The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-12-15

the wind was blowing in strong gusts, aud
very wintry like, from duo north, right
across the Maumce, and right into the dense
cottonwood forest, that had its front not
above a quarter of a milo back from the
river; aud overhead, sailed swiftly by,
great masses of dull, greyish clouds. 1t
was in all a gloomy, uncomfortable day
just such day, according 10 my opinion
now, 6s those having no other outdoor avo-
cation than hunting up and shooting down
deer, had better speud in doors. But
that was a good many years ego, and the
woods, the wilderness was my ruling pas
sion.
Two miles back from tho river was a
nearly circular opening, known as the VIZ
| low Prairie, though it is probable il was
not a prairie, but'the clearing of some carly
fronticrsman, of SO early date that no tra.
! ditiOnal account of it's origin remained. The
extent of the opening was perhaps hun
dred acres, grown over thickly with rank
prairie grass ten feet in hight, with beaten
c.ttle-paths traversing il in many direc-
tions, and here and there clumps Of willows
had sprung up, while in the whole area
there were dozen great trees, in overy in.
stance scathed and dead.
| When within tho opening, perhaps two
hundred yards, | sighted famous buck
away down one Of the grassy vistas but
he was perfectly screened by some willow
branches and then the range was very
| long one for any certainty of aim.
As the old fellow had shifted danger,
however, and tossed back his broad antlers
in preparation for flight, tkat was my only
opportunity, and drawing bead upon him
with my heavy "Lansingb unhitched.
| Lcaping forward, beyond the smoke OF
the rifle, | discovered at glance that the
deer had disappeared Hurrying 4, rwald
to where he had been standing, found proof
positive that he had been hit, and probably
severely hurt. There was q wide spatter
Of blood on the snow, and arguing that
bleeding at that rate, he could not go far, |
started off at an Indian lope on the trail,
which followed one of the cattle-paths, di-
rectly in the woods on the south side OF the
prairie. -ier s.r .u
At the distance Of perhaps mile from
the opening. | came upon a wide belt OF
woodland, where the soil had been recently
turned up as thoroughly as if by the plow.
The digging of the surface had been ac-
complished by an immense drove of wild
hogs, which in those days swarmed in tho
Black Swamp; and was performed in search
of a bulbous root something resembling a
potato, on which during the winter they
subsst.
In this turned.up region, | lost the trail
OF my luck, and after ward ring about for
an hc nr in vain search, | finally wandered
out on the undisturbed snow surface on the
| southern side. ...-. ..
Here | stopped stock still for several
minutes, endeavorng to decide whether |
would return to the opening, and search for
another deer, or strike away to the east
| ward, towards the road leading from Per.
rysburg towards Lower Sandusky. Just at
the moment that was about to say, III
go back to the prairie" it flashed upon my
mind in a queer kid ot conviction, that
wes incapable of finding my way back,
| Then there followed such physical and
mental coAditiou, as | believe nothing else
Under heaven, but being lost in the woods,
can induce. There are no words in our
language which by any arrangement we can
make of them, are adequate to convey any
just idea Of the horrible sensation. .r IN.
| remember that at first there was a ner.
vous trembling, dull chilly numbness
along the spine, dnoverwleIning, indefinite
fear, and a violent, intermittent palpitation
of the heart with aproiuse a perspiratiOn all
over my person. SO
could reason still, though, as it will be
soen, not in the least justly. In my Indian
education Ihad learlied that the moss is al
ways found in greatest abundance on the
north side Of all our forest trees. So said,
oo;,, 80 o" I,, otS tn'o uoSi. Si.
m~ Sgn;,,ai,so O oMa sIo,t i'0 | hn"L 20
~. 81 "o T'Iani.ol an " GO" ~ 'i1;a', u"oE y.
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''slo"
Then said, when came into the woods
the wind was Blowing strong from the
north ahd now, u l march lace to tho
wlnd' surely ! snalI 60 oaok 10 TO- the town.
go oo', ~ ~ r,ott u 90" .mo J nuSus y,
L',,od I,t,, liz" a,'','L ""u
b,vs mo- 33Jeoo IW how lonn 7 romo;rod
IL Nv w. ~" ioS 'e',"oe
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