The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-09-04
IA FORTUNATE D1SG0vERY---SAlT GATHERED BY
EDGERT0M OVERLAND TRAIN I'M 1868, PROVED
VALUABLE ASSET LATER I'M BAMMAGK HOMIE

interesting and exciting. The OK
en- we're thrown and held in spite 0.
their efforts to rise, until their fee
q were doctored. This was no Sigh
= task for men to undertake, who die
: not possess the skill of cowboys
but it afforded plenty of amuse-
ment for those who witnessed the
performance from a safe distance
One evening long after sunset
we made camp in a valley between
! low lying hills beside a rivulet that
took a c~ircuitous course through it.
. Had the hour not ben SO late we
would have continued further IN
search of a more inviting place to
spend the night, for the earth all
about us was covered with a white
incrustation that warned us the
stream was alkili.
The oxen after being unyoked
were not turned out to Craze, but
weer tied to the wagon whels, as |
have already explained was the Gus
tom when spending the night near
alkali water. Our large ~canteens
supplied enough water of the more
wholesome kind for cooking and
drinking. There was not enough
of this, however, except for the
night. We must rise early and
reach a more desirable camping
place before b~reakfasting.
All night long the oxen moaned,
in a manner pitiful to hear, and we
rejoined when morning came, and
we could drive on. As soon as it
was light enough to see, the oxen
were yoked to the wagons and we
started out, men and beast hunger
ing and athirst.
My cousin Lucia and I walked
ahead of the train, as we had often
done for exercise. We took a by
path not following the road. There
were no flowers to gather, and the
scant heritage had a stunted and
sickly appearance that we attribut-
ed to the alkali in the soil. The
white crust that was crushed under
our feet, was not entirely white, but
of a dingy hue, it had acquired
from the earth with which it was
mixed.
Lucia, possessed of that we'll
known characteristic of women,
curiosity, remarked, Il wonder how
tastes. I mean to find OUT
"Don't!" I demonstrated. "It's
poison!'
What if it is? I shan't swallow
it." And, SO saying, she bent down
and breaking off a piece of the
crust that seemed cleaner than the
rest, she put it to her mouth, while
[ watched her apprehensively.
Suddenly she exclaimed, This
sn't alkali-it tastes like salt"
tried a piece, and was of the
same opinion. This was some
hing unheard of-salt distributed
over the ground in a lavish manner.
Where did it come from? Certainly
t had not rained down from the
ky like mamma A small amount
If it might have been thrown out
~ a passing train; but this covered
he whole valley.
Then we thought of the creek and
fastening to it, discovered that the
water was undeniably salt. Rel 4
urning to the road, we waited pa
or as patiently as was pos
IDLE, considering the wonderful in
we could impart-infor-
nation not contained in the guide
'ook, that claimed to note every
unusual along the route.
Explanatory of the guide book,
: should be said that our guide,
Tho came with us from Ohio to
oint out the way, ceased to func-
on when we took the cutoff. 1t
yas as new to him as it was to us.
n his former journey across the
he had taken the lower
pad; the cutoff then being I'm
nOWn.
After what seemed to my cousin
nd I an unconscionable length of
me, the train came in sight, the
ken straining against their yokes,
I'D slowly Flooding along, lung-
lg forward momentarily at the
'ack of the drivers whip, to lapse
gain into their former steady pace.
t last the wagons drew up beside
and we told what we had found.
ur theory was not credited at first
it was too marvellous to be be-
eved. This skepticism was fol
wed by a general testing bee,
hich confirmed our statement.