A LIFE AND DEATH TOSS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7016, 3 January 1910, Page 8

A LIFE AND DEATH TOSS

A weird , story, of how a prospector named Eldrege, who disappeared some weeks ago, was left to die in the Death Valley desert, near Calgary, is published in a Canadian journal. In company with a man known as Malapai alike, Eldrege set out from Green Water to Telescope Peak, -10. miles ' across Death Valley, in order to investigate a proposed power site, on be--1 half of a Boston company. The place having been duly inspected, the men started on the return trip. In the middle of the valley,, 250 ft below the level of the eea, ■ Eldrege’s pony collapsed, and for days he and his companion .plodded - nnder the burning desert sun in search of a trail to civilisation. The latter, who reached Green Water in a semi-dehrious condition, gave the following 'account of . what followed“We were lost, and i we knew it. , We. were almost without food, and had but five canteens of water left. We were’ both-so weak: i that we know we never oould last! One j night, while we "were lying' half-dead , ; after walking all day, Eldrege made me a proposition. He had a dollar in | his pocket, and ho proposed that wc should toss it, tho winner to take the pony and water and' leave the other to die. I didn’t care what happened, so I said; ‘Go on.’ Eldrege got out |, his dollar. We both got down on our and knees m tho sand and .wait- I ,ed. Eldrege tosrad the coin, and I! yelled .‘Heads!’ The coin fell in the : sands, and we had io scrape the grains 1 ’ away before wc could sec who .Jiad , won. It was heads, and I got the.' "--'■iiv.” The men divided the water, I ‘ Mike taking one canteen and leaving four :to Eldrege. Then .the former mounted and rode away, leaving -his nar+nor to make his way ns best he to Peak. Mike is certain ho perished before he had covered five miles.