The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-13
From the New Orleans Piesyuns.
The Lest Man.
A PRAIRIE SKETCH.

his companions, and was lost lour or hve
days, suffering the keenesl pangs oil starva-
ZION. Ii was years ago. yet the story mas
only been told in oral repetition among the
old traders, and has never before, TO our
knowledge, fallen in the way OF scribe.
The man wandered away upon sultTy
midsummer afternoon, oppressed to desPera-
lion with thirst, in search OF water, while
the caravan was dragging slowly along the
dreary and heated prairie. Making his way
to cluster of timber that appeared no very
tedious distance, he was fortunate enough 10
find a small cool spring gushing and rip
ping at the bottom of deep rocky hollow.
The fresh water, the cool shade Of the steep
rock, and the trees above, together 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 deepening around the
prairie, and rushing up from the hollow, his
eye 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 ex-
perence or those with whom he travelled.
Hasty. impulsive, and rash as he was care
less, and without possessing single quality
OF character to assist him in such an emer-
gency, confused, terror at once took posses
sion of him, and starting as he thought in
the direction where he had last seen the
wagons, he ran with headlong speed, shout
ing wildly al every step. in hopes oil being
heard and answered by his companions.
The terrified man, bereft Of all thought
by the fearful nature Of his predicament,
could not even remember TO fire the rife
he held, but continued tearing his lungs
with wild and desolate cries for assistance.
While rushing blindly forward in this man.
ner, the night still deepening around him,
the man met with violent fall and was
stunned into insensibility 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 pack Of bowling wolves,
and found himself lying by the side Of
bufalo's skeleton. not yet entirely stripped
by the prowling dogs Of the desert. A sit
uation more appalling to heart and nerve.
may not be imagined. The man doubted
not but that he was aroused Prematurely
from his state Of torpor by the hungry crea-
lures assaulting his own body, for his clothes
were mauled and torn. and the scratch OF a
claw was on his leg. though tooth. it seems,
had not yet touched him. He had uiPPed
upon the skeleton, and struck his forehead
on horn or some other part, as he dlscOv-
cred huge lump upon his head, which also
ached distressingly when ne came TO his
J senses.
The poor fellow, ia the heat Of his ter
ror. made out to scare away the wolves from
! himself, and escape from the spot, leavins
the famished animals to return again to the
} bufalo's bones. and give them cleaner
: polishing. Just escaping from one inghtfu
danger, perhaps, took something from the
keen horrors of his deSOlale, and wTetched
condition, but the unhappy mans sensa
| lions were narrowing and fearful in the ex
IRENE. He still pressed onward, his strength
T failing at every step, calling in harsh and
broken shrieks to his friends, and changing
his course again and again, in utter and mis-
cradle uncertainty Of which way to turn.
Daylight came, the sun rose, noon ap
: preached and passed, and the lost man wa!
alone in the desert, famished and faint, anC
without solitary hope Of regaining his com
panions, or finding the track they were Pur
) suing.
That night the unhappy wretch sank ex
hausted upon the grass and slept, to ava
. ken in state Of fear and danger more sp
palling even than the night before. A com
pact and innumerable band Of buffaloe
came moving slowly across the region o
the prairie on which he lay, and he started
from sleep in imminent peril Of being trod
den to death by the huge monarchs Of tn
plain. As these dense masses Of buffaloe
move, they emit sounds that rise in the al
like a sea surge, and as the vast black her
came toward him in deep midnight, the poo
trader declared that rolling ocean SCENE,
about to overwhelm him. Utterly psralyse,
with bis danger, the unfortunate man eoul
/: but start to his feet, and stand COMPOUNDED
fearing either to fire or use other means L
alarm the buffaloes, lest by exciting thei
terror, he should but increase his own peril
From this critical position, however. b
likewise escaped unhurt, for the animal
separated. as is their custom, when strang
scent is detected, and passed on in two di
visions. keeping some hundred yards clea
of the mysterious intruder in the middle
Daylight was again appearing, as the las
Of this innumerable herd Of creatures pass
ed him, and the man was starving. He tool
aim with his rifle at retresting buffalo
and missed fire, for his percussion cap wa
wet with the night dew. Still he was fam
ishing, and his only hope seemed in tn
slaughtering of a buffalo. He followed
crawling on his hands and knees. and, afte
hours Of weary watching and labor, wound
ed COW at last with successful shot. bu
the terrified creature hmpsd away, and tn
whole band disappeared, while the poor ira
der fell PROSTATE, too exhausted and fam
to make another effort in the pursuit.
The unhappy wretch lay groaning aloud
alone in the midst Of an interminabl,
waste, abandoned to desperation and de
spair, when the thin bark Of a small prair
dog attracted his attention. Once more h
charged his rife, for the little creature wa
,, in sight, with its nose lifted Just abov,
III. 4 l.