ElvDORADO 93 



After about six hours, or 5 o'clock in the morning, 

 we again halted an hour for refrshment and rest, well 

 knowing that the most difficult task still lay before us 

 There was no feed to be obtained, and our morn- 

 ing repast consisted of what we had prepared at 

 our last camp on the edge of the desert, and water from 

 our canteens, but little remaining for our poor ani- 

 mals. It may not be generally known, bui neverthe- 

 less is a fact^ that a man can undergo more fatigue and 

 hardship and last longer under the most trying condi- 

 tions than the "lower animals." 



About 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning the deceptive 

 mirage began to get in its work. Some of the boys de- 

 clared they could see little lakes, or ponds, of water 

 but a short distance away. The ripples they said could 

 be plainly seen along the pebbly shore, also trees with 

 their green foliage.- Finally the optical illusion became 

 so real and apparently so near, that two of the boys 

 rushed off where they were positve they would find 

 water, but they had not preceded far before the scene 

 changed, and nothing was visible but shimmering, mov- 

 ing sand. About 1 1 o'clock we noticed at no great dis- 

 tance, possibly a mile to the right, what appeared to be 

 a small camp of emigrant wagons, but whether we were 

 again deceived we could not tell. A small party with 

 pack and riding animals being near us at the time, a 

 couple on horseback rode out to investigate. On their 

 return they reported finding a number of wagons with 

 their covers quite intact and the bleached bones of hu- 

 man beings and animals scattered about. We had been 

 told at Salt Lake of an emigrant train that had started 

 lo cross the desert against repeated warnings in '49. 

 the year previous, which was never heard of after 



