Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-12-21
LAKE WINNIPEG HUNTING.
Passing n Night of Terror in thC
Overlooked Swamps.

Overlooked SwamPs.
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, Novem-
ber 2S.-The waters of Lake Win
nipeg are shallow, and, consequent
ly, easily influenced by strong
winds. 1t frequently happens that
a continuous north wind will drive
the waters of the lake up the Red
river in such volume as to raise it
from four to six feet in a single
night; and the marshes and small
lakes, following the level Of the
river and lake overflow and mum
date the whole surrounding coun-
try, to the destruction of property
and danger of life. Snch an over
flow occurred in 1872, resulting in
the loss Of eighteen lives and many
horses and cattle.
At that time l was hunting in
! the marshes with q companion and
an Indian. We were camped on
the banks Of q small pond and
meeting with fair sport, when on
the eighth day out the weather
suddenly turned cold, accompanied
by a steady north wind. The Indian
called our attention to the rapid
rise of the water, which soon
reached the level Of the banks, and
in the smaller marshes overhowed
them altogether. The swash Of
the waves, too, could be distinctly
heard in the Red river, distant
about a mile. In view Of the dan
ger of being flooded out, we deter
mined to move in the morning.
| / was awakened about midnight
by the Tapping Of the tent cloth,
which had been broken loose by the
wind; and rising to secure it,
caught a view of the night scene.
The whole region was covered with
water, and l could hear the omi-
nous flap, flap, as the short chop
ping waves beat against the trees
Riverward l could distinguish long
lines of breakers rolling and sud-
denly dashing with deep roars upon
the timber lining the shore. The
night was dark and cloudy, and the
wind violent in the extreme. The
Indian who was lying in the bottom
of the boat, rose to sitting pos
ture, and earnestly advised packing
/. our effects in the boat and remain
ing in it until daybreak, when WI
e might reach the high ground. ThiI
i we did, and by daybreak we werI
4 riding in nearly four feet Of water
. The wind increased in violence, ant
i the long ranks Of breakers from
it the river nearly reached our posi-
1t ton. The trees groaned and swayeC
, y above us; logs and other debris o
t, the swamps swept past us or strucl
with awful force the tree to whicl
we were tied. By the time W
thought it safe to venture forth, th
{ line of breakers had embraced u
: and swept far beyond.
The boat was with difficulty head
ed from the storm and up stream, bu
, we were obliged to throw overheard
i all our luggage. The wind, deS
O. O. pite our efforts to steer through tn
timber where the waves were small
" blew us toward the open river. "
m be driven into that channel was 70
: us certain destruction; yet in spit
! of all our efforts we were surel
- drifting there. In three-quarter
U of an hour we were passing tn
outer edge Of timber bordering tn
D. Red river, aud in a minute MOI
FD must be swamped. 1THi.
As we passed under the wide
u spreading branches of a swamp oal
or at the sharp order of my cempanio
= | seized limb and swung myse
= into it, he seizing another at IL
Il same instant. The Indian wh
y had been stoically seated in I'll
J bow of the skiff, was already nearl
i'' beyond the branches when v
nj swung clear of the boat, and ro
to follow too late. The skiR, ligh
ened of so great a load, skimmt
N lightly on the waves without CO.
troll, was seized in the embrace Of
in huge billow, turned sideways, az
over in a moment of time. III
the Indian struggled wildly in the W
fer tnrned vainlv toward the tr