Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-22
LAND OF MIRAGES
Death Valley and Its Treacherous
Lures of Beauty.

In the American Magazine Is an artl-
Gle about Lew westcott Beck, who Is
known as the good Samaritan OF
Death valley" He and his dog, Ru-
fus, have saved many prospectors from
a 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 a plain
prospector in the Cripple Greek coun-
try. He was in on the diggings at
Leadville, and he PANIED around in
Montana awhile. Likewise he rushed
into the Big Horn at the time of the
mineral strike there, but he never
struck a 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 a few
days. Beck was among those pres
emit
There were several In Beck's party.
They hiked 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 when out of water they went for
hours with tongues swollen and lips
parched from want of moisture. Then
when death seemed inevitable they
suddenly discovered a tiny stream
trickling out of canyon at the base
of the Panamint mountains.
when Beck returned to civilization
he was a changed man. He had seen
sands that were strewn with skulls.
and that sight had put big idea into
his head.
Game spring, and Beck made an
other trip through Death valley. At
his side was a Newfoundland dog.
The prospector carried bundle of tin
strips. They were signboards to guide
the wanderers steps Alright.
| Each summer since then the pros
pector and his dog have made a jour-
ney to the land of the purple, mist. pill
ing up rocks and attaching signs to
them. searching for lost travellers and
incidentally keeping a lookout for n
piece OF precious metal Once or twice
Rufus has led his master to prospectors
who, after long suffering from thirst
had fallen upon the burning sands to
die.
"In signboarding the desert Beck has
saved a number of thirst mad rain
bow chasers and has also in remote
districts stumbled upon the bleaching
bones of dead men who may have
found fortunes In the silver sulphurei
district, but who did not live to tel
the world about it. At one time he as
sisted at the burial of four men who
died of thirst within two miles of &
spring.
"The country that Beck traverses Il
the most arid section of the American
continents dreary stretch of hun
: dreds of miles Of desert, dotted hers
and there with foothills, buttes, dry
creek beds, chaparral, prickly pear ant
sagebrush. Springs are miles upol
miles apart. Most Of them are bitterly
alkali, and some are poison.
. "On an ordinary summer afternoon
the thermometer runs up to about 49,
degrees In the shade out in Death val
ley. and the most unpleasant thing
about 1t is that there is a dearth o.
shade. When man ventures out upoI
this trackless expanse the shimmerini
heat daZes him, the scarcity of watel
crazes him. and the mirage-treacher
Gus. lying thing of beauty that II is
looms ever before him. flashing upor
r the canvas Of his minds eye verdan
valley. gorgeously green with CROWN;
J things. fresh with flowers, wet Will
water and waiting to welcome him.
! He can see grassy hill slopes jus
ahead, and the mirrored lake appear,
/, to lie just beyond some beckOnin;
) meadow. He follows on and on am
afterward drains the last drop from
his canteen. Then his throat become
parched. his tongue cleayes TO the roo
OF his Mouth, and strange things pas
before his eyes The buzzaFds beeiI
/ to soar over him. and the coyotes 81
( upon their hunkers and watch bin
chase rainDows until he pitches fol
ward upon his face and closes his eye
upon world that IS too mystertoa
and merctIess for him to lIueer 4
E longer"