The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1849-10-27
Of their demeanor"

small portion oi The Brilisl territory ~ ire
auenied ly bHilao aud deer are becoming
scurcer every year 1lhr~rther animals Of
NORM America would be deemed by any one
else unfit lor food. The sohl,the NulruH, che
raindeer, the musk GA, aud all the lurred an'
inhls, nre eaisn by them. West Of lhe moun-
thiHa oil tie interior posts nre subssIeh upon
horses, dogs, and hhh. OF these tbs dog ID
preferred, Fruits and vegetables nfe iound
1 in some localities, bui they are extremely rare,
| The ydyHRgurH Hre continually exposed 90
danger, from whiriT even tho commandments
aud clerks nre not altogether exempt
We conclude our account Of ihB Hudson
/ hay company with the following thrilling
narrative Of an adventure OF MrIloss COx,ona
of The clerks Of llis company. No Cox went
out To the mouth of the Columbia river on
board the Beaver, which was tho second
1 vessel sent by Mr. AslOr 10 The Pneihc, IN
fuuhomnce OF his magnificent project for 1s
lhbliHhing line Oi Trading posts hefosH The
continent AneT tho loss of Mr. AHiofn hrHI
vessel, tho Tanquin, aud tie unauthorized
sale of his embellishments aud iurs To the
North West company by his iaiililess part
nefs, Cox succeeded ~ obtaining employ
moni ns a clerk with the above oOmpunyi
aOn Ihe 30lh June, 1919, ba took his de
parure with large party from For. George
10 ascend the Columbia river aud perform
duty Of tho post on the Oakinagnn river
Amer passing the junction of Tho lenis mud
the Clark forks, the parry assembled some dis,
tHucc up the lewis fork, and from thence left
lun their canoes aud commenced their Jour
ney norihwnrd overland. On tho second day
they passed tho boundaries of the soil aud
d arrived upon an immense plain destitute OF
trees, and showing no signs OF life, save a
. few lunches of pnrchcd aud stunIrd grass.
This plain was ynricgated with some undu.
Of lns a
3 rocks, aud sonle deep ruyiues without n
b drop of wuler within n circuit Ola hundred
1 miles, aud literary swarning with rattle.
: snakes. Two days aud a hall were occupied
ia toiliug over this sterile valley, when the
% party arrived al Hn oasis OF Bnull Dimensions,
0 where n sparkling fountain hubhled up and
4 diilused' the voters of life around II, with itl
q liule basin enclosed ia an outrageous cover
% lug of oyerhanging trees, and its margin
c clothed Ia rich grass. Here the parry halted
lnr resi- aud IelreAhment. Amer making u
hearty meal, the men recined upon the vet
b vet gruss, smoked their pipes, and chniled
T. over old adventures aud new hopes Coz
= himself concluded to stroll a little WY down
i the streams 10 some clumps oi trees which
e lac discovered nt some distance from tht
camp, with the expectations Of gathering conn
g fresh fruit as n regule after his solid meal of
J. horse meat. Fruit he found ia Abundance
q and ALTAR raliating his appetite, he carelessl,
q laid down to rest, aud mcditatcd upon his fu
f lure prospects. Unfortunately the morning.
v fatigue had been so great that sleep over
n came him. Four hours afterwards, lac nwokc
c Imagine his Consideration, on returning Il
Is camp, at finding that the whole party ha,
~ departed, iuAn aud horse, as the extinct 6r
u testified, several hours previously. Almos
d moddened with fear, he screamed out al Ib'
e top OF his voice, aud ran hiIher aud lhither il
Wild Ond aiinless excitement. Altor exhaust
l. ing himself IN these vain efforts for relief h,
II found calmness enough 20 estimate all thl
>, dreadful reality ofbis situation. lilo WAS n
c lone in n wild and dcsolntc region, iuiestr'
= by veuomous scrpenIs aud desperate beast
Il of prey, without u horse or gun and destitute
n of clothing aud implements. In The north
!. east corner of tho valley, after an Hrduou
10 search, lac found the marks Of Horses feet
d which he followed until they were lost IN
. chain of rocky hills where they could MAX,
l. .no impression. From this elevation he coult
}. see for MANY miles ahead but discoy
y cred no sign OF the party. HIS only clothing
i wns n Bingham Shirt pair Of nnnkeen Irow
~ sors, aud Thin moccasius, The night nov
u. closed in with cold heavy dew. Finding
d patch Of dead grass, he pulled enough to Ia
- down upon aud cover himself, aud IN this SIT
Ia union commended himself 10 the care Of Al
e mighty God. lie arose in the morning, colt
u md stiff ut,tl t,feeeetIe4 on2ard-M with no ns
re- surnnce that he was in the right direction
m but animated with vague aud underline
Sc hopes. After travelling all day. he discover
I'll ed late in the evening, two horsemen gallon
ly ing nlong height some miles in advance
ie bur nit ms siguuts firiet 10 attract IeiF atlsI
10 ion, aud in few moments he was again lei
g. to his desoiate reflections. When il becnjn
N nearly dark, he turned around to collcC
" the mems of preparing for sleep, and to hi
f horror discovered a very large raIlIe.snak
ne coiing himselffor stroke. lie Enrnpg bac
e picked up u large stone, aud with u succeed
vi ed in crushing the reptiles head. His moe
is casins were now worn out, and the soles o
a. his feet bruised mud SWOLLEN by the tray,
. over the rocky surtace.
n The next morning he pursued his hopeless
e. Journey The rocky sandy soil covered wit
ID tagged shrubs and burnt grnss, made bis to
IN aud suffering excessive. THIS day TOO, clio,
h. cd in without awakening any we'll founde
Il, hopes of relief The third morning he pu
" sued his course through region diversifie
To with hills aud valleys, and clumps Of pin
lie trees, and~fillcd with rnulesnakes, horne
IL lizards, and grnSs-hoppers kept him in COT
Is STINT alahn by the similarity ofthe buzZin
81 ortheir wings1o the alarm Of the IA ttlesnake
it's In the evening he arrived at the shores OF
o. lake, some miles IA lougih, surrounded vii
ng trees and shF'Ibs, where he obtained an
id hunlance ofchoke cherries, tho first food i
hit Ind procured since his pnriy left him. Net
e. the hank of this lake he slept bu; he WI
It's frequently aroused during the night by II
he melancholy mud hideous howing of lurg
US binds of wolves, aud rbc fearful growing q
ne n number Of grizzly bears. So
. The next morning he determined TO mnt
,f several short inllrHleE in yifIaTef,t direction