Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-07-29

EXU10H1D8 6Sys
We copy from the Montpelier Journal
the following extracts from letter OF the
Rev. DIR. Lord, which give an amusing
account of the Northern Pacific Railroad
exploring partys introduction to camp
life:
CAMP DELUGE, July 10, 1869.
We reached St. Cloud yesterday by
special train. The citizens, with the
mayor at their head, accompanied by the
band. escorted MS to the hotel, where din
ner, speeches and songs were served out
to us in the greatest variety and profu-
sion. We were glad to move on at five
o'clock to our camping ground, three miles
from the City. Behold US started! First
the luggage trains, six in number, con-
tanning all our provisions and equipments
for the march. Then, one after another,
our carriages and horses. A few of the
party took the wrong road, and had
charming ten miles ride against their de-
sign, and reached camp at o'clock. We
then proceeded to discuss the first supper
cooked in camp. Bread and butter, sar-
dimes and ham, washed down with good
tea and coffee, closed the somewhat dull
events of long day.
After supper and pleasant chat of an
hour we retired to our respective tents
NV companion Is Mr.. johnson, the engin-
eer of the n. z. r. r., gentleman of cul-
ture and great excellence and superior
qualifications. Our tents, ten in number,
are arranged on the four sides OF square
| "a parallelogram. The hospital tent Is
at one end and the dining tent on the
other. The Governors and Dr. Thayer's
is opposite mine; w. G. Smiths and Wool
bridges on the opposite corner. We all
retired in good hope of quiet sleep. But
about twelve the intense blacknlng OF the
clouds overhead began to be iilumired by
incessant shafts of thu most brilliant light
ming The sky was full of the lurid ar
rows of the Almighty. The lightning
/ seemed TO leap up from the horizon at all
points, and when midway TO the zenith
would diverge in the most Hvid streams
I of light, like pennons waving In
/ the swift air from the banners
of celestial host. Such shooting,
+ darting, waving, wild radiations of cleo
/ trlcal light / have never seen before.
I The light was so intense and continuous
that within our tents we could see to
/ read. or mark the lines of each other 5
faces, as the spectral glare of the I'M
earthly illumination was cast upon them.
The thunder crashed necessarily about
our heads, its continuous roar like the
constant discharge OF a multitude OF bat
terie-, only the repeated shocks were such
as no earthly engines could effect or equal
II was like the roar III the mountains OF
Palestine which filled the soul OF David
with wonder, and terror, and confidence,
when lie sung upon hearing 1t: The
God of glory thundereth,' or = The voice
of the Lord is in Il e thunder.
The rain meantime, began to pour In
floods The windows OF heaven were
opened aud the fountains of the skies
we're broken up. No canvass could with
stand the driving element. At the same
time the wind blew hurricane, and We
began to be seriously alarmed. Suddenly
as | write, the wind changed and mad,
its onset with renewed fury upon the
camp At one sweep the row OF tents OPP
po-lte mine was lifted, and tents, bed,
and occupants thrown into a promiscuou'
heap. Woodbridge's cot was lifted up il
the air with him on 1t and turned com
pletely over on the top of w. &. Smith
up in the ruins they could hardly be-
found The Governors came tumbliny
about his ears, and scattered him and DIR
Thayer to the four quarters OF the field
The Governor rushed, clothed with
single blanket, into our tent, his veneer
able locks blown by all the winds of the
Cave of Eolus, and wet with the storm
of the night. He crouched, shivering
upon the floor of the tent IN about
three inches of water, with sundry ex
carnations showing that he appreciated
FULLY the occasion. and still retained II
the Northern Pacific DR. Thayer fled I,
the dining room tent, habited in the COS
tune of IA ghost, aud winding the table
cloth about his portly frame, awaited
with calm resignation the moment wheI
il should follow the others to the ground
Nor did he wait long, for a sudden gus
,, Snapt its guys ike tvw, a..a a~-.-- -
the the big tent, covering in heavy fold
a dozen occupants. As soon a. the
could disentangle themselves from tn
ruins. they fled to our tent, which re
l. manned standing, upheld by the mos
Is ,iyorous exertlons of its occupants. |
10 WIS scene for painter, but no paint
n er could do it justice, and no pei
. Coui portray IT, Inc HEst Cam
Of t.e N f. r. r. almost entirel
le prostrted by Minnesota mldnigh
IF storm, and its occupants drowne
out IL the darkness, Governor
>. members of Congress, bankers, en-
= gineers, judges, lawyers and minister
20 mingled wih falling tents and overturr
- cd cots III wild confusion, and lookin
!, around Tor watches, pocket-books, carpet
4 bags, boos and dry pantaloons. But til
:, storm soon luled, and the men put u
!. another tent, and righted those that ha
:, fallen down, and we spent tho rest of III
4 night in drying off and waiting for tn
;, morning.
:, To-dayth the party have captured an oil
:, Chippewa Indian and brought him int
:; camp, bu the wind blows so hard W
{ can't hav' his photograph taken with tina
of the camp, and 50 We release him. )
far had written when / was called on
!, for the photograph. l will send you on
:, " hen it is done of our first camp. Th
- old Indin Chief All his Squaw are in i
- His name is 'Middle-O@the-Day
y A WILD MAN IN THE WooDs.-Th
n. Ogdensburgh Journal says
e. The West Side is considerably excite
re over the appearance of a wild man !. tn
r. woods in he vicinity of Sucker breol
OF about mile south of this city. Sever,