Journey By Fire_Part 2_Escape From Tonto Basin by Bruce W. Perry

Author:Bruce W. Perry [Perry, Bruce W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Web Dispatches Publishing
Published: 2016-09-30T21:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 41

He still had about 180 miles or 300 kilometers to go, which he thought he could make in nine days or less. They cooked the camel heart over another fire. They skewered it with some sharpened sticks and roasted it good and well-done. Wade ate several large pieces until his belly was full and it made him tired, so he'd sleep deeply. It tasted infinitely better than the liver, somewhat like beef. They saved the uneaten roasted chambers and returned them to the bag.

Ironcloud cooked the liver too, so they had meat for several days. They just had to keep it away from the flies.

Wade fell over onto his back, on top of his camping pad, and stared at the stars…as long as he didn't lose the camels or something happened to them…he didn't think he had too many bullets for more rutting male camels or worse, a marauding gang. Ironcloud was, understandably, worried about being recaptured by the regime forces. He was going to join Wade and planned to aim for a reservation close to the Mexico border.

When they awoke the next morning they saw a mule-driven wagon parked across the river. The river must draw many people who are trying to cross this desert, Wade thought. They waved at some people, which from a short distance looked like two families. They waved back. Then he and Ironcloud gathered their bedding and food, loaded up the camels, and headed southwest.

Ironcloud's initial walking pace slowed them down, so Wade finally cajoled him into riding atop Larry's hump. Larry carried hardly any provisions, but still bawled and complained bitterly when Ironcloud threw a blanket over the hump. Then gripping the reins, he awkwardly climbed aboard.

"I need a horse!" he yelled out. He was red-faced and angry; Wade laughed when he fell off once, but they were able to cover almost 14 miles when they finally stopped in the middle of the day.

They followed old Arizona highway 87, which headed into a recently burned forest of the high plateau. Columns of grey smoke rose on the horizon. They steered away from the highway, and its cracked and uneven surface, since they figured the regime would be using it. The camels' feet worked better on desert soil than deteriorating concrete, but they could still follow the southwesterly direction of the highway, while staying hidden at a short distance.

Outside of Winslow and well off the highway, they crossed some train tracks. The tracks led east-west. It was getting tough going, as the desert was pockmarked with ditches and arroyos; the land was hilly and cloaked with rocks and cactus. In places, it was thickly forested with saguaro cactus. Wade liked the saguaro standing against the red sandstone cliffs and monuments, when the sun went down. One time they saw two wild camels ambling off in the distance, but the animals never came closer.

They emerged into the fringes of a large, mostly burnt pine forest. The route was beginning to climb; he worried about their slowing pace.

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