The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-07-29


ale, and flask of cordial, ropes snd traps Of
all kinds. The Atlantic, relieved of this wet
load, rose maiestically with us, and we were
able to behold the country below. II was
an unbroken wilderness OF lakes and spruce
and / began then to fully realize that we
bad indeed gone too far, through miscalcu-
| lation of the velocity of the balloon. AS the
| current was still driving US toward the north
we dare not stay up, as we were drifting
still further and further into trouble. La
Mountain seized the valve cord and
discharged gas and we descended in safety
to the solid earth. Making the Atlantic fast
| by her anchor, we considered what was TO
! be done. We had not mouthtul TO eat, no
protection at night from the damp ground,
were distant we know not how far from any
| habitation, were hungry to start with, had
no possible expectation of raising fire, and
no definite or satisfactory idea as TO where
we were. We had not even respectable
pocket-knife, not pin to make tisb-hook
of-indeed were about as well equipped for
forest life as the babes in the woods were.
After protrscted discussion, in which all
our ingenuity was brought to bear upon the
question Of
OUR WHEREABOUTS,
we settled in our minds (mainly from the
character OF the timber around u.s. that we
we're either in John Browns tract, or ia that
wilderness lying between Ottawa City and
Prescott, Canada. John Browns tract is a
we'll known section of the state OF New
York, extending along the northeastern
torder, and containing over 1000 square
miles. The land is poor and cold; the tim
Der spruce, pine, and hsmlock TO a great ex-
tent, and with many small lakes and sew
eral large rivers. The Hudson rises IN John
Browns tract. If this were so, then We
knew that a course south by east would
take us out, if we bad strength to
travel the distance. Acting upon our con-
clusion, we started through the woods to-
ward the southeast. Alter travelling about
mile. we came TO the bank of a small
stream, flowing from the west, and were
greatly surprised to find that some human
being had been there before us, for we found
the stumps of several small trees, and the
head of a half barrel which had contained
pork. / eagerly examined the inspection
stamp. 1t read: "Mess pork. P. M. Mont
real" This convinced the wanderers
that they were in Canada. They
travelled all day Friday westward, on
the banks of the creek. striking a de-
serted lumber road and log shanty, which
they hoped might be forerunners of a settle
meut, but were disappointed. To reach the
shanty they had TO cross the creek. Had
dock fell in, swan out with difficulty, and
was so chilled as scarcely to be able to stand.
They found straw in the sharty, under
which they crawled and tried to warm their
bodies with their breaths. The narrative
proceeds: 1 think the most revengeful,
then. will not attempt to describe our
thoughts as we lay there; home, children,
wife, parents, friends, with their
SAD AND ANXIOUS FACES,
rose up reproachtuIly before us as we tried
to sleep. But the weary hours of night at
last wore away, and at daylight we held
new council. 1t was evident, We argued,
that the creek we were upon was used by
the lumbercnen for "driying" their logs in
the spring freshets. II, then, we followed
it 70 its confluence with the Ottawa. or
some stream which emptied into the Ottawa
We would eventually get out the same way
the timber went out. The roof of the
shanty we were in was covered with
the halves of hollow logs, scOoped out
in manner familiar to all woodsmen. These
were dry and light, and would make an ex-
cellent raft. Without delay We dragged the
hollow logs down to the creek, and LaMon-
tain proceeded TO tie them together. We al
last got under way and pOled down the
stream about a mile, when we came alb
ruptly upon large pine tree which had
fallen across the current, completely block
ing the passage of the raft. No other course
was Left us but to unite the RAFT, and push
the pieces through under the log. This was
at last accomplished, when We tied
our craft together again and
poled down the stream. To-day each
of us ate raw frog (all we could find) and
there was no complaining-our talk was of
the hopeful future and of the home and CIV
ilization we expected to reach. On they
went, down the creek. Another day and
night passed. They found the greatest diff
Guilty in getting their raft past some rapids,
and finally their compass was destroyed by
the case becoming unglued by the water.
They came to large lake, and found one
| clam, which Haddock insisted La Mountain
should eat, he being the weaker of the two.
Ill AA1 10 lnNk nrnd sD1-
That night they lay down
FAINT AND DISCOURAGED.
| Their condition at this time is thus de-
scribed: By this time our clothes were
nearly torn Off My pantaloons were slit up
| both legs, and the waist bands nearly gone
Ny boots were mere wrecks, and our mighty
wrestlings in the rapid had torn the skin
from ankles and hands. LaMOuntain's hat
had disappeared; the first day out he had
| thrown away mis- wooden drawers and
stockings, as they dragged him down by
| the weight Of the water they absorbed. And
so we could sleep hut little; it really seemed
as though during the night we passed
| through the horrors OF death. But at day
light we got up by degrees, first on
| one knee and then on the other, so stiff and
| weak that we could hardly stand. Again
uron the silent, monotonous lake we went,
| following around the shore for an outlet.
| About 10 o'clock we came to quite broad
northern stream, which we thought was the
outlet VIC were seeking, and we entered it
with Joy, believing it would take US to our
long sought Ottawa. Shortly after entering
this stream it widened out, and began to
appear like a mere lake. We poled up the
shore for about seven miles, but found our
selves again deceived as to the outlet, the
water we were upon proving to be
another lake or bayou. We had gone into
this lake with the highest hopes, but when
we found that all the weary miles of our
morning travel had been in vain, and had
to be retraced, my resolution certainly failed
me for moment, and felt like shedding
one tear of genuine regret. Yet we felt that
our duty as Christian mon was to press tor
ward as long as we could stand, and leave
the issue with higher power. 1t had now
been four fall days since we ate meal. All
we had To eat in the meantime was a frog