The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-10-20

longer, when daylight came selected for
landmark the lowest notch in the Madi-
son Range, Carefully surveying the jag.
ged and broken surface over which |
must travel to reach it, left the lake and
pushed into the midst OF its intricacles.
All the day, until nearly sunset, strug-
gled over rugged hills, through windialls,
thickets and matted forests, with the
rock.ribbed beacon constantly in view,
As advanced it rGceded, us in moCkery
Of my toll Night overlook mo with my
journey hall accomplished. Tue precau-
ton OF obtaining fire gave me warmth
and sleep, aud long before daylight
was ON my way. Tie hope Of
finding an easy pass into the
valley oil the Madison inspired me with
fresh courage and determination; but long
before arrived at the base OF the range,
| scanned hopelessly its insurmouulable
difficulties. 1t presented to my eager
vision an endless succession Of inACCessi'
BILE peaks and preCipICes, rising thousands
OF feet sheer and bare above the plain.
No friendly gorge or gully or canon invit-
ed such an effort as could make to scale
this rocky barrier. Oh Tor the faith that
could remove mountains How soon
should this colossal fabric open at my Rp-
proaCh What feeling Of helpless despair
came over me with the conviction that
the journey of the last two days had been
in vain! lseated myself on a rock, upon
the summit of commanding hill, and
cast my eyes along the only route which
nI ma hn al
stone. How many drGary miles OF forest
and mountain filled the terrible panO.
rama | thought that before accepting
this discouraging alternative | would
spend u day in search for pass. Tween.
ty miles at most would take me into the
Madison Valley, and thirty more restore
me TO friends who had abundance. Sup.
posing that should find plenty of this
ties, | had lett the lake with small sup
ply, and that was entirely spent. l look
ed In vain for them where then was.
While was thus considering whether
to return and search for q passage, or no.
turn to the Yellowstone, | experienced
one of those strange Authorizations which
many of my friends have misnamed in
sanity, but which to me was Providence.
An old clerical friend, for whose Charac-
ter and counsel mad always cherished
peculiar regard, in some unaccountable
manner seemed 10 be standing before me,
charged with advice which would rG.
lieve my perplGxity, l seemed to hear
him say, as il In voice and with the
manner Of authority:
$50 back, Immediately, as rapidly as
your strength will permit. There IL no
food here, ind tho idea Of scaling these
rocks Is madness"
Doctor" rejoined, "the distance Is
too great. cannot live to travel It,"
"Say not so. Your life depends upon
the effort. Return ut once. Start now,
lest your resolution falter. Travel as fast |
and rs far us possible-it Is your only |
chance"
doctor, am rejoiCcd to meet you in
this hour Of distress, but doubt the wis
dom Of your counsel. am within sew
enty miles Of Virginia Just look over
these rocks, q few miles away, | shall
find friends. My shoes Are nearly
worn out, my clothes are in tat
tiers, and my strength Is almost over
come. AS last trial, 1t seems
to me / can but attempt 10 scale this
mountain or perish in the effort, II God
so wills"
"Don't think OF It, Your power Of en-.
durance will carry you through. Put
your trust in Heaven. Help yourself and
God will help YOU"
Overcome by these and other pGrsuas-
ions, and delighted with the idea Of hay
ing travelling companion, plodded my
way over the route had come intending
at certain point to change 1t SO as to
strike the river at the loot Of the lake.
Stopping after few miles oftravel, Ihad
no difficulty In procuring fire, and passed
q comfortable night When l resumed
my journey the next day, the sun was just
rising. Whenever was disposed, as was
often the case, to question the wisdom of
the change Of routes, my old friend Up.
peared to be near with words Of enCour.
agement, but his retCance on other sub.
jects both surprised and annoyed me. l
was impressed ut times, during tho entire
Journey, with the belief that my return
was fatal error, and If my delverance
had failed, should have yerished with
that conviction Early this day defect.
ed from my old route and took my course
for the foot Of the lake, with the hope,
that by constant travel, l might reach
1t early next day. The distance was
greater than l anticipated. Nothing
Is more deceptive than distance In these
high ATTITUDES. At the close OF each of
tho two succeeding days, my point Of
destination was seemingly as far from me
as at the moment l took leave Of the
Madison Range, and when, cold and
hungry, on the afternoon Of the fourth
day, | gathered the first food had eaten
In nearly five days, and lay down by my
fire near the de6ouchure OF the river, /
had nearly abandoned oil hope OF escape.
CONCLUSION TOMORROW.