Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-04-13
IN AN ICY DOWNPOUR.
A FIERCE HAILsToRM OUT oFAcLEAR
SKY IN AUGUST.

Cut Like Tllnt-More Than Two Hun
dred Sheep Killed In u Few Minutos.
"Traveling last summer by blackboard
eastward over tho plains that skirt tho
Penasco valley In New Mexico" said an
amateur ranohnnn, "our trail for long
distance lay through sheep grazing
country. IL was still, bright day, In
which, owing To the rarofed dir due to the
high altitude, tho August heat was not op.
pressive. Early In the afternoon we pass
ed a flock of about 1900 sheep pasturing
30 near the trail that wo exchanged a
buenos dias with tho Mexican shepherd.
We gave the shepherd handful of tobac-
CO and light for tho cigarette which he
proceeded to roll from o little square OF
cornbusk that he took from a pouch In
his ragged coat. He thanked us, and as
we started Co drive on remarked, with an
expressive gesture toward the western
mountains dimmed by pearly clouds like
mist:
"'Va Hover, senores.' ct Is going &c
rain.)
"Three miles ahead of us was an adobe
hut and corral which might afford US shell
ter should 1t rain, which from all appear
ances we thought unlikely But the rain
came and quickly. When we left the shep-
herd, tho sun was shining In undiminish-
ed splendor, and tho whole sky, except
that behind the mountains, was clear. Be
fore we had got half way to tho hut rain
drops were falling thickly as our first
warning that tho sky above had become
overcast, and that from the direction Of
tho western mountains dense cloud like
black mist, rent by lightning flashes,
was advancing toward us with the speed
of whirlwind. My companion, Lon
Tompkins, an old timer, was driving, and
he gathered up tho reins and put the whip
to the horses.
"'We'll make tho best run we can for
that 'dobo, no said but the rain will
catch us with all wo can do
''In a minute more It was raining hard
with dense downpour that hid alike the
adobe house and corral ahead and tho
shepherd and his flock behind. Then eume
brisk rattling upon the blackboard,
pelting OF our hands and faces as IL by
bird shot, and hard white drops like pearls
were rebounding from the backs of the
horses, stinglng and driving them forward
like blows Of whip. 1t was the cutting
of hail.
"'Now It's neck or nothing said
Tompkins as no grasped the reins moro
tightly and braced his feet against tho
dashboard. No need to urge forward the
horses. All effort was directed to keep
them under control as thoy gathered and
sprang forward with increasing speed un-
der the sharp blows of hailstones that now
were driving down as large as chestnuts
and all tho time coming thicker and lar
ger.
Another minute and the horses wero
crouching and quivering and leaping from
sido to side under the rain Of ice Jumps
that bruised our hands and faces like the
striking Of pebbles. 1t was appalling the
weight and force with which they fell.
The horses were getting beyond control
just when, ahead and to the left, we saw
looming through the ice torrent tho tow
ering shape of trees They were nearer
than we thought. Tompkins reined tho
horses sharply to the left. A dozen mad
plunges onward, a thump, and the sharp
grinding Of wheel hub against tree
trunk, as the blackboard careened and
nearly threw US out, and, To- we wero in an
oasis of safety, out Of the fury Of tho
white downpour, beneath the broad spread
ing branches of the grove Of great cotton
woods thnt tower about the muddy water
hole at Las Alamosas.
"The horses quieted down tho instant
they passed beneath the sheltering branch
es, and stood painting and steaming their
eyes swollen and bloodshot from the cruel
pelting Of ice. Our broad sombroro brins
had somewhat shielded our faces, which,
nevertheless, like our hands, were bruised
and swollen. Tompkins' hands had suf-
fered most, as he had been compelled to
expose them in handling the reins. But,
drenched and sore as we were, 1t was with
content and thankfulness that we leaned
against the troe trunks, with leaves and
Ax.vt<v. hatI
thickly down upon us, while from the up
per branches showers of broken foliage
and glancing hail were flying outward to
mingle with the ICY downpour. All the
while there was the almost ceaseless crash
and roll Of thunder and flashing Of light
ming.
I'm our haven of safety we remained
until the thunder died away and tho hail
etones ceased to fall Tho rain, subsiding
into gentle patter, stopped as suddenly
as 1t had boz un, and tho commotion Of
the elements rcceded to tho west, where
flashes of lightning broke from rain
cloud which still veiled the distant noun
tains.
"a glorious burst of sunlight broke
through clouds at the zenith, sending
them flying all ways and revealing a sky
as blue as turquoise.
The river will be too high to ford be-
fore tomorrow, said Tompkins. Shall we
60 on and camp on Its bank or 60 back to
Penascor
1--WE decided to 60 to Penasco, where
there was a hotel, and turning round
took tho back trail. Tho Mexican shop
hcrd who had warned US Of the shower
was moving about with his dog, and we
could 500 as we approached that some OF
the sheep were feeding, while others re-
mained still on tho spot whoro they had
huddled at the beginning Of the storm.
When quite near we saw why these sheep
were not fooding. They lay upon the
ground, fully 200 In number, killed by
hail. or the sheep that had gono to feed
ing many wero bleeding at the nose, and
their swollen eyes bore signs Of the cruel
battering they had sustained. The Mexi-
can had sheltered himself aud biz doc I'M.