The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-10-08
Lost In n Michigan Forest.

Getting lost in the woods is becoming
circumstance of such common occur
renee that the mere mentioning of the
fact, in condensed form, is all that is
deemed necessary. The incident we are
about to record, although unattended by
disastrous results, shows the fearful situ-
alton of being lost in the almost impene-
trable wilds of our Michigan forests. We
give the story as related to our reporter
by the two men who were the actors i'm
what, very nearly, had proven a tragedy.
John Capsul, man who follows lum-
bering for a living, and George Wash
ington, a colored barber, both of Sagi-
nav City, started on Tuesday morning,
from Otsego lake, for the purpose of
looking at some land, situated about four
and half miles from the lake, in south
east direction. 1t seems that the colored
man has farm in that part of the coun-
try, on which he has made some improve
ments, and from his representations the
man Capsul was induced to accompany
him, with the purpose of locating a
homestead in the same neighbsrhOOd.
They started, expecting to be absent only
the one day, and were to return the
same night, and both being good woods
men, they took nothing with them in the
way of provisions, save four pounds of
crackers and few bologna sausages.
After travelling over what they consid-
cred was sufficient territory to bring
them to their destination, they saw, from
the strange features of the woods, that
they were little astray.
Laughing at the idea of being lost in
tha ,ynnJo tn uk;ch thou xyara hofh ao-
customed, they made preparations to
pass the night in the woods, and having
an AK with which to build booth, and
after closing up the balance of the crack
ers and sausages, they went to sleep.
In the morning they again started, and
travelled till noon, when they began to
realize that they were actually lost, and
not having q compass with them. they
had no idea where they were, save from
the natural indications with which all
woodsmen are acquainted. They trav-
eled all that day, Wednesday, and
Thursday, without being ut all aware
where they were, and still heading in
what they supposed to be the right di-
rection.
BY Thursday night they found they
were becoming exhausted for want of
food, having had nothing to eat save the
roots and twigs which they found. The
ground travelled over was one dense will
derness, and totally devoid of all matter
fit for human sustenance, though with
an abundance Of water.
Friday and Saturday were passed by
the wanderers with no prospect of re-
lease from the labyrinth in which they
were entangled. At last late Saturday
night, they came upon lone clearing in
the woods, and were just able to crawl
inside the door of the log cabin, when,
utterly exhausted, Capsul fell senseless
upon the floor. They were kindly cared
for by the inmates, and found they were
thirty-three miles north of Alpena.
After rest of three days, they took the
boat for Saginaw. The men looked much
emaciated, and the feet of the colOred
man were very badly swollen. They de-
scribe their suffering from hunger as not
being so severe, and only an increasing
weakness felt. They could not have
stood it much longer, and are satisfied
with seeing considerable land in the
course of the walk they had of nearly
one hundred miles.-East iSdginav Cor-