Centre Hall reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1868-1871, 1871-10-13
NO. 40.
A Mendrena Tale.

sixteen years ago young ffenehM@h
named GninnArd, left home and friends
30 seek his fortune. He possessed. II
seems, good blood aud sDfae ancestral
acres, but no money. When consider
ing iu~hat direction 10 turn hia foot
steps, he resolved 10 do something that
other people did not do s0 M. GUM
nnrd determined 40 retrieve hiH fortunes
In the wild Pampaa of South America
by February, 1856, our adyenturer
had visited many og the southern coun-
tries of the continent. had rnamed
through the Argentine Confederation,
the further regions Of Bnen0a AFreAs
but failed 10 hit upon his niche. Wan
dering disconholately aboat the sources
OF the Rio Qneluene, he resplyeh %
penetrate into the Wilds of the lar South.
Winter being fast approaching. and the
country likely 90 be most impraeticahle
and dangerous, the felicity OF M. GUM
Yards choice 0f a home IN not obvious.
He waa, 4lOweFeR, romantic, and be fell
in With an Italian, one Pedfitto. who
was no less 20. Tie two seemed 10 have
fraternized Al once, inaamed by the CON-
mon oliart Of doing something other
people did not do, and doing il in Che
most fatn0ns and Rimleas manner "A
casual plunge into the heart on PataRo-
MIA nj midwinter, without provisions or
means Of shelter, appeared 10 them we'll
adapted 10 the development Of their
idea Eve we're NOT ignorant, I" naively
writes MI. Guinnard, sol the number
less difficulties ard dangers by which
we might be assailed but having de-
termined 10 brave all. we only took the
precautlon To purchase n sun-diR1 and
compass, and to make ont u plan Of
our intended route, ON which each
days journey was Laid down this done,
We started with that confidence with
which resolution and hope inspire youth.
With this unique equipment the tray
eleEs duly set forth, and cAKne 20 the
grief they thus invited with rare celeri-
/ Nv. On their second day out they were
duluged with rain and scarisied by sharp
winds--n condition OF things that wnH
kept up for four days. During tins time
they slept at night on the wet earth,
with no canopy save the weeping clouds
Not creature could they hunt not R
fire could they light. ON the fifth day
the aun appeared and the pair dried
thair clothes and shot some . rmbbitlike
animals, " and eat UP what was left Of
scanty supply of bread. Tins fortified
1 they pushed ON 10 meet strange and ter
rible adventures. Once they rested for
the night in q cave, where they ht n
fire, roasted game, and got ready 10
sleep Fairly coilcd up for the purpose,
I" swelling river poured in upon them. i"
Their retreat was part of % bed OK n
river that, rising from distant rains, aud
approaching by subterFAEinan channels.
thus inhospltahly burst In uIon them.
This danger was escaped. but others
soon came i'm its train. Ne food could
he found, and the adventurers were
threatened with starvation. I'm thrir
delirium they "ate the earth, washing
1t down with dranghts Of ''aalt-impreg
mated water from the pools" THIS diet
seems 30 have agreed with Guinnard.
but not with Pedritto, who rolled upon
the ground ntteFing the most heart
nending cries. Soon the two began 10
reproach each other for the journey
they had taken, and had nc last come 40
blosFs. The grotesqnely horrible could
hardly have q moro vivid exempIihcation
than that al these two lonely men, far
away in the wilderness. mad with hum
ger and thirst, hying at each other Like
wild beasta After this. they found s0me
roots, and when literally at deaths door,
the two managed 20 XIII q puma, whose
blood they drank raw, and ON which
they slbsisted for some time. A tragic
denolement Of this drama was nc hand.
The pair we're surprised while hunting
by host of Patagonians, and n fright
fnl scene ensued- Seeing that the saw
ages we're bent ON mischief, GHinnmrd
and his companion battled 20 the Inst.
Poor Pedristo fell, stoned and pierced
10 death, Gninnard fell, too, after shoot
ing several OF his foes. but he was only
stunned. On recovering consciousness
be found himself the prisoner or barha-
rians in the uilds Of Patagonia. There
be remained for three years.
The tribe into whose hands the lnck-
less Guinnard fell wns that of the Ppyn-
ches. who wander ON the banks OF the
Rio Negro, between Pachecho Island and
the foot OF the cordilleras. The account
of them by their prisoner IL extraorii
nary. How he managed TO live through
what he relates passes comprehension.
He was kicked and mangled, fed on raw
horsehesh. made 10 live and sleep with
half-famished dogs, and otherwise NAL
treated. Yet he survived 10 produce
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