LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2347, 11 October 1881, Page 4

LITERATURE.

SAVED BY A MIRAGE. By P. V. Vival. A barren valley of sixty miles in extent, encircled by towering mountains, that rose like huge, imperishable arches, ‘ built without hands,’ to support the star-gemmed evening sky, which had not a single fleecy cloud to soften its opal tints. From this encircling rim of mountains two long offshoots made out into the valley, both diverging from one point, and thus forming a V-shaped enclosure, in which was piled a great rift of glistening sand, as white ns driven snow, and fully five hundred feet in height. One of these offshoots ended abruptly in a sandy plain, known as tho ‘ Twenty-sight Mile Detert.’ which lay in the eastern half of tho valley ; the oth* • partially divided this sandy desert from one of alkali, which lay in the west, and terminated in a low-lying mound, from which Issued several springs of mineral water that gave the locality that name of Sand. Springs. Tho great violet vault of the sky lighted, the blazing stars, that hung low in its expanse, pal-id and expired as dawn shed its pale, silver light down into the little valley, and awakened, with unfelt, magical touch, the grizzled guide of a party of prospectors who were camped about Sand Springs. I'aptaln Bsn sat up, rubbed his eyes, took a chew of tobacco, patted the nose of hia faithful, keen-scented dog, and then said, in an ordinary tone—- ‘ Come, boys, wake up !’ Instantly, almost, every man was wideawake and ready for o:ders. It was perilous times ia that Western country (the events of our story occurred in 1860), (or Indian foes lurked on every hand, and a man who ventured thither muse carry with him tried nerves end a desperate courage, quickness of thought and promptness of action, in order to cop t at all with the dangers which everywhere threaten him; and, therefore, this quietly-uttered order did its work aa well among a score of men, possessing the above qualities, as though a trumpet had suddenly been sounded in their midst. A fire was built, a huge 1-luok coffee-pot set to boiling, and soon the men were engaged in despatching a rather tough breakfast of hard tack and * jerked,’ or sundried meat, Robert Kingsley, the youngest member of

the party, straight, lithe, and singularly handsome, with dark hair and brows, while his eyes were dark blue, rose from the ground where he had been sitting while partaking of tho primitive meal, turned the coffee grounds out of a tin dipper, and stir’ed with it for the springs. ‘Bah!'ho exclaimed, hastily ejecting the mouthful of water with a look of disgust on his frank, boyish face that tho whole company laughed, ‘ Wha'-'s the matter, Kingsley?’ questioned the guide with a grunt of amusement. • Well, if that isn’t tho nastiest stuff I ever tasted. Captain Ben I don’t know where I ever met its equal,’ said the young fellow, with a wry face. *By George I if I could just lie down beside a spring that bubbled out from under the roots of an old apple treo I know of, I would try and wash tho taste of that vile, rotten liquid out of my mouth. But— ’

4 But, ’ broke in tho guide, rather sarcastically, ’it is about thirty miles to another watering-place, and I should advise you, young man, to fill your canteen with what yon find here, for when your mouth is blistering and crackling even that stuff will be a relief.’ With a look of resignation Kingsley set about filling his canteen ; but suddenly down it went, as K ingsley uttered an exclamation of astonishment and warning. 4 What’s up? What’s tfie trouble ?’ exclaimed tho entire party, springing to their feet.

‘ A corral attacked by Indians !’ exclaimed tho impetuous young fellow. 4 Come on, boys, and we’ll give those red-hides a tanning, ’ And, springing from tho mound of sand, away he dashed for his horse. As he passed by the old scout, the latter caught him by the arm, and said sternly 4 Stop 1 You must not go back over that alkali desert.’

The young man stared at the scout in perfect ast-nishmont, and then looked at tho scene at which tho rest of the party were gaaing. Could anything be plainer. Tho background of tall, dark mountains, with its narrow opening, formed a strange contrast to the white canvas of tho circle of train waggons, which seemed hnt a short distance away on the shimmering alkaline plains ; the horde of dark riders sitting their horses with the flexibility of motion possessed only by an Indian horseman, the showers of arrows, the answering bars of fire and puffs of smoko, sollowed by riderless mustangs—all, every'detail, outlined in perfect distinctness— stamped with each vividness, that his second look left not a doubt in Bobert Kingsley’s mind, but rather convinced him that his eyes had not deceived him.

‘Not go !’ ho exclaimed, hia brave, daring face flushing, and hia eyes flashing with scorn of cowardice and a reckless delight in danger—‘not go I and see white men. and helpless women and children perish ! Why, are you—’ He stopped, and crimsoned visibly before the stern, accusing gaze of the old guide. ‘Forgive me. Captain Ben,’ he said, earnestly. ‘ Your courage and bravery are beyond question. But surely it seems hard to be ordered— ’ ‘Boy,’ said the old scout, interrupting him, ‘turn your eyes to the Wfst again. Those mountains seem but three miles away; but remember that we rode three hours steady after entering the pass on the farther side of that plain. You can see the flashes of those rifles, but can you hear the report ? You can see those red-skins throw up their arms and fall from their horses, but can ycu hear the faintest whisper of their hideous death-yell ?’ A. thrill crept over Eobert Kingsley, as well as the rest of the party, who bad all heard the old hunter’s impressive words, and at once perceived their truth. ‘ls the plain haunted!’ inquired one of them, with a shiver of superstitious awe, and not a jeer rose to the lips of his practical companions.

‘ No,’ replied the old guide, quietly, ‘ it is not haunted. That whole thing is actually occurring, but if you go that way, pointing westward, ‘ you are but going further from these you want to help, and only to see it all vanish like a fog before your eyes. It is a mirage.’ ‘A mirage? What’s that?’ exclaimed one of the men, Ihe old hunter shook his head. * I don’t know how it comes about,’ ho said, slowly, ‘ but I do know this. That places and scenes, hundreds of miles away, are seen as plain as if they had always belonged there on that desert of alkali, where the bones of scores are bleaching who have followed those strange air-pictures until death overtook them. When fairly crazy with thirst, travellers have been mocked with clear, still lakes or wide river, that always kept beyond their reach ,- when they had travelled until every muscle had a separate pain, they would see towns find villages rise np before them, but they never reached them. Many a strange sight have I seen here.’

He studied the phantom panorama closely a moment, and then exclaimed—- * Luckily I know just where the train is Wo have got to cross Twenty eight Milo Desert ’ —facing about—‘ go through a pass in yonder mountains, and it is right there. Come on boys! Mount, and we’ll be going.’ In two moments every man had swung himself into his saddle, and was dashing away across the sand plain. It was a drea r y scene spread out before the party. Hand, sand, scantily sprinkled with tufts of buffalo grass, with here and there a clump of sage brush, all bounded by bare, brown mountains —an immensity of desolation, which, in the morning’s glaring light, had a wild, lonely, dreary aspect, absolutely disheartening. But the brave, eager bordormon gave hardly a whit ef attention to glinting sand or naked mountain. With the strange vision they had turned from stamped upon their minds, with the knowledge that the salvation of a train lay in their promptness in getting to the scene of action, that the balance of life and death was in their hands, no wonder that their entire souls, and every sense, was concentrated on a little rent in the mountains that was so many miles away. The whole party were well mounted, and the long, swift, even strides of the horses abso'utely devoured distance ; but to the eager, impatient men it seemed us if their advance was very slow, while the moments flew by so swiftly as they counted them as a miser his precious gold. Would they ever reach that South-east pass ? was the question that each one was Impatiently demanding of himself, with the maddening consciousness miles and miles must yet be traversed before they could reach the place which they longed to see with all intensity words could not express. The son swung himself higher and higher in the heavens, and his rays poured down like a flood of boiling lava. The heat was terrible, fsirly scorching the men, sweeping like a dark cloud over that blistering desert. Finally the silence was broken by the old guide,, as the party neared the pass. ‘ It may be we're too late to save ’em ; bnt we’ll bitterly avenge ’em. Hark ! Do yo hear that ?’ The ring of half a dozen rifles sounded faintly on tho air. ('Jobe continued.)