Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-06-24
LOST IN THE SNOW.
An Incident Of Frontier Life.

following narrative Of a personal adven-
ture, the correctness Of which will vouch
for, thinking that it would not be unac-
ceptable to many Of our readers. If We
are Of the same opinion, it is at your SER
vice
81 came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in
the month of May. 1885. At that time
the city was q mere embryo, with no signs
of its present Importance. You know the
condition of western towns at that time,
and will not give lengthy description
of Milwaukee. Suffice it TO say that this
city was no exception to the rule. l did
not remain long in Milwaukee. In Octo-
Der of the same year in which l arrived
there, four of Us, 5,ait boat and set of
up the Milwaakes river, to make for our.
selves homes in the wilderness. We in
tended to go up about twenty miles, there
to cut timber and lay out farms. We
went by water, since that was the only
means Of transit, there being no road, IN
less an Indian trail, INSTRUCTED by fallen
tees, through a country dsnsely wooded
and ,nterspersed with impenetrable thick
cts and impossible marshes, might DC CALI
ed sueh. Late as it was, we cut Wild grass
on sone open gades along the bank OF
the river to, winter our oxen and cows,
built rude Jog house, hauled our boat up
on the bank and commenced settling ].
Indians were plenty enough IN the conn.
try round about. too plenty tor comfort
or safety, oltentimes, but the only Whites
within circuit of twelve or fourteen miles
were three men who had camred few
m;les three or four, distant from US. Like
our party, they were engaged IN numbering
and breaking farm, AID like good neign,
bors, we not unfrequentiy exchanged
friendly services. So it happened that
once, when they were in want of more
teams. we loaned them our oxen, with the
promise that they should be returned in
three days. The three days passed, as did
three more, but no oxen appeared. Had
my neighbours been prompt, | should not
have this tale to tell you now; but they
we're not, and determined. after waiting
several days, to discover the reason, hav-
ing particular interest in the welfare of
the cattle as we'll as of the neighbors.
started at daylight on cold ard clear
winters morning. About eighteen inches
of snow lay on the ground, and the air was
biting. did not know the way to our
friends camp by actual travel, but trusted
to finding it reaaa;a.y, in the light of the day
from following the general direction. |
had reason to suppose that in January the
river would be frozen solid, so that cross
ing would be an easy matter; but found
an unexpected difficulty. A jam OF ice in
the rapids had raised the water above,
breaking up the ice for long distance.
succeeded in crossing on the floating ice,
intending on my return with the team to
seek sounaer ice farther up the river,
where the cattle could be taken across in
safety. After long search / found the
camp of which had come in search. fol-
lowing the tracks WI ich had been left in
the tep snow. My friends were not there,
but discovered them some three miles
further off, with our cattle, which latter l
tt ok and set out for home. s.,
About this time il commenced showing,
and the cold also increased with the wind.
[ reached the river quite distance above
the point where had previously crossed,
but even here the water had been raised by
the ice-dam in the gorge below. The
scere was not pleasant. Through the
driving snow the open river stretched back
before me for about one hundred feet, a
swift rushing current sweeping between
the borders of ice along the shore, which
extended fifteen or twenty feet from either
bank The stream looked deep, how deep
had no means of knowing, and very cold
But it was growing dusk and | had nc
tine to seek another crossing. The ease
was desperate, and determined to try to
ford the river. thought that by riding
one Of the oxen might keep partly ont Of
the water, and taking that position drove
the team out upon the shore ice. On step.
ping into the stream. however, one OF the
oxen went entirely under, while the head
of the other alone remained above water
Both soon gained a precarious footing. but
hers another difficulty presented itself
The strong current would swing the sled
around and head the oxen no stream, des-
pite all their efforts to maintaIn an opp,
site direction. There was only one i..,ag
to be done. l must share the water witS
the team, hold on to the sled keep it head
ed across the river. With a shudder /
leapcd into the stream, and with great diff
ficulty accomplished my purpose. some
times swung around by the current, some
times losing my foothold where the water
was. deep, and swimming with the oxen,
and the icy water penetrating to my vitals,
as it seeH,ed TO ME. In this way we reach.
ed the ice on the opposite shore, which
was not strong enough to bear the weight
of the team, forcing me to laboriously
break way through to the land with a
large stone which secured from the bed
Of the stream. r1 t55.,aes4 tt
Soon after emerged | was fortified in
ice as an iron clad. my clothes freezing sol
id, except at the joints where the motion
kept it little broken up. Had ! stood
still five minutes, my clothes would have
become hmmovable, and myself likewise
Added to this discomfort, the driving snow
chung to my clothes with the ice,s making
quite a heavy, load, Active movement,
however, was my only salvation. .s.rr ~
1t was now dark. No stars and no land
marks could be seen through the binding
storm. while road or track Of course, there
was none in that wilderness. There was
nothing to guide me home, shut / took the
direction from the river and endeavored to
keep it as well as ! conld.s had continu
ally to swerve. from direct line. crooking
70 pass around thickets, fallen trees and
other. ike obstacles but continued on,
as we'll as could until ! thought must
aye gone much farther than the distance
=. Just as T arrived at this conclusion
| came acro sled track which the storm
had not entirely nb,s:tera,eo; knew the
track eonld be none o..her than my own,