The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-10-18
Lost on the Plains.


that there was much larger number of
people annually lost upon the Western
prairies than was generally supposed. |
mean by lost, said he, people who wan
der away from well-known landmarks
and are never heard of again; who die CT
starvation and that dread insanity which,
generally speaking, oyertakes the lost
person OF course we read now and
then of such case, but there are many
which never reach the public prints 1t
is one of the easiest things in the world
for an experienced traveller to stray away
from camp, but very different matter
for him to 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 depression, with
the ground rising slightly on all sides.
It is an optical illusion, of course, but it
is very like walking in the center of an
immense sheet with its four corners
slightly raised. The earth meet the
horizon on every side, and presents the
same unyarying view of waving grass
and grayish brown soil. There is not a
mark by which one may be guided. To
take the sun for guide, even on 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-
tinually go round in circle to the left.
The truth is proven every year by the
recovery of persons who are found only
to have traced u large circle in their
efforts to escape, invariably coming
round again and again to the point from
which they started. The possession OF n
compass, moreover, seldom proves of
any advantage to the person lost on the
prairies. He probably never thinks
about it till he discovers that he is lost,
and then he has no landmark from which
to take his bearings. / have known re-
peated instances where persons have
been lost on the plains and afterward
found dead with compass IN their
hands.
As an illustration, recall an instance
which occurred some years since on the
Red river trail. A Mr.. Mckenzie, q
clerk in the trading post at Georgetown,
started early in the month of April, in
charge of small party, for Fort Garry
The snow still lay deep on the plains,
but, the season being SO far advanced,
effects. Unfortunately the snow did not
melt SO rapidly as was anticipated, and
the party were detained long time on
the road. About thirty miles on this
side of Pembina they ran ont OF provis-
ions. Mckenzie, who was stout, able
bodied man, accustomed to prairie
travel, volunteered to go ahead and OBJ
tain assistance He set out on snow
shoes, and expected to reach the fort at
Pembina within twenty-four hours.
Meanwhile his comrades plodded on as
best they could, and, after two days OF
suffering, reached the front without hav-
ing seen anything of Mckenzie. Moth
ing had been heard of him there. A
party was at once organized and thor
ough search instituted for the missing
man. On the second day he was found,
some seventeen miles from the post, and
long distance from the trail, lying be-
side O clump of bushes, frozen to death.
He had taken off his coat and vest and
hung them on the bushes, most probably
to attract the attention of any 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 compass, yet who
was hopelessly lost III a country which
he had repeatedly trayersed. The expe-
rienced plain man who found him knew
at once that, having unconsciously wan
dered away from the trail, and benumbed
with the cold, he had lost the ability to
use his compass, and so lay down to die.
Under ordinary circumstances, the man
could have gone anywhere over the
prairie by the aid of his compass alone.
The mental resolution of person lost
on the plains is nearly always one of
hopeless confusion. Not one man in a
hundred retains sufficient control of his
mental faculties to help himself out of
his situation. And the suddenness and
completeness, too, with which many
minds give way, form one of the curious
phases of their condition. Some years
ago I was guide to hunting party on
the Southern plains. Among the num-
ber was an Enghshman, an intelligent
young fellow of perhaps twenty
years of age. He was an excellent shot.
but unacquainted with the prairie, and |
warned him repeatedly of the danger of
straying away from the party. For q
while he observed the caution and stuck
close to the camp. But after o time he
grew more ventnresome, and seemed 1ll-
clined to take his own course. One day,
when we were running buffalo, he fol-
lowed on after the herd instead of re-
returning to camp, as we had supposed.
Upon our return H was missed and
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 discovered
sitting on the ground about half mile
away. As soon as he advanced toward
him he started up and ran off at the top
of his speed. / knew what WAS the mat
ter with him as soon as he jumped, but
the rest didn't. Riding alongside of
him, jumped to the ground and took
after him on foot. After sharp run l
caught him. He was clean daft. The
discovery that he was lost, and possibly
would not be found again, had upset his
intellect completely. He struggled like
a madman to free himself, but held on
to him. We took him back to camp and
tied him fast. Toward night he began to
recover, and by morning he was quite
himself. After that experience he kept
close to camp.
I 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 house.
Tt was his custom to visit the stacks and
haul the hay to his farm as he required
it. He started one afternoon in mid
winter with two small ox-sleds to bring
home loads, taking with him neighbor's
boy. q lad Of about II years of age.
They reached the stacks, loaded the sleds.
and, it is supposed, were about to re-
turn, when violent storm came up
what we in the West call a blizzard. 1t
was impossible to see a yard ahead in
any direction. Thinking it would soon
blow over, they dug holes in the stacks
and crept in. But the storm ragged for
nearly three days without abating a jot
of its fury On the morning after their
departure the two oxen were discovered
standing in the barnyard with their har-
ness on, 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
ever. that the man and boy would remain
in the stucks until the storm ceased,
which was hourly expected.
On the following day the storm abated
somewhat, and, in the afternoon, larger
and more determined party set out Tor
he stacks. They were reached with
much difficulty, but the man and boy
eo,1ld not be- found. The holes which
tbav ba1 made in the straw, and into