St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-03-08

lacc-Ouf COnultlOn miSllt nave been
considered desperate.
On the morning of the Goth of De
ccmber, Mr.. Mackenzie and myself
started on ahead, thinking to reach
Pcmbina that night, and send back
food for our companions and the mules
| started to go back on mule, but
the morning was so cold that | could
not ride, and then attempted to drive
him, but the wind was blowing 50
badly and the snow drifting 50 fast,
that the mule would not face it. Ny
self and Mackenzie finally reached a
little poplar grove, about ten miles
from where we started in the morning,
where we stopped, made a fire and
waited for our companions to come up.
Mr.. Mackenzie then asked me for
matches, saying he meant to be in
lcmblna before u o'clock that night.
lie then proceeded, and | waited for
our companions. When they reached
me, we followed Mr.. Mackenzie, and
after proceeding about one mile, we
met him returning, he finding it too
cold to proceed, and VIC all campcd
together that night, having nothing
but some hot tea to relieve our hun
ger. On the morning of the 3Oth,
after having some tea, Mr.. Mackenzie
again started, thinking to reach Penn
blna that day, and send back provis-
ions, NC, for the party and mules.
But poor, brave hearted Mackenzie
never reached Pembina. He seemed
to have prescntment when lie left
that he would not get through, and he
made David TAFT a present of his gun,
in case he should have no further need
of it. He wore but one thin coat, and
was lightly clad throughout, wishing
to be as little burdened with clothes
as possible, as he intended to run
most of the way. A bit of pemican,
about the size of his fist, was all the
food the party had, and this was Civ
en- to him, although he protested
against taking it all. He then started,
and we followed until we crossed the
Pine river, and got upon what is
called Big Prairie. Here it was so
bitter cold, with the wind blowing fu-
riously and the snow flying in our faces,
that we were obliged to take shelter
in small poplar grove, and remain
there all day and night.
We were in hopes Mackenzie would
return ; but we never saw him again
alive. On the morning of the 3lst of
December, we started over the Big
Prairie in the hopes of reaching the
timber before dark, but we were all
50 fatigued that night came on before
we reached the timber, and we lost
our way, and the mules could proceed
no farther. We laid our blankets and
robes on the snow, and slept into the
morning of the new year, when we
arose and proceeded TO the timber,
made a fire, and made some tea, and
after an hour or two, started for the
Big Point, where we found our road.
After We had proceeded about seven
or eight miles, one mule could pro-
cccd no further, and laid down and
died. That night we got within twcn-
ty miles of Pcmbina, and on Monday,
January ID, David TAFT pushed for
ward to Pembina, and found that Mac
kcnzic had not been there. He immc-
diatcly despatched two mcn-half
brccds-with dog teams and provis-
ions to supply y our wants. They
reached us about one o'clock on Tues
day morning. the 2d of January. The
first sound of their voices, as they ap-
preached us, was like the voices Of
angels, and it was pleasant to our
ears. The wants of the inner man
were very soon supplied, and at day
break the party which came to our re-
lief started in search of poor Macken-
zie, and we fer Pcmbina, which we
reached in the afternoon. They sought
him in vain all that day and night,
and on Wednesday they came upon
traces which brought them to his
corpse. After leaving us, he seems to
have followed the trail for a consider
able distance, and then to have lost
his way. Night came upon him, and
bewildered by the growing darkness,
and the drifting snow, he made to-
wards a clump of trees, with the in
tcntion, probably of kindling fire.
If such was his object, he seems to
have been unable to accomplish it I;
and his beaten track seems to have
shown that to keep himself from freez-
ing, he had spent the hours of that
lonesome night in running round in a
circle.
With the break of day he started
across the tracklcss waste, every step
that he took carrying him further and
further from the spot which he was
straining every nerve to reach. Anoth-
er weary day of fruitless travel was
followed by second night more drea-
ry even than the first. Again he man
aged to stave of what he must have
felt to have been the hour of his dis
solution, by long hours of ceaseless
activity. A third days journey
brought him towards Lac des Roseaux.
Here he attempted to run round as
before. But the strength and courage
which had heretofore sustained him
now forsook him.
He dragged his tired footsteps
through the loose snow towards tree,
from which he plucked branch and
hung thereon shred of his tattcred
coat as signal to mark his dismal
resting place ; he next tore off anoth.
cr branch of the same tree, which he
placed as a pillow for his cold bed,
and then laid upon it his weary heart
and died. The powerful body and de,
tcrmined spirit which had so long
bravcd the merciless storm, hunger
and fatigue, had at last to succumb
His right hand was upon his heart,
and his left hung by his side, firmly
holding compass. The body gave
indications of having undergone in