Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-01-11
MltstelI0ltGous.
From the New Orleans Picayune.
The, Lost Man.
A PRAIRIE SKETCH.

A PRAIRIE SKETCH.
An unfortunate trader once strayed from hi.
Companions, and was lost four or five DAYS. suf
f1fng the keenGst pangs of starvation. It was
yars ago, yet the story has only been told in
or'l repetition among the old traders. and has
ne'er before, to our knowledge, fallen the wav
ola scribe
The man wandered away upon sultry mid
summer afternoon, oppressed to desperation with
thlrst in search of water, while tile caravan was
dragging slowly along thu - "0"''u
prairie Aronlng his way to cluster OF timber
that appeared at 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, together
with the knowledge that the wagons were still
moving along in sight, induced the poor fellow
to yield to his WEAKNESS, and sufflv. 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 new
adventurer upon his fist travel, knowing moth.
ing of how to direct his steps in the wilderness,
and trusting entirely to the guidance and eXpe-
ricnce of those with whom he travelled. Hasty,
impulsive, and raSn as he was careless, and with
>,ut possessing single quality of character to
assist him in such an emergency, confused, ter
at once took possession of him, and starting
10 thought in the direction where he had last
In the wagons, he ran with headlong speed;
Shouting wildly at every step, in hopes of being
heard and answered by his companions.
The terrified man, berot Of all thought by the
fearful nature of his predicament, could not even
tee,ins T. to fire the rife he held, but continued
%ss''ance %hie Tr ~s and asse @ =,
Us manner the nississ ~-.i,i s - 1sifuhu
"A the man met with Violent iail ana was
Y med into insonsibility for some hours We
giving now the substance of the poor fell
rs own relation. He came back to conscious
!ss some time during the night, in the midst of
pack of bowling wolves, and found himslf ly-
IAa by the side of bufalo's skeleton, not yet
ontEely stripped by the prowling dogs of the
desert. A situation more appalling to heart and
nerve. nav not be imagined. The man doubted
not bnt that he was aroused prematurey from
his state of torpor by the hungry creatures as.
saultinr his own body for his clothes were man
rled and torn, and the scratch of claw was on
his leg though tooth, it seems, had not yet
touched him. He had tripped upon the skee-
ton. and struck his forehead on horn or some
other part, as he discovered a huge bump upon
his head. which also ached distressngy when
he came to his senses.
The poor fellow, in the heat of his terror, made
out to scare away the wolves from himself, and
escape from the spot, leaving the furnished ami
mails to return again to the buffalo's bones, and
give them cleaner polishing. Just escaping
from one frightful danger, perhaps took some
thing from the keen horrors of his desoate and
wretched condition, but the unhappy mans sen
stations were narrowing and fearful in the ex-
IRENE. He still pressed onward, his strength
falling at every step, calling i'll harsh and bro,
ken sArieks to his friends, and changing 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 tht
desert, famished and faint, and without solita
nv hope of regaining his companions or finding
the track they we're pursuing.
That night the unhappy wretch sank exhaus
ted upon the grass and slept, to awaken in
state of fear and danger more appalling evel
than the night before. compact and lnnumef
able band of butfaloes came moving slowly a
cross the region of the prairie on which he lay
and he started from sleep in imminent peril c
being troddcn to death by the huge monarchs c
the plain. As these dense masses Of butfaloe
move, they emit sounds that rise in the air like
sea surge, and as the vast black herd came to
ward him in deep midnight, the poor trader dc
clared that rolling ocean seemed about to ovel
'whelm him. Utterly paraly zed with his DANCE
tho unfortunate man could but start to his fee
and stand confounded fearing either to fire {
use other means to alarm the butfaloes, lest b
exciting their terror, he should but increase h
own peril From this critical position, howeve
o,,s likewise escaped unhurt, for the animals sci
the tied as is their custom when strange scent
az Elected, and passed on in two divisions, keel
! ing some two hundred yards clear of the mystt
\ hous intruder in the middle. Daylight was ,
: gain appearing, as the innumerable herd of cre'
lures passed him, and the man was starving.
He took aim with his rifle at retreating bu
falo, and missed fire, for his percussion cap wa
damp with the night dew. Still he was famisl
ing, and his only hope seemed i'll the slaughte
ing of buffalo. He followed, crawling on b
hands and knees, and, after hours of wear
watching and labor, wounded COW at last wit
successful shot, but the terrified creature linn
ed away, and the whole band disappeared viii