The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-10-26
NO. 16.
Life on the Plains.

The Denver, COL, NeDs tells the
story Of the sufferings OF party Of
German emigrants which had lately ar
rived there from the old country. One
day while sncamped on the Republi-
Gan, about 1870 miles from Denver, six
OF these Germans wandered of and got
lost. This was about the Gath OF Au.
gust. The first and second days the
six men stuck together. Tho second
night they disagreed as to the direction
TO be taken. Three Of the party were
for going straight ahead, but tho 9th.
ers wanted to retrace their steps.
In the morning they separated. The
three who turned back reached camp
that night, foot sore and hungry. The
next day work was suspended and all
hands Joined in tie search for tho three
lost men. Unremitting search was con.
tinued for four or I've days. Finally
the survivors resumed work again. II
was supposed that tho men had per.
ished from starvation or had been killed
by the Indians. A day or two after.
ward, Capt. D. 4. Kimberly, well
known in this city, and Mr.. j. Fab.
inger, were running 0 line, when to
their great surprise two men, who at
first were tlought TO be Indians, but
who proved to be Of tho lost party, up.
peared over o ridge a long way OF
When they saw Kimberly and Fahinger
they wrung their hands for Joy and
hastened TO them.
They managed, mainly by gesticula.
tion, to give their discoverers to under
stand that their comrade, being too
weak to walk, had been left by pool oi
water ten or fifteen miles away. Capt
Kimberly and MIR. Fahinger returned
to camp and procured team, and
guided by the two men, drove TO whore
The exhausted man had been left,
They had been wandering eight days,
md they calculated that they had tray.
eled twenty miles in all directions from
o given point. There was but one gun
in the party, and only four loads Of am
munition. The fourth day ont, or tho
day after the separation above referred
to took place, they found about pint
Of muddy water in hole made by q
buffalo'R foot. As they had no cups
with them, they clawed away the dirt
until they could got their mouths down
TO the water, which was generously but
very equally shared between the three.
The four loads OF ammunition were
used with the utmost economy. When
discovered they had two loads remain.
ing. With ono OF tho other two they
had killed an antelope. This happened
only an hour or 80 before the meeting
with Kimberly and Fahinger. For
days before they had subsisted on raw
frogs. These were caught at the stag.
nant pool, or puddle, where the third
man Of the party was found. The men
had no matches, and consequently could
cook nothing. As for the frogs, they
were licked up skins and oil, and were
found rather palatable. At tho stag.
nant pool q tin pail was found. 1t
looked as II it had lain out doors for
years. Near by stood q slender cotton.
wood, tho only tree in sight, and ono Of
the men climbed this and trimmed of
It's branches to the top, and then tied
his white shirt to the tip, in hopes that
It would be seen and lead TO their dis.
coycry and rescue. All the men, when
found, looked like skeletons, and were
objects worthy the deepest pity. There
were deep, black furrows under the
eyes and across the checks, and the
flesh on their feet was worn to the
quick, so that every step was accom-.
panied by q sigh Of pain. Their hun.
ger, Of course, was Of the ravenous kind,
and they begged piteously for food, but
they were allowed nothing but small
quantities OF antelope soup, at regular
intervals, for q day and half, or until
they recovered strength.
On September first, another German
belonging to Lessig's party left camp
for the purpose OF killing a buffalo.
The last seen Of him he was striking ont
for herd that were feeding on hill
several miles away. He never returned,
and the rest Of the party think he
wounded buffalo, and was attacked
and gored TO death by the ferocious
beast.