Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-07-21
DIR. Lord and his Party-Amusing
Experience.


We are kindly permitted to make the iol
lowing extracts from letter Of Mr.. Lord t.
his family, dated
Carr DELuoE, July 10, 1869.
We reached St. Cloud yesterday by spccia
train The citizens with the Mayor at thei
head. accompanied by the band, escorted us to tn
hotel where dinner, speeches and songs wor
served out to us in the greatest variety and pro
fusion. We were glad to move on at o o'clock 4
our camping-ground three miles from the city
Behold us started First the luggage trains, si'
in number, containing all our provisions an'
equipment for the march. Then, one after an
other, our carriages and horses. A few Of The
party took the wrong road, and had a charming
ten miles ride against their design, and reached
camp at o'clock. We then proceeded to discus
/ the first supper cooked in camp. Bread and but
ter, sardnes and ham, washed down with good
tea and coffee, closed the somewhat duh events
Of a long day.
After supper and pleasant chat of an hour We
retired to our respective tents. My companion is
Mr. johnson, the engineer Of the n. p. r. r., O
gentleman of culture and great excellence and
superior qualifications. Our tents, ten in mum
Der, are arranged on the four sides offs square,
pamlleogmm The hospital tent is at one end
and the dining tent at the other. The Governor 3
and Dr. Thayer's is opposite mine ". G..
Smiths and Woodbridge on the opposite cor
ner We all retired in good hope Of quiet sleep.
But about twelve the intense blackness Of the
clouds overhead began to be illumined by inces-
SAINT shafts Of the most brilliant lightning. The
sky was full of the lurd arrows Of the Almighty.
The lightning seemed to leap up from the horizon
at all points, and when midway to the zenith
would diyerge ia the most liyid streams Of light,
like pennons waving in the swim air from the
banners of a celestial host. Such shooting, dart
ing, waving, wild radiatons Of electrical light !
have never seen before. The light was so intense
and continuous that within our tents we could see
10 read, or mark the lines Of each others faces,
the spectral glare Of the unearthly illumination
was cast upon them. The thunder crashed in
cessanty about our heads, its continuous roar
like the constant discharge of a multitude Of bat
tercs, only the repeated shocks were such as no
earthly engines could effect or equal. Il was like
the roar in the Mountains Of Palestine which
filled the soul of David with wonder, and terror,
and confidence, when he sung upon hearing it
4" The God of glory thundereth," or " The voice
Of the Lord is in the thunder.
The rain, meantime, began to pour in floods
The windows of heaven were opened and the
fountains of the skies were broken up No can
yass could Withstand the driving element At
the same time the wind blew n hurricane, and we
began to be seriously alarmed Suddenly, as
write, the wind changed and made its onset with
renewed fury upon the camp. At one sweep the
row Of tents opposite mine was lifted, and tents,
beds and occupants thrown into promiscuous
heap. Woodbridge's cot was lifted up in the
air with him on it and turned completely over on
the top Of W. c. smiths Judge Rice and Col
burn We're so mixed up in the ruins they could
hardly be found The Governor came tumblinr
about his ears and scattered him and Dr. Thayer
TO the four quarters of the field. The Governor
rushed, clothed with single blanket, into our
tent, his venerable locks blown by all the winds
of the Cave Of Eolus and wet with the storm Of the
night. lie crouched, shivering, upon the door
Of the tent in about three inches OF water, with
suudry Explanations showing that he appreciated
fully the occasion, and still retained his faith in
the Northern Pacific. Dr. Thayer lied to the din
ing room tent, habited in the costume of ghost
and winding the table cloth about hispoitly frame
awaited with calm resignation the moment when
it should follow the others 10 the ground. Nor
did he wait long, for a sudden gust snapt its guys
ike tow and down came the big tent, covering in
lis heavy folds dozen occupants. As soon as
hey could disenangle themselves from the ruins.
hey lied to our tent, which remained standing.
lpheid by the most vigorous exertions of its oc-
upants' IL was a scene for painter, but no
alnter could do Il justice, and no pen could por-
ray It, The irst camp Of the n. .R.R. al
iost entirely Frustrated by Minnesota midnight
TORN, and its occupants drowned out in the dark |
ess Governors members Of Congress. bankers.
1gneers, Judges, lawyers and ministers, mingled
18th falling tents and overturned cots in wild con-
lsion, and looking round for watches, pocket
ooks, carpet-bags, boots and dry pautaloons But
re storm soon lulled, and the men put up another
mt, and righted those that had fallen down, and
e spent the rest Of the night in drying of and
aiting for the morning
To-day the party have captured an old Chip
eva Indian and brought him into camp, but the
ind blows 80 hard we can't have his photograph
ken, with that Of the camp, and so we release
i'm. So far had written when was called out
II the photograph. | will send you one when it
done Of our first camp. The old Indian Chief
nd his Squaw are in it. His name is Mddic-qE
ie-Day.