Arizona republican., 1900-08-30
Details of the Loss and
 Finding of N. C. Wilson
PREPARED FOR DEATH
Without Giving Up the Struggle For Life-How the Value Of the Lost Hunter Doubled Itself Twice In Two Days-Except As a Man Hunt the Trip Was Failure-In That It Was Not Startling Success.

Dr. Win Wylie returned yesterday morning from a hunting trip upon which he set out about two months ago. He furnishes the earliest details of the losing and finding of Mir N c. Viii son, who disappeared from a hunting camp on Clear creek two weeks ago. MT. Wilson owed his escape from death to a remarkably clear head, strong will, full knowledge of his danger and careful husbanding of his strength and resources
 The party, consisting of Dr. Wylie, Mir. Wilson. Allen James and George Lyke, had established a camp between the headwaters of east and west Clear Greeks, two streams flowing in oppo- site directions, the latter into the Verde and the former northward into tributary of the Colorado. The Flag staff road, a broad and well defined road, runs between them and parallel with them. Tn. hunters had made ex- cursions in the neighborhood, locating fishing places and likely hunting re- Sions, but the hunting had not really begun. About o'clock on Wednesday. August Is, George Lyke the cook of the camp, came in and said he had seen a deer about a mile east or a little south of cast of the camp. MT. Will son picked up his gun and taking a half dozen shells set out. He did not return at nightfall and even when he had not came at II o'clock there was no uneasiness for he is not as was sup posed tenderfoot. Dr. Wylie. who has had a great deal of experience in inc ha ic N2-i=a as he ever met, barring professional guides. His companions supposed he had missed his way and that if he had not wandered into one of the numer- ous horse, cow or hunting camps in the vicinity, he would return in the morning. However, they fired guns al intervals until midnight and were answered by firing from a camp a mile CT two away.
 On Thursday morning Mir Wilson's friends resolved to wait until 10 o'clock before beginning a search for him. They grew impatient before that tima and set out. The first informa ton was brought them by a Mexican who said he had seen the tracks of a man on foot following a wounded bear about six miles southeast of camp It was subsequently, discovered that the Mex ican was lying. The party set out with six bloodhounds, but the dogs were unable to find a trail. On the follow ing day the searchers discovered a trail in the canyon of East Clear creek They judged from the fact That the trail led through a thick. clump of bushes when there was a path around them, and brought up against the pre- cipitOus wall of the canyon, though there was a draw near by, that the tracks had been made in the night. They could be followed no further than the wall.
 On the first day Dr. Wylie had offered s25 for the recovery of MT. Wilson; the third day he offered s10O. Wilson stock was ris'ng rapidly, but hope was sinking rapidly. The doctor took six teen men on horseback and stati0nins them 1GO feet apart, directed them to search the country thoroughly. They were looking for a dead or an injured man and it was necessary that every foot of the region should be inspected. He also gave two men s25 to make a wide circuit in search of a trail and to visit all the camps within a radius of five miles. Notwithstanding the four days of constant search and inquiry. broken by sleepless nights, Mir. Will sons companions never found him, for he found himself.
 MIR. WILSON'S STORY.
 MT. Wilson said that when he left camp he expected to return al night fall. He went to the locality where MT. Lyle said he had seen deer and found one after travelling about two and half miles south. He shot it, wounding it and then for the first time noticed that night was rapidly coming on. T. came with a rush and all landmarks were quickly obscured. Mir. Wilson remembered that he had go7e east from the camp, but forgetting that the deer had drawn him south he started straight west and passed the camp two and a half miles south. He came to place where he made a descent of eight or ten feet at every step and wisely concluded to camp for the night lest his steps should grow fatally long. He was then near the bottom of the canyon of West Clear creek. At day. light he perceived his whereabouts. but was ignorant of the precise direc- ton of the camp. He had been fishing a day or two before in the creek, far ther down, he thought, because there was no water where he was thsn. He started down the stream and travelled half day. when he found himself be- tween perpendicular walls hundred feet high. He retraced his steps to his camping place, reaching it at night This was Thursday night. He had killed a q ger in the canyon, but not being very hungry he decided not to waste one of his seven matches cooking