Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-12-09
FREEHOLD. NJ THURSDAY MORNING, DECEMBER g. 1858.

power to use a weapon, and could not
iced myself if | had anything to eat. /
think OF the two, Captain, you're the best
OF. after all for you, at least. can shoot
game, and so won't starve."
Aye" said | but how am / to get
it when | have shot it?"
u see,' he replied, with q sort Of
laugh, the two of us only make one de
cent man. You've got arms and I've got
legs ; and If we ever get out of this infer
nal scrape at all, l reckon we'll have to
work out together. And if heaven is
willing, and the red devils will let us
alone, well be able TO do it yet, and
cheat the bowling imps of two scalps,
anyhow |"
1t was a very singular and remarkable
occurrence, that only two men should
have escaped after being shot, by crawl
ing into a thicket, and lying fat upon the
earth, at a point where the Indians had
passed within a few feet Of MIN. Here
be had remained concealed through the
night aud the day till the sayages had
departed, when the pangs Of hunger had
brought him forth in search of food,
which he had little hope Of finding, and
knew not by what means he might get it
into his mouth, if obtained. On hearing
the report of my rife, a faint hope had
sprung up in his breast that II companion
might be near, but whether it should
prove to be a friend or an enemy, he de.
termlned to make himself known, and risk
captivity, or even death, rather than re-
main In his helpless condition.
We now began q singular mode of liv
Ing, which probably has never been par.
allelled in the worlds history. The first
thing Brent did, was to search for the
raccoon had shot, ard push it along to
me With his feet. | then dressed it and
klndllng a fire with my sticks, which he
also pushed up to me in the same manner,
| 5roiled it, ard on this we made our sup,
per as hearty and as palpable a meal as
ever | eat in my life--I feeling him as
he sat beside me. Our hunger appeased,
we felt sensible the pangs Of thirst and
at first we could devise no means for OBJ.
tanning the water so near US. Necessity.
however, is the mother of invention and
luckily %bethinking me of my hat, l placed
the rim OF 1t In my companions mouth,
and told him to wade into the river, un.
til he should be able to dip the hat under,
and then, by returning quickly, | fancied
a good portion of the water might be re-
tanned, after allowing for the leakage
The plan succeeded and taking the half
flied hat from his teeth, | held it for him
to drink, and then drank myself, the most
refreshing and invigorating draught that
ever passed my lips.
The immediate wants of nature bo;ro
fully supplied, we began to be more cheer.
full and hopeful, though still SUFFERING ex
IRENE pain from our shattered limbs
which next proceeded to dress as well
as our circumstances would permit
Making some rude splints with NV knife
| took Oft my shirt and tore it into %strins'
and then putting the bones of Brent's
arm together as well as l could, | bound
the spllnts around them. This done, |
proceeded to dress my own wounds in
the same incomplete way.
Another night now set in. which we
passed together, lying close in the thicket,
and suffering a great deal of pain. We
slept little, but spent the tedious hours
in talking over the dire events which
had happened, and mourning the loss of
our brave companions.
The second day, beginning early in the
morning, and keeping a sharp look out
Tor game, | was fortunate enough to shoot
two squirrels and a wild turkey, the lat
ter being quite numerous in that region.
They served US for food through the dav,
and on the third day I succeeded in
shooting a couple more squirrels and a
few birds, my companion always kicking
the game to me with his feet, and pushing
up sticks and brush in the same manner
and dressing and cooking the animals,
and feeding him.
SO matters went on for several DAYS.
the same gradually becoming scarcer. and
requiring a great deal more labor on
Brent's part to drive within reach of nv
rifle. Days thus passed on and even
weeks, before my wounds we're so far
healed as to permit me to hobble about
on crutches, and during all this time we
saw not a human soul, though anxiously
watching Tor some chance boat to pass
down the river and take US off.
Our garments being thin, and our shirts
torn up for bandage, and the weather set.
ting in cold, our future prospects looked
cheerless indeed, and we were much con.
cerned lest we should be obliged TO win
ter where we were. To be prepared for
any emergency, we, with much labor. nut
up a kind Of rude shanty, which served
IN some measure to protect us from the
almost WINERY blast which now began
to sweep over the desolate scene.
As the season grew colder and more
lnclement, the game become so scarce that
my companion with difficulty drove
enough within rife shot to give us a sin.
gle meal a day ; and, with all the rest.
our powder vas so low in the horn that
| could count the charges. and dared not
fire except when certain of my mark :;
then it was we began to feel the horrors