The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-04-18

uuWOT IHtO eO SIndll space.
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How SaNduSky was Saved from
FImine-Au Historical IHcnill-
iSCenCe.
One Of the most agreeable duties Of jour.
nalism is to chronicle the heroic deeds of
those whom chance or unusual natural de-
v'lopments have rendered benefactors to the
human race. Ii is part OF our legitimate
province to rescue the fame of such individ.
uois from oblivion, and by enacting the part
of a historian, tc hand their names, and the
| record OF their achievements down to the
| admiration and gratitude of future genera
tions. The village philanthropists, or the
benefactor Of a local community is as much
part Of the history of his time as the he.
roes of State, or as the sacred geese whose
Cabling at the rock Tarpeia saved Rome
from the horrors of sack Our duty in
the present instance is to relate n similar
occurrence, which transpirsd much nearer
home.
Years ogone, when the course of trade
ran in counter direction to what we now
behold, owing to severe drouth the city Of
Sandusky underwent all the horrors of a
protracted famine. The water on the bar at
the mouth Of the By was so low that YES
sells were unable to reach the port, and as
there was nc land transportation at that time
which could be relied upon in case of sudden
emergency, it appeared as il Providence had
! forsaken the place entirely, and that its in.
hnbitants must perish. For days and weeks
their stock Of provisions had been gradually
disappearing until soon all was gone, and
their only reliance was upon the few fish
they were enabed to obtain from the wa
ters Of the Bay, and an ocCasiuna mesgrf
supply Of gnme from the neiphboring woods
At the time of which we write, the wood
in the vicinity, and in fact throughout the
Western Reserve. were frequented by vas
numbers Of wild hogs, which obtained
bountitul subsistence and grew fat upon tn
shack which everywhere abounted. Th
hogs were doubtless astroy, but the sparse
ness Of the population in the interior and tn
rapdty with which they multiplied, rendere
them strangers to man and very +hy Of hi
presence. During the drouth, of whicl
mention has already been made, large drove'
Of these animals wendud their way to tht
lake, in the ncighborhood Of which the,
continued to remain. Sandusky Bay in pnr
ticuar was fnvorite resort for them, in th'
waters OF which they were accustomed tt
waIow, after slaking their thirst. Those
who are acquainted with the locality O
which we speak, will remember the annoy
ance of which the earlier settlers were ex
posed in the shape OF fac red sand whc
covered the beach, aud which in high wind
WIS not only exceedingly troublesome bu
dangerous Thousands of hogs, in conse
quence Of frequen,ing this spot, became to
taIIv blind; but still, with all the Cunnin
which belongs to this perverse race in thei
natural state, they continued TO elude tn
hunters.
Que day when the famine in the city wa
at its height, and when it was apparent tia
even the strongest must succnmb, Joe B.
took down his gun, and resoved to make
last effort TO rescue his wife and little one
from a fate the most horrible Of which tn
; mind has any conception. All day long ha
their sunken eyes and shriveIed hands ia
plored him in vain for brend--and, alas
r knew too we'll that not within the who
CITY was there q mouthful to be had, thoug
he were to offer in exchange thrice i
! weight in gold. Nerved to desperation
this reflection, but still with feeble steps. h
S took his way to the forest, resolved not
i return without relief in some shape.
! For long time he travelled in vain, tray
= erslng miles of weary pathway, without 6
much as seeing single evidence of anim'
ted nature, he was on the point OF yieIdin
to despair. AT this moment a noise, as {
} approaching footsteps, arrested his attention
, and he paused with everyy faculty reDdere
} keen by hunger, TO listen. Nearer IN
r nearer came the trampiDg, and just as Jo
t to screen himself from observation, too
shelter behind a tree, wild hog emerge
!, from thicket, advancing directly towarc
D him, followed Immediately by another ar
, another still. The hunter trembling viii
8 anxiety and excitement, raised his gun, b.
/ suddenly paused in astonishment at the ell
. QuIar phenomenon before him. The droV
(for drove it was) was approaching him
t Indian file, and headed directly for the Ba
? The second hog held in his mouth the ia
: of the first, the third that of the second, al
e go on to the number Of sixty or upward
each was holding fast to the cuudal appen
age of his predecessor, and all being led
. the foremost of the drove, and he being Il
only one that could see, was thus conveyir
his afflicted companions.
The hunter comprehended the scene in
e moment, and instantly decided upon n
, course. Raising his gun deliberately
b fred, and severed the tail Of the leader clo'
8 to the roots. His affrighted leadership, wi
a loud soueal, bounded into a thicket al
Q disappeared, while his blind companion