Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-01-16

''We were now IN the third day with
out food Without food, though not alb
solutely without eating-the men had
boltcd their gun covers, and the cat-skin
flaps of their bullet-pouches, and were
now seen-the last shift but one-strip-
ping the parJaeche from the soles of their
moccasins
''The women, wrapped in their til'Hds,
nestled closely in the embrace of father,
brother, husband, and lover; for all
these affections were present. The last
string of tasgjO, hitherto economical for
their sake, had been parcelled out 10
them in the morning. That was gone,
and whence was their next morsel to
come? At long intervals, 'Ay de nay !
Dios de mi alma 2 were heard only in LOW
murmurs, as some colder blast sweep
down the canon. In TIE face of those
beautiful creatures might be read that
uncomplaining patience-that high en-
durance-so characteristic of the Hispa-
no, Mexican women.
Even the stern men around them
bore up with less fortitude. Rude aths
were uttered from time to time, and
teeth ground together, with that strange
wild look that heialds insanity. Once
or twice l fancied that observed look
of still stranger, still wilder expression,
when the black ring forms around the
eye-when the muscles twi;ch and quiv-
er along gaunt famished jaws-when
men gaze guilty like at each other. O
God it was fearful The half robber
discipline, voluntary at the best, had
vanished under The levelling rod of a
common suffering, and l trembled to
think
1T Glars Ieetle, out tharawaP
1T was the voice of the trapper, Ga.
rey, who had risen and stood pointing to.
wards the East
''In an instant we were all upon our
feet, looking in the direction indicated.
Sure enough, there was break in the
lead-colored sky-a yellowish streak,
that Widened out as We continued gazing
the fakes fell lighter and thinner. and
in two hours more it had ceased showing
altogether.
'Half-a- dozen of us, shouldering oul
rifles, struck down the valley. We
would make one more attempt to tram
pie road through the drift. 1t was a
vain one. The snow was over our heads,
and after struggling for 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, it rested upon the same deep i'm
passable masses. Despair and hunger
paralyzed our exertions, and dropping
off one by one, we returned to the camp.
"We fell down around the fires in sui
len silence. Carey continued pacing
back and forth, now glancing up at the
sky, at times kneeling down, and running
his hand over the surface of the snow
AT length he approach the FIRE, and in
his drawing manner. remarked
"'lt's gwine to friz, rekin.'
"'Well! and if it does q asked one
of fhis comrades, without caring for an an
swer to the question.
"'Wal, an iv it does,' repeated the
trapper, well walk out O. this hyar jug
afOre sun-up, an upon good hard trail
too
"The expression of every face was
changed, as if by magic. Sc, eral leap
ed to their feet. Code, the Canadian,
skilled in snow-craft, ran to bank, and
drawing his hand along the com bing,
shouted back
"' 'Cest Vrai Il gels; IL gelo p
ga cold wind soon after set in, and
cheered by the 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 tomahawks,
commenced hacking at the pines, while
others dragged forward the fallen trees,
looping off their branches with the keen
scalping knife.
"At thai moment a peculiar cry at
tracted our attention, and, looking
around, we perceived one of the Indians
drop suddenly upon his knees, striking
the ground with his Ratchet.
".What is there ? what is there 9
shouted several voices, in almost as
many languages.
Yam gam gam yam ? replied the
Indian, sun digging at the frozen ground.
+" The Injun's right, it's mqn root !
said Carey, picking up some leaves which
the Delaware had chopped off.
81 recognized plant well known to
the mountain mana rare, but wonder.
full convolvulus, the Lponea leptopbyEa.
The name of man root is given 10 it by
the hunters from the similarity of its
ROOT in shape, and sometimes in size, to
the body of man. 1t is esculent, and
serves to sustain human life
''In an instant, half-a-dozen men were
upon their knees, chipping and hacking
the hard clay. but their hatchets glinted
off as from the surface of a rock.
"'Look hyar = cried Carey 'ye're
only sPoilin' yer tools. Cut down a