The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-10-21

IeNCTuClhtlnS tOIlnthG
A gradual mental introverslon grey
: upon me US physical weakness increased
The grand and massive scenery which
ON the upward Journey, had aroused ever.
enthusiastic impulse Of my lRtnre, wa
now tame and spiritleSE ny thought
were turned in upon myselE-upQn thl
dreadful fate which apparently lay ius
before me-7Snd the possible happiness Q
the existence beyond 5All donbt eOt in
mortality fled in the light Of presen
realities So vivid were my conceptions
OF the future that at times l lOnged 70
death, not less as the beginning oil happi
ness than as release from misery. Lei
on by these reflections, would recall thu
varied incidents OF my journey-my es
cape from the lion, from fire, my return
from the Madison Range-and To- al Q
them saw how much ] had been indebl
, ed to that mysterious protection H4tcl
comes only from the throne o NE Ear
nal. And yet, starving, foot!sote, bal
blind, worn 70 a skeleton, was y Pr
prising that lacked the faith peadtql Y
buoy me above the dark waters Of %
SPAR, which l now felt were closing
around meS
In less serious moods, as struggled
along, my thoughts would revert TO thu
single being on whom my hottest atfeC
tiOns centered-my daughter. What {
tic was that to bind me to life! Oh Coul(
be restored to her for a single hour, long
enough for parting counsel and blessing
II would be Joy unspeakable! Ions
hours of painful travel were relieved O
physical suffering by this absorbing ago
ny Of the mind, which, when from my
present standpoint contrast 1t with the
personal calamities OF my exile, swells In
10 mountains. - IN lj5 -.
To return from this depression. Al
many Of the streams on my route spent
hours In endeavOring to catch trout, with
u hook fashioned from the rim OF my bro
ken spectacles, but in no instance with
success. The tackle was defective. The
country was full Of game in great variety
saw large herds Of deer, elk, antelope,
occasionally bear, and many smaller an
imals. Numerous tl0cks OF ducks, geese
swans, and pelicans inhabited the lakes
and rivers. But with no means Of killing
them, their presence was perpetual az
gravation. At all the camps OF our com.
panY | stopped and recalled many pleas
ant incidents associated with them, V
One afternoon, when approaching
Flower FallspI came upon q large hol'
low tree, which, from the numerous
tracks surrounding II; and the matted foil
age In tho cavity, l recognized as
tho den Of q bear. 1t was q most
inviting couch. Gathering o needful
supply of wood and brush, ] lighted a
circle of piles around the tree, crawled
into the nest, and passed night Of un.
broken slumber. | arose the next morn
ing to find that during the night the fires
had communicated with the adjacent
forest and burned large space in all
directions, doubtless intimidaling the
rightlul proprietor Of the nest, and saw
Ing me from another midnight adventure.
At Flower Falls" spent the first halt
of u day In capturing a grasshopper, and
the remainder In fruitless effort to catch
mess of trout. In the agony OF disap'
pointment, l resolved to fish no more A
spirit of rebellion seized me, deter
mined that thistles should thence!orth be
my only sustenancc. "Why isit," ] ask
ed Of myself, "that in the midst Of abund'
ance, every hour meeting with objects
which would restore strength and vigor
and energy, evcry moment contriVing
some device to procure the nourishment
my wasting frame required, should
meet with these repeated and discourage
iug hiluresS Thoughts of the early
teachings Of piOus mother sup
pressed these feelings. Oh how
often have the recollections Of a loved
New England home, and the memories Of
d happy childhood, Cheered my sinking
spirls, and dissipated the gathering
gloom of despair There were thoughts
and feelings and mental anguishes without
number, that visited INC during my peri.
cd OF trial, that never can be known TO
any but my God and myself Bitter as
was my experience, 1t was not unrelieVed
BY some Of the most precious moments
have ever known.
Soon after leaving "Tower Falls" en-.
tered the open country. Pine forests and
windfalls were changed for sage brush
and desolation, with occasional tracts Of
stinted verdure, barren hillsides, exhibit.
ing here and there's an Isolated ,clump OF
dwarf trees, and ravlnes filled with the
rocky debris Of adjacent mountains. My
first camp on this part Of the route, for
the convenience Of getting wood, was
made near the summit Of q range OF tow.
erlng loot hills. Towards morning n
storm OF wind and snow nearly extin.
guishcd my fire. became very cold; the
storm was still raging when / arose, and
the ground white withsn snow. was per.
fectiy bewildered, and had lostmy course
of travel. No visible object, seen through
the almost binding storm, treasured me,
and there was no alternative but TO find
the river and take my direction from It's
current. Fortunately, after few hours
Of stumbling and scrambling among rocks
and over crests, came 10 the PERCEPTIONS
side Of thescanon through which i ran,
and with much labor, both Of hands and
feet, descended II to tho margin. i drank
cOpiously OF its pure waters, and sat be-
side 1t for a long time, waiting for the
storm to abate, 80 that ! could procure
fire. The day wore on, without any
prospects OF a termination 10 tho storm.
Chilled through, my tnttered clothing
saturated, saw before me night Of
horrors unless / returned TO my fire. The
scramble Up the side Of the rocky canon,
in many places nearly perpendicular, was
the hardest work OF my journey. Often
while clinging 10 the j1tting rocks with
hands and feet, to reach a shelving pro.
lection, my grasp would unolose, and l
would slide many feet down the sharp de
clivity. II was night when, sore from the
bruises had received, Preached my FIRE;
the storm, still raging, had nearly eElin.
guished IT, ! found few embers in the
ashes, and with much difficulty kindled
flame. Here, on this bleak mountain
kside, as well as / now remember, l must
hive passed two nights beside the fire, in
| M nlnrt,, Mnnr, iitnna during nnrh nirhi