Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-01-15
From the New Orleans Picayune.
THE LOST MAN.
A PRAIRIE SKETCH.


keenes pangs of starvation. 1t was years ago, yet
the story has only been told in oral repetition a
mong the old traders and has never before, to our
knowledge, fallen in the way OF a scribe.
The man wandered away upon sultry midsllm-
mer afternoon, oppressed to desperation with thirst,
in search OF water while the caravan was draggin,
slowly along the drcary and heated prairie. Max
ing his way to cluster oftiinber that appeared at
no very tedious distance, he was fortunate enough
TO find small cool spring gushing and iippling at
the bottom Of a deep rocky hollow. The fresh wa
teis the cool shade oil the steep rock and the trees
abcHe, together with the knowledge that the wag
ons were still moving along in sight, induced the
poor fellow to yield to his WEAKNESS and suffer his
eyes to close. When be awo'se, the gray Of the
evening was deepening around the prairie. and
rushing up from the hollow, his eye wandered a.
bout in search Of his ompanions. He was raw
adyenturer, upon his first travel, knowing nothing
Of how to direct his steps in the wilderness, and
trusting entirely to the guidance and experience of
those with whom he travelled. Hasty, impulsive,
and rash as he was careless, and without possessing
single quality of character to assist him in such
ali emergency, confused terror at once took posses
sion of him, and starting he thought in the di-
rectloh where he had last seen the wagons, he ran
with hea'llong speed, shouting wildly at every step.
in hopes Of being heard and answered by his com
panions
The terrified man, bereft of all thought by the
fearful nature ofhis predicament, could not even
iSh'eHio1i W 1iio tue IiAe nc HcIa, Jul S"h.i
tearing his lungs with wild and desoate cries for
assistance. While rushing bhndly forward IN this
manner, the ght still deepening around him. the
man met with violent fall, and was stunned into
insensibility for some hours. We are giving now
we SUBSTANCE OF 'ne poor ielow own ne,a.ion
le came oack 10 CONSCIOUSNESS soe uu1e uu,
'le Mlsa',i IN lhe midst OF pack OF moving "oses
and found himself lying by the side of butfalo's
skeleton, not yet entirely stript by the prowling
dogs OF the desert. situation more appalling to
near anu nerve may ho' oe ihldShea' Ane lall
couo'ea not oul 'hat ne was aroused Prenia.urey
IRON. sis s.a.e OF eorPos oy ae nsly - as
sau',ins MS own oody lor ms clo.hes were nanleo
ana .ofn' ana the scratch OF cav was on ms ieg'
ousli .oo' !. seems, mao no. ye' 'oocnea i,.i i
ne laa .faPpea aPos the sKeletoh, ana struck ms
loieheaa on morn or some o!Ief part as ne ols-
covered huse lump upon HIS mead winch "iso
acnea aisfesslhSy "heh ne came 70 MS SENSES
The poor fellow. in the heat OF his terror made
out to scare away the wolves from himself and es-
cape IRON the spot, leaving the tainshed animals to
return again to the buffaIo's bones and give them
cleaner polishing. Just escaping from one frlshtful
danger, which perhaps took something from TIE
keen horrors OF his desoiate and wretched condl-
'ion. yet the unhappy mans sensations We're har-
.1"ins anu ,eatiui IN .Le extreme. ne SUI press
So o'." h lu, MS sueh2.l ia'!nS esesy ?'sp, eal
E ~ na's; ; anu ploAeh s'iiehs " ms 'ss' a
~. .o., se anu "a sa'e1 "'
amy u "n'ei wy " '''"
Dayllgl', came, the sun rose, noon approached nee
alia nassea anu ne 1851 nah was a,ohe ~ tne aes
CT, idnisneu ana idih' anu WITHOUT SOLITARY ol,s
o. o. regalhihg ms companions or hnaing the track
shey were pursuing.
ahat night the unhappy wretch sunk exhausted
upon ,le graes ana slept 70 awaken IN STATE o!
~. anu Hanger more apPaihe even ,i'ah me hiS'
, ne'oie eonapac, anu iihumeIaoe oana OF oui IA
49,. :ae sipMy as'osS .ne region .. 'lle
prairie on "hlch ne lay, ana ne started from sieeP
2alens VI .ne pam. as .lese uense mass
=. -. VI ounaes nove' .hey ei SOUNDS ,l,at rise III
VIC on liNe sea anu as .ie vas. oldeA nsia
Sae .omaias MN III oeeP I'lols, tie pooi aue'
t !l'a ros ocea seeleu aoou. ~ osci
", mnein MN otlerly PaIa'yzeu WIN ms danger;
ne uiilofuna'e man coud out s'art 70 ms eet, ana
e.ano eoilounueu' isallS e'el ~ hre y! use o.ne'
means 70 aiaI !!e ounaioes' TEST oy eXcl,,nS 'heir
terror ne should increase ms own peril. From TINS
e.it.cai Posiuon, however, ne lkeWise escaped un-
hurt' lor lhe ANIMALS separated, as Is their CUSTOM
two div;s;ons keen;ns sane two hnnrrsd v,rds
| cIo.r ~ Tho ,n,,stoIl;4S ;t.,io =; a. n;ajI
wa: aoa;n ~ tho .,s az the II
nnmershle herd IF crepi,,ras nassed him and Tho
man ,.,.s s.arv;nr -' N
~
We tooh am WIN MS line at feueathS ouitaio'
any missed IRE, LOT ms percussion cap was damp
WIN the nish' deW. Gun ne was iamlshlnS, ana
ms only nope seemed IN me sanghterlng OF bui,
iaio. lie lo'lo"eo' craving on nus hands and
knees ana alter hours Of weary watching and labor,
wounded poor COW al last. with successful shot,
suhoe G hsnd sannearad p hs r, anr el 1
nrostrots too ,md fs;nt ~ oal,a amotha
aaort in ths ,rsn;t "''o '"'''' - '""Ae
~ :" ~ f
Inns unhappy wretch lay grooming aloud, alone
10 we midst OF an lntermlnabie waste, abandoned
10 aesperat!"n ana despair; when me thin bark OF
small plalrle doS attracted ms attention. Once
more ne charged his rifle for the little creature was
IN slgn' with Its nose lifted Just above the mound
surrounding us mole. me starving man lay pros,
.Ia'e upon the earrh' took slow and cautious aim al
reach the spot, the dying creature had wriggIed
back into its hiding place and disappeared. With
his ten fingers, the desperate man raked up the
earth, and succeeded in dragging the dying dog out
upon the grass, where without waiting to finish its
agony, he tore its Warm flesh with his teeth, like q
wolf while the expiring creature was still lifting
his fingers.
This unnatural su.tenancs restored the drooping
man, and he was enabled to resume his wander
ines, which he continued for three more DAYS and