The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-10-04
OF M!RACES
Death Valley and lis Treacherous
Lures CT Beauty.
WORK OF A GOOD SAMARITAN.
Beck. the ProsPector, Who Has Made
the Desert Bloom With Guideposts
Pointing the Way to Water and
Saved Many Men From Death


Saved Many Men From Death
In the American Magazine is an arti-
Gle about Lew WeStcott Beck. who is
known as the good Samaritan of
Death valley. He and his dog. Ru-
fu>. have saved many prOSpectOrS from
Il horrible death by making the desert
blossom with guideposts showing the
way to water. The following is an ex-
tract from the article:
Time was when Beck was plain
prospector in the Cripple Creek coun-
try. He was in on the diggings at
Leadville. and he panned around in
Montana awhile. Likewise he rushed
into the Big Horn at the time of the
mineral strike there. but he never
struck Il lead that made him rich
Eventually he drifted down through
Nevada and into Death valley. chasing
rainbowS. Wild rumors about Death
Valley Scotty's big find in that section
electrified the country. and scores of
prospectorS rushed into the desert ex-
pecting To make their fortune in 4 few
days. Beck was among those pres
ent.
There We're several in Beck's party.
They liked many miles through the
mirage land. finding nothing worth
while and worrying constantly lest
they exhaust their supply of water.
For two days they sought water holes.
and wien ont Of water they Went for
hours with tongues swollen and lips
parchod from want Of moisture. Then
when death seemed inevitable they
suddenly discovered Il tiny stream
trickling out Of Il canyon 1T the base
Of the panamint mountains
when Beck returned to civilization
he was changed man. He had seen
sands that We're Strewn with skulls.
and that sight had put big idea into
his head.
Game spring and Beck made an
other trip through Death valley. Vt
his side was Newfoundland dog
The prOSpcctOr carried Il bundle of tin
strips They We're Si@nboard> to guide
the Wanderers steps Alright
Each summer since then the pros
rector and his dc" have made jour
ney to the land of the purple mist. pill
inc up rocks and attaching signs tG
them. searching for lost travellers and
incidentally keeping Il lookout for q
piece OF precious metal. Once or twice
, Rufus has led his master to prOSpector>
who. after long suffering from thirst.
| had fallen upon the burning sands to
| die.
In si"nhoardim@ the desert Beck has
| saved a number Of thirst mad rain
| bow chaSer> and has also in remote
| districts stumbled upon the bleachin"
bones of dead men who may have
| found fortunes in the silver Sulphuret
| district. but who did not live to tell
| the world about it. At one time he as
sisted ut the burial of four men who
| died of thirst within two miles Of Il
! spring
The country that Beck traverSeS is
| the most arid section of the American
| continental dreary stretch of hun.
| dredS of miles Of desert. dotted here
| ana there with foothills Duties. dry
| creek beds. 'hapHrral prickly pear AMI
| ~a-ehrU>h Springs are miles upon
! miles apart Most IF them are bitterly
| H!kHIi. and some are poison
"on IN ordinary summer afternoon
| the Thermometer runs up to about 134
| degrees in the shade out in Death val
! ley. AMI the most unpleasant thing
| about il is that there i Il dearth OF
| shade When man ventures ont upon
| tt : traclr>S eXpHnSe the Shimmering
| heat daZeS him. the scarcity Of water
/ RACES him and the mira ce-treache
| "nS, lying thin" of beauty that it is
| looms ever before him. flashing upon
| the canvA> Of his minds eye Il verdant
! valley. @or@eou>ly green with growing
| things. fresh with flowers. Wet with
| wafer ana waiting to welcome him.
| He can see grassy hill slopes just
! ahead. and the mirr0red lake appears
! 70 lie Just beyond some reckoning
! meadow He follows on and on and
! HfterWard drains the last drop from
| his canteen Then his throat becomes
| parched. his tongue cleava< to the roof
| Of his mouth. and strange things pass
| before his eyes The huZZardS begin
| to soar over him. and the coyotes sit
| upon their hunkerS and watch him
| chase rainhows until he pitches for
| ward upon his face and closes his eyes
upon world that is too mysterious
| and mercileS> for him TO linger in
| longer
| Song Of Little River.
| There's no music like little rivers
! 1t plays the same tune tand that's the
/ f3N0ri1eL and oyer. nr:ain and