Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-12-01


on. did not forget to improve the mid-da
sun TO procure fire. Sparks from the hgbta
brands had burned my hands and erisre1 n
nails Of my fingers, and the smoke from the,
had tanned my face to the comnlexion or a
indian; nile passing through an openin
IN inc l'fest ] found the tip Of gull's wing
IL was iivsn; 1 made fire upon the spo
in'lSAeu Inc bones with a stone, and consigr
ing tnem to my camp kettle, the yeast-n5w
It Jgr OoA' made half pint Of delicious broth
Aue remainder Of that day and the night en-
suing We're given to sleep.
/ lost ali sense Of time. DAYS and night
came and went, and were numbered only b
tne growing consciousness that was gradu
ally starving | felt no hunger. did not eat I
appease appetite, but to renew strength. lex
lerienced but little pain. The gaping sores ol
my leet, the severe burn on nv hin. the fes
lefing crevices at the joints of my fingers. al
terrible IN appearance. had ceased 70 give m
the least concern. The roots which supplie,
my food had suspended the digestive p5we
Of the stomach, and their f5res were uacke,
IN II IN a matted, c0mpae; mass.
Not SO with my hours of siumber. The,
were visited by the most luxurious dreams. I
would apparently visit the most gorgeousl,
decorated restaurants of New York and Wash
ington; sit down to immense tables spreac
with tie most appetizing viands: partake o
the richest oyster stews and plumpest ries
engage myself in the labor and preparation O.
curious dishes, and with them fiji range upof
range Of elegantly furnished tables until the,
larry eroancd beneath the accumulated dam
ties prepared by my own hands. Frequently
the entire night would seem to have beer
spent 10 getting up a sumptuous dinner
Non!l realize tue fatigue Of roasting. boiling
baking, and iablicatng the choicest dishe,
known % the modern cuisine and in nv dis
turhed slumbers would enjoy with epicurcar
relish the food thus furnished even To reple
ton. Alas there was more luxury than Ile
M these s1mnolent vagaries.
Il was a cold, gloomy day when arrived
IN the vicinity of the falls The sky was
overcast and the snow-capped peaks rose chill
ly and bleak through the biting atmosphere
The moaning Of the wind through the pines
mingling with the sullen roar of the falls
was strangely in unison with my own sadie1-
ed feelings. had 10 heart % gaze upon a
scene which few weeks before had inspired
me with rapture and awe One moment of
sunshine was Of more value 20 me than all
the marvels amid which | was furnishing.
But the sun had hid bis face and denied me
all hope otobmining fire The only alterna-
tive was to seek shelter in a thicket pene-
trated the forest long distance before find
ing one that suited me. Breaking and
crowdlng my way into .ts very midst, clear
ed spot large enough % recline upon, inter
laced the surrounding hrushwood, gathered
the fallen foliage INTO bed, and lay down
with prayer for sleep and forgetfulness.
Alas neither came. The eoldness increased
through tie night. Constant friction with
my hands and unceaslng beating with my legs
ana ieet saved me from freezing. & was the
most terrible night OF my journey. and when,
with the early dawn pulled myself into
standing posture. il was 10 realize that my
right arm was partially pssalyzed. and my
lmhs SD suiiencu wIth cold as % be almost
mmuyahe. Fearing lest paralysis should
suddenly seize upon the entire system. lit
orally dragged myself through the Forest tl
the river. Seated near the verge of the great
canon below the falls. l ausi0uslY awaited
the appearance of the sun. That great
iuminary never looked so beautiful as when,
a few moments afterwards. De emerged from
the clouds and exposed his glowing beams %
the concentrated powers of my lens. kin
died a IL ghty fame fed it with every dry
stick and broken trce-t0p could find, and
without motion. and almost without sense.
remained beside itseveraI hours. The great
falls Of the Yellowstone were roaring within
three hundred yards and the awful canon
yawned almost at my feet; but they had lost
all charmiur me. In fact, . regarded them
as enemies which had lurcd me TO destruction.
FnHlH f..| O.. o o
ference
Ny old friend and adviser, whose presence
/ J bad ielt more than seen the last few days,
now iorsook me altogether. But was not
/ alone. By some process which, was too weak
/ 20 solve, nay arms. ie-s. and stomach were
/ transformed into s1 many travelling c0mpan-
/ ions. Often for hours would Ilod along
! conyerslng with these imaginary friends.
/ Each had bis peculiar wants which be ex-
/ pected me TO supply. The stomach was i'm
/ Fortunate in hls demand for q change Of die;
/ complained Iacessantlv OF the roots fed
/ him, their present effect and more remote
consequences. would try to silence him
with promises. beg of him to wait few days.
and when this failed OF the quiet / desired,
would seek to iutimidate him by decla ing,
as a sure result Of negligence, our inability TO
reach home alive. All 90 no plrp1se-he
toamented me with bis frettul humors through
the entire journey. The other would gener-
ally concur with him in these iancled alter
cations. The legs mT-ored me for rest, and
she arms complained that ] gave them too
much to do. Troublesome as they were, it
was pleasure to realize their presence. 1
worked for thep, too. with right good will,
doing many things for their seruing comfort
which, had ielt myself alone, would have
remained undone. They apperaed to be per
iectyheipless of themselves; would do moth
ing for me or for each other often won
derei, while they ate and slept so much, that
they did not aid In gathering wood and kin
dilng lrcs As a counterIol-e 70 their own
l'i'i 'l,i. whenever 'n'y discovered lansuor no