The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-22

hands, with averted faces, and turned
away without a word. That was our last
bite of bread until we reached San Fran
cisquito ranch, six weeks later From
that on my husband and l and The poor
children and St. John and Patrick lived
on coffee and jerked beef, except when
we killed an OK for a new supply Even
then there was not an ounce of fat in enc
and the marrow in their bones had turned
to blood and water.
Did / blame the men for leaving us as
they did? Oh, it happened long ago l
can hardly tell now--and they felt that
they ought to try to save their own lives.
The valley ended in a canyon with great
walls rising up-oh, as high as we could
see almost. There seemed no way out, for
il ended almost in straight wall. ] know
many of the company never expected 70
leave that narrow gorge. By that time
most OF them could hardly stagger more
than few steps at a stretch some were
beyond even that Mr.. Brier managed TO
keep erect with the aid of two sticks.
Providence was with us that awful night,
or the morning would have risen on the
dead
Found a Little Water.
Seeping up from out the sand Mr. Brer
found a little water, and by digging the
company managed to scoop up about a
mint an hour. Coffee and dried beef kept
us alive till morning, but the moaning of
the suffering cattle was pitiful. Al day
light we managed TO reach the lowest
| bench of the cliff by holding to the cattle
| Father Fish came up by holding 10 an OK S
| tail but could go no farther That night
| he died. / made coffee for him, but he was
| all worn out. Isham died that night too
1t was always the same-hunger and
! thirst and an awful silence so I'll just
! ten Of one or two more experiences.
Everybody knows how the company went
| across the Mojave desert and finally reach
ed San Francisquito ranch. our greatest
! suffering for water was near BoraX lake
| We were for forty-eight hours without a
drop. A mirage fooled u.s. We went tc
! bed hoping against hope
In the morning the men returned with
! the same story. mo water"
Even the stoutest heart sank then, fol
nothing but sagebrush and dagger trees
! greeted the eye. There were walls anC
! lamentations from lips that had never
! murmured before. My husband tied little
Kirk to his back and staggered ahead. The
| child would murmur occasionally: ooh
! father, where's the water?" His pitiful
delrious walls were worse to hear thar
the killing thirst. 1t was terrible. l seen
TO see it all over again. ] staggered ant
struggled YEARLY behind with our other
| two boys aud the oxen The little fellows
bore up bravely and hardly complained
though they could barely talk, so dry ant
swollen were their lips and tongues. Johr
would try to cheer up his brother Kirl
| by telling him of the wonderful water W,
would find and all The good things we
could get to eat. Every step I expected
to sink down and die, ! could hardly see
At last we came upon two Germans o
the company who had gone ahead. They
were cooking at a tiny fire.
ANY water?' asked my husband.
There's vasser," one said. pointing to {
muddy puddle.
The cattle rushed into il, churning NJ
the mud, but we scooped it up and greed
lily gulped il down our burning swoller
throats. Then I boiled coffee aud fount
the pot half fun of mud, so you can se'
what that water was like. IL was awfu
stuff, but it saved our Hves. A little latel
we came to a beautiful cold spring. oh
how good IL was / have always believed
| Providence placed It there to save us, FOL
it was in such an unlikely place.
Terrible Struggle.
Sometimes we found water and grass II
plenty, but never a thing to eat. save
! where we tried making acorn bread, ant