Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-03-17
No. H..

slons would fall them. a feeling OF lnclplent
despair crept over them. Here they were hope
less, in the heart of vast, dreary, unknown
prairie, in a cold week of the dreary month of
December, far beyond the reach of all sympa-
thy and aid, with starvation staring them in the
face-their condition was one of desperation.
On Thursday, the 29th, Mr.. Mackenzie resolved
to start ahead and try, by bold effort, to reach
Pembina, and send back succor to his compan-
ions. The engineer accompanied him. The
day was cold and stormy, and bitter blast from
the north drifted the snow in their faces, and
drove them back They all camped together
that night near Pine river, about fifty miles
from Pembina. In the morning the brave
hearted Mackenzie started again-started never
to return, and alas never to reach his destna-
ton.
This time he went alone. lie seemed to have q
presentiment that he would not get through,
and he made David TAFT, the man who had been
with him at Georgetown, present of his gun,
n case that he had himself no further need of
t. He wore but one thin coat, and was lightly
clad throughout, wishing to be as little burden
ed with clothes as possible, as he intended to
Iun most of the way. A bit of pemcan, the
size of his fist, was all the food the party could
supply. He put that into his pocket, provided
himself with matches, and shook hands once
more. 1t was last and sad farewell Had
he reached Pembina in due time, his companion
would have received assistance on Saturday
night or Sunday morning Sunday morning
passed, however, and Sunday night, too, with
out bringing any help. Their worst forebod-
ings were now confirmed, and the feeling OF pain
| fu suspense gave way to feeling of despera-
ton. On Monday morning David Talt pushed
ahead and by great exertion he succeeded in
reaching Pembina the same evening. A brief
inquiry confirmed his worst apprehensions-Mr.
Mackenzie had not been there.
Mr.. Rolette at once provided two men with
every requisite and sent them away, TAFT ac-
companying them. They fell in with the REM
nant of the party shortly after midnight on
Tuesday, and after supplying their urgent needs,
they went off in search Of the ill-fated Macken-
zie. They sought him in vain all that day and
night, and on Wednesday they came upon ira
ces which brought them to his corpse. After
leaving his companions he seems to have fol-
lowed the trail for considerable distance, and
then to have lost his way. Night came upon
him, and bewildered by the growing darkness
and drifting snow he made towards a clump of
trees, with the intention, probably, of kindling
a fire. If such was his object, he seems to have
been unable to accomplish it, and his beaten
track shows that to keep himself from freezing,
he had spent the hours Of that lonesome night
in running round in a circle. With the break
Of day he started again across the trackless
waste, every step that he took carrying him
further and further from the spot which he was
straining every nerve to reach. Another weary
day of fruitless travel was followed by second
night more dreary than the first. Agin he had
managed to stave off what he must have felt to
have been the horror of his dissolution by long
hours of ceaseless activity. A third days jour
ney brought him towards Lac des Roseaux.
Here he ATTEMPTED to run round as before
But the strength and courage which had here
ofore sustained him, now forsook him.
He dragged his tired footsteps through the
loose snow towards tree, from which he pluck
ed a branch and hung thereon a shred of his
tatterAd coat as a signal to mark bis disma
resting place; he next tore off another branch
of the same tree, which he placed as pillow
for his cold bed, and then laid upon it his wea-
ry head and died. The powerful body and de-
termined spirit which had so long braved tht
mercess storm, in spite of hunger and fatigue
had at last to succumb His right hand wa:
on his heart, and his left hung by his side firm
ly holding a compass. The body gave indica
tions of having undergone intense suffering
Some portions of it had been frozen and thaw
ed many times in succession, before death in.
tervened and released it from further anguish
Meanwhile, James Mckay had been dispatched
to Georgetown, to bring on the engineer. But
} as already stated, the hapess party had left be
fore his arrival. They had taken different roads
and thus he had missed them.
The remains of the deceased were brought
, to Pembina on Thursday week, and to For
! Garry on the following day. The body con
tinued there until yesterday, when it was con
veyed to Saint Andrews, and inferred side b.
) side with Mr.. Mackenzies father and mother.