Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-04-06
Alive from the Dead

We have been glad to see in our city
Mr.. T. @. Evsrts of Helena. Montana. who
is visiting his brother, our townsmau.
Miles A. Evarts, for few days. Mr.. Ey.
arts is the hero Of one of the most remark
able escapes from starvation in wilder
ness that we have ever heard of-an es
cape achieved by display of endurance
almost without parallel Our readers
will remember mention of Mr.. Evarts'
case, in our paper, last fall but we did not
begin to realize then its remarkable fea-
lures These we have learned afresh from
Mr.. Evsrts' lips, and they may make a
story surprising in interest any in fiction.
Mr. Evarts was one of an exploring party.
last September, in the wild regions about
the sources of the Snake and Yellow Stone
Rivers, in Montana. 1t was high region,
over eight thousand feet above the
level of the ocean-one never visited
before by a white man, and which even
the Indians have never inhabited. 1t was
wooded country Its trsckless wilds
covered with fallen timber, making travel
very slow on foot or horseback. The party
scattered in search of game one day, and
nightfsll he realized that he was lost iD
the woods. He camped out that night,
not doubling that he could retrace his
steps, and join the party the next day.
Starting early next morning, little too
early to see clearly, he dismounted from
his horse to examine his trail more close
ly, when the beast, frightened by some
thing. started away on run. and he saw
no more of him. Attached to his saddle
was his carbine. pistols, ammunition, fish
ing tackle, matches, everything in fact.
of his equipment, except the clothes
on his body. OF course he realized thai
it was now a serious business. Think
ing. however, that some of the party
would be tack to look for him, he remain
ed in this vicinity for a day or two; but
bis friends knowing that he was mounted
on a good horee, did not doubt that he
would coon overtake them, and had
pushed on two days journey before they
stopped to wait or make search for him. |
In the meantime the first snow of the |
season, two feet in depth, fell, making all
following of trails or journeying on foot
impossible for Mr.. Evarts, and periling
his life from exposure. It was saved by |
a provision of nature not known in these /
parts-the hot springs. He remembered
that they bad passed some of these, five |
or six miles from the spot where he be-
came separated from his party, and sue
ceeded in making his way back to them |
He lay by these, on the ground warmed /
by the springs, till the snow went off
life on kind oi thistle root.
which could be eaten when sodden in the
hot water of the springs, though having
little nourishment in it. There wa
plenty of elk and other game in the wood
and fish in the streams, but be was Who'll
" without any means to take them.
Neither did he dare to leave there, with
,ut some means of kindling fire, for the
night were too cold to be without fire.
How to get the first spark was the prob
em. Fortunately be had with him bis
ield glass, and using its lenses as a burn
na glass he succeeded on bright d4y in
lighting fire with some rotten wood He
hen started on the track of the party,
using his b.rning glass to make fire In
bright weather, and carrying brands in
nis hands from one stopping place to an
,ther In cloudy days, burning bis fingers
terribly in the process, in spite of all pre-
,sutions. Two nights he had to spend
without fire, and with the utmost Difficult
" kept himself alive by constant motion
md rubbing of bis stifening limbo
L single email bird and small
i.h or two gave him all the food he had
Except the thistle roots. His boots gave
ut and his feet became worn to the bone
q spite of all he pushed on, and thirty
light days from the day he was lost be
net party coming to find not him but
,is lifeless remains; for they had no hope Z
# finding him alive. He had made hi.
rav over a hundred miles towards ciyili |
alton He had become reduced in weight
rom 100 to so pounds !; but he was alive,
md is living and healthy man to-day,
hough bis feet have not yet fully recov-
red from the terrible wear of that month
f foot travel.
We remember no instance of endurance ,
this, and we should be glad il
Dr. Evsrts, who is Vermonter, born in !
n Bolton, and former resident of Bur-
ingtop, would write out for our columns, /.
n fuller details. the interesting story OF :
ia struggle for life in the Wilderness
free Press