Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-10-03
LOST on TIE PLAINS.
New YORK ssn

supposed. " mean 10y lost. sand he,
people who wander away from we'll
known landmarks and are never heard
Of again; WHO die Of starvation and that
dread insanity which, generally speak
ing, oyertakeS the lost person. OF
course we read now and then OF such a
case, bat there are many which never
reach the public prints. II Is one of
the easiest things in the world for an
experienced traveller to stray away from
camp but i very different matter for
him 10 find his way back again. Once
out Of sight Of the wagons and tents,
and the whole plain is alike to him. He
stands always in il depression, With the
ground rising slightly on all sides. Il IS
an optical illusion, OF course, but il u
very like walking in the center of an
immense sheet, with its four corners
slightly raised. Tie earth meets the
horizon on every side, and presents the
same unvarying view OF waving grass
and grayiSh brown soil. There is not il
mark by which one may be guided. To
take the sun FOR guide, even on a per-
fectly clear day, is with most persons
only TO intensity the difficulty. Unless
one is an expert in the sun guidance, he
may follow that luminary and yet con
tipually go round in 4 circle To the left.
The truth Of this is proven every Year
by the recovery of persons who are
found to have only traced large circle
in their efforts 20 escape, invariably
coming round again and again to the
point from which they started. The
possession Of Il compass, moreover, sell
dom proves Of any advantage to the
person lost OH the prairies, He proha-
bly, never thinks about it until he dis
covers chat he is lost, and then he has
no ladmark from which to take his
bearings. | have known repeated in
stances where persons have been lost
on the plans and afterwards found dead
with compass in their hands.
GAS an illustration, recall an in
stance which occurred some years since
on the Red river trail. A Mr.. Mcken-
2e, a clerk iii the trading-post ut
Georgetown, started early in the month
of April. i'll charge of 4 small party, for
Fort Garry. The snow still lay deep
on the plains, but, the season being so
far advanced, wagons were used to trans
port their effects. Unfortunately the
snow did not melt SO rapidly as was an
ticipated, and the party We're detained
long time on the road. About thirty
miles on this side OF Pembina they ran
ont of provisions Mckenzie, who was
II stout, able-bodied man, accustomed
to prairie travel, volunteered to so
ahead and obtain assistance. He set ont
on snow shoes, and expected TO reach
the fort at Pembina within twenty-four
hours. Meanwhile his comrades plod-
ded on rs best they could, and, after
two days OF suffering, reached the fort
without having heard anything cf Nc
Kenzie. Nothing had been heard OF
him there. \ party was at once organ
ICED and n thorough search instituted
for the missing man. On the second
miles from the post, and 4 long dis
lance from the trail, lying beside n
clump of bushes, frozen to death. He
nad taken of his coat and vest and
hung them ON the bushes, most prob
ably to attract the attention of amy
passer, and lay on his back in the snow,
with his compass in his hand. Now,
here was man experienced IN prairie
travel, an adept in the use of the com
pass, yet who was hopelessly lost III a
country which he had repeatedly
traversed. The experienced plain man
who found MIN knew at once that, hav-
ing unconsciously wandered away from
the trail, and benumbed with the cold,
he had lost the ability to use hls COM
pass, and laid down TO die. Under
ordinary circumstances, the man could
have gone anywhere over the prairie
Ivy the aid of his compass alone.
The mental resolution OF Il person
lost on the plains is nearly always one
of hopeless confusion. Not one man
in d hundred retains sufficient control
OF his mental faculties to help himself
out Of his situation. And the sudden
ness, and completeness, too, with which
many minds give way, form one of the
most curious phases Of their condition,
Some years ago ! was guide to hunt
ing party on the Southern Plains.
Among the number was an English
man, an intelligent young fellow of per
haps twenty-five Years Of age. He was
an excellent shot. but unacquainted
with the prairie, and warned him re.
peatedly Of the danger of straying away
from the party. For while he OF
served the caution and stuck close to
the camp. But after time he grew
more venturesome, and seemed inclin-
ed to take his own course. One day,
when we We're running buffalo, he fol-
lowed on after tho herd instead Of re-
turning 70 camp, as we had supposed.
Upon our return II was missed and
a search instituted. In not more than
two hours after he was missed sighted
his horse feeding alone on the prairie
A few minutes after H was discov-
cred sitting on the ground about half a
mile away. AS soon as we advanced
toward him he started up and ran at
the top 81 Ills speed. | knew what was
the matter with him as soon rs he
Jumped, but the rest didn't. Riding
alongside OF him, jumped to the
ground and took after him on foot. AZ
ter short run caught him. He was
clean daft. The discovery that he was
lost and possibly would not be found
again. had upset his intellect complete