Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-11-01
LAND OF M|RACES
Death Valley and Its Treacherous
Lures OF Beauty.
WORK OF A GOOD SAMARITAN.
Beck. the Prospeetor. 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 ain arti-
Gle about Lew Westcott Beck. who is
known as the good Samaritan OF
Death valley" He and his dog Ru-
fus, have saved many prospcctors from
horrible death by making the desert
blossom with guidcposts showing the
way to water The following is an ex
tract from the article:
thine was when Beck was a plain
prospector in the Cripple Creek coun-
try lie was In on the diggings at
Leadvillc. and lie PANIED around in
Montana awhile Likewise he rushed
into the Big Horn ut the time of the
mineral strike there but he never
struck lead that made him rich.
Eventually he driftcd 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 10 make their fortune In Il few
days Beck was among those pres
ent'
There were several in Beck's party.
They liked many miles through the
mirage land. finding nothing worth
while aud 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 tiny stream
trickling out of canyon at the base
Of the Panamint mountains
When Beck returned to civilization
he WIS a changed man. He had seen
sands that were strewn with skulls.
and that sight had piit big idea into
his head
Game spring and Beck made an
his side was u Newfoundland dog.
The prospcctor carried n bundle of tin
strips They were sgnboards to guide
the wanderers steps Alright.
Each summer since then the pros
pcctor and his dog have made n jour
ncy TO the land Of the purple mist. phi.
Ing up rocks and attaching signs TO
them. searching for lost travellers and
incidentally keeping lookout for a
piece of precious metal. Once or twice
- fst.. "a Ia tor to M
who. after long suffering from thirst,
had fallen upon the burning sands TO
die.
''ln signboarding the desert Beck has
saved number Of thirst mad rain
bow chasers ana has also in remote
districts stumbled upon the bleaching
bones of dead men who may have
found fortunes IN the silver Sulphuret
district. hut who did not live to tell
the world about IT, At one time he as
died OF thirst within two miles OF
spring
The country that Beck traverses is
the most arid section OF the American
continent-a drcary stretch of hun
dreds Of miles Of desert. dotted here
and there with foothills. buttes. dry
creek beds. chaparral. prickly pear and
sagebrush. Springs are miles upon
miles apart Most of them are bitterly
alkali. and some are poison.
ION an ordinary summer afternoon
the thermometer runs up to about 1874
degrees In the shade out In Death val.
ley. and the most unpleasant thing
| about II il that there is dearth OF
shade When man ventures out upon
this tracklcss cXpanse the shimmcring
heat dazcS him. the scarcity OF water
crazes him. and the mirage--treacher
Gus. lying thing OF beauty that II is
looms ever before him. flashing upon
the canvas 81 his minds eye verdant
valley. gorgcously green with growing
things. fresh with flowers wet with
water and waiting 10 welcome him
lie can see grassy hill slopes just
| ahead. and the mirrorcd lake appears
TO lie just beyond some reckoning
meadow lie follows on and on and
| afterward drains the last drop from
his cantrcn Then his throat becomes
| parched. his tongue cleaves TO the roof
OF his mouth. and strange things pass
before his eyes The buzzards begin
TO soar over him. aud the coyotes sit
upon their lnukcrs ana watch him
chase ralnbowS untIl he pitches for.
ward up0u his face and closes his eyes
upon world that is too mysterious
and mercileSS for him TO linger In
longer"