Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-18

cGnt-lOOKln{' water, UlaL area OH
either side of the narrow path the
cattle know is a deadly quick sand
and from which no animal has ever
been rescued.
The old established herds know
their way They stand and drink
from dry land and hurry across on
the water-covered path that is less
than foot wide, but new cattle
bought for these herds or stray
stock attempting to cross are often
lost The instinct that guides these
animals is strongest developed in
the horse. One may, now and
then, find horse. more bold than
bright, that is willing to fight the
sands. Such animals will answer
the command of d, .rider, and, like
a frightened animal in water over
it's head, will take the quaking
quagmire at a dead run, thus escap-
ing the gripping death so long as
the weight of the rider and horse
is moving fast enough and the sand
thick enough to sustain 1t.
Horse Has Protecting Instinct
Once let the racing animal feel
the sands giving way as thin ice
gives away under skater and that
sixth sense that in animals is called
instinct comes tDbhis assistance and
he throws himself violently to one
side. He thus lands with his great
est bulk on thessurface of the sand
and thus pets chance to draw
his legs and feet, probably encased
in the vise-like grip of the sand,
up.
A river bottom rider will manage
to get his leg up when the sands
grip and the horse throws himself
and will lie with the horse and
perhaps mutter prayer that the
horse will not lose his nerve. II
the rider is not quick and his leg
is caught under the horse then, If
he is panic stricken, it is even
better, for he cannot get away and
it is the bulk of the horses sur
face weight on the sand that must
be depended on to save them
after all,
The horse will lie quietly for
perhaps two minutes. His weight
suueezes some of the water from
the sand and packs the place where
he is lying. Presently he will
come alive like flash and is up
and away for the river wall and
the rocks and solid ground and
if the rider gives him his head and
is content to fall with him and
pray a bit they will come out all
right No record of a man and
horse having perished in the river
here is known, but cattle have gone
down in many places.
Sand Holds What 1t Grasps
The sands hold on with the grip
of death. There are shallow quick
sands here that muddy ones shoes
over a hard under surface, but
there is a stretch between the noted
cattle path crossing and the drain
age outlets at the County hospital
where half dozen head OF cattle
have sunk from sight one after the
other and there is not even a
rough place i'll the serene surface
to indicate it to the next unsus-
pecting victim.
At this place there are dunes of
soft white sand for some distance
along the bottom of the river wall
and from these dunes a strip OF
darker sand leads out to the spark
ling waters of pretty pool. Be-
cause the dunes are stacked up
until they offer an exit over the
river wall, the cattla rrazing on
the mesa walk down the dunes to
cross the dark sand bar for a
drink. They walk down. They
Oh rv,Sf b.
| "A jack rabbit can drink there.
He is light. man, walking
swiftly and carefully, if he is fool
enough. or the need be great, can
reach that sparkling water and get
back to the white sand again. This
stretch Of quick sand is very thick.
One may stamp upon it and bruise
ones foot. but one may stand in
one place on it minute and have
need of the assistance of strong
man to extricate ones feet
"A beautiful dairy cow, sold from
one dairy to another and having a
calf at her first home. attempted
to return from near Douglas to the
first dairy ranch some miles west
4 and across the river. Luck brought
= tndI COW 10 LIE Sdllu 0uuCo anu eiS
black stretch before the water.
Straight ahead of her lay home
land her calf and she walked out.
I she stepped out rather for men
who had searched and tracked
could place one foot on firm ground
land the other on her back where
the earth had opened and started
to swallow her
/ Power Needed for Rescue Great
The cow was more than half
swallowed. The grip of the sand
was squeezing the life from the
animal The cold-the sands. are
like ice under the surface--had
sapped her strength She could not
struggle, for three-ton truck
could not move her legs. Four
men with two strong cow horses
and $50 feet Of inch rope worked
to rescue the COW. After 4risking
their own safety to get ropes down
/ into the sand and around the
shoulders of the animal the com
bined efforts Of the horses and men
could not bulge her.
4 One man. digging with his hands
to get a rope down, lost his balance
on fhe hank and thrust forward on