C. A. Earle Rinker letter to his mother, July 1, 1907, page 2

bottom of the hill where the boys have a tunnel. We explored the tunnel and then I went over on another hill and took a picture of the hill and the tunnel. I took three pictures but don't know whether they will be any good or not for it was my first experience. We then got back over to the camp where they had built a stone cabin in the side of the hill. Jeff thought it was pretty crude. We had ham, punk, Force, potatoes, canned tomatoes and coffee. We managed to make a pretty good meal. They have got snakes and rats, lizzards, and everything else in that old stone shack and Jeff did not like that very well. A snake crawled out of the wall and out at the dore while we were eating. Jeff looked to me like he was afraid of being swallowed whole every minute. To tell the truth about it I would not like to sleep there myself. The night before the boys had been down to a camp near them visiting with the others and telling snake and haly monster stories. When they came home and went to go to bed in the dark one of the boys found a lizzard in his bedding. None of that for me. We finished dinner and set out to find my claim. I also wanted to see the strike that was miade on a bunch of claims adjoining mine. We found my claim and looked at the strike and headed back to camp. We left about 3;30. I forgot to try and get some water and that darned ham begin to take affect before we had gone very far. I forgot to tell you that I took a shot at my claim and also the stone house. We got out in the valley again and headed for Goldfield. It was hotter than when we come out. We began to get a little dry before we were many miles out. Our horses were a little tired and we could not make as good time as we did going out. Then my mare lost a shoe and when we would come to a rocky place she would almost go down. We sent them along for all they worth when we did get a half-way decent path. Well to make a long story short we knew the way back alright but we got so dry we could hardly talk. By 6;00 my tongue was swelling and my mouth on the inside was as dry as this paper. I thought I had been dry before but I was sure of it this time. Jeff was in just as bad a shape. When we got to within about 5;00 mile of goldfield we were pounding along with only a thought of getting in and we got off the trail. We got on top of the Malapi within 2 l/2 mile of Goldfield and we could see the whole town. We did not know we were on the wrong trail until we commenced to go down a trail on the side of the Malapi. It was only a foot trail and our horses could not make it. It was getting dark and we had not forgot we were dry. We had to back track and finally found the right trail in about half an hour. We felt our way down the trail leading our plugs. We got to the barn and left the horses and j broke to a saloon and got a big lemonade. Not very cold but just cool. Then we soaked our tongues in water awhile and tried to eat but could not cut it. I drank a big glass of milk in the restaurant and two glasses of water. Then we got a quart bottle of lemon soda and started home. I was so sore and tired I oould hardly crawl. We got to the shack and drank the soda and then I drank water until about 10;00 O'clock. I knew I had not ought to do it but I was a s dry as ever. I honestly believe I drank 1 1/2 gallon of water from the time I got in until I went to bed, besides all the other stuff. I expected to be a little sore this morning and was not disappointed. I am so sore today I can hardly wiggle. I have had a taste in my mouth all day of soap. I think it was caused by my drinking too much last night. I could not eat much of a breakfast but eat a big dinner this evening. Will be in as good a shape as ever in a couple of day. I will never start out again though on that kind of a trip without water. I don't believe there is a horse back home that could have made the trip and lived over it. These bronchos are pretty tough but we got about the best of those two as they were all in when we landed home.