Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 117, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 May 1911 — SAVED FLOCK IN BLIZZARD [ARTICLE]

SAVED FLOCK IN BLIZZARD

Aged Wyoming Shepherd Followed Sheep for Five Days Without Food ** 4 ■ _. ' — -7“ n -if Five days In a snowstorm, without! food, fire, rest or sleep, WHBam Mo-. Cormick, a sixty-year-old sheep herder, arrived at the Murdock camp. Wyoming, In a deplorable condition, but still guarding the three thousand sheep with which be had left the camp. His collie dog underwent similar hardships, but assisted Win In bringing the flock hack to the corral. McCormick is employed by George Murdock, a prominent sheepman, Murdock’s sheep range over the great “Red Desert,” which, instead of being a desert, is one of the finest sheep ranges in the Vorid. While out In this great plain McCormick and hie big herd of three thousand sheep were overtaken by a howling blizzard of wind, enow and sleet As is usual , during such storms, tie sheep immediately turned their tails to the wind’ and drifted with the storm, despite the efforts of McCormick and Ms dog to prevent the animals from going too. far from their range. For three days the band drifted, the herder and dog trying all the time to stop the animals, which moved slowly in a great body before the wind. McCormick had no food with Wm, and there was no way to cook it even had he been supplied. On the open prairie he was unable to procure any inflammable substance. He dared not lie down to rest or sleep for fear of losing his sheep as well as from fear of being frozen to death. On the evening of the third day the storm abated and the sheep came to a Standstill, many miles froth water or range. McCormick knew his life depended absolutely upon his ability to reach camp, and although now three days without food, water, ffre or rest, he started on the return trip, driving his sheep before him. At the end of another two days the aged sheep herder arrived at the camp and was taken in charge by his companions. During the five days he hgd sucked bdow for water and had gone entirely without, food, rest, sleep or fire. His face, hands and feet were frozen. Surgeons report that he will live. About one thousand of the sheep were missing, but these were rounded up by other employes and brought to camp. McCormick’s feat Is looked upon as one of the most extraordinary Instances of ’endurance ever known In \yyomlng. •