The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-07-28
Written for the Telegraph.
SNOW BOUND IN THE SEEIs RA
NEVADAS.
NEVADAS.
CoNCLUED.
CHAPTER XI.-BRINGs US TO A CoNCLU

party as to be Indifferent to the party
itself. Having related the stories /
thought most interesting, it now becomes
my duty to tell how we finally returned
to civilization. 1t must not be supposed
that we were comfortably housed, and
passing the tine pleasantly Far from
it our howell was miserable one at best
and our provisions were scant and poor 4
nothing but the flesh of our oxen and
that of my grizzly; and the oxen were
mere skeletons.
The weather, too, was much against us.
Had it remained cold, the snow would
soon have frozen enough to bear u.s. but
this vas not the case. At times it would
be intensely cold, and we would suffer
severely, consoling ourselves, however,
with the hope that we might soon escape
from our prison; but soon the wind
would change, and it would soften again
Thus time passed December went by.
and found us still prisoners and January
was half gone, with no better prospect,
and what was worse, our provisions
almost exhausted
One day it rained in torrents, but to-
ward night, the wind changed, and blew
freezing blast, that seemed to blow
right through our miserable shelter.
Said Long Jack, Eff this yer only holds
till mornin we'll walk out afore sun-up
| it is frenzin' like blazes." This was
cheering news; but we had been so often
disappointed before that we had not
much hope At daybreak we were astir
and preparing for the march. Tie
weather had continued cold, and there
was firm, solid crust of ice over the
snow. We had very few preparations to
make; there was NO food of any conse
quence to take with us, and we were in
no condition to carry heavy loads; oul
guide warned us that we must expect tc
find our progress very difficult Before
sunrise we were on our way down the
canon. For while we got along very
well the snow was smooth and hard as q
floor, and as we were fresh and in good
spirits, we marched quite fast. AS we
advanced, we could see that our only
chance was in escaping in this way oul
guide, who knew the place well, assured
us that the canon was filled to the deptt
of at least thirty feet, and for some time
after the snow had thawed, would be 6
roaring and impossible torrent. We hat
cause to be thankful that we hat
escaped with our lives.
We were going down hill all the time
and as we advanced, the canon grey
wider, and the snow less deep. But her
the sun had had more opportunity t
thaw the crust which the night befor
had formed, and we began to sink in il
We frequently sunk to our shoulders
and at last were obliged to halt, utterl
exhausted, under the lee of cliff, as th
sun went down. There was nothing t
make fire with, and after swallowin
a few morsels of raw meat, we threw oul
selves on the snow, and slept, as onl
exhausted men can.
Daylight found us OH the march, bu
the snow was softer than the day befor'
and at every step we sunk. At last we WEI
brought to stand still; it was imposs
Die to go on in this way; the wome
tainted frequently, and the men wer
little better of. We were almost i
despair; but our guide encouraged us t
adopt different plan. He and tn
Major, who were in front, handed thei
4 guns to the men behind, and THROWN
4 themselves fiat on the snow, they wallow
ed along, one behind the other, thu
making a trail The men followed i
Indian file. trampling the path thu
made, while the women and childre1
came behind. Itwas terribly fatiguin
: work, and after going on few rods, tn
leaders fell back to the rear, while tn
next two took their places In this wa
we kept on all that day, often bein
obliged to lie down to rest, and maxim
very little progress. The next day wa
but repetition of the last, and the mex
; the same. Wewere fearfully worn dowr
! and on the morning of the fourth da
] several were unable to stand. They mus
2 have rest, vet to STAY where we wer