The St. Johns herald., 1895-08-01
FATE OF GOLD HUNTERS.
Driven Insane by Thirst VThiIa Seeking Fortunes oH the Colorado Desert.


 Driven Insane by Thirst vThiIs Seeking
 Fortunes oG the Colorado. Desert.
 Misfortunes that have overtakeu so many wretched desert gold hunters seems to have no effect on other seek CTS after fortune. says the Palm Springs (COl.) correspondent of the New York Telegram. Perhaps no fate has been So sad as that of the unknown pros pector who was carried into Yuma re- gently insane for the want of water and food. The unhappy man put in an appearance with his nurse at the romantic village Of Durmid on the Southern Pacific track. Durnid is in the heart of the dc5art. and few miles from S;alton. This and Volcano are the dreariest spots in the world. For many miles in the vicinity of Volcano Springs nothing grows. The ground is treach- erous. for under it's seemingly firm ex- teriOr are boiling mud wells. There is shelter for neither beast nor bird. Even the misera ble sage brush gets no hospitality from the lean soil. A pitt Hess sun by day and hot wind by $ desert in their hunt for gold deposits. Here the prospector first brought him self to notice by asking for a shovel
 Eve got dead burrO out yonder, he remarked, gazing to the west, and I want to bury it.
 The shovel was given him and away he started. He came back some time after and said he had buried the car casS some six feet under the ground It vas considered strange at the time, as no one here ever thinks of burying an animal. The dry air desicatas the body as completely as if it had been subjected to the heat of an oven. He hung about the section house for few hours and then left for Durmid, where he mention:j his loss. There he stayed, refusing all offers of food, but picking up his subsistence from such fooias he could find about the place-dry bits of bread, which even a coyote would have scorned, he ate greedily. Then he asked for shovel and announced his intention to dig up his donkey, as he had found a sovereign remedy against death. The shovel was given him, and, though the beast had been inferred three or fonr days, the crazy man dis inferred the remains. He came back, saying that the donkey refused to get up and live. The section men sent word that they had Gn insane man on their hands and feared he would die. as he refused food. The conductor of a freight train was ordered to take him into Yuma, and essayed the task The wretched man would run like deer from his captors, offering violence to anyone who came near him. Finally one man more astute than the rest said:
 Look here. the superintendent wants to see you in Los Angeles and pay you for the donkey you lost.''
 If that is what you want me for I'll come" he answered, ''aDd if you prom ise not to tie nc ID I'll be quiet."
 He was taken into Yuma, but all eff forts to discover his identity proved un availing A short time previously another man came into DUrlnid raving mad. His tongue was black, his eyes rolled end glittcred and he was in the direst extremity. Water and food ju- diciously administered saved his life. Though his new found friends begged him not to follow the fascina tions of gold hunting he refused to listen to reason, scorned the kindness of section men, upbraided them for being slaves and working for wages and continued his hopeless quest of illusive gold 6nl1S