Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-06-05
The Horrors of Starvation.

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The following which is the experience
of a miner, we clip from a recent Cali
fornia paper. Two men sought dis
tant digger" became completely shu
IN by a heavy snow, and soon consu,n.
ed all their food. The writer saws :
son the second day of our starvation
found the carcase of mule that I ha
lost in the fall, which the cayotas hac
nearly entirely devoured; but on exam
lnaiion we found small pieca of flesl
remaining on the lower thigh, which W,
carefully cut off, with the hope that WI
could eat it ourselves. But it wassno O.
it would not stick. We tried it in ey.
cry way possible, but to no purpose
1t was more than our stomachs coulC
bear. What now to do we could no
tell. To get out was impossible
Death seemed to stare US in the face
My companion became so Respondent
that he gave up all hope and would no
leave the camp, although he was mucl
larger and stronger man than myself
yet 1 kept UP much the best But at the
same time l saw little chance but &c
starve yet | had faint hope that he
would die first, and then. For fear he
might take advantage of me / seldom lei
my rifle out my hands. I kept on my
feet all the time, although I was getting
exceedingly weak and the snow on the
river bar was four feet deep and from
six to ter on the mountains. Now, all
my fairy streams of wealth and happin-
ess when should get home were turned
into gloom and darkness, gold lost its
lustre. To become cannibal was hor-
rifying; the thought of having to starve
TO death and become food for the wild
beasts was intolerable. Gold was of no
use; would have gladly given all
possessed fer one pound of bread, but
alas ! | could not got it. MY heart grew
faint within me. knew full well that
there was no chance for my men to get
to me before | must starve to death,
unless my companions should die, OF
-. To become a murderer seemed
SO heartless and treacherous ; but what
could / do? Is it not better that one
die than both die ? Thus | reasoned.
and struggled against reason, until hope
was lost in despair. But bark an idea
occurs to me. | remember seeing the
track OF cayota near the carcass of that
mule Hope sprang up new vigor is
aroused. ! snatohed up my rifle and
started off in the direction of the mule
with light heart and an eager and
quick step, with hope of yet escaping
the dreadful calamity that seemed to a.
wait me. On my reaching the carcase
| saw that there was a cayota in the
habit of coming there how to contrive
some way te kill it was the next thing
to be done After some examination, I
posted myself behind large rock. Il
was now getting near dusk. and no co
yota yet. sat with eager expectation ,ho-
ping the next moment would bring some
wild beast in sight. At the first appear
ance of the animal, l threw my gun to
my face and fired inficting a death shot
Now my heart was filled with Joy, and
I felt He who created me was able to
feed me, and that / should feel the sting
fthe lash | had so much deserved from
the hand of Him who had thus far
blessed and prospered me. On my re-
turn to camp,I met my companion,
who but moment previous, struggling
in hopeless despair, might now be seer
with a frightened countenance e, with
tears of Joy chasing each other down his
emaciated cheeks"