The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-05-19
Human Endurance.

Nevada papers bring US details Of
two remarkable instances Of human
endurance, one Of which, at least,
seems almost beyond c~redibility.
The first is told by the Virginia
| Chronicle Of April %, and in effect
is as follows:
about fifty miles from Virginia
City, as the crow flies, is q little
mountain vale, known a Gravelley
Valley. Ia the summe season ii is
a beautiful spot, green and luxuriant,
but it il showed in during most Of the
winter. Ia February last, two hunt
ers named NJ. H. Robinson and Da-
vid Knox, we're Ia the neighborhood
looking for game. At night they EN-
camped 10 a small cabin, which had
been used in former years by sheep
herders. During the day they ex-
plored The surrounding mountains,
looking for bear and dear. They
succeeded in killing a large cinnamon
bear, which they dragged to the hut.
The steaks cut from its quarters
served as an agreeable change from
their usual diet OF cured bacon and
ierked venison. Ga the morning Of
Feb. Il, when twelve miles from
camp, Robinson, in getting on his
hsrse, accidentally discharged his
gun, and the ball, an ounce in
weight, passed through his right heel,
SCATTERING it to fragments. His COM
panion enveloped the wound in
snow, and tied it up in a piece Of
saddle-blanket, and they stsrted n
mediatelv for the cabin. Upon their
arrival Konx saw at once that il was
necessary to 60 for Q physician
Robinson was weak from loss OF
blood. was utterly unable to ride to
the nearest settlement, n distance OF
forty miles, and the nature Of his IN
iurv was such that he must surely
die unless medical assistance was pro-
cured. 1t was probable thatit would
be Judged necessary to amputate the
limb to ave his life. They were
sworn friends; and Knox, after plac-
ing the wounded man in q bunk, COW
erinc hiua with q blanket and leaving
him two days provisions, babe BIN
be Of coed cheer until his return.
He rode all the night through a
binding storm, which set in soon az
ter his departure, aud arrived in
Lake Valley soon after daylight.
The read passed over a high range of
mountains which separates the two
valleys. There was no cessation in
the storm, but having procured the
assistance Of a physician who was
we'll known to Robinson, they start
ed 70 return. Al they assembled the
steep side Of the mountain the deter
mined men soon found that it was
impossible TO proceed any further.
The snow was already four or five
feet deep, and was accommodating in
great drifts. Half a dozen times
their horses fell into deep ravines
from which they were extricated
with difficulty, and they were at last
compelled TO turn m|ournfully back
tor their own preservation. The re-
grets they felt at Robinson's fate
we're Of nc avail, but all through the
winter his untimely end was dis
eussed By bis friends around their
fresides. About ten days ago, when
the snow was pretty we'll off the
ground a party of men thought it
their duty to 90 over into the desert
ed valley and bury his body. He
was a boon companion, liked by eey.
erybody, and had a host Of friends.
They crossed the mountain and came
in sight of the spot where the disas-
ter had occurred nearly two months
before, with mouraful feelings
They arrived at the door of the cab
in aud were alighting from their
horses when o voice within was
heard joyfully TO exclsim: Well,
have you fellows got here at last
and Robinson came limping out upon
a pair of crutches. The amazement
Of tire party may be immagined.
Noticing their surprise, be said:
You all thought | was dead, did
you? am not, but am as well as
ever | was in my life, except this
Leg And so it proved. He was
aware that the storm which set in
upon Knox's departure would pre-
vent his return, and at once set to
work to make the best Of the situa-
ton. He kept his wound dressed
with snow, and when his ready pro-
visions were exhausted draggad him.
self TO the carcass of the bear at the
door Of the cabin and cut of a Slice
with his butcher knife. Raw bear
meat and water from a mountain
stream which ran near by was all the
susteaance he had for Y weeks.
This meagre diet, no doubt, kept his
foot from Notifying. The feversub-
sided, the Inflammation went down,
and it soon began to heal. With a
wire which he tore of an old broom
{ be probed the wound and drew out
several pieces Of bone. He then
made a pair Of crutches and was able
to get around without difficulty. He
considered the snow-storm q lucky
thing, as bis leg would have been
amputated bad the physician arrived
Upon his return to Lake Valley be
was welcomed as one come from the
dead, aud the affair is the great
/, theme Of conversation Throughout
the whole neighborhood.p
: The BirG and t;:e Bamboo.
Nearly \ thousand years ago q
little female bird few into tho Nile