Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-24
GQortester 9ailg SPY.
From the ST. Paul Ninnesotian and Times. Feb I,
A TERRIBLE WINTERS JOURNEY
LOST AND FROZEN TO DEATH ON THE OPEN
PRAIRIE.

AOo1 AND + hOZEN 10 DEATH ON THE OPEN
PRAIRIE
Mr.. Anthony, one of the party who was lost
on the prairie, and whose sufferngs are Denoted
below by the editor of the Nor Wester. pub.
hshed at the Red River Settlement, called up-
on us yesterday. The following account is
taken from the Nor Wester, the second num-
Der OF which lies before us =
Never have we met with a more sad and
melancholy narrative than that which it is our
painful duty this week to recount The boiler
of the Arson Northrup not being in a fit state
to commence work in the spring, the Messrs.
burbank, Of st. Paul, resolved to send over to
fort Gerry, during the winter, a competent
person to examine it il was accordingly ar
ranged that he should go to Georgetown, a
newly formed station at the mouth of Buffalo
river, about 200 miles from here, and that Gov.
Mactavish should despatch party thither to
bring him on to the settlement The engineer,
it would seem, had arrived at Georgetown
somewhat sooner than the date fixed upon, and
having waited there a few days he grew impa-
tent at the delay, and requested to be sent on
Mr., Mackenzie, the young gentleman in charge
OF the station, delayed while longer, and then
started with two others, besides the engineer
making the grave mistake of taking mules in
stead of dogs. None of them had travelled the
route before, and of course could not possess a
correct knowledge Of the road or the distance
MIR. Mackenzie said it was five or six days
journey, and provided supplies accordingly,
On FRIDAY, Dec. %, they started, going east
ward, IN order to fall in with the trail from
Crow Wing They had not been out longer
than two or three days when the mules began
to give up" They then felt that they could
not reach their destination in the time antici-
pated; and, what was worse, that their provi-
slons would fail them. A feeling of incipient
despair crept over them. Here they were
hopeless, in the heart of a vast, dreary, UNI
known prairie, in a cold week of the dreary
month of December, tar beyond the reach of
all sympathy and aid, with starvation staring
them in the tace-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 companions. The engineer &C
companled him. The day was cold and stor-
my, 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 braYe hearted Mackenzie started
agaln-Started never to return, and alas never
to reach his destination.
The time he went alone. He seemed to
have presendment that he would not get
through, and he made David TAFT, the man
who had been with him at Georgetown pres
ent OF his gun, i'll case that he had himself 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 bit
OF pemican, the size of his fist, was all the food
the party could supply. He put that into lis
pocket, provided himself with matches, and
shook hands once more. 1t was last and sad
farewell! Had he reached Pembina in due
fimn his tpOul1 bova
sistance on Saturday night or Sunday morn
ing. Sunday morning passed, however, and
Sunday night, too, without bringing any help.
Their worst fOrebodings were now confirmed,
and the feeling Of painful suspense gave way to
a feeling of desperation. On Monday morning
David TAFT pushed ahead, and by great exer-
ton he succeeded in reaching Pembina the
same evening. A brief inquiry confirmed his
worst pprehensons-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 thor prgont
needs, they went off in search of the il-fated
Mackenzie. 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 his companions, he seems TO
have followed the trail for a considerable dis
lance, and then to have lost his way. Night
came upon him, and bewidered by the grow
ing darkness and drifting snow, he made to-
wards a clump Of trees, with the intention,
probably of kindling fire. If such was his
object, he seems to have been unable to ac-
compliSh 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 trackess 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 a second
night more dreary than the first. Again he
had managed to stave off what he must have
felt to have been the hour of his dissolution by
long hours of ceaseless activity. A third day.
journey brought him towards Lac des Ro-
seauX. 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
plucbed a branch and hung thereon a shred of
his tattered coat as a signal to mark his dismal
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
determined spirit which had so long braved
the merciless storm, in spite Of hunger and ia
tigue, had at last to succumb His right hand
was on his heart, and his left hung by his side
firmly holding a compass. The body gave
indications of having undergone intense suf-
fering. Some portions of it had been frozen
and thawed many times in succession, before
death interviewed and released it from further
anguish Meanwhile, James Mckay had been
dispatched to Georgetown, to bring on the en-
gineer. But as already stated, the hapess
party had left before his arrival. They had
taken different roads, and thus he had missed
them.
The remains of the deceased were brought
to Pembna on Thursday week, and to Fort
Garry on the following day. The body con
tinued there until yesterday, when it was con
...a1 g., CANT ,1ro,y,e and intorrod e;do hy