The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-02-21

When morning came, the storm dar-
kcned the sky so completely that he
cauld not discern the direction of the
sun at any time during the day.
Early in the day the horses, which
had been travelling through great drifts
for about eighteen hours, gave out, and
could go no further. Mr.. Hale hesi
tated not a moment, but unbitching
them from the sleigh, he turned them
loose, that they might, if possible,
reach some settlement. He was now
left entirely alone, in the midst of the
most terrific storm Of the winter, the
snow two feet deep, and lying in i'm.
tmense drifts, miles and miles from the
nearest habitation, with no idea of
which direction be must travel, or
what distance, to reach the nearest
shelter. Surprising that he was north
of the main road, he started in the di
rection which he supposed to be south,
in hopes that ho might discover the
lost track. Hour after hour did he
wade through the snow, with the fear
full storm chilling him through and
through. Before many hours he found
that his ears, face and feet were frozen
solid and his hands were beginning
to freeze. But still, strong in deter
mination to save himself, if in the
range Of possibilities, he kept moving
on through the long, cherries day
Toward night he suffered greatly
from hunger, as he had eaten moth
ing since Thursday noon. When dark.
ness again closed around him ho felt
that the chances for surviving the night
slim indeed lie dare not sit down
to rest, fearing that he would fall asleep
and perish. All through the second
night he kept on his feet, sometimes
becoming SO exhausted with cold, hun
ger, and his great exertions to keep
travelling, he would stop a few mo-
ments to rest. He repeatedly fell a.
sleep while thus atapding, and was on.
ly awakened by falling into the snow.
Again and again during Friday night
did he thus struggle on till daylight
appeared. The wind had now ceased
but the cold was intense. When the
sun came up on
SATURDAY
Morning he was able for tho first time
to learn the directions. Looking anx-
iously around on every side, and see
ing no signs of settlement, grove or
road, he felt that longer struggle for
life was almost hopeless. But finding
that he was still able to move, he turn
ed his face TO the east knowing that
his only hope now was in being able
to reach the Desmoines River, along
which he was sure to find settlers All
day Saturday he toilcd on through the
deep snow, suffering intensely from
hunger, cold, and loss of sleep, When.
ever his strength gave out and he
stopped for moment, he would fall
asleep and tumble down into the snow,
again awaken, riso up, and again push
on. Night once more came on, and
, found him still out on the great prai-
rie, with no shelter in sight. Again
did he pass another night---a third ono
ON his feet, walking, stopping, fall.
ing asleep, tumbling down, awaken.
ing, rising up, and toiling on again
, Lost, starving and freezing, but still
: undismayed, he watched pariently du
} ring the long hours of the night for tn,
I rising Of tho sun on the morning of
errNnAy
| The fourth day out. The sun rosl
{ bright and clear, but it was intensely
cold, the mercury at sixteen degrees
below zero, with a keen, cutting wine
n from the north. He had now, strang
as it may seem, ceased to suffer iron
+ hunger; and nerving himself ior on
4 more effort, he turned his face east
@ ward, and again struggled on. Hi
I progress was very slow, but at .abou
a IL o'clock his courage was removed b,
n the sight of a grove in the distance
Hope, that had never entirely de
!. serted him, now grew strong, and al
t through the day hestrove with almos
!. superhuman efforts to reach the timbe
before dark, feeling that lie could no
# survive another night on the prairie
y But his strength was too much exhaust
Il ed, and, although striving with the en-
,. crgy of dispair, he saw the sun go dow
!. and night again close around him
n while the friendly trees were shut ou
flom view and beyond his reacl
|. Fearing that if he attempted To travt
ID after dark he should lose sight OF tn
81 grove, and knowing that in his wea
m and exhausted condition he could nj
h survive the night on his feet, he fna
10 ly sought out a huge snow.drift, an
3. digging out a large cavity with h
ID hands, he crowded in and buried hin
" self beneath the snow. In this pos
m n ton he soon fell asleep. and slept f
Of several hours, dreaming that he ha
" arrived in safety at Fort Dodge, an
m was telling his companions Of his pc
# lis ard escape from freezing. But, u
al on awaking with the first dawn
of morning, he found himself buried
of snow, out on the great prairie, so wea
i. from hunger and exhausted from Il
h. superhuman exertions he had pI
or forth during the three terrible da.
r. and nights past, and SO crippled fro
ly freezing that he had hardly strengt
ey ey to crawl out of his 10y bed. But
ID great exsrtions he regained his fe(
he and could see Lost Grove about
IN mile ahead. When he tried 10 wa
an he found his limbs bad lost their vita
,bt ity, and he could only move forwa
r.. by reaching down with his froz
II hands md liltinr his lars out Of d