St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-29


trails and get specimens Of the sam.
character of rock, which was a fine
grained, rosy quartz. For these trips
. ne mad to take burro, and also cases
to pack and mark each specimen
This he continued doing for four OF
: hve days, changing burros every day
without discovering where the rich
t rock came from, although he got
prospects from other kinds,
Then he determined to push further
: south, and to go as far in a day as
ne could, with the hope of locating
water. 1t not successful, his gallon
canteen full would not allow him to
suffer much in two days. He took
only the provisions for two DAYS. his
gallon canteen full of water and his
sie-shooter.
He was able to cover 40 miles a
day, and he knew he must have done
this, though handicapped by the
weight he carried, and the fine sand
that offered no resistance.
The country he travelled over was
all the same--rolling sand and cactus.
But as evening approached he could
see on the horizon a smoky blue
ridge rising out of the sand. It was
20 or 80 miles away, but there. might
be water somewhere along its base.
1t was the only sign of any kind he
had seen for days. He concluded to
keep on, and by morning he hoped to
reach it. Should he not find water
he had still little left for the re-
turn. The thought Of discovering
water gave him new strength. and he
qulckened his pace. The night was
bright, and he had no trouble to keep
his direction. He was saving with
the water now, for he had at least |
two-day's trip back; his canteen
was not more than half full, and he
would have to rest on the return trip.
Toward morning and he found the
ground rising. He knew he was ap
preaching the elevation he had seen
early in the evening. Well worn out.
he stretched himself on the sand for
an hours rest and sleep. When he
awoke it was daylight. He was at
the base of a hill. The elevation
proved to be three hills, some little
distance apart, and one behind the
other, which, at a long distance, gave
them the appearance of ridge. They
were also higher than they had
seemed to be on the previous evening.
The man ate little of the food !
and drank some of the precious
water. What he could now see of the
hills was not encouraging, but his .
waking dream came to him-a dream
OF cottonwood trees, and willows :
under them shading cool, running
stream on either side of the ridge.
Thinking of this, he gathered his be- :
longings and started slowly to ascend :
the hill. 1t was a long climb and he =
rested often, becoming more excited :,
as he neared the top, whence he would :
be able to see the other side. His /.
heart sank as it came in sight, for :,
was dryer, if possible, than the one g
ne had traversed, and his vision of an !
TOUR before became as a nightmare. :,
lie knew no time could be wasted in :,
making the return trip. 1t was :,
wo-day's journey; he had scant =,
'ne-day's water supply, and he was r
cry weak. He started around the -
ill TO get his bearings for camp. He =.
oticed pieces of queerlooking brown :,
ock, and through force Of habit he -
licked up specimen to examine as
e went. 1t was decomposed quartz :,
nd it crumbled in his hand. He n:
licked up another and another; they
vere the same. Now the brown =,
hunks on the ground seemed yellow 81
him. He picked one up. It not ~ ~
My looked yellow-it appeared very r.
eavy. He tried others; all were the ~
lme. W
Was he dreaming? Or going mad? mn
e feared the latter He dropped Al
Re last piece he had picked up and -,
arted for the top of the hill, rub ~;
ng his eyes. He sat down in his wa
cited condition and tried to calm NC
mself. He looked out over the des- ha
t. Everything had its natural to
Tor; he took little water; every III.
ing seemed real; then he went a.
ok. He was neither dreaming nor wh
ing mad. 1t was real! The ground mn,
space about two feet wide and n
veral yards long was covered with bv
ggets of all shapes and sizes. ~,
me had the dark brown quartz ~,
tached, and all were embedded in ~.
ledge Of honeycombed, decom- n,
sed brown quartz, with black -
llachite rock on both walls. He ani
ok his canteen from his shoulder g
d laid it carefully down while he -
pected his find. He became ex- 80
ed again when picking up the mug an %
IS, and in shifting his position :.
We the canteen a kick which ret 81,
on its round edge. In flash he ~.
liked what he had done. as
IS the canteen started down the him
he pitched after it, though every rao
ond made wider the gap between q +,
and his reaching hand, and every nor
le the canteen would strike the ana
d, black bedrock with a thud it ~
like q dagger struck at his heart. tive
followed 1t, hoping the tin would t;an
wy ~. mere was not him
truck the bottom his heart sank, and
it bounded high in the air with coya
II ring and swerved from its o,,+
rse. He followed still in the hope mos
saving mouthful of the water two
which he had been so careful 1ool
minutes before; when he reached ders
he can was dry in little moist tho
:, "nere :. was resting. lie grew ever,
us ne tnougnt now thirsty ne with
; anu .. the - hours OF hard only
cling before he could reach wa sm;,.
While he could hear the churn- the
of the water in his canteen he won1