Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-03-03
Wonderful Perseverance, and Escape
of Boy.

of Boy.
In January last, says the Leavenworth |
Commercial, John Wilson, lad about six !
teen years of are, left his home, on Mus.
quito Bottom, In company with his father
and two neighbors, for the purpose of
hunting buffalo on the upper Arkansas,
The weather was all that could be wished.
game was found in abundance, and the
hunters secured as much as their teams
were able TO haul back so long distance,
ana, on the morning Of the 10th, prepare.
tlons were made for a return home.
Not SO, however, with young Wilson,
who had become enchanted with the Wild
scenes and wilder sports. To him il was
a new life, of which he had often read, but
had now become living actor in its fas i.
nations. To the left Of the river, and be.
yond the skirt Of timber In which the
hunters were encamped, stretched the un-
broken plain, on which, within range of
vision, quietly grazed small herd of buf.
1alo, and, here and there, scattered groups
OF antelope. AT this sight our young
hunter became excited, and "only one
more shot before departing was insisted
on. Shoulderlng his gun hastily, he start
cd out, and was soon lost to view, as he
picked his way quietly along the river
bahk and timber
Nothing further was thought of the
young mans whlm by the father and his
companions, who were cooking rations
for the return trip, and peacefully smok-
ing their pipes.
Young Wilson found the distance to the
game much further than he anticipated
but on getting within long range shot, his
presence was discovered, aud general
scamper was the result Nothing dauuted,
be continued the chase, fully determined
on the last shot and q dead buffalo. On
ward he went over the plain, through
wood and thicket regardless of all impedi.
ments, but four legs could wander further
than two, and he was left far In the rear.
Time had elapsed, unheeded by him; night
was upon him; for the first time he rea-
lized that he was aloneupon the vast plain,
his game beyond his reach, and companions
he knew not whittier. His reckoning was
lost, and he stood hewildered. To add to
his misery, one Of those fierce winds, so
common in that section, came up, and with
1t driving, binding sleet, transformed
him into walking icicle.
Cold and benumbed, he started, as he
supposed, for the woods along the ravine,
but instead, travelled from it-now hasten.
ing, now slackening his pace, as the cold
affected him. At length he came upon a
small clump of bushes, uuder which he
took shelter sat down, and was soon fast
asleep and lost to his lonely position.
The boy not returning in reasonable
time to the camp, his father and compan-
ions became uneasy, and set out in search
of him. Guns were fired, Indian whoops
and yells INDUCED in to the fullest extent
of their lungs, but no answer came in re-
sponse. The same was continued through
out the night, and large fires were kindled
on the highest eminences in the hope of
attracting his attention, but all in vain.
Morning came yet with it no boy. The
day elapsed in fruitless search, followed by
another night of demonstrations similar to
those of the first. The anguish of the
parent in this extremity was almost un-
bearable. To go back without his son he
could not, for there, too, was an anxious
mother fondly awaiting their return from
the hunt
On the third day, after fully deliberating
on it, the party concluded to return home
form companies of their neighbors, and
make grand search for the boy on the
plains.
X
Awakening from his sleep, through g
feeling of GOODNESS, young Wilson looked
out upon the dreary waste before him
The wind still blowed, but the sleet had
subsided. His frozen clothes clanked about
his body as he arose and picked up his
gun. He now fully comprehended his
situation, and his first thoughts were on
his friends and something to eat. TIC
choose his course puzzled him, yet no time
was to be lost. He plucked from one OF
the bushes sprig, sat it on end, and, il
his boyish way, resolved on going in the
direction it might fall. AS the result will
show, it fell in an opposite direction tc
that in which his friends were, and h
wandered farther and farther away.
For procuring food, his gun was nov
his only reliance, and, as he trudged about
a sharp lookout was kept up for game
The first day out nothing in the game lint
presented itself, but on the second a small
herd of buffalo, on which he fired, passeC
him. His shot was short of the mark, ant
they were soon away. So he passed tn
third and fourth days. Weakened by hun
ger and fatigue, he nevertheless kept III
good courage, and hoped that if he dit
not find friends, he at least might fall il
with other hunters or Indians, friendly o
otherwise, he did not care much which, 81
long as his scalp was safe, and prospec
of a replenishment of his vacant stomac
offered.
On the morning of the fifth day he cam
to small stream, skirted by few scatter
ing trees. Here he gathered up som
broken limbs and pulled out from beneat
the roots dry grass enough to start a fir(
This he did by firing off his gun and blow
ing the wad into blaze, which soon grey
into warming fire, by which his froze
clothes We're thawed out and himse
warmed. BY this time he was too hungr
and worn out to proceed much furthel
and he resolved on keeping up his fiji
through the day and night While so Ell
gagged late in the evening" he was suddenl
startled by gruff "how!' and big dirt
Indian stood before him, with a gun o
his back and the hind quarters of an ante
lope.
"Bully!" replied Wilson, as he spran
to his feet and rifle "How yourself?
and he gazed in astonishment at the il
truder. The indian comprehended th
situation, proffered him a portion of hi
meat, and they sat down toge her, roaste
and cat ravenously Of it. The heat an
food livened him up and he soon ascel
tanned that band of friendly Indian
were encamped a few miles below. r
this camp the two repaired and Wilso
was welcomed kindly, aud fed for thre
days, when enough provision was give
him to reach the settlements. His cours
was pointed out, and he started on hi
homeward journey. He travelled thre
days, when he fell in with his father an
his friends, who were returning to reneN
the search for him. The meeting was JOY
Gus one, and young Wilson is content wit
"only one more shot"
Making Love.