Original subtitles

At this spot in 1849,

Asa Bennett, his wife, and children,

were hopelessly lost in the burning wastelands

of Death Valley.

His friend, William Lewis Manly,

found a trail out of the desert,

and returned with supplies to rescue the Bennetts

from certain death.

Bennett vowed he'’d never go back

to the land the Indians called "Tuümpisa,"

around the fire,

but ten years later, time dimmed the memory

of his terrible ordeal,

and the lure of silver drew him back

to the Valley of Death,

where he would have a chance to be...

[ coughs ]

MAN: Oh, Mr. Bennett.

Remember me? Ed Harper.

Oh, sure, sure. I thought you were going up to try your luck in Mariposa.

Well, I was, but they tell me that country'’s mined up,

except for the big operators.

Yeah, that'’s the truth.

Looks like, for a small investor like myself,

the place to go is the desert,

Death Valley.

I don'’t know. It'’s hell out there.

I heard of what happened to you.

It was a long time ago. A long, long time ago.

I'’ll tell ya, those stories don'’t scare me.

I may be late for the north country,

but I'’m looking to get in on the beginning in the desert.

MAN: So I says, "You can keep your filthy shovel.

"I won'’t be needing it no more,

"'’cause this here's silver,

and I aim to go to Death Valley and farm me an acre or two,"

and with that,

I pushed the shovel down the hill,

and him chasing it--

[ laughs ]

Hello, Charlie.

Well, what do we got here?

It'’s mine. What'’s it look like?

It looks like... like silver.

That'’s 'cause it is. Pure, native silver.

I'’m going back and get me the rest of the mountain.

Charlie, this is Ed Harper. Charlie Alvord.

How do you do?

You found that in Death Valley?

That'’s what I said.

But Charlie, Death Valley'’s a pretty big place.

You ought to know, Asa,

but one mountain ain'’t hard to find.

No, thanks. You mean there'’s really

a mountain of silver in Death Valley?

[ laughs ]

Maybe two.

You heard of the Lost Gunsight, ain'’t ya?

It ain'’t lost no more.

Come on, Charlie, that'’s what you said

when you came in with the gold from the Breyfogle.

You don'’t have to take my say-so,

but this here comes from the same place

that that Martin fella made his gunsight.

This Martin... Jim Martin.

He was with us in '’49.

When he came out, he discovered silver.

Carved himself a gunsight out of it.

Yeah, I remember.

You know where that is?

Yeah, Tucky Mountain.

They said it'’s almost underfoot, but they'’ve never found it.

I'’ve been sold out of it.

All I need is a little grubstake.

Yeah, I thought you might.

Well, you say you wanted to go to Death Valley.

How about it?

Count me in.

Three-way split, Charlie?

[ grunts ]

It'’s a deal.

♪ Oh, I had a little dog

♪ His name was Spot

♪ His ears was long and his tail was short ♪♪

Charlie, can'’t we slow down just a little?

CHARLIE: We'’re going about as slow--

All right, all right. That canyon was like an oven.

Ain'’t much water up ahead. No telling when.

I know where there'’s a stream not ten miles near here.

Have one on me.

Now, you find the silver, and I'’ll find the water,

all right?

All right.

This way to the silver mountain.

Come on. [ clicks tongue ]

Come on.Come on, boy.

[ popping mouth ]

Along ten miles. More like 20.

Maybe, but I knew it was here.

But--It'’s dry!

But there was water here.

In winter.

Like when you was here before.

Streams dry up in summer.

Charlie, we'’ve got to have water.

Oh. I brought me along a little substitute.

I thought you told me he was...

Charlie, where'’d you get that?

Just for emergencies.

Have one on me.

No, I'’ll wait.

Water can'’t be too far. Come on.

Come on, Bobby.

[ popping mouth ]

We going across there?

CHARLIE: Uh-uh. Not so much across. More north.

Somehow, it...

it all looks different.

The desert changes.

Folks don'’t think so, but it does.

Look.

Down there.

It it water?Uh-uh.

Ain'’t no water down there.

[ popping mouth ]

Come on. Don'’t be stubborn now, Bobby.

[ popping mouth ]Down, Bobby.

This is it.

Our campsite was right here.

Ain'’t such a bad place at that.

Sarah'’s. My wife'’s cup.

We had nothing to put in it then.

Not much more now.

[ popping mouth ]

I want to know where we'’re going.

Let me go.All right, take it easy, Ed.

For over a week, he'’s been leading us

up one trail and down the next.

I'’m going to find out where in hell he'’s taking us.

That'’s right, mister,

it is hell, just like I told you.

You told me a lot of things.

One of them was that we were going to find some silver,

and that'’s what I want to see!

That'’s where we're headed.You'’re lost!

I ain'’t lost. I got me a landmark.

Like what, Charlie?

Like that butte right ahead.

That'’s why we have to go through here

if we want to get to there.

MAN: Hello!

Hello there!

Who'’s that?

Come on.

Over here!

Gee, that looks like Doc George!

[ laughs ]

Hey!Oh, am I glad to see you, Doc!

How are you, you old sidewinder?

Hello, Doc.Howdy, Asa.

Spotted your tracks.I'’m sure glad you did.

Doc, this is Ed Harper.

How do you do?Hello, Ed.

Where you headed?Tucky Mountain.

We got a lead on the Lost Gunsight.

Is that right?Uh-huh.

The Lost Gunsight, eh?

Wouldn'’t happen to be going that way, would you?

No. No, we'’re heading the the Funerals.

Oh, where'’s the nearest water?

Can'’t say. There'll be some down from the mountains

if you'’re going to Tucky.

Doc, we'’re about dry.

I think we can spare some.

Fine. Gabe will fix you up.

Thanks, Doc.

Say, Doc, I'’d sure be obliged

if you come a ways with us.

Something wrong?

Well, you know Asa.

This is his first time out here since his trouble,

and that Ed fella,

I think the heat'’s getting him.

Jumpy as grasshoppers on a griddle.

[ popping mouth ]

Wait.

I know this place.

He was dead. Dead.

Who?

Captain Culverwell.

He left us. Started out by himself.

Oh, come on, Asa.

His tongue was swollen and blue.

Blood all over his hands,

clear to the bone for digging for water--

Oh, shut up!Aw, heat, that'’s--

You, too!It'’s just coming back to me, just like a nightmare.

Now, look,

where is that silver?

I want to know, from where we stand,

how long it'’ll take us to get there.

Well...

I can'’t hardly tell.

Now, from here to that butte, it'’s...

That butte'’s no closer than it was three days ago.

That'’s the way it is in the desert.

Distances are misleading.

Charlie...

how far is it to the butte?

Well, it'’s like you said. It looks different.

How?

Flash flood.

Changes the whole look of things.

You old liar!

I ain'’t no such thing.

Take it easy, Ed.

You'’re in this together.

I don'’t believe there ever was any silver.

I'’m going back.

Now, you shut up!

You wanted silver. You came out here to get it.

We'’re going to Tucky Mountain and get it.

I didn'’t come back to this oven for nothing.

What did you come back for?

To die? It'’s all you can ever think about.

We haven'’t got much water. Just enough to get back.

Not without silver.

And what good does that do a dead man?

A Captain what'’s-his-name?

You want to wait out here like you did before, huh?

Maybe Charlie can go for help like your friend Manly did.

You go ahead. You get to be some kind of martyr,

but not me.

I'’m getting out!

Oh, Asa, don'’t pay him no mind.

Charlie, maybe he'’s right.

We'’ve got to get out of here while we still have water.

Let'’s get some rest. We'’ll...

We'’ll leave at sundown.

[ sighs ]

Ed! Come on, Ed. It'’s time.

Oh, good.

None too soon for me.

Come on, Charlie. Wake up.

Hey!

Oh, this stupid--Drunken fool.

He can'’t go along like this.

He can stay.

Put him on the burro.

While we carry the gear?

I'’m through nursemaiding him.

He got himself into this. He can get out the same way.

He'’s got as much water as we have.

He'’ll come after us. We'’ll let him sleep it off.

[ snoring ]

So it turned out to be another sinkhole.

Asa!Bill Manly! How are ya?

Man, you'’re looking great.

Not much like the last time you saw me, huh?

Hello, Caesar.Hi.

Phil.Asa.

How'’s the family?

Oh, just fine. Just fine.

You know, Bill, they'’ll never forget you.

We were hoping you'’d get back.

Well, I...

I'’m only going to be a couple days.

Hey, I heard you went back to Death Valley.

Sure didn'’t think you'’d ever do that again.

We thought we spotted the Lost Gunsight.Oh.

Another one of Charlie Alvord'’s pipe dreams.

You should'’ve known better.

You, uh... You haven'’t seen Charlie, have you?

Didn'’t he come back with you?

Well, no. When we got ready to leave,

why, Charlie was fried, and not from the heat either.

That'’s Charlie.

We couldn'’t budge him, so we figured,

as soon as he'’d sobered up, he'’d be along.

You left him, knowing how it is out there?

He had water. I'’m surprised he didn't get back here before we did.

You ought to go after him. How long you been back?

Just two days.

Look, don'’t worry about an old desert rat like Charlie.

It was different in '’49. We were the first ones through.

We were strangers to the desert.

The way I remember, every man'’s a stranger to the desert,

especially when he'’s alone.

Tell you what I'’ll do. I'’ll go with you.

It'’ll be almost like it was ten years ago.

Oh, uh...

All right. If... If you think we should.

I'’ll join up.

Old Charlie'’ll most likely meet us halfway,

and give me a chance to get in on a little prospecting.

Good. Be like old times with an old friend, Asa.

All right. Fine, Bill.

See, I told you.

He'’s probably back in town right now.

There'’s his tracks.

I wonder why he went that way.

I suppose he knew of a shortcut.

Let'’s go.

Charlie.

Charlie.

It was a joke. Just a little joke.

Bill, I-- I never thought that...

He'’s got a fever.

What do we do now?

We'’ll carry him out.

They'’ll be looking for four bodies instead of one

if we do.

Why?

He'’d hold us back.

Our supplies would never last.

How long would they last waiting here?

I don'’t know.

Tell you what, Asa. You stay here with Charlie.

We'’ll go back for supplies and a mule.

That'’s the only way we'’ll ever get him out of here.

Shouldn'’t take more than three, four days.

No, Bill.

This time, it'’s my turn.

All right, we'’ll be waiting.

[ clicks tongue ]

Spare me a little drink?

Sure, Charlie.

How you feeling?

I'’ve been better.

How did we get here?

You'’ve been a pretty sick fella.

Where'’s Asa?

Oh, they'’re gone.

Must'’ve been a joke.

Sort of. It'’s all right now.

Asa'’s gone for help.

Him and Ed?

No, a fella named Twitchell. You know him?

Sure.

I don'’t know you.

My name'’s Bill Manly.

Bill Manly?

Bill Manly, could you spare me another drink?

Sure...

but this'’ll have to do until they get back.

How long they been gone?

Three days.

That long?

Yeah. I expect them back most anytime though.

Well, I'’m feeling some better.

Why don'’t we get a start on them?

No. You just stay here and rest, Charlie.

Get your strength back.

They'’ll be back tomorrow at the latest.

I say we go.

I'’m as spry as a colt in the spring. Honest.

They wouldn'’t be able to find us, Charlie.

Asa'’s coming back here.

Well, I don'’t like to say it,

Asa being a friend of yours and all,

but it'’s going on to five days.

He'’ll be back, Charlie. Don'’t you see?

It'’s like it was back in '’49.

Asa had faith in me. I have faith in him.

Well, that'’s a good thing to have out here.

Sometimes, that'’s all there is.

They won'’t be too long. You'’ll see.

[ water swishes ]I'’ll say it again.

Let'’s walk before it'’s all gone.

Maybe they had an accident.

He waited 26 days on me.

We'’ve only waited six.

Funny thing about Asa Bennett in the desert.

How'’s that?

He'’s afraid of it.

It wasn'’t the silver brought him back here.

He was sort of trying to prove

that he wasn'’t afraid of it no more,

but he was.

That'’s why he left me.

I don'’t think so, Charlie.

Came back with me.

Well, I'’ve been out in the desert

with lots of men,

but Asa Bennett'’s different.

He cheated Death Valley before.

He lived.

He ain'’t going to give it a second chance.

One vote for go.

All right. Two votes. Let'’s go.

[ groans ]

What'’s a matter, Charlie?

It'’s-- It's just my leg.

Looks infected. Why didn'’t you say something?

It'’s all right. I can make it.

Easy does it.[ grunts ]

Easy.

You tell me when you want to stop, you hear?

Let'’s go on.

We'’ve got to find water.

Water.

Here it is.

We'’ve got to find it. Got to dig deep!

It'’s down below us!

Stop it, Charlie! We'’ll find water.

I can'’t stop it!Sure, you can.

I can'’t stop it!

Water! Water!

Water! Got to dig!

Let me dig!

Water!

We'’ll find it.

Water!

[ sighs ]

Come on, Charlie, you can make it.

Come on.

Come on.

Put your arm around me.

[ coughs ]

[ wheezes ]

[ coughs ]

Asa...

I knew you'’d come. I knew.

He'’s coming around.

MANLY: Asa?

Lucky for you we got here.

How'’d you find us?

Vultures. We were just going back to town.

CHARLIE: Doc?

This here'’s Bill Manly.

He'’s my friend.

Hi.

Doctor George brought Bill Manly and Charlie Alvord

safely out of Death Valley.

Manly never saw Bennett again.

As for the Lost Gunsight Mine,

though men have searched for over a hundred years,

it remains hidden in the scorched canyons

of Death Valley.