The herald., 1894-01-28
AHUNDRED MILES IN THREE DAYS
An Interesting Experience on
the Mojave Desert.
Winds Which Burn and Winds
Whi,h Freeze.
A. Journey to Christmas Camp-The
Dangers of the Desert as Expert
onced by a Citizen of Los
Angeles.

coveries being made by prospectors who
are bold enough to brave the dangers of
a tramp in the desert at a season when
winds blow gales and sandstorms make
progress all but impossible.
About 100 miles east of the dnow fam
Gus Goler camp, gold was discovered by
some prospeetors Christmas day; the
place is now known as Christmas camp,
and is situated in San Bernardino
county. Several OF these newly dis
covered claims belong to Mr.. Harry W.
Maeac, who ia also interested in some
claims at Goler, which he is now work
ing.
An interest ng account of the tramp
to Christmas camp has juet been re-
ceived from Mr.. Masac, whose expe-
riences may open the eyes oil many a
tenderfoot who is not cognizant of the
dangers lurking in the treacherous
desert, and whose experiences might
prove COS .lier than did those of the
writer.
Mr.. Masac Gays: Friday night, the
18th, Mr.. Kennedy, my partner, and
myself went to Snd canon, where we
secured two jacks and a portable dry
waeher for prospecting, weighing 40
pounds.
Saturday morning before sunrise we
had breakfast, and packed our burros
with three days. provisions, including
two ten-gsllon kegs of water, blankets,
cooking utensils. pick and shovel and
gold pan.
'We got off in good shape, and at 6 80
D. m. reached station ON the Borax
road, distant about Is miles from Goler.
j went up to old man Loman, who runs
a placer, and who is gruff old fellow
with great dislike to men with burros,
especially if they hail from San Bernar-
dino. The peak of his cap was pulled
over his eyes, and saw he was sizing
me up from under the corner of it.
How do you do?' said l. How do?'-
very gruffiy. Can l get some barley
from PIN my sweetest tones.
Then he aroused in the voice of Los
Angeles City Water company collector:
WAL, guess you can if you've got
the price to pay for it,
mot stopping to think of his many
troubles with burros and his antipathy
to 'isck-punchers, | got hot and told
him paid as l went, and that when l
couldn't pay didn't go.
1.-The result of our little skirmish was
that he let me have half sack of bar
= ley for $3.50, and after telling me OF a
good place to camp for the night, we
parted the best of friends.
You who have never felt the desert
breeZes. do not know how strong they
are. When blast strikes the Jacks, it
blows them from eide to side like heavily
laden ships rolling in a heavy sea.
During the summer these gales are like
the blast from furnace, burning your
skin and roasting your eyes till you can
barely see. We were fortunate to avoid
striking any sand storms, but we could
see them Hwirling on all sides, and a
lucky escape for us it was, for there is
nothing to prevent the drift sand pene-
trating every pore of the body and fill
ing ones lungs. During these storms
trails are obliterated, old sandhills are
blown away to reappear at some other
place, like fugitive snowdrifts. Thus
the few landmarks which guide you dis-
appear in such a manner as to mislead
the most experienced of desert travel
ers. On our trail we met a team from
the opposite direction, and we found it
was the outfit of one of my friends,
fresh from Christmas camp. His tale
was one of woe, and its refrain, "the
camp is no good" Yet my mind
was made up to push on, and since he
pointed out to me short cut by which
could save eight miles, l said goodbye
to him and left the trail, striking across
the untrodden sand. Remem be~ing the
description of the road, l made bee
line Tor the upper end of the range.
My short cut struck the road about
two miles from the Red hills, where
Christmas camp is located. l followed
the trail up and down one canon and
another, and only gave up the search
when there was no trail left to follow.
The last gully we came to that day was
a large wash. where we camped for the
night. Talk about wind; the way it
blew down that gulch was caution.
Although we were under the lee of hill,
and in the best place we could find, it
was impossible to build fire on account
of the gale. You can imagine the cold,
exaggerated by such gentle breezee. At
day break we started up another cafIon,
following it for about five miles, when
the trail again turned back; then we
followed two side trails, finding the
marks of three tents, but no men. We
prospected through some side gulches,
as well as the larger ones, but got moth
ing. This YVES Monday; our grub was
running low, water becoming scarce, and
our jacks played out. 1t looked like
atorming, and | thought we had better
not hunt for the camp any more, 80 we
packed up and started about shutdown
on our return trip.
cit was absolutely necessary to keep
moving, for a bitter cold wind was
blowing perfect gale. Ed and l were
footsore, and the jacks wanted an awful
lot of punching before they would move.
Ed was full OF grit, although his feet
we're blistered, but he didn't give up.
This nights trip WAS as nasty a one as l
shall ever experience, and [ shall re-
r1ember it for all time. At last tired
nature gave out and we camped for the
balance of the night; 80 tired were we
that the sun was up before we awoke
next morning. To our surprise we
found that we had travelled more than
half way back to Loman's cabin during
that night. The meanest trick of the
desert, is that you walk for hours at
time and on looking around you cannot
tell you have moved foot. From Lo--
mans station the Red hills we were in
look about five miles distant, and
yet they are a good days journey
OH. Old man Loman received me most
hospitable and gave me the last of his
tobacco. We got back to Goler about z
p. m. that evening-Tuesdsy. The last
10 miles ia a heavy down grade and we