The Sierra citizen., 1854-03-04

robbed the body Of the sustenance which
| Nature intended for it, as in the case of
several distinguished poets and metaphysi-
clans, but of late years the person Of the
doctor showed signs of an increasing ro-
tundity in the abdominal region, while
his legs remained in statu quo; in fact a
more rudimentary pair Of legs could hardly
be found unless attached to the person of
Shanghae rooster.
Doctor Teasel's theory of mining was
clear and comprehensive; his geological
knowledge was undisputed, and he could
explain the different formations of rock
with 1uency quite bewildcring to the
unlearned. Hitherto he had not reduced
his theory to practice, and now this expe-
dition offered an opportuni ty for expert
mental mining that must not pass un-
improved.
But we forget-we left the doctor on
his frosty perch, fdgeting with hope de-
fered, and his teeth chattering with the
cold. About 'the noon of night" the dis
tinguished looking man emerged from the
hotel, and peering cautiously abont, quietly
gathered up his traps and started across
the plaza; others of the party were seen
lodging round the corners and disap-
pearing in the darkness. Hastily DON
ming his traps the doctor gave chase, but
encumbered as he was with all sorts OF
scientific apparatus,he made little progress;
the hill lOomed up in the darkness, and
kept getting sleeper every step. Our
scientific prospecter soon became aware
that he was loosing ground. He could
dimly see the forms in advance, but they
seemed to be growing smaller every mo-
ment. Knowing that everything depended
on his oyertaking the party before they
reached the top of the hill, he saw the
necessity of throwing overheard ballast
He accordingly commenced throwing
away the least valuable of his mining i'm
plcments, all the time accelerating his
pace; and had any one followed his trail in
the morning, he would have been reminded
of the furbelows and gewgaws of Mrs.
Lot, which her affectionate consort COM
PEELED her to throw away during the flight,
at the time of that wonderful exhibition
of fireworks at the cities of the Plain.
But the gray light began to appear in
the East, and to his great JOY the doctor
observed that the party had halted
Fastening on to their camp, he introduced
himself as Doctor Teasel, and stated that
he was on an exploring expedition himself
and would be glad to accompany them if
agreeable. OF course no objections were
made, and after resting while the whole
party decendel into deep canon. Here
every thing showed signs of volcanic forma-
ton, and our mineralogist felt all the
enthusiasm of an amateur in the profession.
Becoming absorbed in the investigation
of quartz rock, he did not for while
discover the absence of his companions
After while he looked for his travelling
acquaintance, but they were gone. Then
began the tribulatiOn of Doctor Artaxerxes
Teasel. Being altogether unaccustomed
to the woods, he soon became bewildered,
and knew not from what direction he had
come. Night drew on and the lost man
ascended high hill, beyond which he
expected to find the village he had started
from; but on arriving at the top, he saw
nothing butsdeep canons and snowy hills,
and his heaf+ quailed within him at the
thoughts of passing the night alone in the
wilderness. Spreading his blankets be-
meath rock he tried to sleep, but the
rustling of the wood-mouse in the leaves
started him from his slumbers, and the
melancholy hooting of an owl caused him
a thrill of horror, while the cold sweat
stood on his brow Stories of grizzly
| ~l,ls
stories which he had heard long years
ago, haunted his imagination. But again
all was still, and gradually sleep crept over
him; still in his troubled imagination he
saw hideOus monsters of the woods, ready
to spring upon him Starting up, he
shuddered as he heard the cracking of
brush near by, and saw dark form ap-
preaching. But it was only timid deer
that was looking for his supper among the
chapparal. Morning at last chased
away the grim spectres that had tormented
him all night long, and he hastened away
from the place which even in the light OF
day seemed so horrible. We cannot
follow him through the chapparal during
the day-we can only relate that in the
evening of the third day care worn,
haggard looking individual, made his ap-
pearance in town, looking as though he
had been dragged through a stubborn
thorn-bush; and this was Doctor Artax-
erxes Teasel, returned from his first and
last mineralogical research in the Sierra.
TREED BY GRIzzLIEs.-on the 10th inst. q
gentleman residing in Contra Costa was
treed by grizzlies in the most unexpected
manner. 1t appears that five of these ami
mails are kept chained BY their proprietor
near a road, which the gentlemen in
question had to traverse to reach home. -
About 9 o'clock in the evening, as he
was returning home, he suddenly found him.
self in the midst of the brutes, who evinced