The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-11-30

1 Mr Egarts, the lost member of the \ ell
lowstone expedition, gives an interesting
narrative of his hardships and escapes
He became separated from the party
towards nightfall. In the morning his
horse ran away, carrying his gun, blankets
and other equipments, which were tied to
the saddle The first day or two he was
not much concerned he found some
edible roots and apprchended no danger
except from hostile Indians. The danger
of the second night he thus relates:
Il stretched myself under a tree, upon
the foliage which had partially a space
between contiguous trunks and fell
asleep How long | slept know not
but suddenly | was reused by loud,
Shril scream, like that OF II human being
in distress, poured, seemingly. into the
very portals of my ear There was no
mi5taking that fearful voice. had been
deceived by and answered it = dozen
times while threading the forest, with the
belief that it was a friendly signal. Ii
was a screach OF mountain lion, SO
alarmingly near as to cause every nerve
to thrill With terror To yell in return,
seizeswith conyulsivo grasp the limbs OF
the friendly tree, and swing myself into
bling hurricdly from limb 70 limb, was
soon rs near the top rs salty would per
nit. The savage beast was snuiflng and
growing below, apparently on the very
spot ! had Just abandoned. | answered
every growl with u responsive scream.
Terrified at the delay and paving of the
beast. | increased my voice to its utmost
Volume, broke branches from the limbs,
and, in the inposency Of fright, madly
hurled them at the spot whence the CON
tnued howling proceeded.
Failing TO alarm the animal, which
now began to make the circuit Of the tree,
as if to select spot for springing into it,
shook, with 4 strength increased by ter
ron, The slender trunk until every limb
rIStlcd with the motion. All in vain.
The terrible creature pursued his walk
around the tree lashing the ground with
his tail, and prolonging his howlngs
almost to 4 roar. II was too dark to see,
but the movement Of the lion kept me ap-
priced Of its position. Whenever heard
it on one side of the tree | speedily chang
cd to the opposite-;an exercise which, in
my weakened state, could only have
performed under the impulse Of terror. |
would alternately sweat and thrill with
horror at the thought of being torn to
pieces and ,leyoured by this formidable
monster. All my attempts to trighten ii
seemed unavaling. D!sheartened at its
persistency. and expecting every moment
it would take the deadly leap, tried to
collect my thoughts and prepare for the
fatal encounter which knew must result,
Just at this moment ii occurred TO me
that would try silence. Casping
the tree with both arms | sal perfectly
still. The lion, at this time ranging
round. occasionally snufling and pausing,
and all the while 1illing the forest with
the echo Of his howlings. suddenly imi-
tated my example. This silence was more
terrible, if possible, than the clatter and
crash OF his movements through the brush
wood. tor now did not know from what
direction t. expect his attack. Moments
passed with me like hours Alter lapse
Of time which cannot estimate, the beast
gave Il spring into the thicllet and ran
screaming into the forest. My deliver
ance was effected.
Had strength permitted, | should have
retained my perch till daylight, but with
the consciousness OF escape from the Jaws
Of the ferocious brute came & sense Of
oyerpowcring weakness which almost
palsicd me. and made my descent from
the tree both difficult and dangerous. In
credible as it may seem, | lay down ii
my old bed, and was soon lost in slumber
50 profound that | did not awake unit
after daylight. The experience of the
night seemed like q terrible dream but
| the broken limbs, which in the agony o
| CONSERVATION | had thrown from the tree
| and the riffs made in the fallen foliage by
my vstant in his circumambulations
were too convincing evidences of it
reality. | could not dwell upon my eX
p0sure and escape without shudderlng
and rejecting that probably like peril
would often occur under less fortunate
| circumstances, and with more fatal issue
| | wondered what fate was reserved fol
| from exhaustion and perish Of starvation
or become the prey of some OF the fero
cious animals that roanled these vast fast
nesses. My thoughts then turned to the
loved ones ut home. They could neye
! know my fate, aud would indulge q thou
! sand conectures concerning it, not The
| least distressing of which would be that
had been captured by q hostile band o
Sioux. and torture to death at The
| stake.n
The next two days were cold ant
stormy and Mr.. Eyarts was teariully chill
ed, but he finally succeeded in reaching
| the hot springs or caldrons which abounC
in some parts OF the Upper Yellowstone
region Their steam relieved him very
much, and he boiled his boots IN them
He thought of the power of burning
glasses, and by experimenting, toun'
that he could ignite leaves by means o
the lenses of his opera glass. While
asleep he slipped into one of the ho
springs and scalded his hip His feet
already frost bitten, were fostering ant
he had loss bis knives. He used th
sharpened tongue OF u buckle as II substi
tute, and cnt slippers from his boots
which he fastened to his feet with strip
of bark. He then travelled slowly on to
several days, encountering another cole
and severe storm.
While in a large forest, in kindling -;
fire, be started contia agaton in the wood
and narrowly escaped with his life.
Hardships and scanty food began to eff
feet Mr. Eyarts' mind, He says:
s.While | was considering whether [,
ItDldlI ttlltt Ntiltil ltt u vi ~ ic
turn to the Yellowstone, experienced
one Of those strange hallucinations which
many of my friends have misnamed in
sanity but which to me was Providence
An old clerical friend, for whose char
acter and counsel have always cheriset
peculiar regard in some unaccountabl
manner seemed standing before me
charged with advice which would rellev'
my perpleXity. seemed to hear hin
say, as if in voice and with the name
of authority:
go back Immediately. rs rapidly a
your strength will permit. There is n
food here. and the idea Of scaling thes
rocks is madness"
''Doctor," | reioined, 1.-THE distance is
too great | cannot live to travel it,
''Say not so. Your life depends upol
the effort Return at once. Start now
less your resolution falter. Travel a
fast and as far as possible-it is your onl
chance"
doctor, | am reioiced to meet you i
this hour of distress, but doubt the wis
dom OF your counsel. | am with
seventy miles of Virginia just owe