Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-05-28

Human Endurance.
! TWO REMARKABLE STORIES FROM NEVADA
BADLY INJURED MAN LIVES TWO MONTHS ON
RAW BEAR-MEAT-SNOw As \ MEDICINAL
AGENT.
Nevada papers bring Us details of two
remarkable instances of human endurance,
one OF which, at least, seemed almost be-
| yOnd credibllity. 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 little mountain vale
known as Gravelly valley. In the summer
season it is a beautiful spot, green and lux
uriant. but it is showed in during most OF
the winter In February last TWO hunters,
named NJ. ii. Robinson and David Knox,
were in the neighborhood looking for game.
At night they encamped in a small cabin,
/ which had been used in former years by
/ sheep-herders. Daring the day they ex-
| plored the surrounding mountains, looking
/ tor bear and deer. They succeeded in killing
a large cinnamon bear, which they dragged
/ TO the hut. The steaks cut from its quarters
1 served as an agreeable change from their
/ usual diet of cured bacon and jerked veni-
/ son. On the morning Of February IL, when
/ twelve miles from camp, Robinson, In get
| ting on his horse. accidentally discharged
! his gun. and the ball, an ounce in weight,
/ passed through his right heel, shattering il
l TO fragments. His companion enveloped
the wound in snow, and tied 1t up in piece
OF saddle-blanket, and they started immedi-
ately for the cabin. Upon their arrival,
Knox saw at once that it was necessary to
20 for a physician. Robinson was weak
from loss Of blood. was unable to ride to the
nearest settlement, a distance of forty miles.
and the nature of his injury was such that
he must surely die unless medical assistance
was procured. 1t was probable that 1t
would be Judged necessary 10 amputate the
limb to save his life. They were sworn
friends; and Knox, after placing the wound
ed man in a bunk, covering him with a
blanket and leaving him two days prOyi-
slOns, bade him be Of good cheer until his
return. lie rode all that night through a
binding storm, which set in soon after his
departure, and arrived IN Lake valley soon
after daylight The road 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
physician who was well known to Robinson.
they started to return. AZ they ascendcd
The steep side of the mountain the Getermln
ed men soon found that It was impossible to
proceed further. The snow was already
four or five feet deep, and was accumulating
in great drifts. Half dozen time, their
horses fell into deep raynes. from which
they were cxtricated with difficulty, and they
were at last compelled to turn mourntuliy
back for their own preservation. The regrets
they felt at Robnson's state were OF no
avail, but all through the winter his untIme-
ly end was discussed by his friends around
thelr firesides. About ten days ago, when
the snow was pretty well of the g-Ound, q
~ Y af m T., On
over into the deserted valley and bury ms
body. lie was a boon companion, liked by
everybody, and had host OF friends. They
crossed the mountain and came in sisut OF
the spot where the disaster had occurred
nearly TWO months before, with mOurniul
feelings. They arrived at the door OF the
cabin, and were alightins from their horses
when voice within was heard iOyidlly to
exclaim Well, have YOU fellows got here
at LAST and Robinson came limping out
! upon a pair of crutchos. The amazement
OF the party may be imagined. Noticing
/ their surprise, he said: You all thought |
was dead. did you | am not, bat am as
well as ever | was in my life, except this
/ leg. And 50 it proved. He was aware that
[ the storm, which set in upon Knox depart
ure. would prevent his return, and at once
set to work To make the best OF the situation.
| lie kept his wound dressed with snow, and
1 when his ready provisions were exhausted
/ dragged himself 10 the carcass of the bear
/ at the door Oi the cabin and cut off slice
with his butcher knife. Raw bcar-meat and
| water from mountain stream which ran
near by was all the sustcnance he had Tor
/ over seven weeks. This meagre diet, no
doubt, kept the tOOt from mOrtilying. The
/ fever subslded, the Inflammation went down,
and it soon began to heal. With wire
I }. H. IL, ..fl H.. 4
the wound and drew out several pieces Of
| the bone lie then made a pair OF crutches,
| and was able to get about without much
| difficulty. lie considers the snow-stOrm a
| lucky thing. as his leg would probably have
| been ampuIated had the physician arrived.
/ Upon his return to Lake Valley he was wei
/ coined as one come back from the dead. and
the affair is the great theme OF conversation
throughout the whole neighborhOod.
The. following story is told bv the Lyon
| County Times Of April 20, and describes the
! adventures OF John CARING, while hunting
cattle during severe storm on the 7Ih OF
April. The narrative runs:
MIR. CARING had cattle ranging in the
| Big Bend country. and fearing the herd
would wander away during the storm and
extreme cold. his brother-ln-!aw. and one
! other, all residents near Churchill. started
on horseback to look them up and bring
/ them in. The party travelled all day with
/ out seeing the herd, and at night camped
! about twenty miles from Churchill. On the
| following morning the three started out
again, in different directions, and with the
understanding that all were to meet at the
camp in the evening. if unsuccessful. 1he
! brother -ln-law and the other were unsuc-
ccsslul, and in the evening returned to
camp, built up fire, prepared supper, and
awaited the arrival of their companion, Mr.
/ Carllng but the evening and the night
passed and the morning came without his
return. Fearing that he had met with an
accident or become lost, the two saddled up,
went in search, and when several miles out
struck the trail of CARING. leading through
the snow toward the mountains. Thinking
he had obtained trace oi herd, and hoping
to overtake him soon, they followed as fast
| rs possible Though the trail looked fresh
| and they rode hard. darkness came and they
camped without him 50 passed the next
day and tho next day after on the tortuous
trail. auG no CARING. The scaaty proyi-
sions OF the party in search were fast giving
opt and lad to be rigidly eeOnom'zed, itany
was to be saved for the missing man. 1t
times the trail led over log barricades.
| through dense underground and over rocky
declivlties. and here and there drops OF
blood on the snow marked the struggles and
falls of the wandorcr and his faithful horse.
IL was now evident that CARING was thor
ouehly lost, and when found would be help
less-perhaps dead-as he TOOK no food,
matches, knife or firearms On the morning
nf the fourth day, the searching party
emerged from the mountains upon the edge
I of Death Valley. and ut 4 deserted cabin
near Black Springs, having travelled over
two hundred miles. On entering they were
oyerioyel to find their lost comrade had re-
Gently been there, and were rewarded few
moments later by discovering both horse
and rider a short distance away. Both were
in a famished and almost dying condition.
Mr.. CARING was made comfortable with
food and fire, and was able to give an ac-
count of his wanderings. Alter becoming
lost beyond all hope, and either not daring
to trace his long. wearisOmc trail back again,
ar hopiur to find speedier relief. he deter
mined 10 pursue a straight course until he
fonnd shelter AMI food. But imagine his
desnair. II, at last, alter all his determined
struggles and patient suflerings. lie emerged
from the enyelOping wilderness only to lind
himself on the edge OF Death Vallcy-that
terrible waste OF alkali plain. on whose
blistercd. barren surface lie bleaching the
scattcrc,. bones of those who year after year
have undertaken its pilgrimage. 1t will be
rememhe that 4 number oil herders anu a
hand al -ix thousand sheep, which they were
attempting to drive across into the C0sco
country, persisted ON the desert last summer.
The heat at that time was most intense:
The remains OF these Mr.. Carling saw. and
in his faint and halt delrious state, what
wonder il he imagined he beheld the unsep,
ulchred host riding up before his bewildered
vision. To attempt to cross that sixty miles
| of nla;n was TO approach the deadly Upas,
while 10 remain on its deadly confines was
no less death by starvation; and Mr.. Car