The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-03-15

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death. during four days and nights. on
the wild prairie. without food, fre, sleep,
and with scsnty clothing, in The most in.
clement weather ever experienced in this
latitude, occurred last week. The ther,
monaetsr, the 6rss three days, ranged
from FIVE to fifteen degrees below zero
The last day and night was little more
moderate. -
With the unprecedented severity of the
weather, snow eighteen inches deep,
|driited in places much deeper. it seems
almost incredible that any person. much
more female in her sixteenth year,
should live onc-half of the time that
Martha Ann Perkins, the individual
above alluded to, did. She tore the
flesh from her fingers to the bone, in
breaking brush to build her little "nest, p
to shield herself from the inclemencies
of the storm and cold. The skin on her
face was considerably torn, in trying to
gnaw the bark from the elm tree she
mentions, to get some sustenance.
The two men. mentioned by her. who
first found her. were hunting, and heard
her cries, and knowing that she was lost,
p
thought probably it might be her. The
neighbors here had turned out to hunt
her. and probably would have found her
in an hour or two, had she not been nc.
cidentally discovered by John Bayliss
and Edmund Andrews.
/ visited the sufferer yesterday, and,
from all appearances. she is likely to re-
cover, although she is frozen very badly.
have penned the account below OF
the thrilling event as she related it to me,
in her own language, save little altera.
ton in the style:
81 laft Iowa Point, the residence oil
my sister, Mrs. Bowen. on Tuesday, Feb
5,h, at about o'clock in the morning,
to go to my fathers FIVE miles distant,
across the prairie. The snow was falling
fast. and the wind blowing strong from
the east. continued in the right direc-
ton | should think about four miles
thought once would take my back track
to the Point, but alter going short dis
tance, concluded that it would be easier
to go home, as it was much nearer.
Although the storm was beating
mercilessly against me on my left. and
had become nearly exhausted wading in
the snow, l thought could gain home.
| soon became lost, not knowing which
way to go; stopped, cleared away the
snow, and tried to warm my feet. which
we,e not only wet, but the left one frozen
Stood there about an hour and a-half, as
near as could judge. My mind was
now made up that the night must be
spent out of doors, cold, pitiless and
lonely as it was, the storm still raging
with relentless fury. then began 10
look around me for a comfortable place
TO lodge, if one situation eeull De called
mofe comfortable than another. The
small bundle of clothes had with me, ]
had hung on bush, being unable to car.
ry it any farther. Falling into deep
snow-drift. which was in a kind of ra-
vine, it was with the utmost difficulty
that | extricated myself, thinking once
or twice | must give up, being nearly
exhausted from continued exertions to
get out. l finally succeeded, and seeing
tree short distance of, ! proceeded to
it, ana built me kind of a house around
it, in which to while away the tedious
night. Fixing the weeds and brush ovei
me as best l could, | laid myself down,
not knowing whether daylight would find
me living. | exercised as much as pos
ible to prevent freezing; also to keep
awake. having heard it said that if a per-
son slept under such circumstances they
would die. Notwithstanding ! wrapped
myself up as much as possible with my
scanty means-which consisted of only
the ordinary dress of the day and q
light mantilla-my feet were badly
frosted. becoming stiff and senseiess.
Oh, what a long. cold, sleepless night
Wednesday morning / mustered up all
the courage available. and went nearly a
mile on ridge toascertain where might
be. The storm was yet raging with all
its violence. SO that was unable % make
any discovery as to my whereabouts, the
falling snow preventing my seeing but
short distance.
started for a clump of timber in sight.
supposing it was where my father lived.
On arriving at the timber, ! found my
mistake. and proceeded onward, with the
little strength left me-, thinking ] might
lceme to q house. Crossing two rsyines.
| Hearied and discouraged / gave myself
Iup fer lost. Thought TO 60 back to
whers lay the lastnight, but my strength
failed. ii being afternoon. all hopes ol
6sding home OF any human abode tIal
night fled, and ] prepared TO spend
another dreary night alone 10 the saoN.
found cluster of trees In a rayins.and
built my nest large enough 70 81 up ia
was obliged to change my position OF.
ten % avoid slsep. and my limbs would
become stiff Il ! keps still. ] took Of
lone shoe. but sould not gse The other of
my foot bsi.g considerably swollen. Ns
fstockiacs uese fsozsn 70 tie ski1. Is
Istrenrfil gradually fsiied. DOT having {