The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1893-02-04

Z
He lighted his pipe, as tile other two
had done, and smoked few minutes il
silence, while they drew their chairs
closer. Then he began:
1.-Two years ago had u balloon made
and left San Francisco in the month Of
June, with the wind taking us rapidly
eastward. With me was young man
named Eric Gilbert. He was about
thirty years old and one of the bright
est men ! ever knew. A linguist, i
scientist, q mechanic, an artist; iii fact
he was possessed of more practical l.nowl-
edge and cultivated accomplishments
than any other man have met; one Of
the most during yet genial, good tenn
pered fellows in the world. He was
nearly SIX feet in height and weighed
about hundred and sixty pounds, and
he was an athlete too. lie could shoot
well and ride well, just the kind Of man
In fact to undertake such an adventure
as we meditated. It was to cross the
continent to the Atlantic, and for
while all went swimmingly.
eve had crossed the Rockies success
fully and were in the Wasatch range, or
rather between the Wasatch and the
Elk mountains, when the current, which
had been almost uniformly westward
for days, suddenly changed and carried
us down toward Arizona. We were not
alarmed, although our supply Of water
was somewhat scanty; yet the gas held
out well, and we knew that we would
strike water at intervals We had on
board when we started dozen carrier
pigeons, seven Of which had already
been released and returned home.
ssWe released one in the Elk moun-
talns just before the current changed.
We drove south all day, passing over
the widest and most magnificent canyon
scenery at a high altitude, in cloudless
sky, until nearly sunset, when there
came up a terrific storm.
"ln spite of our attempt to rise s.i5cvo
it we were hurled along with dreadful
velocity and found ourselves nearing
the earth rapidly and in danger Of beiL :
dashed against the enormous Cliff of
the canyons, whose cavernous tFapths
yawned below us. The lightning flashed
around us, and feared every ,nolent
that the balloon would be set on Gre. 1t
became darker every moment, anu
nlghtfall found us very near the eartL,
making mighty bounds up an,= 7awn
and driving along at the rate of = mile
minute. The anchor was thrown out,
but failed to hold, tn. only resuIt, Dgl
ing to make the bounds and Jerks, more
fierce.
''lt was totally dark. and about ei;tb;
o'clock at night the car was & Sired
against the ground with such fnrce IS
to tear apart several Of the ropes. tnrowe
ing Eric Gilbert out, with all our il...trr-
ments, the pigeon crate and ba'1as, in
an instant. The loss of SO much weight
caused the balloon to rise at once and
dash away again, going higher e,4Ey
moment. was almost crazy a5d lost
control Of myself. looked down, ana i
fancied saw lights and dwelling
down in the canyon, people ana aatt'a
running about when the lighting IL
lumined the scene, but as knev, thatlt
was an uninhabitable wilderness Ia,t!
it to excited imagination and !. lew
that poor Gilbert's bones world be
whitening under the burning sun i'll Il
few days. 1t was impossible to help
him. could only hold on and let the
balloon drive. 1t became frightfully
cold, and found that had also dislo-
Gated my arm.
"After time | became unconscious
and fell to the bottom of the Car, which
was covered with ice When recovered
consciousness | found myself iii the
hands of Il Mexican cattlelnan on whose
ranch the balloon had descended, near AL
buquerque, New Mexico. Twas with him
for several weeks, very i'll and delirious
most Of the time. But recovered and
returned to San Francisco, where, to my
surprise, found that al bnt one of the
carrier pigeons had returned before me.
heard nothing of Eric and naturally
mourned him as dead, for no man could
exist i'll the region three days. 1t is IL
waterless, burning, alEali desert.
"Now for the strungest part OF my
story:
Zone evening two weeks age | ob-
served carrier pigeon, evidently Il
stranger, endeavoring to enter NY coo;l,
with a message fastened to his tail !a
the usual manner. l went up and Let
him in and recognized him at once as
the bird that had failed to return. My
heart sprang up in my throat, aud my
hands tre1nbled so that could ecareely
detach the message. 1t was written on
some kind of q small skin and re, shus,
for here it is"
Pierce took from his pocketl8a n
white parchment and unfolded ltQM m
the table. The others wa.ched HIN si-i!
an intense gaze. Then holding 1t up 70
the light he read:
HI. r. Pierce, San Francisco, California,
"If Won are alive. hclD me. am in csT Gf
ancient people in IL canyon, latitude Il ~
three degrees thirty minutes, longituda thirty
two degrees thirty minutes west from wv hs1-
ington, as as can make it. There Ia un
way Of escape The people know of 10 ~Shes
world and believe me super mt drilG,
but it can't last much longer. There's zi.hous
Of dollars here in solid gold. 1t will lr"a r''-
lief party. The population is about ~ enty-
five hundred. | have learned the Il t-,uaae
and written a book that will make = ,le's
eyes open. If this falls into the hands ANY
white man, for Gods sake forward 10 IL K.
Pierce, San Francisco, or, if he is miss5s5 send
holy to me at once. ERIC l.. GlIbfaHT.
"Well, that's all there is Of it. am
going to find him, and you are tue kind
Of men l should like to have JOIN me in
the endeayor, for believe he is alive. |
believe every word of this message |
should like to have you organize "ag-
on train and search for him while
make the attempt in the balloon, It's
risky, 1 know, but I've d feeling that it
will succeed. I believe that it WIS The
same city that saw as I was wAifled
away that night when we strsses tllo
cliff. AS figure it, my friends. the 10
; cation of this unknown city must he in
the San Francisco river region, ono of
the most inaccessible places i'll the
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