Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-10-21

river there is nothing so wild and roman
tic as these. We descended the bank,
and thought it best to try our luck on
foot After travelling about mile we
found the bank SO tangled and rugged,
and ourselves so much exhausted, that
locomotion was impossible. So we con-
cluded to go back, and if we could get
the raft down a piece at time, we would
90 on with her; if not, we would build
as good place as possible to crawl into,
and prepare for death.
We went back, and after examining
the stream attentively, concluded to try
! to get the raft down We at once COM
: menced, and l freely confess this the
1 most trying and laborious work of life
of labor. The pieces would not float
D over a rod at time, before they would
= stick on some stone which the low water
4 left above the surface, and then you must
e pry it over in some way, and pass 1t
S along to the next obstruction. We were
= obliged to get into the stream, often up
e to the middle. and there several times
l. fell headlong-completely using up our
compass, which now frantically pointed
y in any direction its added head thought
m desirable. The water had unglued the
st case, and it was ruined. After long
/. hours of such labor, we got the raft down,
lie and La Mountain again tied it together.
I Passing On, in about an hour we came
n, to large lske-ten miles long and six
ne broad. Around it we must, of course,
ed pass, until we should find the outlet. Sc
ct we turned up to the right, and pressed on
- with as much resolution as could be ex.
III pected. To-day we found one clam
IL which | insisted La Mountain should eat
SC as he was weaker than myself, and hat
oil eaten little or nothing on the day VIZ
Oh went up. Around we went, into all tn,
'es indentations of the shore, keeping Away
III in shallow water. At last we stopped a
nc a place we thought least exposed to tn
os wind. We laid down upon the coll
n7 ground, having lifted up the end of GU
- raft so that the wind might not drift
'u away in the night.
're We were cold when we laid down, an
i0' both of US trembled by the hour like me
up suffering from a severe attack of the agut
Sn' The wind had risen just at night, and tn
IN dismal surging of the waves upon th
"n shore formed, thought, fitting lullab
NY to slumbers so disturbed and dismal {
lad ours. By this time our clothes wei
OK nearly torn off. My pantaloons wei
slit up both legs. and the waistband nea
10 ly torn off. My boots both leaked, ar
enl our mighty wrestlings in the canons hs
last torn the skin from ankles and hands,
ana La Mountains hat was gone; the fiji
we day out he had thrown away his woolt
anu drawers and stockings, as they bragg,
ou' him down by the weight of the water thu
was absorbed. We slept but little. 1t real
-ioll seemed as though, during the night, '
eek passed through the horrors of doz
ms u deaths. At daylight, we got up by q
" grees-frst on one knee and then on t
other-so stiff and weak we could hard
=, stand.
Again upon the almost endless la
= we went-following around its shore
an outlet. About 10 o'clock we fount
broad, northern stream, which we thoug
-, was the outlet we were seeking, and
~ entered it with joy, believing it wo'
-, take us to our long sought Ottawa
Shortly after entering the stream it W
ened out, and assumed the form of a la
W. We poled up the westerly shore for alb
seven miles, but found we were again
ceived. On our way up Mr.. La Mo
:, tain sang these pretty lines:
Cheer up your hearts, my men;
At Let nothing fright you;
Be of gallant mind
U III Let that delight you"
did His voice was hardly above a whisE
down but the song was source of great CT
those fort to me. His, indeed, was gall
nm mind, ub;ob tho extroor5;nor,, he