St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-29
"A PR)SP[C|OR'S LUCK. !;
BY JAMES M'NELLIs.

4 BY JAMES MNELLIS.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoO,
EVERAL years ago, lone pro
~ pector was in camp with fe
Indians on the Mexican side of tt
line. The Indians were of that trit
that lives on the deserts border an
subsists on wild honey, pine nuts an
the fruit of the cactus. With wha
Spanish he could command, the pro.
pector was trying to gain some il
formation.
He was meeting with poor success.
not on account of his Spanish, but BIZ
cause of the Indians meagre know
edge of country which they had in
habited for generations. The onl
information he received was advic
to keep entirely away from the des
ert, for many Mexicans and Indian
acquainted with the surroundin,
country, venturing beyond the town
had left their bones in that sea O.
sand.
But here was man who had lef1
the States intending to prospect the
desert; he had prospected the min
eral states and territories of the
union, and had been in most camps
OF any consequences; he combined
hunting and trapping with prospect
ing, travelling over mountain and
valley with a pack outfit, generally
alone. The man had seen rough times
and hardships in cold and in warm
climates, though his strength or en-.
durance had never been overtaxed
He had been provided with new out
fit at San Diego. laying in six months
provisions for the trip. The burros
were young and in good condition,
and able to stand any kind of ia.
tigue.
On the morning the prospector
made his start, going blindly, as it
were-for the little information he
had received from the Indians was
as diseouraging as it was limited;
they had hoped, up to the last minute,
to change his course, but they saw
at last that he was determined, and
they parted with him as though they
were about to bury him. They
watched him out of sight in an east.
erly direction, then an old man told
them that there was one Gringo less
in the world. Then they started at
once to break camp, as they always
do after they bury relative or
friend.
The sun had disappeared some time
and the western horizon had grown
purple when the prospector reached a
spring-the only one which was
known in the direction he had taken.
He had to leave his course a long
distance to the south to reach it.
though it brought him well out into
the desert. The water oozed out of
q small porphry cropping, and seemed
like surface water which might dry
up at any time. He was tired out.
His burros had already lain down
with their packs ON. After removing
the packs and hobbling the animals,
he cooked his supper of frying-pan
bread, coffee and bacon; then he
laid down in his blankets while the
burros stood around and watched him.
There was nothing in sight for them
to eat, and they were too tired to [
hunt for anything, besides their front
feetwere hobbled short. But that was
> necessity. Foot loose. by morning
hey would be well out of sight in any I
direction they took, and If a wind |
started up, their tracks would soon i
oe covered with sand, and it would I
,e impossible to trace them. c
When the prospector awoke it was c
laylight. He gathered few dried Q
actus leaves to make fire, and G
ooked out over the rolling sand in f
very direction. Nothing else could i,
,e seen. After another meal of bacon. S
read and coffee, he filed his gallon "
anteen with water, strapped on q "
orty-four Remington six-shooter, tt
nd started out in . southeasterly t,
ERECTION; not to prospect for gold, il
ut for water, which seemed far b
lore scarce. He would turn every few 81
linutes to landmark his camp in the a.
hort dry gulch, so he would not
liss 1t on his return. He travelled o,
! the same direction until his shadow n,
| the sand became twice his own m
myth before he turned his face RI
ward camp. He had seen no signs ey
water. It was dark that night he
hen he reached camp with lis cam be
en- nearly empty, and too tired TO dr.
'ok. He made meal ON panoche hi
I'd Mexican cheese, and again was Sc
on asleep in his blankets. he
The next three days saw the same st,
perience tried. The man went as 81,
{ as he could go and return to the I'm
mp the same night, each day taking gu
different direction, and each day an
til the same result-no sign Of fr,
tier. But IN his travels he picked on
float quartz, which on prospect frt
!, with horn spoon at camp, proved no