94 ELDORADO 



This, no doubt, was the lost train. Getting bewildered 

 on that trackless "Sahara," they wandered about seek- 

 ing water until their teams gave out, when men, wo- 

 man and children sadly and miserably perished. The 

 same terrible fate befell many who attempted the still 

 more southern route, across Death Valley, which was 

 significantly and appropriately named. We were now 

 taking some of the medicine that had resulted so disas- 

 trously to so many others. Few can conceive the hor- 

 rors of such a journey, and the desperate straits to 

 which the crazed travelers were reduced to. In some 

 instances blood would be drawn from the arms as the 

 tongue became parched and swollen, to relieve the fran- 

 tic desire for water. Hundreds were following in our 

 wake, some with wagons, which subsequently had to 

 be abandoned. Among the fatalities was the death of 

 two young men from Ohio, who died of thirst and heat. 

 In all such cases the bodies were left exposed to the 

 elements, as by no possibility could they be given de- 

 cent interment. 



Our third and last stop was made before reaching 

 the "haven of rest" to which we were anxiously look- 

 ing. Our feed and water, except a little we had care- 

 fully preserved in our canteens, was exhausted. One 

 of our party, less prudent than the others, or being un- 

 able to control his thirst, had emptied his canteen, came 

 to me and asked if I could spare a little from mine. I 

 passed it to him, and upon giving it a shake on its re- 

 turn found it empty. I was tolerably dry about 

 that time myself. T had been carrying a pebble in my 

 mouth to prevent the excessive thirst with which all 

 more or less were suffering. At least six hours lay be- 

 tween us and any hope of relief. And to aggravate the 



