Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-11-17

away, retrnced my steps, and endeavored to
think no more Of it. / bad turned my back
upon the vision, but as | retreated, its accom-
papiment of ghostly music for some time con
tinued to fall upon my unwilling ear like a
death knell. A sort of mirage next appeared
TO me to spread over the low grounds, SO
completely real in its effects, that frequently
when expecting to step over my boots IN, wa
ter I found that was treading on long dry
grass: to be convinced of the truth of which
frequently felt with my hand. My first de-
fusion was undoubtedly the result.of delirium
tremens, brought on by exhaustion bat
whether the latter arose from the same cause,
or from real external phenomena, / cannot
we'll determine.
I continued my tirssorle Journey along the
alternately fat and tangled or PERCEPTIONS banks
of the river, which, from being swollen, leff
me no beach TO travel on. crossed large
brook, which, mistaking for the Odell, led me
to suppose myself but little way from the
settlement, (in reality, upwards of twelve
miles Off | had not advanced great way
farther until suddenly dropped down. Sup
posing had merely trippled and fallen, rose
and endeavored to continue my march, but
again staggered and fell. got up a second
time, and leaning against a tree, in the hope
of recovering from what I at first imagined to
be temporary indisposition again made sew
eral attempts to walk until at last the appall-
ing fact forced itself upon me that l had re-
ally lost my strength and as any farther
ertiops of my own were now impossible, my
case was indeed hopeless, unless discovered
by some of the parry, who l had 10 doubt
were by this time in search of me; or what
certainly did appear improbable, ey persons
going up the stream to lumber Under these
circumstances, l thought it best TO regain the
banks Of the river but owing to my weak and
disabled condition. [ could scarcely do more
than drag myself along on my hands and
knees, and was consequently overtaken by
night and a sharplfost. took shelter beneath
tie root Of fallen tree, and pulling of my
boots, for the purpose of pouring out the wa
ter and rendering my feet as dry as I could
make them to prevent their being frozen
found it quite impossible to get them on again
[ lay down excessively fatigued and weak;
yet other sensations of suffering, both mental
and physical kept me, through another dreary
night Of twelve or thirteen hours, in state
which some may possibly conceive, but which
| Imust confess my inability to describe. There
was a sharp frost during the night, against
which my light jacket and trousers were but
poor protection. On the morning of the
8th when it was sufficiently clear, I discov-
cred that I was not more than hundred
yards from the bank of the river. On en-
deavoring to get up, was unable, and found
as far as my ankles, felt as perfectly hard and
dead as if composed Of stone. ] succeeded
however, with good deal of painful exertion
in gaining the bank Of the river, when | sat
as long as was able, with my feet in the wa
! ter, for the purpose, if possible, of extracting
the frost. The oiled canvass haversack in
which l carried my sketchng-case L filled
with water, OF which | drank freely. The
dreadful cravings Of hunger had by this time
rather subsidized, and felt inclined to rest
Before leaving the bank Of the river, laid
hold of the tallest alder near, and drawing it
towards me, fastened my handkerchief to the
top, and let it go. ] scrawleda few words on
two slips Of paper, describing my situation i,
and putting each into a piece of slit stick,
threw them into the stream. ] next moved
back little way amongst the long grass and
aIders; and striving to be as calm and collected
as my sufferings and weakness would allow,
addressed myself TO an all seeing aud merci-
/ full Proyidence, and endeavored 10 make my
peace with Him, and place myself entirely at
I His Acknowledging assured that whatever
the issue might be, whether for time or eter-
nifty, it would undoubtedly be for the best. !
trust I was not presumptuous, but fet per-
fectly calm and resigned TO my fate.
lay down amongst the long wet grass,
having placed my papers under my head and
my haversack, with some water near my side
4 NV weakness seemed to favor the most ex-
Itraordinary creations of the brain. | became
surrounded, especially towards evening, with
a distinct assemblage Of grotesque and busy
/ figures, with which. could [ have seen them
.Eunder different circumstances, l should have
hbt sn highly amused Yet DO l believe them
to have been a great relief from the utterlone-
i illness that must otherwise have surrounded
me, as it really required an effort to establish
the truth of my being alone. passed ano
Their long and dreary night; and from its be-
ing rather milder, had some little sleep, altho
of distressing and disturbed nature, and moi
10 the least refreshing. The morning Of tbs
i 9th arrived, and could then with difficulty
supnort n1vseIfe even on nv knees. Still. after