particular.
The way in which some OF the pros.
pecting parties start out to cross the
desert or search for mines is foolish
in the extreme. The writer has seen
them start out, ignorant of the coun-
try or the dangers before them and
neglect any precautions whatever. Some
would have canteen of water probably,
or If they had team would carry may
be five or ten gallons of water with them
and expect to travel with this supply 40
or 20 miles before reaching other water.
Tramps frequently die OF thirst, and al
most every year is heard the fate of
some party of miners. inexperienced
men are generally the victims, though
sometimes s man supposed to know bet
ter is lost and perishes.
The mirage often plays an important
part in these tragedies. The writer
knew of q Aian who several years ago
nearly lost his life on the desert. He
was on his way from one station to an
other and Was without water though on
the travelled road. He was not familiar
with the country, and when he saw at q
distance from the road what he sup
posed to be lake of water he started
for 1t. He went towards it for some
I time, and when at last he discovered il
to be mirage be also found himself to
be lost. After much difficulty and suf-
fering he at last regained the road and
arrived at the next station almost dead.
What part these optical illusions may
take, and what sufferings the unfortu-
nate men encounter, ia not known. but
may be guessed at from the stories of
those who escape from almost similar
circumstances. Several years ago q
party from Banning were searching for
mines on the desert and one OF the men
failed to return to camp in the evening.
Search was made the next morning and
he was discovered in the scant shade of
bush, digging with his hands in the
sand and violently raving. His tongue
protruded and he was almost dead OF
thirst. Water was given him, of which
he at once drank half gallon, thosg
finding him being afraid to give him any
more.