The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-04-01
The pcri!s of Il Western Wilderness
Remarkable Escape from starva-

Remarkable Escape from sIarva.
ton.
From the burlington w. Free PIess.] i,
We have been glad to see in our city Mr..
T. c. Evarts. of Helena, Montana, who is
visiting his brother, our townsman, Miles
A. Eyarts, for a few days. Mr.. Eyarts is
the hero of one of the most remarkable
escapes from starvation in wilderness
that we have ever heard ot-an escape
achieved by n display Of endurance almost
without a parallel. Our readers will re-
member mention of MIR. Evarts's case in
our paper last fall, but we did not begin
TO realize then its remarkable features.
These we have learned airesh from MIR.
Evarts's lips, and they make story
SURPRISING in interest any in fiction.
Mr. Evarts was one of an exploring
party last September in the wild re-
Yellowstone rivers, in Montana. 1t was n
high region, over eight thousand feel above
the level of the ocean-one never visited
before by Il white man, and which the In
dams have never inhabited. 1t was wood
ed country, its trackless wilds covered with
fallen timber, making travel very slow on
foot or horseback. The party scattered in
search of game one day, and Mr.. Evarts fol-
lowed deel's trail till, at nightfali, he real
lied that he was lost in the woods. He
camped out that night, not doubling that he
could retruce bis steps and rejoin the party
the next day. Starting early the next morl-
ing, little too early 10 see clearly, he dis.
mounted from his horse to examine his trail
more closely, when the beast, frightened by
something, started away on Il run, and he
| saw no more of him. Attached to che sad
| die was his carbinc, pistols, AMMUNITION.
| tshing-tackle, matches-everything, in fact,
Of his equipment except the clothes on bis
body. OF course he realized that it was
| now u serious business. Thinking, how
ever, that some Of the party would be back
| to look for him, he remained in that Vicin-
| ity for day or two; but his friends, know.
| ing that he was mounted on good horse,
did not doubt that he would soon
| overtake them, and had pushed on two
days journey before they stopped to
the meantime, the first snow Of the
season, two feet in depth, fell, making
all following OF trails or journeyings or
loot impossible for Mr.. Eyarts, and peril
iug his lie from exposure. 1t was savec
by provision oil nature not known in these
purts-tne hot springs. He remembered
That they had passed some of these five OF
SIX miles from the spot where he became
separated from bis party, and succeeded IL
making his way back to them. He, lay by
these, on the ground, warmed by Tue
springs, till the snow went off, SUSTAINING
| his life gu i kind of thistle root, Whlct
could be eaten when sodden in the ho1
water of the springs, though having LITTLE
elk and other game in the woods and isl
| in the streams, but he was wholly with
out any means to take them. Neither
| did he dare to leave there, without some
means of kindling fire, for The nights
were too cold to be without fire. How &c
get the first spark was the problem. For
| tunately he had with him his feld-glasS
and using its lenses as burnlng-giass, ne
succeeded on bright day in lighting fire
with some rotten wood. He then started or
the track of the party, using his burning
glass to make a fire in bright weather, anC
carrying brands in his hands from one
stopping place to another in cloudy days
burning his fingers terribly in the pro
cess, in spite of all his precautions. TIVE
nights he had TO spend with out fire, anC
with the utmost difficulty kept himself alive
by constant motion and rubbing of his stiff
ening limbs. A single small bird and q
small fish or two gave him all the fooC
he had except the thistle roots. His boots
gave out, and his feet became worn to the
bone. In spite Of all, he pushed on, anC
thirty. eight days from the day he was losl
he met party coming to fnd-not him, bu,
his lifeless remains; for they had no hope
of tiuding him alive. He had made his way
over hundred miles toward civilization
He had become reduced in weight from 16(
to 50 pounds; but he was alive, and is s
living and healthy man to-day, though m:
feet have not yet fully recovered from The
terrible wear of that month OF foot travel
| We remember no instance of endurance
SURPRISING this, and we should be glad i
Mr. Evarts, who is Vermonter, born II
Bolton, and former resident OF Burllng
ton, would write out for our columns II
fuller details the interesting story OF hi
struggle for life in the wilderness.
The Mo77sUille Times" shows tina
Baez is Nnginian. or course the same
| na ners which reproduced the opossum story