The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-29

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the sun beaming down on them. Its
merciless and glimnnering rays like an
inverted hell. 1t meant o terrible
death to some. and allswell knew that
In the struggle death would DO their
constant companion. ever present and
readylto claim its " one BY n UNI
til tNe weakest. and perhapseall. had
paid the forfeit Of their terrible mis-
take with their lives.
to slaughter n Of the mules and
drink its life blood. Two more were
killed that day. and two others sue
cumbed from thirst and exhaustion;
yet this little band Of brave souls
struggled resolutely on with a heroism
surpassed by nom When night came
cooling the hot winds hat blew up
the valley and also cooling their fe.
vered brows each sank In his tracks.
thankful for the short respite.
On the morning Of the sixth day the
sun rose like a great ball Of fire. send
Ing down Its bright rays in the dark
and narrow valley like tho headlight
OF q great locomotive rushing toward
you. What must have been their
feelings? For each, knew that he
might Y look upon another sun
iators Of old to be cast in the fiery
furnace to measure swords, as it were
with that grim warrior-Death. Yet
each tried to speak some word to
cheer his companions, and to hide his
own %despairing thoughts. But their
looks belied their words. and only too
plainly showed their r feelings.
BY noon they were compelled to
kin two more animals, and about 3
o'clock Jim Gum sank down exhaust
ed, telling his companions he could go
no further, his time had come. They
gathered around him and cared for
him as best they could, but ere long
he died with a smile on his lips. Cow
ering his body with a blanket. they
turned their sad faces and tagging
footsteps toward the never-ending
short time John shafer succumbed to
delirium and died in his brothers
arms. raving Of green fields and run
ming water. They camped lei there
that night, as Bill Shafer could not
be induced to leave until morning.
There are no words. that car express
the bravery and self-sacri1ce Of these
men. who knew that each lost mo-
ment might mean their own lives.
there were but two horses remaining.
One was a nice mare owned by Joe
Brunell. who. like the Arabs Of old,
loved this animal as his own life.
Assuming command he killed the
other and divided the blood in three
equal parts. He then ordered Do
manic McCaffertie to mount the mare
and hurry on in search Of water.
Domaine started in a northerly di-
rection along the west side Of Death
Valley. riding where the ground per-
mttted until the mare fell and SEEM
ed unable to rise. Domanic took of
the bride and saddle. his heart filled
with pity for the poor brute who had
striven. so nobly, and her pleading
whinny haunted him to his dying day.
Catching the empty canteen from the
saddle he stumbled blindly on. scarce
~ knowing or caring where he went.
Fortunately he accidentally found a
small spring about five miles from
where he had left the mare Filling
his canteen, and remembering the
noble brute who had speT& her last
strength in her efforts to Scarry him
further. he had traced his steps to-
ward where he had left her. On near
ing the spot. he met her staggering
watering her and resting for a while.
he started on, leading the mare to
Panamint for assistanoe,:ias he believ-
ed his companions TO bordead. - "
When Domanic had. ridden at:::,v
from Joe Brunell and Bill :Shafer.
they staggered on, their tongues
swelling and their minds wandering.
They cast of clothing (this is a
characteristic of men, perishing on the
desert) with the exception of Joe's
boots, which he still wor to the end.
| What must have been the sufferings
of these poor men. burning with an
unquencheble thirst inside. and roast
ing al with ten thousand irons out
side! During a lucid moment Shafer
lay down and begged to be let alone,
and told Joe to go on, ais he wanted
so, after a vain effort to arouse him.
he dragged the unreslsting body In the
shade of a crossword bush and COW
| cred him with hot sand, and, hastily
| taking the canteen, which he had I'M
| consciously carried through all the
trouble. he feebly covered the three
remaining miles to Postofiice Springs.
into which he staggered and fell, car
ried thus far by his fndomitable will.
though the body was completely ex-
hausted. When he became conscious
he was lying on his back in the spring.
his dried body absorbing the water
like a sponge. To this fact he prob
ably owed his life. as his tongue was
SO swollen. and p~rotruding~ from his
mouth. and blistered by the sun. that
1t was impossible to swallow. The
water gradually TSVuCcu Su0 oWoAAAAA6
to the normal state. when exhausted
nature claimed her W and he sank
into a sound slumber.
How long he slept he never knew,
but when he awoke with a start his
thoughts rushed frantically to the un.
conscious man lying In the shade OF
the greasewood, and he cried: "Oh.
God! I have let him die!"
He vas a Frenchman, and his ac-
tons will be best explained in his own
words: II fill my canteen. I run, ]
fall. / get up. I go. I say: He shall not
die!' When I come where I leave
him I nc see him. and by and by I see
him. He lay on one big fiat rock. !
say: He dead now sure I battle
his head. I pour water on his tongue.
and by and by I see he live. I say:
Thank God!'"
All, what devotion, what heroism.
what noble efforts to save a comrade.
Brave men have fallen in battle, but
were they Drawer than this one? The
desert is full Of these e and OF
deeds that are unknown to the world.
The next day they were found by
the rescue party sent out from Pana
mint. Shafer, being q man of wealth.
was sent east to some summer resort.
and Brunell was sent to Arrowhead
Springs In San Bernardino county.
where he remained for several months
before he entirely recovered. He ta
somewhere in Nevada today. and ]
think Bill Shafer returned and still
resides in or neal San Bernardino:
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