Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-02-17
IMPERILED on A PRAIRIE IN
MONTANA.
4 Young Mail.Carrier'x Struggle for
Life Through Three Feet Of Snow,
and without Food for Three Days.
salt Lake (Utah) Herald, Jan. u.


The following is the greater part Of o
letter received here by Mr.. Charles H.
Basset from his son w. H., who is in
the mail service in northern Montana.
The young man is but % years of age,
and the simple and unaffected manner
in which he relates his thrilling expe-
Renee shows that he not only possesses
great deal ofcourage, but also a great
deal of genuine manliness:
VIRGINIA CRY, MONTANA, JAN. %, 1881
Dem Father In answer to your qnes-
tons, | will cndeavor to give you some
particulars. At the time ! wrote to
mother december y was showed in
at Fire Hole, and was there about ten
or twelve days. Two of us then Sue
ceeded in getting over the mountains
with three horses and snow-shocs, aud
we arrived ut River Side station that
day. On the day following, Marshall,
the boss, came in from Henry Lake with
two men and fifteen horses. They had
been six days on the road, distance of
thirty miles. He then ordered me to
start ont the following morning on
horseback, to the lake. ] objected, and
told him thought it impossible for q
horse to get through, and asked for q
pair of snowshoes. He then became
very angry, and said he would not send
me if he did not know could get to
the lake safely. ] started out on the
morning of the 10Th with their best
horse, but had not travelled ten miles
before the animal was unable TO carry
me. and had five miles further to go
before ! could reach some hay-stacks on
the prairie. BY considerable hard work
led the horse to the stacks after dark.
/ was entirely worn ont, and SO took my
saddle-blankets and lay down to rest,
but fell asleep and did not awaken
until daylight. ] started ont again,
but only succeeded in travelling one
mile that day, as the snow was SO deep
(abOut three feet on the level that it
was impossible for horse to travel. l
was then in q canon, and found wood,
so built fire, and was SO tired that
slept all night again and froze my feet
still more, (but forgot to say that |
froze my feet the first night at the hay
stack dare not take Oft my boots to
look at my feet for fear | could not get
them on again. ] had discovered by
this time that my horse was good for
nothing, so started him back to the
hay and started on foot, calculating to
make the lake by night, which was Ii
miles further Oh. The lake was frozen,
so cut across it to shorten the distance:
but soon found my mistake, for when
started On it broke through, and got
out only by hard scrambling, and was
then on the ice wet and freezing. There
was about two feet OF soft snow, and
could hardly walk. The station was on
the other side of the lake, and by swing
ing my cap attracted the srock-tend,
cr's attention; but none to soon, ior !
then fell down exhausted, unable tc
take another step. He carried and
pushed me III Oh Snow-shors. AID took
good care Of ne.
had been all this timc-three days
and two nights-without n nonthiuI OF
! food or water and had eaten SHOW until
my throat was so raw chat | was unable
to eat II full meal for number OF days
| used arnica on my feet, bnt the hOys
! thought would lose my toes, if not my
whole foot, if | didn't get down here
where could get medical advice. Hear
ing that company team was eighteen
miles this side OF there with supplies fol
here, | concluded to start out for it il
company with two mail-cariers. Thi
eighteen miles had to be made on snow
shoes; but mustered up courage enough
to start out. No one can imagine wha
| suffered on that trip. My feet were 81