Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-01-22

tnan In an ordinary SCRUB, WneTe, III you
are unprovided with compass, you have
the sun to guard you by day and the stars
by night These saplings grow perfectly
straight, without branches, to height of
generally ten or twelve feet; and, as their
name implies, are in great request by bull
lock drivers, who use them for handles to
their bullock whips.
The plan we intended to adopt when
going through this scrub was simple
enough, but very troublesome. With
small tomahawk one gave tree cut and
then beat it down in the direction we
were going. A few yards further on and
the same process was repeated. In this
way we felt certain that if we could not
find our way to where we wished to go,
we could at least return.
Early one morning we started, hoping
before night to reach our destination.
For the first two hours we went slowly
but surely, taking great care to leave
plenty of trees laid down as marks. But
as we went on the trouble became more
and more irksome, and we began TO leave
greater distance between them, until at
last we found we had lost sight of the
chain of communication in many places.
Still we felt little or no uneasiness on this
account, for it appeared unlikely that we
could lose the line altogether. We were
rather disappointed to find that we could
not finish our journey that day; but, fully
persuaded that we could do so early next
morning, we prepared to camp and make
ourselves comfortable for the night. We
were prudent enough not TO use much of
the small supply ofwater we had brought
with us, and contented ourselves with
washing down our damper and mutton
with about half pint each of tea.
Next day brought US no more success
than before, and we began 10 think we
had lost our way. | wanted to return,
feeling our way, as it were, by the trees
we had cut down; but Joe would not lis
ten to such thing. insisting that we had
only to persevere for little while and
all would be right, and urging that if we
went back we should have lost all our
trouble and fatigue for nothing. | reluc-
family agreed to 60 on for another day on
condition that we should then return. BY
that time we should be quite without wa
ter and nearly without food; and, travel
ing at the same pace we had come at, it
would take US at least three days to re-
trace our steps. .... . ..
No better results followed on the third
day, and on the morning OF the fourth we
began to make the best of our way back,
greatly disappointed and sadly disheart
ened at our failure and anxiously nerv-
Gus for the future. We found it by no
means so easy to find our marks as we
had anticipated and were often in danger
of losing the return track altogether. This
at last took place and on the fifth day
we found ouI selves completely astray in
the heart of the scrub, tired with our
long tramp, weak from want of sufficient
food, tortured with a raging, burning
thirst, and confused and bewildered by
the perilous position in which we were
placed.
More for the purpose Of collecting our
scattered senses than for any other rea-
son, we sat down. and, lighting our pipes,
began to discuss our plans as calmly as
we could. What should we do? To
stay here was certain death. And yet, to
go on wandering hopelessly forward
probably, as is usual in such cases, walk
ing round and round the same spot in a
circle-until, exhausted by fatigue and
faint for want of food and water, we sank
down to die, seemed the only way in
which our suffering could end. Still, to
| lie down quietly in despair, waiting
through terrible, bitter agony for the end
which must surely but so slowly come,
with its long protracted torture, was i'm
possible. The very thought was mad
dening and intolerable. No; better far
to roam frantically, even hopelessly,
through the dark, gloomy scrub, until
strength failed and reason fled Better
to struggle CALAMITY to the end, fighting
the battle of life and death inch by inch,
contending bravely with mans greatest
enemy to the last, still clinging to the
feeble hope which lasts as long as life,
than to sink down, helpless and hopeless,
overcome by horror, madness and de-
spair.
For three more days we struggled on,
battling bravely against our cruel fate,
and trying to cheer one another and keep
our own spirits up by hopes Of getting
out into the open. Hour by hour we grew
weaker, and each moment our torture
caused by thirst increased, and we began
to take strange ideas into our heads.
Often we thought we had at last reached
help and safety, and shook hands, laugh
ing and singing with joy. Then the sad
reality, with all its horrors, would burst
on us, and, weak in mind and body, we
found relief in tears AT this period
noticed strange, wolfish expression in
my companions eyes, and often caught
myself gazing at him earnestly, while
strange, wild, diasolical thoughts occu-
pied my Keeling brain. Well / under
stood his looks and my own cruel
thoughts.
We were both longing for the other to
die, SO that the survivor could feast on
his dead companion and satisfy the terri
BILE, gnawing hunger which was raging
within us and seemed to be, tearing us to
pieces
"Joe," | said, as we were lying down,
trying to obtain little rest before stag.
gering on again-my voice was shaky
now. ard spoke with pain and difficulty
Joe, old fellow, one or both OF US will
soon be dead. For my own part, hope
we may both die at the same time. My
lad, know we'll what your thoughts are,
Just as you guess mine. What we both
desire and long for cannot do US much
good, and will but prolong our pain and
add to our suferings. Will you swear
with me, by the God before whom we
must both soon stand, not to give way to
this new horror"
For answer, he put his poor, thin, worn
.,,.x rH