The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-12-21
LOST IN THE PINERIES
Terrible Experiences ola Couple of
sfrencisssieas in the Woods Of Cen
trail Wisconsin,.
From the Stevens Point Journal.

men, Peter Ducro and Joseph Butler,
both unaccustomed to the woods, start
ed from the Big Flambeau to lock up q
homestead. Expecting to return in q
few hours, they acquainted no one OF
their intended "trip, and rs they did not
return to their boarding place, they were
supposed to have gone down the road to
Phillips. On friday afternoon, how
ever, settler living near, observed Du-
GRO staggering to the house, and, think
ing he was merely under the influence
OF liquor, began laughing at his woe be-
gone looks. Ducro entered the house
AM seated himself beside the stove, and
his strange actions and general helpless
ness induced the boys IN the house to
give him closer examination. He was
bristling all over with icicles. Ii some
places over three inches long, and where
his pants entered his boots the ice was
five or SIX inches thick. The first words
he spoke were, sBoys, I never expected
to see you again They asked him why,
and he told them that he had been lost
in the woods since Tuesday, and that
Butler was still there. They were great
~ astonished, Of course, and at the same
time greatly concerned with regard to
the safety OF Butler, and party was or
ganized to go into the country at once,
Lanterns were procured, and they back
i. a.
next day, and finally found where he had
separated froln Butler. On Sunday they
resumed the search and in the afternoon
discovered Butler sitting Oh Iog. He
had succeeded in taking off one Of his
boot pacs, and was trying to take off his
pants, as he said he couldn't walk fast
enough with them on. They brought
him ont, and, with the exception of his
toes and the backs Of his hands being
slightly frozen, he was, to all appear
ances, seemingly rs well as ever physi-
cally, though sadly demoralized in mind.
Ducro has both feet badly frozen. and
will go down to morrow to be doctored.
He had on fine calfskin boots, but no
socks, and his sufferings must have been
terrible. Butler, on the contrary, was
well and warmly clad, aud was abe to
stand it two days and one night longer
than Ducro, and then came out in better
condition.
They seem to believe they met lots OF
people, and saw lots Of houses and camps,
and that every one was mean to them,
and would not let them come IN aid
warm. Batter said, "Why, I s5aid all
night at camp, and there were IS men
and Is women. The women all stood
il the corn -. and the men woulln' t let
me sleep or warm myself, and in the
morning [ offered 5.s--1 s. 50 for piece
Of bread as large as my la l. and they
said they needed ali their bread, and
wouldn't give me any" Ducro inagin-
cd he was in a city, and could see the
men drinking and playing billiards, and
ono man was laying on a bed, and Ducro
thought he tried to get in the bed. and
J SlLlS lit tilli 80 lIiS I1itl hlCASlt HIN
out.
The facts il the case are these: He
wandered into windfall, and the up
turned roots he took for q honse, and
there are marks Of his fist where he
pounded upon taeir Gas ne supposedly
doors. He walked back and forth all
night beside large pine that had fallen
and WAS upheld by its roots ii such a
way that 1t was about level with his head
and that was what he supposed was the
bed and man in it, as there are more
than fifty prints Of his hands IN the snow
on top Of the tree, made by him in en-
deaToriug to get into the bed as he sup
posed.
They can both consider themselves
extremely lucky, as had not Dacro wan
dered out by chance, boeh he and Butler
would have persisted n1iserahly, and none
been the wiser. IL should prove terri
be warning to people going into the
woods without compass, matches, and
axe, for others may not be as lucky as
even the unlaclly Frenchmen.
SEVERAL divines have taken the