The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-11-22

shape, and was wearing rapidly away
My hope here was of short duration. An
unlucky turn snapped the slender blade at
its hilt, and il fell ringing into a crevice as
completely beyond my reach as was the
sweet liberty | was struggling so hard to
obtain. The only hope lef: me was that
my companions should find me before the
last spark uf life was extinguished. How
can they fin0 me when | am eight or ten
miles from tie track they would naturally
take TO look for me?
The first day wore away in vain attempts,
the second night passed with but little dis
tress. The second day brought me face TO
face with the grim, horrible pain of inani-
tion. Each hour increased my misery toa
great degree thirst began To ado its bor
rors to those Of starvation. That day and
the following night wore their slow length
away the third morning dawned and
crep: slowly through its long, slow hours.
Seventy-twO hours without food and wa
ter. My stalwaTt frame was weakening
under the terrible abstinence. Hope was
waning as my body weakened. Great
Heavens would they come too late?
1t was horrible for me in the vigor of
manhood to tamely starve there What
more could / co? Did Providence will that
/ should die thusp They must certainly be
looking for me. l took off my leather
jacket, spread it fat upon the floor and
poured the contents of my powder flask
upon it. | found that there were eighty
small charges. These l determined 10 fire
at regular intervals. hoping that | might
attract their attention by the reports. By
shooting every half hour during the day.
aud once an hour during the night
would be able TO keep up these signals for
| two days longer, before my stock was ex-
hausted. If they tarry beyond that time,
| God have mercy on me placed my rifle
| close to a crevice and fired. The sound of
| the charge reverbeTa,ed through the
! mountain tops. II they are within three
! or four miles Of me they will certainly hear
! that During the fourth day | fired regu
! larly, listening with fevsrish anxiety for
/ some sound to mark their coming. My
condition was now becoming appalling
my form was emaciating. and an intense
| thirst made my mouth and throat feel like
fiery furnace. The day passed, the
night drew on but still they came not
Sleep was stranger to my aching eyes,
and in my wakeful musings / Was al boun-
teously laden tables, drinking great
draughts from limpid springs. / was bor-
dering on insanity The fifth day came.
| With great difficulty 7 raised my rife,
now heavy in my weakness, to give the
last few signals. Great blotcbes began to
cover my limbs-woulc complete insanity
follow,
OF what followed l remember only with
| the slightest shades Of reason. On the
sixth morning my last signal was fired,
and i'm the last frenzy of despair l com
! menced TO scream to the full extent Of my
weakened condition. Several times
sunk prone down with exhaustion, but
would rally for a mighty exertiOn. How
| long | remained in this semi catamose
| state was difficult for ne to determine
but was aroused by several reports of ri
f1es and the fierce bowling of a dying bear
Hope succeeded despair, and with strength
amazing % myself put my cracked aud
bleeding lips to the crevice and screamed
until my exhausted frame seemed unmind
full of the little life il contained. My las
effort was not without avail, for my
friends bad heard my cries aud hasteneC
to my aid but strange 20 say, they bad
not heard any of the many shots l haC
fred, and would not have found me haG
not the wounded and bleeding bear which
they had followed several miles by it
bloody trail, led them directly to my pris
on. They removed the rock, aud for man.
months carefully nursed me but tn thi
day the indelible results of that terribl
experience have not been eradioated.