River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-10-03
Lost in the Black Hills.

After fearful experience of five days
wandering in the forests and canyons O
the Black Hills, Mrs. Mcleod safely
returned to her home.
A reporter of the Enterprise called a
the residence of Mrs. Annie Mcleod
who resides in another city,and percivine
that she was completely exhausted from
her travels and conversation with friends
he sought an interview with William
Clemmens, the gentleman who found her
and who had learned all the facts of her
bewiIderment and subsequent wander
ings, from which we learned, in sub
stance, the following:
In the afternoon of the same day she
left home, she was walking along a hill
or standing by precipice fifteen feet
| high, and by some unaccOuntable means,
she slipped, or overbalanced, falling the
entire distance, where she lay unconsci-
Gus for the space Of two days. Finally
she aroused and discovered that she had
received a wound below her left
eye; also that her right hand had
been sprained by the fall. Though
greatly exhausted and suffering from the
injuris received from the fall, with re-
turning consciousness came her indOm-
table courage. She arose and attempted
to regain the trail from which she had
staggered. She travelled till overtaken
with darkness, only to find that her
search had been in vain. Thus she wan
dered through the lonely canyons, hope
never forsaking her, yet death from ex-
haustion and starvation was staring her
in the face.
Lonely must have been those long
weary hours of night Think of being
all alone in deep dark canyon, many
miles from the habitation of any human
being, with pack of wild, ferocious
wolves within few feet of you, uttering
angry growls and preparing to pounce
upon and devour you'll Such, or similar,
was the situation of Mrs. Mcleod, lady
of fifty-six years old.
When morning dawned, she could be-
hold the glorious sun, but could see no
human being nor find her latitude. When
she came to berry patch she would fill
her pail with the delicious fruit, eat what
she wanted and travel on. On arriving
at spring on the mountain side, or a
babbling brook in the valley, she would
empty out her berries and fill the pail
with water always before leaving the
stream. She was always very careful
about the heat for fear of getting sun
stroke. In her precau:ion about all mat
tiers, she manifested extraordinary good
judgment.
One day she was caught in a slight
hail storm, and after the storm passed she
picked up some drops. ate them, and
tn ought that they tasted as good as any
cad she had ever eaten.
When discovered by Mr.. Clemmens
sh e was standing in the road, about two
m lies beyond Spearfish, on the Bear Gulch
70 ad She presented wild appearance,
her clothing being almost torn to shreis
= ON travelling through the brush and
4 er the rocks. She had lost her bonnet
when she fell over the precipiee; on one
ofoot she wore shoe, while the other foot
was wrapped in a piece of cloth. Mr.. G.
spoke to her and asked: "What is the
matter?" She replied "I'm lost" "Where
do you liver inquired Mr.. G. "At An
Choir" was the reply.
Mr.. Clemmens then tool her to his
ranch, which was some two miles distant.
He told Mrs. G to make her a cup of tea
and give her a small piece of toast, know
ing that she was TO weak to endure q
hearty meal.
Mr.. c. took his gun, went out and re-
turned with squirrel, from which his
wife made some broth for the almost fam
ished woman. Mr.. Clemmens was not
aware that there was woman missing
from Anchor. and that there was reward
of 800 offered for infor mation leading to
her discovery, until he met friend from
Speartish City who had read the news IN
the Western Enterprise.