Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-02-24

But thev were not the eyes of sava-
yes. No ewes could have been more
friendly. aud those who were nearest
me expressed in every possible way
their satisfaction at my recovery.
subsequently learned that they had
expected me to die. and had kept away
from my lodgings that they might not
disturb NV last hours. Some of the
children were quite inclined to be IA
miliar. and offered me nuts and flow
ers. One little girl Overcame her dis
trust sufficiently to permit me to kiss
her. The operation was evidently
new to these people, for they showed
unmistakable surprise at it, and l af-
| terwards saw several of the children
trying it upon each other, and appa-
rently much amused by it. Their
common token OF endearment was Q
gentle pat upon the cheek or other
part of the body. My attention was
divided between the people and the
scenery, the latter being equally nov
el with the former, and the people un-
derstood and enjoyed my manifestsur-
prise and delight.
Before me rose majestically what
seemed real pillar Of fire. 1t was
evidently some miles distant, and rose
straight from earth to sky, of width
covering an eighth or tenth of the
visible horizon. The pillar was not
flame, but il radiated both light and
heat. 1t was sometimes of bright
steady light throughout; then chang
ed to cOrruscatiOns and flashes, some
of them attended with loud crack
ling noises; then melted into beauti-
full IA nbOw hues; or separated into
cones and shafts that danced like so
many fairies. High up in the air the
flames radiated in all directions and
We're gradually lost in the distance
/ had no doubt that the phenomena
were electrical, and felt that / was
standing near the source of the beau
tiful aurora borealis, which / had OBJ
served with so much wonder since j
entered the Northern ocean. / also
understood how the climate here
should be as bland as that of Germany
in June, and how animal and vegeta-
ble life could thrive as / saw it around
me. The sun revolved Just above the
horizon for nearly the whole day, and
indeed, its rays gilded the distant
mountains in the few hours of partial
darkness, or what would have been so
but for the constant pillar of fire. At
the time l am describing, the sun was
just passing hehind the bright pillar,
and, half hidden by it, added to the
singular beauty of the scene. Upon
the opposite horizon rose majestic
mountains, along the side of the loft
lest of which, near their SUBMITS,
were banks of ice or snow, which re-
flected the dancing flames. Below the
mountains was a circle of hills, COW
cred with dark forests; from these the
country slOped gradually to where /
sat, and thence to the loot of the pill
lar of flame. This is asit then looked
to me. Subsequent explorations re-
vealed other and different features
For the time l was weary in body and
mind, and my eyes panied by the ir-
regular light, and, making my silent
adieus as best 1 could, sought rest
and seclusiOn in the hut.
LIFE IN wAHNo.
After few days more of rest, was
strong enough to go about, and my
first attention was given to search for
more satisfying food. 1t was evident
that the natives lived wholly upon
vegetable food, and apparently on
such articles rs were naturally produ-
ced, for / saw no signs of cultivation.
Indeed, the only labor, so far as |
could perceive, consisted in obtaining
feathers, and weaving their sole gar
ment, in constructing huts, and in
gathering the edibles, which were
abundant for these people, but l
thought that n dozen luSty Germans
might have eaten all that this pOpu-
lous village required, and yet been
half starved. The small bread-fruit
l have mentioned, and the large
ground-nuts, constituted the bulk OF
their supplies, and berries and plums
were abundant through nearly the
whole year. l afterwards found that
those which grew in the colder region
nearest the mountains, were quite like
the small fruits of Germany. The
was the same, and it was
more agreeable to my taste than any
thing else 1 could find, partly, no
doubt, from its revival of home assO-
Citations.
The natives preferred the fruits
growing in the low valleys near the
central radiator, which were more
and sweeter, but more dry
and tough. The birds which the ma
tives caught among the hills, mostly
cider ducks-and large white geese,
they stripped of their choicest plum
age and then threw away. II was
from one of the ducks, that a native
had Just plucked, that made my first
meal here. But it cost me
a great deal of labor and patience, for
these simple children of nature are as
ignorant of fire as most things pertain
ing TO civilization, and when L kim
died some moss and sticks among the
rOclIs-for had fortunately brought
n box of matches in my pocket-and
cooked, or half cooked, my duck, the
process was watched with the utmost
by crowd of people
Their establishment turned to disgust
when 1 proceeded to eat my roast
duck.
Before / made annOther dinner of
the duck, | succeeded in making some
oi the men understand that | wished
brisk walk to the place, for these
have So little weight TO
carry, and are so little and quick OF
motion that they scarcely touch the
ground, while | have a solid German
body, which, in spite of my long
fast, outweighs any four of theirs. 1t
was some eight miles, | should judge,
to the spot where | had come ashore,
and to reach it we passed up the
valley OF small mountain stream to
an opening between two mountains,
and then down n dry gulch to the
ocean on the other side. This was
much the nearest point to the ocean
from the interior valley. The change
of temperature in this short distance
was very great. In the valley the
air was so warm | had doubted about
wearing my coat; here / was chilled
by the breeze from the sea, and my
companions were in great haste to go
back to a more comfortable place
But induced them by earnest ges-
ticulations to stop long enough to
help me move my boat higher up
under the shadow of an Overhanging
cliff, where saw that | could easily
build q perfect shelter for it, as |
did, with fir trees cut in
the gulch. For the present 1 was
satisfied to know that my boat was
safe, and to find in it my leather
pouch, hatchet, and the remains of
AN old ships log, which our men had
taken from the ship to use for wad-
ding for their muskets while ut Edges
Island. The torn and dirty leaves
have been of great service to me.
enabling me to make these imperfect
notes of my adventures, and thus to
sOlace many hours that would other