Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-11-15
/ warned him repeated,v ~ tho L..

OF straying away from the party. For .
while he observed the canton on
stuck close to the camp. But after :
time he grew more yenturesoma 49,, ~
seemed inclined to take his own course
one day, when we were running b1fIs.
loes, ne followed on after the herd in.
seead OF returning to camp, as we sun.
posed. Upon our return H was
missed, anda search instituted. Tn not
more than two hours after he was m;ssoJ
1 sighted his horse feeding alone in tbe
prairie. A few minutes after n.
was discovered sitting on tbe cronnd
about half a mile away. As soon as we
advanced toward him he started up and
ran OIL at the top of his speed. / knew
what was the matter with him as soon
as he jumped, but the rest didn't. Rid.
ing alongside Of him, jumped to the
ground and took after him on foot. Az
ter sharp run I caught him. He was
clean daft. The discovery that he was
lost, and possibly would not be fonnG
again, had upset his intellect complete
~. He struggled like madman to free
himself, but held on to him. We took
nm back to camp and tied him fast.
reward night he began to recover. and
by morning he was quite himself. After
that experience he kept close to camp.
recall another instance which illus.
trates this phase of the lost, but which
had more tragic ending. A neighbor
OF mine, living in new prairie country,
cut and stacked his hay on the plains
about two miles in the rear of his honse
1t was his custom to visit the stacks and
haul the hay to his farm as he required
1T. He started one afternoon in mid.
winter, with two small ox-sleds, to bring
home loads, taking with him neigh.
bor's boy, a lad of about 12 years of age.
They reached the stacks, loaded the
sleds, and, it is supposed, we're about to
return, when violent storm came up
what we in the West call blizzard It
was impossible to see yard ahead in
any direction. Thinking it would soon
blow over, they dug holes in the stacks
and crept iu. But the storm ragged for
nearly three days without abating lot
OF its fury. On the morning after their
departure the two oxen were discovered
the barnyard with their har-
ness Oh, but without the sled. During
the day an effort was made to visit the
stacks, but the relief party became lost
themselves, and found their way back
with difficulty. 1t was believed, more
over, that the man and boy would remain
in the stacks until the storm ceased.
which was hourly expected.
"On the following day the storm
abated somewhat, and, in the afternoon,
4 larger and more determined party set
out for the stacks. They were reached
with much difficulty, but the man and
boy could not be found. The holes
which they had made into the straw, and
nto which they had crepS, were plainly
Visible, but all traces of their departure
we're hidden under the drifting snow.
Search was made until night closed in,
When it was discontinued. On the fol-
owing day it was resumed. In the
orenoon the body of the boy was found
lnder the snow at a distance of about
lightly yards from the stack. He was,
# course, frozen stiff. At distance of
lalf mile the mans coat was picked
Up, but days of search revealed no
races of his body. 1t was apparent
hat they had left the stacks in an eff
ort to find their way home. But the
positions of the boy and coat were di-
ectly opposite to tho route which they
hould have taken. In the latter part
# April some half-breeds, wandering
'ver the prairie, found the remains Of
he man sitting at the foot OF q tree on
he bank of a small stream, about six
niles distant from the stack. The body
vas entirely destitute of clothing, save
pair of trousers. The man, without
loubt, had become insane, and had cast
fl his garments as he wandered on. His
hoes, hat and shirt were afterward
ound between the tree and the stacks.
throwing away their clothing is q COM
non act with the lost, and always be-
rays insanity.
"A man may easily become lost on
'rairie trail, or even broad highway
N the plains, if he has no other land
mark to 60 by. In the old days of over
and travel to California it frequently
that parties who had camped
yer night at a short distance from the
Dad took the back track in the morn
ng under the firm belief that it was
he right one. ~ 4a.u n
at is astonishing how quick men
vill get lost on prairie. They seem
ardly to have time to get out of sight.
'ometimes, too, they are not found
gain. Two young Canadians went up
ne Red river valley, few summers
nce, bound for Fort Garry They
ad joined in the purchase of pony
nd q rickety old cart at Fargo, and
ourneyed together. One evening about
usk they went into camp on the banks
Goose river. After supper one of !
hem started off on the prairie to look
fter the pony, which had been hoppled !,
nd turned loose. He failed to return. /;
he pony came in all right in the NOM /.
no, but the man has not been seen to r
bis day. Tt is probable that when he :
eft the camp he went in a westerly di- ]
ection. If he did so, he might walk to .
he Rocky mountains without seeing q q
uman being.
"As said, people disappear sudden =
y on the prairies and are never heard
i more. But it occasionally happens
bar people are found also, or rather /
hat their remains are. The most sim
-ular find of this kind ceming to my
was that of two half-breeds
yho had been hunting buffalo in the
rinter. They had wandered far out
Ipon the plains in search of game, and, 7
,eing laden heavily with meat and /
lides, night overlook them before they /
we're able to regain the shelter of the
imber. To protect themselves from
he cold they lay down in the snow side {
y side, and wrapped a fresh h buffalo