Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-10
SAVED BY A HERMIT.
PARTY,s NARROW ESCAPE FROM
DEATH ON BLEAK soLiTARi0.
Threatened by Treacherous Guide,
by Navajo Indians, and Finally by
snow squnII on the summit, nut
Rescued.
G.as Vegas On. Nd Letter.
Rescued.


gave the New Mexican mountain its name.
ION the spot where his ruined hermitage
stands" he said. Il saw him thirty-three
years ago. When you have heard what
happened there at that time you may
Judge for yourself what manner OF man
John Of the Crosses was. 1 was then a
lieutenant IL was in. the time Of the
civil war and the government had hos
pital at Las Vegas Hot Springs l was
staying there on leave Of absence 70 re-
cruit my health after long service in the
malarlal region down the Rio Grande
There were visitors at the Springs from
the East, even then, and among them at
this time was Mrs Trethyyn and her
daughter, a handsome girl Of II. Both
mother and daughter were Venturesome
riders, and almost every day we took a
horseback excursion together so that In
the course Of a fortnight we had the
country for ten miles about the Hot
Springs pretty thoroughly explored.
AT last nothing would satisfy the ladies'
but to ride to the top Of Solitaire. 1 dis
couraged the idea all L could, and told
them what they might expect from such
a trip-a long, hard days ride, with dan
gerous climbing ard no certainty that
they could reach the top after all. Beside
this there was always the risk OF meeting
hostile Indians. Most Of the NavajOs, the
most dangerous Indians, were corralled
under guard down at Fort Sumner at that
time. but some Of them had never been
brought in. Others from time 10 time
were slipping away from the reservation
at the fort to find their way back 10 their
old stamping-gr i'm the Northwest
and a favorite route for these renegades
was up the Galllnas Valley. past Solitaire.
but the ladies, IN spite Of all l said,
were still determined 10 go. so. Of course,
l went along with them. We had bad
luck from the beginning ) was disap-
pointed about getting "a military escort
and, worse still, at the last moment the
trustworthy guide. Antonio. whom we
had depended on TO accompany us on the
trip, was detailed as courier. and we had
to take up with Mexican Of no very
good character, known as El Lobo, who
claimed to know the way 10 the top OF
Solitaire. He had no horse, and L had
to furnish him one. But we made our
start. and l found that the guide knew
the way TO the mountain at least. We
took the route up the Gallinas Valley,
over the burro trail.
1T was November. and the tops OF the
Snowy Range already We're white. all
though no snow had fallen upod the
plain. Owing TO our delay I'm starting n
was noon before we reached the foot OF
Solitario; but after resting our horses
a bit we began the ascent. There was
no beaten path then. and we had 10 pick
our way up the long ridge al its back.
Half way up the mountain III LobO said
that his horse was giving out, and dis
mounted, tied the animal 10 tree, and
went forward on foot. carrying his rife
In hand. | had suspicion Of some
treachery on his part, and made him
travel ahead all the way 10 the summit.
For arms / carried a cavalry carbine and
a revolver, 50 had the advantage Of him
N respect Of weapons. and / anticipated
no trouble from him, so long as | could
keep him I'm sight.
Then through the storm came n sur
prsing sound-thc sound of a mans voice
chanting a litany. IL was so strange TO
hear in the mountain solitude that az
first we all were inclined to think that
our senses had played US a trick, and we
looked at one another, half in fear. as II
We were listening 10 a ghostly requiem for
US, foredoomed 10 perish I'm the snow
But the voice continued clear and dis
tinct and unmistakable. and we turned
our horses heads and pressed our way
through the storm toward IT, At last we
came among high pine trees. which check
ed the blowing snow, so that we could
see little way about us-and then, sud-
denly, before US we saw the man who
was chanting the litany.
'He stood beside a little hut OF logs
bareheaded. with long hair and beard
and was clad in monks frock. bound
to his waist with a cord. He was the
hermit. John Augustiniani lie showed
no surprise at seeing US, but stopped his
chanting, and a. We halted before him
said gravely, in Spanish:
Peace be with yOul l have waited
your coming all the day.
can you give us shelter from storm.
father | asked, too much relieved TO lind
house of any kind and a civilized man
on Solitaire 10 stop 10 wonder how ne
came to be there, or inquire how he knew
we were coming.
" My roof and humble fare are ever at
the disposal OF the distressed. whom 1
am appointed to succor. he said. with
the same quiet gravity as before. But
for you il is not ordered 10 tarry here
You must be on your way without loss
OF time. There are enemies in your
path. The storm viii clear at moonrise
and moOnrise must find you at Tecalotina
In the valley. / shall be your guide.
Il looked at the women. who needed
TO give but one glance at the tiny hut.
with its entrance formed by leaving one
log out Of the side OF the structure, to de-
eide them
Let us 90 on by all means said Mrs
Trethvyn. II only you are sure We can
md our way
The hermit gave US little time to de-
liberate the matter. Giving slight nod
as d signal that he was ready to starr.
he drew the hood Of his gown over his
head, and with no further preparation
turned and led the way past the house.
among the trees. The storm was az our
backs. so We travelled more easily than
before. Soon the ground began 70 fau.
and knew we had passed the mountains
brow and were descending a slope; be-
yond that / had no idea OF the course
We were taking. Feeling their path with
their feet. our horses. in single file
followed unhesitatingly the cowled figure
that, swiftly walking. seemed all the time
about 10 vanish in the storm ahead. IL
was not long before l could tell that
We were descending the ridge up which
we had climbed in the afternoon, but by
different path.
suddenly the hermit stopped short and
stopped above mound Of snow. which
seemed to have a drifted over small
log, and above the snow appeared the
end OF a slender feathered shaft He
brushed the snow away, revealing some
thing dark beneath, and at the same
time our horses threw up their heads.
snorted, and backed away. Then l saw
that the thing beneath the drift was
man lying on his back. and the snow
clinging TO the breast about the arrow
which had pierced IL was moist and red
The hermit brushed the snow from the
face. II was the face OF III Lobo. our
treacherous guide, killed by the Ma
vajoes.
The hermit spoke, not as II talking 10