The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-03-05

hard before the storm came on, although
It Was now freezing no longer, and the
snow would not bear our weight. All
our efforts to got out of tho valley proved
idle; and we gave them over, Welding
ourselves, in kind of reckless DESPAIR, to
! wait for-we scarce knew what.
For three days We sat sliverinp
around the fires, now and then casting
looks OF gloomy inquiry around the sky.
The Same dull gray for au answer, mot
tied with flakes slanting earthward, for it
fhli continued to snow. Not n bright
spot ehseTod the aching eye.>'
,"4hs little plstfoylp Oh which we rest
edn-a Ilsea IF two or three acres-was
stu Tree from the snow drift, on account
OF It's exposure to tho wind. Struggling
pines, stunted and leatlcs-, grew orer its
surface, in all about fifty or sixty trees
From these we obtained our fires bu,
what were fires when We had no meat to
cook upon them
We were now in Tho third day with
out food Without food, though not alb
solutely without eating. The men had
boited their gun covers, and the cat-skin
flaps Of their bullet pouches, and were
now sccn-thc last shift but one-strip-
ping tho 1Hrhrechc fro,s tho soles of their
moccasins!
Ihe women. wrapped in their G5p:as,
nestled closely IN the embrace of f,tE or.
brother, husband and lover for all these
affections were present. The last string of
tdsGjo, hitherto economical for their sake.
had been p,rcolled out to them in the
morning. That was gone, and whence
was their next morscl to come! At long
intervals, '1y de mii Dois de- mi alma p
were heard onl in low murmurs, as some
colder blast swept down the canon. In
the face Of those beautiful creatures might
be read tha accomplishing PATIENCE
that high enlurance-so characteristic Of
the lii'pano Mexican wonren.u
Even the stern men around them bore
up with lcss furtitude. Rude oa,hs were
uttered from time to time, and teeth
ground together. with that strange, wild
look that hcralls insanity. Once or twice
| fancicd that observed a look Of still
stranger. still wilder expression, when the
black ring forms around the eye-when
the muscles twitch and quiver along
gannt. fsmished jaws men gaze
guiliy.Gke ut each other. Oh, God it
was fearful! The half roLbcr discipline.
voluntary ut the best, bad. vanished under
~" l"v"ll:ng, r,,l Of ii common suffering,
and / tremhled to ilirk.
"' II clears a lcctle, out llarawa.
I" 1t was the voice Of the trapper, Ga
rey. who had risen and stood pointing to-
warls tho East.
In an instant "" were all upon our
feet, looking in ,he direction indicatcd.-
Sure enough, there was break in the
lsad-colored sky-a ycllpwish streak, that
wh!'n'rl mit rs We continued gazing-the
ti"kes fell lightsr. and thinner, aud in two
hours more 1t had, ceased showing alto.
gothcr. ~
Half dozen Of us shouldering our
rifles, struck down the valley. We would
make one more attempt TO .trample road
through the Drift. II was q vain one
tho snow was over our heads, aud after
struggling fos two hours. we had not
gained above two hundred yards. Here
We caught glimpse Of what lay before
us. As far as the eye could reach, il rest.
cd upon the same decp, m,.assable mas
ses. Despair and hunger paralyzed our
exeriions, and dropping off one by one,
We returned to the camp.
ave fell down around the fire. in sui.
len silence. Carey continued pacing
back and forth, now clapying up n, the
sky, and at times kneeling down, and run
ming 'iis band over the surface Of the snow.
At length lie approached tho fire, and in
his slow drawing manner. remarked
It's gwine to friz, I rekin.'
80 Well, and ii il doesi + asked one OF
his comrades, without caring for an an
swcr to the question.
".Wsl, an. if it docs,'. repeated the
ttrapper, 'wel! walk out o this hyar Jug
afore sun-up, an upon good hard trail
too
Tho expression Of every face was
changed, as if by magic. Several leaped
to their feet. Code, the Canadian, skin.
ed in snow. craft, ran 10 bank, and
drawing his hand along the combinp,
shouted back
C'esf rroi ageie J; Rtgelsn
cold wind soon after set in, and,
chcered by tho Frightening prospect, we
began to think Of the fires, that during
our late moments Of reckless indifference,
had been almost suffered TO burn out.
The Delawares, seizing their tomabawks.
commenced hacking at the pines, while
others dragged forward the fallen trees.
!erpipg of, their branches with the keen
scalPing knife.
"A this mpment a peculiar cry attract
ed our attention, and. looking around, wo
perceived one Of the indians drop sudden.
~ upon his knees, striking. tie ground
with his hatchet.
- What 10 iti what is shouted ,
several voices, in almost as many ias
gnsgss.
'~s Yau.y yam yam, ya,a p replied the
Indian, still digging at the frozen ground.
"sThe In,jcr's right; i.'s mea-rooii' },