Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1896-02-20
The Deadly Quicksands.

We had made a long day of it
over the Texas plains, said an old
trooper to the Detroit Free Press,
and it was after dark before we
went into camp on the banks OF a
small and muddy stream. By the
time the men had finished their
suppers, watered their horses and
gotten ready for the night it was
time to turn in. There was good
pasture just below the camp, and
instead of fastening the horses and
mules to the lines they were hobbled
out to Craze and guard of four men
detailed to the herd. OF the cavalry
horses there were forty-eght; Of the
wagon mules and extras siXty-two.
They were counted and reported
when the guard was detailed
The night was warm and clear,
without breath of wind and by 10
o'clock nearly all the animals were
lying down. At II the camp was
still quiet, but the herd,guard aud
the sentinels reported wolves prowl-
ing about, and the horses becoming
uneasy. At 1880 the guards had to
enter the herd and calm three or four
horses that were upduly excited. At
exactly midnight, as the relief was
ready to march out Of camp, three
gaunt wolves suddenly rushed out
of the thicket and among the herd,
The men had scarcely shouted the
alarm before the herd began whirl-
ing IN circle. and as 1t moved each
horse sought to free himself OF his
hopples
The sentinels ran to the help of
the herders, and the relief also hast
ened up, and for a moment twelve
men tried to hold the frantic herd
from breaking away. The minute
had not ended when the 10 fright
ened animals suddenly bulged ont
to the west and trampled down the
guards, and were off at a laundering
gallop, some free Of their hopples-
some going on three legs and fight
ing the straps as they went, The
thunder of the hoofs had not Yet
died away when half the men in
camp We're in pursuit of the held.
1t was hoped they would not run far,
but IN this we were disappointed.
We followed or, mile after mile.
picking up q mule now and then,
which had fallen and could not rise
without help, and thus We covered
five long miles. We had all the time
been following the creek, which ian
almost due east and west, and the
herd had not attempted to cross
Al a distance of five miles from
camp 1t had suddenly turned to the
south and crossed the stream, which
at that p0inthad tour or i've channels
and w&s 900 feet il width. As VIZ
reached tie bank and were ready t
step into the water there was a cry
| Of alarm from one of the men, ant
all drew back.
1t was strange, welred sight w
| saw as we peered into the gIoam O
the summers night. The bed of til,
stream was full of horses-horse
moaning, groaning and strugglin,
in the clutch of the deadly quick
sands. On the FAR side about a dozel
animals stood on the firm ground
with their heads turned out our way
as If spectators of the terrible scene
We could do nothing whatever t,
rescue one single animal. Had V,
been able to pass chains about tn,
nearest one, no six mule team coulC
have broken the death-grip Of tn,
octopus pulling him down. w
| stood and watched the heads swing
ing from side to side-listened t,
the groans Of despair as the victims
sank deeper and deeper-and wer
/ helpless.
When daylight came we gathered
up eightmules and ten horses-eigh
teen out of the llN which had broker
away. OF the others not one wa
in sight; the quicksand had sucke'
them down and closed over then
and left not the slightest trace of tn
fell disaster.
California Orange Crop.