"About every ten years, in the desert near Oregon Canyon Ranch, which is located near McDermott Nevada, mysterious lights are seen at night by sheepherders and cowboys. Although rarely receiving publicity, these lights are a frequent subject of comment and conjecture on the part of the local ranchers.

Also, King's River Nevada is mentioned in the article. There are no matches for this in Nevada.

There is hardly anything to note about McDermott Nevada on the web. There is a McDermitt Nevada on US 95 at the Nevada/Oregon border and I'm not sure if McDermott/McDermitt are the same things or different towns. Both are listed in MapQuest. The story talks about an 'Oregon Canyon Ranch' and MapQuest shows that there is an 'Oregon Canyon' near McDermitt, Nevada but NOT McDermott. The star below shows Oregon Canyon at MapQuest:

 The following information come up if you search on 'McDermott' not McDermitt', although the first quote says its near US 95 which is McDermitt not McDermott. McDermitt has 233 pages and has a population of 373 people.

McDermitt Information, McDermitt, NV 89421 Phone: 775-273-7144

"Fort McDermitt is located about two miles south of the town of McDermott, Nevada on U.S. 95. The reservation is mostly in Humboldt County on the Oregon border." says one web site." This is a TYPO. The correct name is McDermitt according to the page about Fort McDermitt.

You can also get objects made from petrified wood harvested from this area (*McDermott) according to http://www.spherestoyou.com/Sshoppe/petwoods2.html.

There is evidently interest in the region (*McDermott)around this town by rock hunters (http://www.wondersofthemine.com/trips/Sept2001/week1.shtml) who dig for sagenite.

Here is a photo of the *McDermott countryside taken by a rock hunter at the Wonders of the Mine (http://www.wondersofthemine.com/index.htm):

Here is a map of the area. Note that 'McDermitt' is on US 95 and the 'star' is where MapQuest says that 'McDermott' is located. Is there really a McDermott there?

The story talks about Basque ranchers and sheepherders. On the Basque Biographical Database, web site (http://www2.library.unr.edu/basque/basquebio/dest.asp?p_dest=4) there are a number of Basques listed near McDermitt. This page also lists 'Bengoa' as the surnames of some people living in McDermitt, Nevada. But no Tito or Chris as the Fate story says!!!

The Basque Oral History page (http://www.basquemuseum.com/oralhistory/Subisarreta_Carmen/photo_page_2.htm) shows a few photos of McDermitt ca 1930. Here's one. The title mentions these as baggs of wool...from sheep:

And here is a low quality releif map of the area for what it might be worth: