, 1880-04-22
snow Bound.


white drifts rearing their walls upon
every side, and realize that you were as
helpless a prisoner as the poor little
Gnnet beating its heart out against the
gilded wiro of its pretty sun-lighted
cage4 Did you ever sit for days and
weeks staring into the glaring eyes of
an only companion until you lowered
over the dying embers of your last fuel,
and not beaten track in the neighbor-
hood2 Did you ever feel that gnawing
at the stomach which proclaims the re-
gency Of Prince Starvation, and yet
know that between you and morsel of
bread, or even the nearest help, lay a
waste as trackless as the ocean, as soli'
tary as desert. and as treacherous as
quicksand2 Well, if you have not, de-
spair has not tugged at your heart
strings as il has at mine, and you can
have no adequate realization of what 1T
is TO be snow bound.
Twice in my experience as a miner In
California I have been bound in by iDi.
passabe barriers of snow on the foot
hills of the Sierra Nevada. The first
time was thus imprisoned I had but
single companion. We had been min
ing in an isolated but rich gulch where
we had constructed rude cabin. We
knew at that time nothing of the great
snow storms that sometimes clothe the
rocky Businesses of the grand old Sierra
with robes of spotless white; or at any
rate, had no idea that the snow would
fall and remain at any great depth
where our cabin was situated, 80 we had
with the usual improvidence of the class,
neglected to lay in supply of provis-
ions or fuel, believing that at any time
we could replenish our stock at the
Scamp" which was but few miles
away. And up to this time we were
able to procure wood from the scattering
pine trees on the mountain sides, but to
our astonishment one morning on rising
we found at least two feet of snow
which had fallen during the night and
was still falling. 1t continued to come
down all day long, a never ending fall
of feathery, heecY flakes, and when we
rose next morning we found our little
window darkened. The snow was so
deep that it was entirely covered. We
managed to make hole through the
corner of the roof of our cabin, when
down came wagon load Of snow and
in came food Of light. We succeeded
in shoveling away the snow from the
roof and out of our cabin, but the snow
kept coming down all day, and on the
arrival of the next day were again in
darkness, and again we toiled for light.
During this day the storm abated, but
the snow had fallen to depth of more
than ten feet, and we were prisoners.
Here for day after day, until three
weary weeks had dragged their slow
length along, we were compelled to stay.
Although we had carefully husbanded
our means, we had burned up every
scrap Of furniture in our cabin except
the long boards on the bottom of our
hunks. Even the chinking and clap.
boards on the inside of our cabin, and
the handles of our shovels and tools
were consumed.
Our meat had been gone more than a
week, and we had now at last eaten the
remainder of our beans and were entire
ly destitute. What to do we did not
know. We were growing hungry, and
the cold seemed to affect us more than it
had before. We had heard of snow.
shoes, but had never seen any, and had
no idea how they were made or opera
ted. 1t had showed every day little,
so as to keep the snow soft on top and
it was impossible to walk through it, or
in any way change our location and sit
uation. ... .NE 't.
We could see nothing before us but
death, either from cold or from starva-
ton. We each looked upon the other
with suspicion. Each thought that the
other would take his life if he could do
so without taking his own. This was
our horrible condition, when suddenly
the hole above our heads was darkened,
and we heard voice say. ., .,.....
"Is there anybody down theref'
A shout of JOY and surprise was the
response. ....... ...........
"Who are you and how did you get
here p we asked. ..t
II am Thompson, 'Snowshoe Thomp-
SON. / came here on snowshoes," he
answered.
."Help US out, we are starving"
In another minute Thompson was in
our midst. He gave us some cheese
and crackers. Witch we eagerly deYoured.