Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-02-11
A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
Adventures or n Texan On a Tramp
Of 1900 Miles, Riding a Mule 20
Death.

From the Sioux Clty Journal
On Sunday last there arrived ia our
city the worst used up specimen of a
Texan cattle driver we ever saw. His
name is Thomas Dormit. He had come
from Fort Buford, twelve hundred and
twenty-five miles, on foot. The fol-
is a history of his awful tramp
through a wild Indian country in the
dead of winter:
He left Buford in the latter part of
October without a dollar in money,
His desire was to reach Texas. When
he started out on his long journey the
weather was very pleasant, and the
weather prophets at that place predict
ed a very mild and open winter. He
accepted their predictions and began
his Journey for the States.-
After travelling about two hundred
miles a fearful now storm overlook
him and he became bewildered and
nearly persisted in the storm, which
continued for two days. When the
storm ceased he came from his shelter
"a hole in an embankment-and
started back for Buford.
But after going about one mile he
stopped and argued the question With
himself, whether it was better to die
like a coward on his retreat, or go on
and die like a hero. This question, he
says, was q difficult one to decide. He
knew the route back to Buford, and
also knew that he was midway be-
tween Buford and Rice, but he was
uncertain of the route to the latter
place, and yet the inducements to keep
on were strong, for at Rice he had a
friend, and at Buford he had. none.
On the whole, he considered the ques-
ton evenly balanced, and to decide his
course he resorted to the ehild's method
of setting up a stick to fall as it would,
determined to pursue the direction it
should point. He set up the stick, and
balanced it on its end rs well as he
could. 1t stood still for a few seconds,
as if partaking of the mans doubt, and
then fell toward the States Accept
ing the decision, he started on for Fort
Rice.
The undertaking was an awful one,
and he had but little hopes of ever
making that place alive, and he had
not a mouthful to eat in 81 hours, To-
gether with his fasting and the effects
of his exposure to the storm he found
himself weak, and not as brave as he
was wont to be. TO die he considered
would be a privilege, and he was sev-
eral times tempted to shoot himself.
But when IL came to the point his
courage wouldn't stick, and hope would
again assume control Of his mind, and
he would continue his Flooding.
On the second day after the storm,
as night was approaching he sought
some place of shelter to remain until
morning, and thus discovered o hole in
an embankment a short distance from
the road upon which he was travelling.
He determined to rest there for the
night. As he was crawling into the
aperture on his hands and knees he
put his hands upon the cold face of q
dead Indian who lay near the mouth
of the hole. At first he was startled,
and thought to leave, but on second
thought he concluded that as he was
not afraid of o live Indian, he surely
wasn't afraid of dead Indian. Ac-
cordingly he began to drag the defunct
brave from the hole to make room for
himself.
On reaching the outside of the cave
with the dead Indian, he discovered a
deep wound OH the left side of the body
below the ribs, which he concluded was
caused by the horn of q buffalo, and
from the affects of which the big brave
must have died. This opinion was
strengthened by the fact that he found
a large piece of frozen buffalo meat in
the hole, which, it is unnecessary to
say, was devoured without much cere-
mony. His sleep upon this night was
very much disturbed. Either the
presence OF the dead red, or due
amount of buffalo meat he had put in
his stomach, caused terrible attacks of
nightmare. He was several times
scalped and tied to the stake, and more
than once trampled nearly to death by
herds of buffalo.
The morning came at last, and he
crawled out, scarcely believeing in his
own identity after torturing dreams.
he took a last look at the dead Indian.
and went on his way, not knowing
how soon he should sleep again not to
Waken. About noon of this DAYS
tramp he shot an antelope, and then
be believed. the good Lord was indeed
on his side. Cutting out what meat he
could comfortably carry, he took up his
line Of march with a strong faith in the
accomplishment of his undertaking.
The rest of this day passed without
anything of note Transporting, as did
the succeeding day, until late in the
afternoon, when he met a party of
four Indians, who took what little meat
he had left and sent him on his way
far from rejoicing.
About an hour before dark, and but
q few miles from Fort Berthold, a large
black bear was discovered sitting right
IN the path which he was travelling.
Bruin looked at the Texan and the
Texan looked at Bruin, both standing
like posts. The Texan did not want
to shoot unless he was certain of doing
good execution, for a shot would onlv
provoke an attack, which he was in
poor condition to withstand. He pre-
ferred to await the action of his bear
ship. A few minutes more and the
bear left, and our hero went on reach
ing Fort Berthold a short .time after
dark, where he rested and recuperated
a couple of days.
During his Journey from Berthold tn
Rice the weather was fine and game
plenty, consequently he enjoyed COM
parative comfort. Immense herds of
buffalo, antelope, and elk were seer
between the two places.
AT Rice he found his friend had left
for the. States. He remained there
however, until he had somewhat re-
covered from the effects of his tramn.
when he stole q Government mule
and put out for Fort Sully.
The mule proved s~erviceable TO n
point within fifty miles of Sully, when
the poor creature dropped dead on the
road from over-exerti0n. He had made
80 miles In three dava and 4 hole