Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-03-01
A Fearful Adventure--Heroic En-.
duranee and Wonderful Escape.

in snow storm on the prairie and
was four days and nights without
: food:
"On Thursday, the Oath of January,
at halfpast four o'clock in the after
noon, Charles Hale left the station at
Twin Lakes, in Calhoun county, twen-
ty-six miles west Of Fort Dodge, with
the Sioux City mail, in an open sleigh
drawn by two horses.
The day had been very pleasant,
but just before he started, it began to
Isnow. The wind was in the north
east, and as night came on, it increas-
ed to strong gale, the snow falling
thicker and faster, so that it soon be-
came difficult to keep the road, which
lis simply track across the great
prairie, without fence, tree or house
to guide the traveller, for ten miles.
He passed a small deserted cabin fthe
only building of any kind on the
route, Just afterdark, ,and soon after the
nigh became SO dark and the binding
storm was driving so fiercely in his
face, that he was unable to guide his
team, or see any signs of the road
! He knew that he could not be more
than mile or two from the Yates
settlement, and believing that the hor-
ses would find their way to the sta
tion, he left them free to take their
own course. After travelling thus q
long time, and failing to reach the
settlement, he knew that the team
had lost the road, but was utterly un-
able to determine whether he was
north, south, east or west of the sta
ton. Aware Of the hopelessness of
finding the road Or settlement, in
the dense darkness that mad by this
time come on, he determined to turn
around and try to retrace his tracks
to the deserted cabin which he had
passed,
But the storm which had been
steadily increasing with each hour
drifted the snow over the track almost
as fast as it was made, and Mr.. Hale
soon found that he had lost all traces
of it, and was wandering around on
the great prairie, utterly lost. His
presence of mind never deserted him,
and he at once determined that his
only chance for life was to keep the
team moving slowly, THAI they should
not perish with cold before morning.
Mr.. Hale had taken the precaution
to prepare for a storm before he left
the lakes He had on two flannel
shirts, two pairs Of socks, two pair of
pants, two heavy coats, two pairs of
mittens,a pairs Of thick boots and buf.
falO overshOes, and over all his cloth
ing was wrapped a large heavy rub
Der overcoat. All through that long
terrible night he kept his team slow
;, ly moving, knowing very well that if
= they stopped, the team and driver
= would soon become chilled through
and the sleep and stup0r which pre-
cedes death from freezing would seizt
! upon them long before morning. Al
II through the night the fearful storm
i seemed to be gathering in strength
{ and fury, and we all remember the ter
J. rible Friday that followed, Business
in towns was entirely suspended
Il No stages left the stations, street
= were blocked up, railroads all owe
!! II the country were buried beneath tn
u great drifts, cattle perished with cold
And out in the midst of great blea
d prairie, alone and lost, the driver o
II the Western stage watched anxiousl
for daylight. When morning came
, the storm darkened the sky so con
u pletely that he could not discern tn
direction of the sun at any time durin
the day.
% Early in the day the horses, whic
III had been travelling through great drift
for about eighteen hours, gave out, an
y could 90 no farther. Mr.. Hale hes
- tated not a moment, but unhitchin
Is them from the sleigh, ne turned thel
loose, that they might if possible reac
some settlement. He was now lie
n entirely alone, in the midst of tt
Ih most terrific storm of the winter, I'll
G. snow two feet deep, and lying in III
mense drifts, miles and miles from I'll
III nearest habitation, with no idea
We which direction he must travel, {
II, what distance, to reach the neare
"a shelter. Supposing that he was mort
10 of the main road, he started in tt
4; direction which he supposed to
ou south, in hopes that he might discov'
Sc the lost track. Hour after hour d
a he wade through the snow, with tt
a fearful storm chilling him through al
ID through. Before many hours he four
Is that his ears, face and feet were Fl
all zen solid, and his hands were begi
= ming to freeze. But still strong
nd determination to save himself if in Il
'ut range of possibilities, he kept movil
ce On through the long cheerless day.
is Toward night he suffered greatly fro
lg, hunger, as he had eaten nothing sin
le; Thursday noon. When darkne
rs, again closed around him he felt th
ne the chances for surviving the mig
nd were very slim indeed. He dare n
sit down to rest, fearing that he wor
fall asleep and perish. All throu
od- the second night he kept on his fe
W. sometimes becoming so exhaust
rst, with cold, hunger and his great ex
J tions to keep travelling, he would st
ore a few moments to rest. He repeat
ote Ily fell asleep while thus standing, a
my was only awakened by falling do
ks into the snow. Again and again d
pod ing Friday night did he thus strug
rid on till daylight appeared. The W
had now ceased, but the cold was