The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-07-28

this mountain, accompanied by guide.
| After we had lunched, | wandered about,
| looking for curiosities, and seeing q:
| distance ii rock with very strange bush
| growing upon the top Of it, | walked
| toward it. It was then showing; and the
| flakes. fell faster and faster, until thought
| | had better return to the guide | could
not see him, but ran in the direction in
which l thought had left him. After
running some distance | stopped and
shoute>s. but no reply | had evidently lost
my u and now the snow was coming
furi ,;sly down, the wird driving it in my
face and eyes. L ran about, for q long
time, quite confused, bat could rot find
hin, nor hear his voice. | suppose he
| must have oeen doing the same in search
of me, and that we had gone farther and
| farther from each other. l hope the poor
fellow has escaped my fate. After blindly
wandering about for considerable time,
I came near small building standing
under the lee of large rock. Toward this
1 hasteped, and, as l approached it,
saw dimly through the drifting snow the
| figures cf two men running ct full speed
down the mountain. Just then there
came noise ofthunder, and, looking up, l
beheld an avalanche tearing down toward
me. In my terror dashed into the hut,
| when, with g crash which shook every
beam and partly stove in the roof, the
avalanche passed over it, and l was in
total darkness. After recovering from my
| first shock, cideavored in every possible
way to get ont, but in vain: snow is on
every side and above me, through which
can make no progress. Several times l
have been nearly sm0thered, aud now
have given up The attempt, and resigned
myself TO my fate. Perhaps, when | am
missed, the villagers nay come up and
dig me out-no, that is hopeless-they
| know not where / am. At all events, 1
| hope that, if | die here, can meet death
| IS 3 Christian should | leave no wife
nor family to mourn for ne, and am only
sad TO think Of dying without having ac-
complisied any great work. Still, let me
sec what hope Of life l have, and take an
inventory OF my resources. have found
an old lantern, luckily filed with oil. by
tao dim light of which I now write. This
| must use sparingly, fer several reasons,
viz: | may by the combustion reduce the
| supply of oxygen, which IS 50 precious to
rae here; must not waste my oil
must not increase my supply of carbonic
acid by the flame. viii, therefore, live
n the dark, except when | wish to
write. I have found large Swiss
Can l support life with this? Let me
sce Caseine chiefly, some aIbumcn, oily
particles, etc.-all digtsiible. Water l
can get from the snow. Well, I Tnust
make the experiment, and / will note ny
symptoms then, if L die, and this record
should ever &c found, | shall hare achiev
cd something in giving TO the profession
the physiological action of cheese ss an
exclusive diet. ! cannot diS;irguis night
! from day; my only method is 10 count
TIE hours by my watch. Happily it is
good one, and not likely TO stop. Now /
will put cut my lantern, and make my
bed upon the floor, with my cloak for
covcrIct have supped c1 the cheese,
and like it.
"NovEMBER Isl have had good
sleep. 1t is not cold here, as one would
imagine; | do not suffer in the least
Neither do suffer for want Of cir, as
has expected. Il must be that the air
| pormeates between the PARTICLES OF snow
in sufficient quantity to keep me alive.
| Made nay breakfast OF cheese this morn
| ing, and enjoyed it. Il seems 10 be easily
digested. am getting SO used TO the
! darkness, that [ can perceive the outlines
| OF everything about me. | wonder il |
could make tunnel through the snow,
gradually ascending until reach the sur
face. That would be digging a hole
| beginning at the b0ttoul-a feat / have
never yet known to be accomplished. /
will try il, however, and it will give ME
occupation.
"Four o'clock, r. M-Uavc made my
| dinner off large slice OF cheese. 1t is
really a very good article Of diet. Have
been digging my tunnel and carrying the
snow into the house. / commenced ct
the door, and proceeded bat few feet.
Il is a slow process, as my shovel con-
sists OF f. piece OF bark torn from the wall
Of tie hut. | mean tie tunnel to be
abou. four feet sqUare; but how fsr / can
get with it is question, as | AN puzzled
about the refuse snow. Find can tread
down good deal OF it, so as TO reduce the
mass beneath. Must leave off writing
now, as | am suffering from sick head
ache, probably due to my hearty dinner.
"NovEMBER 3d-This is the fifth day
of my imprisonrl 3nt. My appetite seems
| to be unimpalrco on the contrary, rather
increased; butt am beginning to lose my
| digestive powers. | already dislike the
cheese, and suffer good deal from sick
| headache and palpltati0n of the heart.
My tunnel is now about fifteen feet in
length, and l have begun to make it
| ascend. Find / cen dispiace the snow be-
| meath by striking my feet down forcibly
| then fill up the holes with snow from
above. 1t is horribly slow work, and the
ascent has to be 50 gradual that l fear /
| shall never accomplish it. Still it gives
ne exercise and occupation, which re
lieyes somewhat this awful lonesome
ness.
"SIxTH DAY-Have just managed TO
worry down a slice of cheese for break
fast. Am still hungry, and feel rather
weak. l fear my hard work and priva-
tons are beginning 20 tell upon me-
Noa.r, p. m-Had to give up work in
the tunnel for to-day, as my strength has
given out Have only made about four
feet more in length and one in ascent.
Am getting discouraged Am still hungry,
although | feel full of this dctestable
cheese. Can feel that am fast losing
flesh as well as strength.
"SEvENTH DAY.To day, st the risk
OF suaocating myself with smoke, made
g little pile Of chips cut from the walls
and table, lighted them with my flint and
steel, and toasted some cheese. The fire
did not burn very well, and | soon had to
cztiDguish it; but l contrived to toast a
slice. 1t was smoky, and not very palata-
bic, but still was q sort of variety, and L
could eat it, 1t is ell have eaten to day,
and | am weak, tired, and hungry, to say
I nothing Of heartburn and headache Had
only strength to work about an hour in
the tunnel. If l thought that was near
the surface, would try to struggle up
ward and reach it or perish.
"NINTm DAY.-Ycsterday made O furi-
: Gus attempt TO dig nay way upward, cast
ing the snow behind me- but ali in vain
after an hours strgglo | fell back, faint
ing, into the snow beneath, and the result
is that have still more TO do i'll clearing
ard trampling down the Debris. / thought
at one time of lying there until death over
{ took me- but the love Of life at length
prevailed, and | Crawled back here Am
, resolved not to give up until absolutely
; overcome. The cheese has become loath-
, some To ne; | was nauseated this morning