Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1907-07-05
Secrets OF The Desert.

purpose by rain. Opposite | ost Valley
stands Teles cope peak, hoEy with the
snow OF centuries, and throws down a
long shaiows at an early hour. 1t is a
strange quarte;te, thia valley, this peak,
the Grapevines and the sun, "A quartet.e
OF desert wizards who at this place and
hour c~oniure up a spectre from Lost
Valley, the wrath OF Il lost desert and a
lost city. Every day in the heat of
summer the White Haze from Lost VAL
ley lifts up from it's sand home and
paints the White mirage over the Grape
vince.
Daring prospectors enter Lost Valley.
Daring prospectors cross the Grapevines.
The craze for wealth surmounts i'll men
OF the desert the fear OF death from
thirst and these men drive their train Of
pack animals into the region Of the White
mirage. A few come back. Others pass
over tue Grapevines, across Lost Valley,
on int the shadows Of Telescope peak
and the shadow OF that White mirage.
These are the ones that have been lured
on by the lust for GOLD aud the ~irresis-
table adventure to seek for the city OF
the Grapevines which has streets made
Of gold. These fall victims to the picture
OF the White lIaZa, oven rs unfortunate
mariners fall victims to the grewsome
witchery OF the Flying Dutchman.
Over the Grapevines on a hot summer
day these prospectors see the White
mirage OF a city in the maze above the
mountains and their fate is sealed.
The desert hi its secret we'll in hand.
Each day the sunlight sIantiug oblique-
ly over the Panamints touches up a pic.
ture that fills with awe the heart OF a
desert man. Almost each day some lone
p]rospector driving his burro train over
the desert In search NJ hidden wealth
stops before the painted city in the
clouds. He secs the 'dobe walls OF the
crumb!ing buildings, the long streets OF
a dead city, the plaZI, rows OF houses
which once acld inhabitants Of superior
intelligence. HIS eyes stare in wonder.
The heat has made him uncertain, but
he feels sure that the city is the store.
house OF great treasure, and then it Is
q lost city, which alone would be enough
to tempt him onward. lie watches the
mirage. The light glares until it almost
bhnds him. The picture in the clouds
%brightens and dims and then fades into
the White Haze, and so fades the secret
OF Lost Valley. For this valley, rs it's
companion father south, has its spooks
and its tragedies and frequently il pic.
lures these on its canvass above the
Gr8pevIDes. When the sun begins to
settle behind the PananiDts aud Teles-
cope peak drops Il shadow into the val
ley, these spooks from Lost Valley come
up to play their FRANKS upon the unYary
desert mao. The Grapeyines that hold
the secret OF the Lost Breyfogle and a
thousand other secrets take n leading
part. The Lost City glistens like gold
clouds, but the secret 10 never disclosed,
No one Inns ever found the way that leads
in'o the broad street Of the town or TO
tho plaza in the city Of tile White Mirage.
Freighters driving from Amargosa to
Greenwater across the A%margosa see at
some distance from the road a freight.
ing outfit that appears to have been
stalled there in the sand. This outft
was first observed in April when the
warm weather set in. One man stop.
pod ono dry to IN y~estigate. He left his
team standing in the desert and hasten.
ed across tho desert toward the strange
Quilt. As he walked, however, there
wac no difference in the apparent near
ness Of the outfit. TO walked until he
bad almost lost sight Of his W tor m
and finally gave up the attempt 10 So
what manner OF apparitioD he bad been
folio owing.
But whenever the freighter passed tho
snme place on tho road he could eco the
outfit in tho distance. II was not a
mirage, apparently, Tor the image WINS
close 20 the ground, and il was distinct
enough 30 that he was certain II was not
nm optical Illusion. lilo pointed the
thing out TO an automobile mnn and
thus another attempt was made io dis.
cover the character Of the object that
remained anchored so definitely in the
desert, For u time the automobile was
driven straight toward tho object. Soon
However, u rugged road was encounter
cd. Some detOurs had TO DO made, and
when the purity again came in.0 diroc,
line with the irei4hting outfit, or the
particular spot where IL was visible,
the apparition wGs gone. rho pnrty
searched the desert ~thorongly for some
distance, but nothing could bo found ~
theireigbtinR team aud wagon. Wheo
the auto got back 10 the road, however,
the ppectre was there again II Ia
there today. Anyone passing along The
road over the Amargosa desert can SEQ
this outfit ut cerain hours OF the morn,
ing, yet no u can cay for a c~ettaini,
what 1t ~. Upon closer approach II