Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-02-28
THE GAZETTE.
TUESDAY MORNING., FEBRUARY Is, 1862
A TERRIBLE TALE-LOST AND FRO
ZEN TO DEATH ON THE PRAIRIE.

The ST. Pauf's Minnesotian and Times,
10th inst, extracts from the Nor "es'er'
published at the Red River settlements, a
sad narrative. A party, including MI
Mackenzie, started from Georgetown AZ the
mouth Of the Buffalo River, to cross the prai-
rio ~ Fort Larry. They started December
90 taking mules. The latter gave out IN
three DAYS distance only halt done, and
provisions getting short. mere .ney "el0
hopeless, in the heart OF vast ureary' un-
known prairie, in cold, bleak MONTH lar
beyond the reach Of all sympathy and ana
with starvation staring them IN the lace. on
THURSDAY, the Goth, Mr.. Mackenzie resolved
20 reach pembina, and send back succor.
The engineer accompanied him. The day
was cold and stormy, and bitter blast from
the North drove them back. They all cam
ned together that night near Pine River,
about SO miles from Pembina. In the
morning Mackenzie started again alone
He had presentiment that he would not
get through. 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, the size of his fist, was all ms
food. On Monday morning David Talt
nushed ahead. and reached Pembina the
same evening. Mr.. NJ had not been there
Two men were sent and they fell In with
the remnant of the party shortly after mid
night of Tuesday, and after supplying their
urgent needs. went off in search OF Macken-
2ie. Wednesday they came upon traces
which brought them to his corpse. After
leaving his companions, he seemed to have
followed the trail for a considerable distance,
and then to have lost his way. Night came
upon him, and, bewildered by the growing
darkness and the drifting snow, be made TO-
wards clump of trees, with the intention
probably, of kindling. fire. II such was
his object, he seemed to be unable TO ac-
complish it; and his beaten track showed that
to keep himself from freezing, ne had spent
the hours of the lonesome night IN running
round in circle With the break OF day,
he again started across the trackless waste,
every step that he took carrying HIM turth-
or and further from the spot which ne was
straining every nerve to reach. Another
weary day of fruitless travel was followed
by second night even more dreary than
the first. Again he had managed to staye
off what he must have felt to have been the
hour of his dissolution by long hours OF
ceaseless actively. 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 ne
plucked branch and hung thereon shred
of his tattered coat as signal to mark his
dismal resting place; he next tore off another
branch of the same tree, which he placed as
a pillow for his cold bed and then laid upon
it his weary head and died. His right hand
was on his heart, and his left hung by his
side, firmly holding compass. The body
gave indications of having undergone great
suffering. Some portions of it had been fro
zen and thawed many times in succession,
before death interviewed and released 1t from
further anguish