The Nome daily nugget., 1936-01-24

luey SUuDDtu Dslh dt ulltI luCy had been bent by our passage.
 Looking up-for was afraid to look flown, could see mountain tops gleam- ing, white in the sunshine, and thanked my stars that 1 was at least not up there. But my gratitude came too soon. little later 1t became evident that that was just where Caballero in- tended to go. He did not go in haste though l would rather have had it all over. He walked, step by step, making sure of every small rock on which he placed his hoof The movement was much like that of small boat on stormy ocean, and found myself grow ing sea sick.
 Again and again l yanked at the reins, but the creature only looked around reprovingly at me and proceed ed on his way. Just ahead l heard loud roaring noise, and, looking up, l observed that cataract was pouring it's waters into the V-Shaped bottom of the canyon about city block ahead. l endeavored once more to arrest our progress, but what was the use?
 We went right into that fall. and soon there was nothing that was con scious of but the roaring of many wa ters. seized the saddle and hung on. Around and over me was titanic drumming. Now and then an especial ly dense mass of water descended on me and rendered me temporarily-I thought-unconscious. But we still bore on, and by and by we went forth into clear sunshine.
 It was a happy release, but It was not to last long. The trail wound around a corner, and directly above me loomed giant glacier. It was probably very beautiful, but l would have been just as eager to enjoy the sight of the angel of doom. l had learned by this time that yanking on the bridle would convey no message to Caballero that he would heed, so thrust my legs as far apart as possible, and brought them banging into his stomach. He only looked around at me reprovingly and turned up toward the ice and snow.
 We climbed that glacier with steady, but not a sure tread. A num- l Der of times my ship of the mountains mistook soft snow for hard, and rolled over on his side. Each time tried to get off before he reganed his equili- brium, but it was hopeless. Always he was up and forth before l could extri- cate my feet from the stirrups and l dismount.
 At last we stood on what up to that time I had regarded as the summit of the range. Now, l thought, l shall | get off. To go down this canyon on | that imbecile animal is not to tempt | Providence, it is to defy 1t. But we were going up, not down. On, on, on and on. we plodded, till at last we could | look about and see range after range of snow capped mountains. It was | probably sublime sight, but 1t didn't strike me that way at the time. 1 was | fishing for my hunting knife with the | idea that 1 would have to thrust 1t | between Caballero's ribs and stop him the best l could when heard hail | from below, and looking down, ob- served the guide approaching on re- plica of my burro.
 was glad to see him. In fact, there was at that time no human being on this earth, not excepting my wife and children. that l would have been so glad to see.
 "He got ye here all right, see," said my rescuer, grinning. "l knowed he would. He's a smart brute, Caballero, even if he is burro."
 When do we start home?" l asked with simple directness.
 "Home. why we ain'tsgot quarter of the way. yet"
 "Oh, yes, we have" l replied. We've got all the way and Pm going to walk back"
 didn't for he overpersuaded me but there were a number of times on that ride when would have traded my life for song, and not very good song at that.
 | O. Bell syndicate.-WNU Service.