Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-06-04

Sa'AeS " " Abllpuo VI vi
which the u shot its rays making
various tints all OF which were sad ant
l~lfeless. 1t IS really q difficult thing
| suppose, to get much beauty out Of
dust cloud. The storm swept nearer
and nearer. The camels grumbled bu'
laid their long necks straight on thu
ground ready to meet the storm.
AS soon as the dust began to swir
about us. We were enveloped in the
huge cloths covering the automobile
and we remained under cover unit
the storm had swept past. Luckily
1t was not a severe storm. 1t lasted
only about ten minutes, and we could
see 1t swirling and twisting in the dis
lance as it passed on over the desert
The men of the party rode here and
there always Keeping within sight OF
the caravan and they brought back fol
our inspection those ugly little horned
toads, an amazing collection Of lizards
while they reported the conquest OF
several rattle.snakes. T"'
We passed an old miner-a typical
Aver, dressed in a gray wooden shirt,
corduroy trousers and long heavy
boots. He was camped by the way.
side, his only companion being a tiny
burro, blessed iii an enormous pack
saddle. The old man had his pick and
shovel and gold.pan strapped to the
pack saddle and evidently had hopes
Of finding some place to use them. Our
party greeted him jovially and wished
him good luck. but he sat by his little
camp fire unmoved and with no more
expression on bis features than his
companion, the burro.
In the desert, one day is just about
the same as another day. while the
nights offer no change from the nan.
otony. OF course, we had a big ten.
which we used as a drawing:room and
there in the evening, we sat about
with music sometimes, giving a bridge
party, and enjoying ourselves in vari.
ols ways. Several in the party had
good voices, SO we had some singing
Of excellent quality. pes,
One thing We were always careful
about, was to make a thorough exami.
nation of Jul bedding before retiring
for the night. More than one member
Of the party gave vent to CALCULATIONS
OF horror upon the discovery Of a scor.
pion or centipede, which evidently
thought the bed had been especially
prepared for his comfort. -
Day by day the picture making went
On. There was mad riding on horse
back and camelback. There was shoot.
ing, and l will never forget the day
of the fierce combat which was SO
realistic that we all shuddered, and
felt that we had witnessed a tragedy,
indeed. OF course, during the action
of the piece, other fights were pic.
tured, but the big fight in the desert.
is surely n that will fascinate every.
n who sees the picture.
One particular thing about our des-
ert Journey. at least the fact was pc.
culiar to us, occidentals, was the close
application OF the Arabs and other Mo
hammedans in our train. to their re-
ligious duties. They had a muezzin,
who was also a whirling dervish, and
he called the devotees Of Mohammed
to prayers as strictly as though they
were in their own home country.
Enjoyable Feature.
An exceptionally enjoyable feature
In connection with our trip, was the
privilege Of taking a bath-something
never before done in the desert. Mi.
Selig had an eye to the comfort Of the
members of his troupe, and instructed
that arrangements should be made for
q plentiful supply Of water to be used
for bathing purposes. l don't suppose
that ever before in the history OF a
desert caravan, were daily baths in.
dulged in by members OF a party. l
don't mean to intimate that everybody
took baths, but some of us did, and it
made life less difficult under the
dreadful and mournful surroundings.
It took US a long time In the desert,
and the work was hard, but we knew
that it must be accomplished and we
all did our best. So that when you see
1.-THE Carpet From Bagdad" produced
in a great Selig photoplay, those Of
you who read this article, will recall
the substance Of my writing. We did
not move about much and re were
fairly comfortable during the weeks
spent in the desert.
l can realize how a man, alone amid
the trackless waste Of sands, can be-
come hopeless and helpless especially
when without water. l will never for.
get one day when we had ridden sew.
eral miles from camp, that we discov.
cred that the canteens had been left
behind. There was no water to drink.
OF course, we were without water for
only a few hours, but the very fact
that we could not have it when We
wanted it, made US desire 1t all the
more
1 have experienced more pleasant
occasions than our trip through the
California Desert, and | also have ex.
perienced occasions that were more
unpleasant. The desert traveller
equipped with primitive .conveniences.
and with limited supplied OF food and
water, naturally finds such a trip 4
hardship, but we, equipped with every
modern convenience and supplied with
m anrfr n4 lix,iriaa really Holf IA