Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-08-10

interlaced, and in the feathery clouds of
spray at their feet, like scimetar in the
hands of the spirit of the waters, glided
the visionary arc of lunar bow. OPP
pOsite me was mountain of consider
able height, over whose shoulder the
moon was rising, leaving the lower part
in shadow and it's boldly defined curve
sharply outlined against the sky. It's
sides were riven with dark ravines, from
which gbostly mist clouds were strug-
Cling. [ felt awe-struck and as If [ were
1ntruding on this solitary monarch of the
wilderness. For an instant [ forgot to
look for the expected campfire, and
leaned involuntarily over the edge of the
stream to take up some water in my
hands. The instant [ touched the sur
face L drew back with an exclamation of
establishment. Then I touched it again.
Yes, there could be no mistake The
river ran the wrong way! rose hastily
to my feet and looked about me. Invol-
UNFAIRLY smiled at my simplicity in not
noticing the direction of the current at
once. Of course / was on the wrong
river. I shouted once; then I remem-
bered how futile it was to expect to
make anyone hear in the heart of that
solitude. In the overpowering roar of
the falls my voice sounded feeble as the
cry of a child.
Knowing now that [ must wait till
morning and then make my way back, I
lay down on the narrow strip of beach
and endeavored to rest. Sleep was out
of the question. The hours of that
night seemed to stretch out unfortunately
and to make my former life remote and
unreal. Nature seemed cold, cruel, all
powerful. If closed my eyes [ fancied
| felt the motion of the earth beneath
me as it whirled through space Those
fine lines of Shelley, so expressive Of
the utter Indifference of nature to us and
our sufferings, came into my head, and
[ kept repeating aloud:
A pretty bowl CT wood, not full of VINE,
But quicksilver-that dew which the gnomes drink
When at their subterranean toll they swink
Pedging the demons Of the earthquake, who
Reply to them in lava cry g Halloo ~
And call out to the cities DER their head.
Roofs, towers and shrines, the dying and the dead
Crash through the chinks of earth and then all qua
Another rouse, and hold their sides and laugh.
Then feeling of exaltation took pos
session of me, an irresistible desire to
reach the top of the mountain opposite.
l.
from there the confines of the earth. In
this state felt neither cold nor hunger,
and l do not think slept. Ii I did, [
never lost consciousness of the situation,
and my dreams and the reality faded to-
gether indistinguishably. Could I have
heard a dog bark or cock crow, the
scene would have been transformed at
once
When those slight indefnable move
ments which precede the light began,
my condition changed. Gentle breaths
of air swayed the branches, the trees
seemed to move involuntarily, a wild
bird uttered harsh call from the OPP
posite bank of the stream. When the
sun brought me back to world of
realities, and to a feeling that there was
something friendly and benefcent in
nature, began to 1oel the pains of
fatigue and hunger. | turned my back
on those cold, cruel falls, and re-entered
the valley had descended the day be-
fore, and resolutely toiled and stumbled
on all that day. knew that every rod
of ground I gained was precious.
sought eagerly for some berries OF any,
thing to eat, but in all that wealth of
could afford sustenance to a human
being.
In the afternoon 1 reached a small
lake, and knew that in ascending the
stream [ had again made mistake. In
coming down one runs no risk of leaving
the main valley, but in going up it is
easy to mistake tributary for it, as the
current in both is in the same direction.
When made this discovery felt as if
the forest extended in all directions in
definitely and escape from it was hope
less. After this my recollections are so
confused that / cannot disentangle illu-
sions from realities. I remember turn
ing back from the lake, and I think that
L must have kept on my feet all that
night. l have very distinct impress
sion of nameless terror that came over
me on finding that could carry on two
distinct trains of thought at once. Then
follows blank interval of the duration
OF which L have no conception. It was
terminated by slow and gradual awak-
ening-not sudden one, as has been
described to me by another person who
went through similar experience to
mine. Consciousness seemed to return
to me IN parts-memory and the sense of
personal identity the last. When my
senses awoke fully, I found myself in a
bed on the floor at Dix's house, and his
rough bearded face bent over me seemed
typical of human brotherhood.
have endeavored to relate exactly
what [ remember. It may seem strange
that [ was able to hold out less than
forty-eight hours, and it is possibly two
nights before [ succumbed to the OPP
pressive influence of the solitude. do
not think that I am more impressible
than many others, and I venture to say
that there are few persons who could
retain their reason if entirely alone in
the forest and deprived of food. The
immensely, the power and the indiffer-
ence OF nature are brought into such
strong relief that despair takes possess
sion of the mind and paralyzes the very
sight, is through the daily round Of
tangible material things. Our whole
mental life is made up of constant i'm
rreSSiODs rnoaivod from tho would oI,o,,+