Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-10-14

other--so stiff and weak we could hardly
stand.
Again upon the almost endless lake we
went--folowing round its shore for an out
let. About 70 o'clock we found a broad,
northern stream, which we thought was the
outlet we were seeking. and we eutered il
with great JOY, believing that it would take
us to our beloved Ottawa. Shortly after
entering the stream it widened out and as
sumed the form of lake. We poled up
the westerly shore about seven miles, but
found we were again deceived. On our
way up Mr.. La Mountain sang these pretty
lines:
''cheer up your hearts, my meni
Lctnothins hight you;
Be ofa gallant mind
L., that delight you"
His voice was hardly above whisper
but the song was source Of great comfort
TO me. His, indeed was gallant mind,
which the extraordinary hardships and dan.
gers Of our position had not daunted. But
when we found that all the weary miles oi
our morning travel had been in vain, and
had to be retraced, my resolution certainly
failed me for moment, and sat down up,
on my end Of the raft aud felt like shedding
one tear Of genuine regret. Yet we fell
that our duty as Christian men was to pres:
on as long as we could stand and leave the
issue with God.
It had now been full four days since we
ate meal. All we had eaten in the mean
time was frog apiece, four clans, and a
few wild berries, whose acid properties and
bitter taste had probably done us more harm
than good. Our strength was beginning
to fail very fast, and our systems about tc
undergo an extraordinary change. l did
not permit myself to think Of food-thC
thought of well covered table would have
been too much. thought over all Of poo,
Strains sufferings on the Isthmus O
Darien, where h1 too was paddleing dowr
an unknown stream-but never believed he
could stand half the amount Of suffering he
did. Besides he had means to mako fire
I'VE had none.
He was upon stream which ho knew
would carry him TO the sea and safety-we
were upon waters whose flow we knew moth
ing really of and were as much lost as
though in the Mountains Of the Moon. But
We 'could not give it up So" and took fresh
courage as troubles appeared 70 thcken.
Well, VIC turned the raft around, and pol
cd her back to the place where we entered
this last lake. We had gone about mile
when we heard the sound Of gun, quickly
followed by second report. Nosound was
ever so sweet to me as that. We hallooed
as loud as we could good many times, but
could get no response. We kept our poles
going, and had gone about half mile,
when called LaMountain's attention to
what thought was smoke curling up
among the trees on the side of hill. Ny
own eyesigbt had begun to fail me to an cx-
tent that / could not depend upon it when
long steady gaze was necessary. He said
it was smoke, and that he thought Just
below it on the bank was bark canoe
In few moments the blue smoke rolled
gently but unmistakably, above the tree
tops, and we felt that we were saved
Such revulsion Of feeling was almost toe
much for us. We could hardly believe our
senses, and credited anything favorable tc
our condition with the utmost caution. Oul
bitter disappointmcnts had taught us that
lesson.
We padded the raft with the ends oil
our poles directly across the lake, near
perhaps, three-fourths of mile wide, and
made for the canoe. It proved to be a
large ore, evidently an Indians. Up the
bank / pressed leaving LaMountain at the
canoe to cut off retreat by the Indian, in
case he was timid, and wished to avoid US.
came at once upon the shauties of lum-
bering wood, and from the chimney of the
furthest building broad volume Of smoke
was rising. ballooed--a noise was heard
inside, and a noble looking Indian came to
the door. Vons parley Francaisg g was
my eager inquiry, as l grasped his out
stretched hand. "Yes sir, and English too" /"
He drew me into the cabin, and there was
the head Of the party, q noble hearted
Scotchman named Angus Cameron i'm
mediately told my story-that we came in
with balloon, were lost, and had been four
days without food, asking where we were.--
Imagine my surprise when he said we were
one hundred and fifty miles north Of Otta-
wa in the dense uuinhabited forest, whose
only limit was the Arctic circle. In word,
we were nearly three hundred miles in a
due north course from Watertown, in lati-
tude 47.o
Dinner was all ready. The party con-
sisted of four persons--Mr. Cameron. and
his assistant, who was also named Cam
eron: LaMab, McDougal--a half breed
and his son BeauceiL l dispatched the
young Indian for LaMountain, who came in
after moment, the absolute picture OF
wretchedness. All that the cabin con
tained was freely offered US, and ws began
to cat Language is inadequate to express
our sensations while doing so. The clouds
had all lifted from our somhre future, and
the "silyer lining" shone all the brighter
for the deep darkness through which we
had passed.
Here let me state that the stream we
come down so Car With our raft is called
Fillimah's Creek ;tbe large lake we sailed
around iscalled Bosketong Lake, and drains
it, Bosketop river, which flows into the
GAtinean. The Gatineau joins the Ottawa
opposite Ottawa City. Mr. Cameron as.
Rured rs thai theea streams ara 81 tnrfuons.