[COYNE] RICHARD MAURICE BUCKE— A SKETCH 167 



'■ Allen, overcome with grief, was left alone in the possession of their 

 common secret." 



The Grosh bop had been in the habit of spending each winter 

 in California. Hosea's death delaj-ed Allen's departure until winter 

 was already closing in on the mountains. 



It was now that Bucke came upon tbe scene. He had helped to 

 curse and bury the brother; and this led to a close friendship with 

 Allen, who arranged that Bucke should take Ilosea's place as his com- 

 panion in the long journey over the mountains. 



10. 



It was the middle of I^ovember before they left the caiïon. The 

 donkey which carried their baggage strayed away, and it was the 30th 

 before they left Washoe Valley. They had now but three days' provi- 

 sions with them. In the valley the weather had been warm. Ascend- 

 ing the mountains they cut through six inches of ice the first night 

 to get water. ISText day, they crossed the eastern summit of the Sierra, 

 about 9,000 feet high. Down 2,000 feet lower, to Lake Tahoe, and then 

 on the following day, around the lake to its outlet through Trucksee river, 

 tliey trudged on. The trail crossed the river and then Squaw Valley. 

 Undeterred by twenty-four hours of rain, they attempted the western 

 summit. The rain turned to snow, the trail was covered, was lost; 

 the adventurers turned back to tlie valley, and, drying themselves as 

 best they could in the still falling rain, lay àovro. by their fire till 

 morning. 



Xext day it was colder and snowing in the valley. They were 

 obliged to encamp here for a week, the almost continuous snow hiding 

 the trails and even the mountain summits. The donkey was killed for 

 food. A tent was improvised of blankets. Its site served as a fire- 

 place during the day and as their l)ed at night. The young men 

 made themselves snowshoes, but these proved a failure and were thrown 

 away. 



On the 28th, the slc}' being bright and clear, they climbed all day 

 tc a high summit. " During a great part of tlie ascent the ground 

 was too steep for walking. In such places our mode of procedure 

 was to clear away the snow, catch hold of tlie Inishes, and with hands 

 and feet together climb up." Then they found a ravine, at least 

 a thousand feet deep, with perpendicular walls, between them and the 

 main ridge to be crossed. Again they went back to camp, reaching it 

 about ten o'clock at niglit, tired out. 



Finally, on the 29th, " after a terribly hard up-hill walk of some 

 ten or twelve miles, through deep snow and over rough ground, we 



