From the August 17, 1873 New York Times:

“A few days before the James surveying party reached Coyote Wells, says the San Diego (Cal.) World of the 1st inst., the driver of the Yuma stage brought word to Charley Ellis, keeper of the station, that he had seen a man in the Colorado desert, who seemed to bewildered, and wandering about without purpose. Ellis at once mounted his mule and started in search of him. About a mile and a half east of the Wells he found the man lying on the sand sucking the blood from his arm, which he had lacerated in a fearful manner, for the purpose of quenching his thirst.”