St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-08-13
Northern Pacific ErpIOriItg
PdTFy.

Rev Dr. Lord writes the Montpelier
Journal an nc cunt OF TIE first niuht's
experience of the Northern Pacific Il. L.
exploring party in camp After being
~umptuously entertained by the Mayor
and common council OF ii. Cloud MINI
they moved to their camp. three miles
Instant, where they had tine tolluwin.
experience, which l. amusing to ry..d ut
but probably WAS not - amu>in. to uu-
dcrgo.
Alter supper and Il pleasant chat OF an
hour We retired to our respective tents
Nv companion l. Mr.. johnson. the cn.i-
nccr OF the y T. X. K . a gentleman Of
culture and grrtt excellence and superior
qualifications. Our tents, ten in NUM-
Der, are arranged Oh the four sides @: Il
>quare-a parallc!ogram. The hospital
tent is at one end and the dining tent at
the other. The governors and Dr.
Thayer's l. opposite mine: W. G..
Smiths and Wooihrlge'S on the oppo-
site corner. We all retired in good hope
of quiet sleep. BIt about twelve the
intense blacknc,- OF the cloud, overhead
BEGAN to be ilIumincd hv lucc>-ant shafts
of the most brilliant Lightning. The *
wa, tull OF the lurld arrows of the Al
mighty. The lightning seemed to leap
up from tine horizon AT alL points. and
when midway 10 the zenith would di-
verge in the most livid streams OF light.
like pcunons wayinL III the swift air tIum
the banners OF Il celestial host. Such
shooting, darling, wavin", wild rIdiA-
tionS of electrical LIGHT | have never seen
before. 1 he light was - intense and
continuou, that within our tents we could
see to read. or mark the liuc- ul each
Others faces, as the sFcvtra, glare OF the
uncaithlY illumination was cast upon
them. The thunder crashed imc,>>antlv
about our heads, ii, continuou, roar like
the constant discharge of Il multitude ut
batteries, only the repeated shocks were
such ~ no earthly engines could effect or
equal. 1t WAS like the roar III the noun
tans of Palestine which filled the soul OF
David with wonder, and terror. and con-
fidcncc, when lie sung upon hearing il :
''Thc God of glory thundereth," or
The voice OF the Lord Is in the thun-
der"
The rain meantime bcgan TO pour in
floods The windows of heaven were
opened and the fountains of the skies
were broken up. No canvass could
withstand the driving element. At the
same time the wind blew Il hurricane,
and we began TO be seriously alarmed
Suddenly, is | 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 4
promlscuous heap. Woodbridgc's cot
was lifted up in Tie air with him on il
and turned completely over on the top oI
W. &. Smiths. Judge i;icc and Col-
burn were 50 mixed up in the ruins they
could hardly be found. Tie governor,
came tumbling about his ears, and scat
tered him and DIR. Thaycr to the foul
quarters of the field. The governor
rushed, clothed with single blanket
into our tent, his venerable locks blowI
by all the winds of the Cave OF Eolu;
and wet with the storms of the night
He crouchcd, shivering, upon the tioo
Of the tent in about three inches of wa
ter, with sundry eXclamations showin!
that he appreciated fully the occasion
and still retained faith in the Northern
Pacific. Dr. Thayer fed to the dinin,
room tent hablted in the Costume of
ghost, and winding the table cloth abou
his portly frame, awaited with calm re
signatiOn the moment when it shUul,
follow the others to the ground. No
did he wait long for Il sudden gust snap
its guys like tow and down came the bl:
tent, covering in heavy folds Il dozen oc
!, cupants. As soon as they could olsen
tangle themselves from the ruins the,
fled TO our tent, which remained stand
ing, upheld by the most vigorous eXer
tions Of its occupants. 1t was Il seen
for painter, but no painter could do
: Justice, and no pen could portray it. Th
first camp OF the \. T. II. Il. almost Ell
tirely prostrated by a Minnesota mid
night storm, and its occupants browne
out in the darkness. Governors, mem
bers of congress, bankers, engineer:
! judges, lawyers and ministers, mlngle