Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-31

/ impossible. During the months ol ScP-
TENDER and October the rains are heay-
ist, and often for a week At a time or
even longer pour down in torrents.
We must reach Panama by the last oil
August
ENTER THE WILDERNESS.
on Friday. July u, after making all
necessary arrangements Tor Brothers
Tolton and Magleby, and with the un-
Outstanding that they take steamer al
Limon and meet US at Panama the lat
ter part Of August. Brother Asa klenke
and ! babe goodbye 10 our comrades,
and TO the many new-found friends Of
the village, and with an Indian guide
who was returning 10 Boyuca started
on our trip. We have three pack mules
and a riding mule apiece, all In good
condition. We are armed as wen each
with a rifle, a pistol and machete,
none Of which we trust we Will be un-
der the necessity Of using on our fellow
man. The parting was hard on both
sides, for the trials and hardships as
well as the Joys and pleasures Of our
journey had bound us together closer
than brothers
For two miles from San Marcos we
followed a cart road but here II abruptly
ended and we entered the forest by a
trail We noticed that much Of the
timber was good saw timber, the trees
being large, straight and free from
knots. The Maria. a beautiful hard
wood, predomlnated.
WRETCHED ROADWAY.
In two hours we had reached the
last ranch house, and at the same time
the top OF the mountain. The view
was beautiful beyond description. Far
In the distance was the ocean, between
II and us was an ocean OF mountains
covered with forests and jungles
through which we must pass. The des-
cent began Immediately and so did the
bad roads. Seldom are horses taken
along here, and the Indians on foot can
follow most any kind Of a trail No
work has ever been done except with
the machete In cutting away the
brush or In cutting q tree. We had,
therefore the greatest difficulty in max
ink any way at all Often large tree
had fallen across the path. and We were
under the necessity Of cutting around IL.
When this happened on the side OF a
steep mountain, the difficulty was
greatly Increased, In places the path
Is worn and washed by the rain until
II Is ten or even twenty feet deep, and
so narrow that several times our packs
wedged in necessitating the unpacking
of the animals. In one place tunnel
Is formed The path has worn at
least twenty feet, and the falling of
trees across II has made complete
cover. At times the descent was so
steep that the animals would slide
down. and often we were In fear OF their
going heels over head. One pack mule
fell over a bank twenty feet, but was
rescued with no more injury than a
bruised head and cut lip Another,
in jumping across a bad place on the
side of a hill struck her upper haver-
bag against tree and was literally
thrown down the mountain a distance
of seventy-flve feet. rolling over several
times and finally landing against tree.
We thought every bone In her body
was broken, but when We unpacked her
to our great relief. she stood on her
feet, badly bruised and scratched but
with good limbs The whole afternoon
was taken up In this kind of travel
At one moment a mule down, at another
moment, one wedged in the narrow
bank, or fallen down hill. And to add
to our discomfort the rain came down
in torrents, filling the path with water
wetting us from head to foot. OF
course riding was out OF the question;
II was with difficulty that we walked.
At dusk We came to a little opening
on ridge and here camped for the
night There was poor feed but plenty
OF water for the rain continued half
the night. An hour was spent in
fruitless attempt TO make a fire, after
which, without supper, we rolled into
wet blankets for the night.
The next day our roads were Sleeper
but with the absence OF narrow deillos
that lodged our packs. We continued
down the mountain side. In the af-
ternoon the rain poured again. There
was nothing to do but TO take II, our