The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-10-19

rom the nearest human abode, surround
ed by wild beasts, and iamishing with
hunger, It was no time for dependency.
A moment afterwards felt how calamity
elevate the mind, in the formation Of the
resolution mot toperish in thai wilder
ncss."
The hope Of finding the party still con.
trOlled my plans. / thought, by travers-
ing the peninsula centrally, would be
enabled TO strike the shore Of the lake in
advance Of their camp, and near the point
Of departure for the Madison. Acting
upon this impression, ! rose from . sleep
less couch, and pursued my way through
the timber.entangled forest A feeling
OF weakness took the place OF hunger
Conscious of the need OF food, felt no
cravings. Occasionally, while scram'
bling over logs and through thickets, q
sense of iaintRess and exhaustion would
come over me, but / would suppress it
with the audible expression, This
won't do; ! must find my COM
pany." Dependency would sometimes
strive with resolution for the mastery OF
my thoughts. would think Of home
Of my dapghter-and Of the possible
chance ofstagyatiOn, or death In some
more terrible form; but as often as these
gloomy forebodings came, would strive
to Danish them with reflections better
adapted to my immediate necessities. !
recollect at this time discussing the ques-
ton whether there was not implanted Dy
Providence in every man principle Of
sell.preseryatiou equal to any emergency
which did not destroy his reason. l de-
cided this question atllrmaliVeE thou'
sand times afterwards In my Wanderlngs,
and | record this experience here, that
any person who reads It, should he ever
finG himself in like circumstances, may
not despair. There Is life In the thought.
1t will revive hope, allay hunger, renew
energy, encourage perseverance, and, US |
have proved In my own case, bring man
out oil difficulty, when nothing else can
avail.
1t was midday when l emerged from
the forest into an open space at the foot Of
the peninsula A broad lake of beautiful
curvature, with magnificent surround.
ings, lay before me, gliLtering In the
sunbealns 1t was full twelve miles
in circumference. A wide belt Of sand
formed the margin which | was up.
preaching, directly opposite to which, ris.
ing seemingly from the very depths OF
the water, lowered the loltiest peak OF
range Of mountains apparently intermina'
bic. The ascending vapor. from innumer.
able hot springs, and the sparkling jet
OF a single geyser, added the feature OF
novelty to one Of the grapdest landscapes
Lever behGld. Nor was the life Of the
scene less noticeable than its other at.
fractions. Large flocks Of swans and
other waterfowl were sporting on the
quiBt surface ri the lake; otters in great
numbers performed the most amusing
aquatic Gvolutlons; mink and beaver
swan around unsecured, In most grOtesque
confusion Deer, elk, and mountain sheep
stared at me, manllesting more surprise
than fear nj my presence among them.
The adjacent forest was vocal with the
songs Of birds, chief Of which were the
chattering notes Of n species Of mOcking-
bird, whose initiative efforts afforded
abundant merriment. Seen under tavora'
BILE circumstances, this assemblage Of
grandeur, beauty, and novelty would have
been transporting; but, jaded with travel,
furnishing with hunger, and distressed
with anxiety, was in no humor Tor costa
sy. My tastes were subdued and chasten'
ed by tho perils which environed me.
lOnGed for food, friends, and proteC-
ton. Associated with my thoughts,
however, was the wish that some Of my
friends of peculiar tastes cOnld enjoy this
display of secluded magnlacence, now,
probably, for the first time beheld bymor'
tai eyes.
The lake was at least one thousand feet
lower than the highest point OF the PENN.
sula, and several hundred feet below the
level of Yellowstone Lake recognized
the mountain which overshadOwed II as
the landmark which, few days before,
had received from Gen. Washburn the
name of Mount Everts; and asst Is asso.
ciated with some OF the most agreeable
and terrible incidents Of my exile, l feel
that have more than mere discoveries
right to the perpetuity OF that christening.
Tho lake Is fed by innpmerable small
streams from the mountains, and the
countless hot springs surrounding 1t. A
large river flows from It, through canon
a thousand feet in height, In southeast.
erly direction, to q distant range Of noun
tains, which / coDjecturcd 10 be Snake
river; and with the belief that had dis.
covered the source Of the great southern
tributary of the Columbia, l gave It the
name Of Bessie Lake, after the .I
/, ''solc daughter Of my house and heart"
During the first two days, the
fear of meeting with Indians gave
me considerable anxiety; but, when
conscious Of being lost, there was
nothing so much desired as TO fall in
with q lodge Of Bannocks or Grows.
Having nothing to tempt their cupldlty,
they would do me no personal harm, and
with the promise oil reward, would proba-
bly, minister TO my wants and aid my de.
liveranCe. Imagine my delight, while
gazing upon tho animated-expanse Of
water, at seeing sail out from a distant
point large canoe containing single
oarsman. II was rapidly approaching
the shore where was seated. With hur.
ried steps paced the beach 10 meet 1t,
all my energies stimulated by the as.
suranCe II gave of food, safety, and resto.
ration to friends. AS drew near to II 1t
turned towards the shore, and oh bitter
disappointment, the object which my fan
cy had transformed into an angel Of re.
lief stalked from the water, an enormous
pelican, Tapped It's dragon.wings as II in
moCkery Of my sorrow, and flew 10 q
solitary point farther up the lake. This
little incident quite unnamed me. The
transition from Joy to grief brought with
it n terrible consciousness Of the horrors
of my condition. But night was fast up.
preaching, and darkness would come with
II. While looking for a spot where l
might repose in safety, my attention
was attracted to a small green plant
of so lively q hue as to form
= ,,r;L;rr contrast with thp dnan