Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-01-12
From the Ne'o Orleans Picayunc.
The Lost MaR---A Prairie Sketch

| Inc Lost MaR---A Prairie Sketch
An unfortunate trader once straved
from his companions, and was lost four
or five days suffering the keenest pangs
OF starvation. 1t was years ago, vet the
story has only been told in oral repeti-
ton among the old traders, and has re-
yer before to our knowledge, fallen in the
way of scribble.
The man wandered away upon a sui
try midsummer afternoon, oppressed to
desperation with thirst, in search of wa
ter, while the caravan was dragging
slowly along the dreary and heated prai-
RE. Making his way to cluster of
timber that appeared no very tedious
distance, he was fortunate enough to
find small cool spring gushing and
ripping at the bottom of deep rocky
hollow
The fresh water, the cool shade of the
steep rock and the trees above, togeth
er with the knowledge that the wagons
were still moving along in sight, induced
the poor fellow to yield to his WEAKNESS
and suffer his eyes to close. When he
awoke, the gray of evening was deep
ening around the prairie, and rushing
up from the hollow, his eve wandered
about in vain search of his companions.
He was a raw adventurer 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. Has
ty, impulsive, and rash as he was care
less, and without possessing a single
quality OF character to assist him in such
an emergency, confused terror at once
took possession of him, and starting as
he thought in the direction whe.e he
had last seen the wagons, he ran with
headlong speed, shouting wildly at eve
ry step, in hopes of being heard and
answered by his companions.
The terrified man, berelto of all thought
by the fearful nature of his predicament,
could not even remember to fire the RI
file he held, but continued tearing his
lungs with wild and desolate cries for
assistance. While rushing blindlv for
ward IN this manner, the man met with
violent fall and was stunned into in
sensibility for some hours. We are
giving now the substance of the poor
fellows own relation. He came back
to consciousness some time during the
night, in the midst of a pack of bowling
wolves, and found himself lying by the
side of a buffalo skeleton, not vet entire
" stripped by the prowling dogs Of the
desert. A situation more appalling to
heart and nerve, may not be imagined.
Inc man doubted not but that he was
aroused prematurely from his state of
TOPPER by the hungry creatures assault
ing his own body, for his clothes were
mauled and torn, and the scratch of
claw was on his leg, though tooth, it
seems, had not yet touched him. He
had trippedupon the skeleton, and struck
his forehead on a horn or some other
part, as he discovered a huge lump upon
his head, which also ached distressingly
when he came to his senses.
The poor fellow, in the heat of his ter
ror made out to scare away the wolves
from himself, and escape from the spot,
leaving the famiShed animals to return
again to the buffaloe's bones, and give
them a cleaner polishing Just escap-
ing FROM one frightful danger, perhaps
took something from the keen horrors
of his desolate and wretched condition.
but the unhappy mans sensations were
narrowing and fearful in the extreme
He still pressed onward, his strength fail
ing at every step, calling in harsh and
broken shricks to his friends, and chang
ing his course again and again, in utter
and miserable uncertainty of which way
to turn.
Daylight came, the sun rose, noon
approached and passed, and the lost
man was alone in the desert, famished
and faint, and without a solitary hope
of regaining his companions, or finding
the track they were pursuing
That night the unhappy wretch sank
exhausted upon the grass and slept, to
awaken in state of fear and danger
more appalling even than the night be-
fore, A compact and innumerable band
of buffaloes came moving slowly across
the region of the prairie on which he
lay, and he started from sleep in immi-
nent peril of being trodden to death by
the huge monarchs of the plain. As
these dense masses of buffaloes move,
they emit sounds that rise in the air like
a sea surge, ard as the vast black herd
came toward him in deep midnight, the
poor trader declared that rolling ocean
seemed about to overwhelm him. Ut
terly paralyzed with his danger, the un-
fortunate man could but start to his
feet, and stand coniounded, fearing to
fire or use other means to alarm the
bufaloes, lest by exciting their terror,
he should but increrse his own peril
From this critical position, however,
he likewise escaped unhurt. for the ami
mails separated, as is their custom when
/ strange scent is detected, and passed
on in two divisions, keeping some 200
wards clear of the mysterious intruder
=, tho ,,o;JIlo Davi;obt ,,,as ,oa;n ar,