The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-02-10
DEATH IN THE WILDERNESS.

A Bangor letter in the Boston Post contains
full particulars of 4 shocking case of suffering
and death reported by one OF the survivors of
u hunting and fishing party. consisting Of
five individuals (French Canadians) who
were stricken down by disease and persisted
in their camp on the Canada side, not many
miles from the American border \ party
of five persons, set out with two horses and
a pung about Christmas, upon hunting and
fishing expedition in the wilderness near the
American line. The party We're well equip
ped with guns, traps, fishing tackle and pro-
visions, intending to spend month or two
in that uninhabited region. The first two
weeks they had good luck and some fine
sport, capturing several otter, mink, sable,
etc, and making good catch Of trout in the
lakes. Returning to camp, one evening, one
of the men complained of Il sore throat. Not
much was thought of it by the rest of the par
tv. till towards the middle of the night the
man gave evidence Of extreme suffering, his
throat being so swollen that he could not
swallow. He continued to grow worse dur
ing the night, and when morning came, was
quite l insensible. He had been attacked by
diptheria, which is alike malignant and terri
BILE in the city and in the forest. Without
medicine of any description, and nearly fifty
miles from any human habtation, they could
but anxiously await the crisis. They had
not long to wait for before night set in, the
man was corpse Before the first victim
expired, however, another ofthe party began
to complain of the same difficulty, and on the
second day, died of strangulation; or from
the filling up of the throat. The three sur
vivors took the two bodies out of the camp
and covered them over with snow, for the
purpose of preserving them till they could
carry them out of the forest. Determined to
break up camp the next day and return with
their dead comrades, they were doomed to
disappointment, in consequence of two Of the
remaining three, being Frustrated by the
same terrible agent. The last two survived
about fofty-eight hours, when they, in turn,
were carried out by the only one remaining,
to be buried in the snow.
Alone in the wilderness, fifty miles from
any human being, excepting the grim, cold
bodies of his lifeless companions, the sole
survivor resolved to start early in the morn
ing with his freight Of pulscless humanity.
But griefs never come singly. During the
night the deadly contagion fastened upon
himself In his own words he ''felt the mon
ster at his throat" and resigned himself as
well as he could, to his fate The poor fellow
suffered the agonies of q hundred deaths,
alone and uncared for, in literally ''howl-
ing Wilderness with the prospect of no one
ever being able to tel.the horrid tale. He
lay, as he thinks, some four or five days be-
fore he awoke to a consciousness of his fear
full condition. The mildness Of the weather
and good supply Of blankets and boughs,
saved him from freezing, in the absence of q
fire, which he was too weak to kinde. As
soon as he could crawl, he went to the hovel
and to his amazement and grief, found both
of the horses dead. They had died of starva-
ton. Returning to his camp, he thought he
would take look at his dead companions.
Judge ofhis horror, when he found their bod
les nearly eaten up by the wolves and other
wild beasts that inhabt that wild and desc
late region. Nothing now was left for him
to do but to make his way, alone, out of the
forest. With pair of snow-shoes upon his
feet, and as much provision as his weak and
feeble frame could bear, he started forth, and
on the third day reached an Indian camp
where he rested till he was able to proceed
on his journey. He gave his name LIE Roix,
or LIE Broix, and stated that he was born
near the River du Loup.