Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-10-29


besides, now saw that they we're only three
eet in height, while the hamngoes stand Eve
There was a dozen Of them ALL They were
balancing themselves, as is their usual habit,
on one leg, apparently asleep, or blurred in
deep thought They were on the uppero cx-
tremity o; the isle, while was approaching
it from below. 1t was not above sixty yards
across, and could | only reach the point near
est to me, knew my gun would throw shot
to kill that distance. feared the stroke of
the skulls would start them, and pulled slow
y and cautiously. Perhaps the great heat
for it was as hot a day as | can remember
had rendered them 'orpid or lazy.-- Wheth-
or not, they stood still ill the cut water Of my
skilf touched the bank of the iset | drew
my gun up cautiously, took aim, and fired
both barrels almost simultaneously. When
the smoke had cleared out of my eyes, saw
that all the birds had flown off cx'It one,
that lay stretched out by the edge of the wa
ter. Gun in hand, leaped out Of the boat
and ran across the islet to bag my game.
This occupied but Il few minutes; and | was
turning To go back to the skiH, when to my
constcrnation,l saw it out upon the lake. and
rapidly floating downward In my haste had
left it unfastened, and the bayou current had
carried it off, 1t was still but hundred
yards off, but might as well been
Hundred miles, for at that time could not
swim Il stroke.
My first mpuse was TO rush down the lake,
and after the boat This impulse was check
ed on arriving at the waters edge, which
saw at glanae was iathoms in depth
Quick reflection told me that the boat was
gone e-irrecoverably gone!
| did not at first comprehend the full peril
of my situation; nor will YOU. was on an
isct, in lake, only half IA mile from its shores
alone, ii is true, and without a boat; but
what Of that? Many man lad been so be-
fore, with not an idea OF danger These were
irst thoughts, natural enough; but they rap
idly gave place to others of far different
character When gazed after my boat, now
beyond recovery-when | looked around, and
saw that the lake lay in the middle of aud in
terminable swamp, the shores Of which, even
could have reached them, did not seem to
promise me iooting-when | reflected that,
being unable to swim. could not reach them
that upon the islet there was neither tree
nor log, nor bush-not a stick out OF which
upon all these things, there arose in my mind
feeling Of well defined and absolute horror
1t is true, | was only in lake, a mile or
two in width; but so far as the portland help
Icssness OF my situation were concerned,
might as well have been upon rock in the
middle Of the Atlantic. ! knew that there
was no settlement within mcs-mes of
pathless swamp. | knew that no one could
either hear or see memo one was at all like
ly to come near the lake; Indeed felt salts
fed that my faithess boat WAS the first keel
that had ever cut its waters. The very tame
ness Of tho birds wheeling around my head,
was evidence Of this | should never 60 out
from that lake | must die on that islet, or
drown in attempting TO leave it.
These reflections rolled rapidly over my
startled soul. The facts were clear, the hy-
pothess definite, sequence certain; there was
no ambiguity, no superstiious hinge upon
which | could hang u hope-no not one.
could not even expect that should be missed
and sought for: there was no one 10 search
for me, The simple haJitanS of the village |
had left knew me not--I was a stranger
among them: they only knew me as a slran-
ger, and fincied m: strange individual
one who made l1ncly excursions, and brought
home punches Of weeds, with binds insects,
and reptiles, which they had never before
seen, although gathered at their own doors.
My absence, besides would be nothing new
to them, even though it lasted for days: had
often been absent before, week at time
There was no hope Of my being missed.
have said that these reflections came and
passed quickly. In less than a minute, my
atfrightcd soul was in full possession of them,
and had almost yielded itself to despair
shouted, but rather involuntary than with
any hope that should be heard; shouted
loudly and tiercely: my answer-the echoes
of my own voice, the Shrek of the osprey,
and the maniac laugh Of the whte-headed
eagle.
ceased to shout, threw my gun TO the
earth, aud tottercd down beside it. | have
been in gloomy prison, in the hands Of a
vengeful guerilla banditti, with carbines cock
Cd to blow out my brains No one will call
that pleasant siluaton-nor was it to me,
| have been lost upon the wide prairie-the
land sea-without bush, break, or star To
guide me-that was worse. There you look
around; you see nothing, you hear nothing
you are alone with God, and you trembe in
his presence, your senses swim; your brain
reels you are afraid Of your own mind. De
serted by every thing else, you dread lest it
too may lorsake you.-rhcre is horror in this
it is very horrible-it is hard to bear; but
have borne it all and would bear it again
twenty times over rather than endure once
more the first hour spent on that lonely islet
in that lonely lake. Your prison may bC
dark and SILENT but you feel that you are no
utterly alone-beings like yourself are near
though they may be your jailors. Lost on
the prairie, you are aione-but you are free
In the islet, felt that was alone, that was
not free; in the islet, experienced the feel
ings of the prairie and prisons combined.
lay in state of stupor-almosl unco n
scious, how long | know not but many hours
am certain. knew this by the sun i
was going down when awoke, if Im'y Sc
term the recovery of my stricken senses.
was aroused by strange circumstance.
! ,yas en.ronpda al b,, dark ohiacts of hi Tom