The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-12-22
fFrom the Stevens Point (wis.| Journal, De
cember 10.l
LOST In THE PISERIEs.


Narrow Escape from the Terrors OF
Starvation in Winter.
On last Tuesday morning two French
men, Peter Ducro and Joseph Butler.
both unaccustomed to the woods, started
from the Big Flambeau to look up a
homestead. Expecting to return in a
few hours, they acquainted none with
their intended trip, and as 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 Ducro
staggering toward the house, and think
ing he was merely under the influence of
liquor, began laughing at his woe-be-
gone looks. Dncro entered the house
and seated himself by the stove, and his
strange actions and general helplessness
induced the boy in the house to give
him a closer examination. He was
bristling all over with icicles, in some
places over three inches long, and where
his pantaloons entered his boots the ice
was five or six inches thick. The first
words he spoke we're, Boys. l never
expected to see you again" They ask
ed him why, and he told them that he
had been lost in the woods since Tues
day, and that Butler was still there.
They were greatly astonished, Of course,
and at the same time greatly concerned
with regard to the safety of Butler, and
u party was organized to go into the
country at once. Lanterns were procur-
ed, and they back-tracked Ducro all
that night and the next day, and finally
found where he had separated from
Butler. On Sunday they resumed the
search, and in the AFTERNOON discovered
Butler sitting on log. He had sue,
ceeded in taking off one of his boots,
and was trying to take off his pants, as
he said he couldn't walk fast enough
with them on. They brought him out
and, with the exception of his toes be.
ing slightly frozen, and the backs Of his
hands, he was to all appearances seem.
ingly a. well as ever physically. though
sadly demoralized in his mind. Ducrc
had both feet badly frozen. and will &c
down tomorrow to be doctored. Ht
had on fine calfskin boots, but no socks
and his sufferings must have been terri
BILE. Butler, on the contrary, was vel
and warmly clad, and was able to atant
i. two days and one night longer thar
Ducro, and then came out in better con
dition.
They seem to believe that they me
lots of people, and saw lots of house
and camps, and that every one was meal
to them, and would not let them com
in to warm. Butler said, "Why,
stayed all night At q camp. and ther
r were for.y-five men and fifteen womer
The women all stood in The corner, an
the men wouldn't let me sleep or warn
myself, and in the morning ! offere
them one dollar and fifty cents for
piece of bread as large as my hand, an
they said they needed all their breae
and wouldn't give me any" Ducr
imagined he was in city, and could Sc
the men drinking and playing billiard
, and one man was lying on a bed, an
Ducro thought he tried to get in the be
and every time he did 80 the man kicl
ed him out,
;, The facts in the case gre these: II
: wandered into a windfall, and the VI
turned roots he took for houses, an
there are marks of his fists where /
pounded upon their Gas he supposed
= doors. He walked back and forth a
night beside large pine that had falle
and was upheld by its roots in~uch
way that il was about on a level wit
his head, and that was wha: he suppo
ed was the bed and man in it, as the
are more than fifty prints of his hands
the snow on top of the tfeer made
him in endeavoring to get into the b.
e las he supposedl.
\ They can both consider themselv
, extremely luckily, as had not Due
: wandered out by chance both he al
" Butler would have perished miserab
and none been the wiser. 1t shou
prove a terrible warning to people goi
into the woods without compass, match
and axe, for others may not be SO lucl
y as even the unlucky FreDchmen.