The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1857-02-19
5Glrrt MisfrllQll1.
How Sandusky was Saved from Fam
ine--A Historical Romance.

ine--A Historical Romance.
One of the most agreeable duties O
journalism is to chronicle the heroic deeds
of those whom chance or uausual natu.
raj developments have rendered bene.
factors of the human race. 1t is a part
of our legitimate province % rescue the
fame of such individuals from oblivion,
and by enacting the part of a historian,
to hand their names and the record oil
their achievements down to the admira-
ton and gratitude of future generations.
The village phianthropist, or the bene-
factor of local community, is as much a
part of the history of his time as the he
roes of state, or as sacred geese whose
Cabling at tie rock Of Tarpeia saved
Rome from the horrors of sack. Our
duty in the present instance is to relate
a similar occurrence which transpired
much nearer home.
Years agone, when the course of trade
ran III counter direction to what we
now behold, owing to a severe drouth.
the City of Sandusky underwent all the
horrors of a protracted famine. The wa
ter on the bar at the mouth of the Bay
was so low that vessels were unable to
reach the port, and as there was no land
transportation at that time which could
be relied upon in a case of sudden emer-
gency, it appeared as if Providence had
torsaken the place entirely, and that its
inhabitants must soon perish. For days
and weeks their stock of provisions had
been gradually disappearing until soon
all was gone, and their only reliance was
upon the few fish which they were ena-
bled to obtain from the waters of the
Bay, and an occasional meager supply of
game from the neighboring forests.
At the time of which we write, the
woods in the vicini' Y, and in fact through
out tie Western Reserve, were frequent
ed by vast numbers Of wild hogs which
obtained bountiful subsistence, and
grew fat upon the shack which every
where abounded. These hogs were
doubtless estrays, but the sparseness of
the population in the interior, and the ra-
pidity with which they multiplied, rem
dered them strangers to man and very
shy OF his presence. During the drouth,
Of which mention has already been made,
large droves of these animals wended
their way to the lake, in the neighbor-
hood Of which they continued to remain
Sandusdy Bay, in particular, was fa-
vorite place ofresort for them, in the wa
ters OF which they were accustomed to
wallow, after shaking their thirst. Those
who are acquainted with the locality of
which we speak, will remember the an
noyance to which the early settlers were
exposed in the shape of fine red sand
which covered the beach, and which, in
times of high wind, was not only exceed
irgly troublesome, but dangerous. Thou
sands OF hogs, in consequence of fire.
quenting this spot, became totally blind,
but still, with all the cunning which be-
longs to this perverse race in their natu-
raj state, they continued to elude the
hunters.
One day, when the famine in the city
was at its height, and when it was ap-
parent that the stoutest must soon sue
eumb. Joe B. took down his gun,
and resolved to make a last effort to res
cue his wife and little ones from fate the
most horrible of which the mini has any
conception. All day long had their sunk
en- eyes and shriveled hands implored him
in vain for bread-and alas he knew
too well that not within the whole city
was there a mouthful to be had, though
he were to offer in exchange thrice its
weight in gold. Nerved to desperation
by this reflection, but still with feeble
steps, he took his way to the forest, re-
solved not to return without relief in some
shape.
For long time he hunted in vain, ira
versing miles of weary pathway, without
SO much as seeing single evidence of
animated nature, until he was on the
point of yielding to despair.
At this moment noise, as of approach
ing footsteps, arrested his attention, and
be paused, with every faculty rendered
keen by hunger, tc listen. Nearer and
nearer came the tramping, and just as
Joe, to screen himself from observation,
took shelter behind a tree, a wild hog
emerged from thicket, advancing di-
rectly toward him, followed Immediately
by another and another still. The hun
ter, trembling with anxiety and excite
ment, raised his gun, but suddenly paus-
ed in astonishment at the singular phe-
nomenon before him. The drove for
drove there was was approaching him
in Indian file and headed directly for the
Bay. Tie second hog held IN his mouth