Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-04-07

and patiently waited The long hours
dragged. and the storm increased in
fury. Cameron and Warren wet
scarfs with water from their canteens,
and bound them rOuno their faces,
and then covered their heads. The
steady, hollow below of flying sand
went on. It flew so thickly that enough
slfted down under the shelving rock to
weight the blankets ana almost bury
the men. They were frequently COM
PEELED to shake off the sand to keep
from being borne to the ground. And
It was necessary TO keep digging out
the packs. They lost the count of time.
They dared not sleep, for that would
have meant being buried alive.
The storm finally blew itself out. 1t
left the prospectors heavy and stupid
for want of sleep. Their burrOs had
wandered away, or had been buried
In the sand. Far as eye could reach
the desert had marvelously changed;
It was now q rippllng sea of sand
dunes. Away to the north rose the
peak that was their only guiding
mark. They headed toward 1t, carry
ing a shovel and part of their packs.
AT noon the peak vanished in the
shimmering glare of the desert. The
prOspectOrs pushed on, guided by the
sun. In every wash they tried for
water With the fOrked peach branch
in his hands Warren always succeed
ed in locating water. They dug, but
1t lay too deep. At length, spent and
sore, they fell and slept through that
night and part of the next day. Then
they succeeded in getting water, and
quenched their thirst, and filled the !
canteens. and cooked a meal.
The burning day found them in an
Unfortunately wide plain, where there |
was nc shelter from the fierce sun.
Mountain peaks doomed on all sides, |
some near, others distant; and one,
blue spur, splitting the glazing sky |
far to the north, Cameron thought he
recognized as a landmark The ascent |
toward it was heartbreaking, not in |
but in lis league-and- league
long monotonous rise. Cameron knew
there was only one hope-tO make the
water hold out and never stop to rest.
Warren began to weaken. Often he
had to halt
Cameron measured the water in his
canteen by its weight Evaporation
by heat consumed as much as he
drank. During one of the rests, when
he had wetted his rarched mouth and
throat, he found opportunity to pour
a little water from his canteen into
Warren's.
At first Cameron had curbed his
restless activity to accommodate the
pace of his elder comrade. But now
he felt that he was losing something
Of his instructive and passionate zeal
TO get out of the desert. The thought
Of water came to occupy his mind. He
began to imagine that his last little
store Of water did not appreciaDly d.
ninish. He knew he was not quite
right in his mind regarding water;
he felt this to be more
If fact than fancy, and he began to
ponder.
When next they rested he pretended
o be in kind Of stupor; but he COW
,rtly watched Warren. The man 0p-
,eared far gone, yet he had cunning.
lie cautiously took up Cameron's can
cen and poured water into it from
IFS own.
This troubled Cameron. He reflect
d, and concluded that he had been
Inwise not to expect this very thing.
Then, as his comrade dropped into
weary rest, he lifted both canteens.
f there were any water in Warrens,
t was only very little. Both men had
ees enduring the terrible desert