The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1844-11-15
STARVING TO DEATH.

STARVING TO DEATH.
The sensation Of dying from starvation
are described graphically as follows, by
Mr.. Kendall in his Narrative Of his Sanie
Fe Expedition, whilst depicting some OF
the intense sullerings of that lll-siarred I'M
deriaking:
q Here a scene of fasting ensured which
beggars description. We had been lhF-
teen DAYS upon the road, with really not
provisions enough for three, and now that
there wus an abundance our starving men
al once abandoned themselves 10 eating
perhaps | should call il gormandzlng or
siufling. No less than twenty large, fat
sheep, had been purchased and dressed,
and every ramrod, as well as every stick
that could be found, was soon graced with
smoking ribs and shoulders, llyers and
hearts. Many made themselves sick by
over.ea,ing but an attempt TO restrain the
appetite Of balf.starved men, except by
main force, would be the extreme Of folly.
Had the food been anything but mutton,
and had we not procured an ample supply
of salt from the Mexcuns 10 season it, our
men might have died Of the surfelt.
" have never yet seen treatise or DIS
sertation upon starving to DEATH can
speak GeeIingly of nearly every stage ex-
cept the last. For the first two days
through which strong and healthy men is
deemed TO exist upon nothing, his suffer.
ings are, perhaps, more acute Than IN the
remaining s,ages--he feels an inord,na,e
indispensable craving nj the stomach, day
and night. The mind runs upon beef,
bread, and other subslantials but still, in
great measure, the body retains is
strength. On the third and fourth days,
bu, especially on the fourth, this incessan,
craving gives place To "a sinking nod weak.
ness Of the stomach, accompanied by pau.
sea. The unfortunate sufferer still desires
food, but with loss of strength he loses thai,
eager craving which is felt in The earlier
stages. Should he chance to obtain NOR.
sci or two Of food as was occasionally the
case with Us, he swallows II with a wolfish
ayidity but five minutes afterwards his
suiterings sre mole intense than ever. He
feels us if he had swallowed living lob.
ster, which is cruwllug aud feeding upon
the very iuuu-lation of his existence. On
the fifth day his cheeks suddenly appear
hollow and sunkcn, his body aitenuated,
his color is a.hy pale and his eye wild,
CLASSY, canibalish. The different parts OF
his system war with each other. The
stomach calls upon the legs 10 60 with
It in quest Of food; the legs, from very
weakness, refuse. The sixth day brings
increased suffering, although the pangs Of
hunger are lost 10 one overpowerlng Ian.
gour and sickness. The head becomes
gIddy-i tho ghost Of we'll remembered din.
ncrs press m hIdeous procession through
the mind. The seventh day comes, bring.
ing increased lnssilude and further prosira.
ton of strength. The arms hang lis,ess---
iy, the legs draw heavily. The desire for
food IS still left, TO degree, but il must be
brought and not sought. TIE miserable
remnant Of life which still hangs to the suf.
ferer is burden Utmost too gTicvous TO be
borne yet the Inheren! love Of existence
induces desire still to preserve il, if it
can b0 wlihou,a tax upon bodily exeT,ion.
The mind wanders. At one moment no
thinks his weary limbs cannot sustain him
a mile---Ihc next he IS endowed with un.
natural strength, and if there be a certain.
ty Of relief before BIN, dsshes bravely and
strongly onward wondering whence pro.
ceeds this new and sudden impulse.
Further than this my experience run.
meth not. The reader may think | have
drawn fancy skelch-Iha, have coIorcd
the picture too highly. Now, while sin.
ccrcIy trust he may never DO in a situation
10 test ITS truth from actual experience, |
would in all sober seriousness shy 10 him,
that many Of the sensations have Just de-
scribeI have myself experienced and so
did the ninety -and-cighi persons no we're
with me from the ,.tue when we first en-.
tered tho grand prairie until wo reached
the flock Of sheep, 10 which more pleasing
subject viii now return"