The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-04-01
AN EXCITING ADVENTURE.

VISITING Nhite Fine, recently, and was in
terviewed by a reporter who gained from
him material for long and interesting mar
rative. We publish one of his adventures
as well for its thrilling excitement as to give
an idea Of the fatigue and privatiOns Will
ingly undergone by the men Of whom Father
Maloney, is worthy representative
Recently" said the Reverend Father, 81
tried TO cross into Ruby Valley, Just sixty
miles from here, to perform a baptism.
There is no house between here and there,
and was never before over the same rad.
/ Thought | could make it by having an early
start, as l had ridden on several occasions
during last Summer seventy-fye miles per
day, collecting funds for my church. Every
thing being ready, my horse was shod, etc,
and l started out at eight o'clock on Monday
morning Everything went merry as a
marriage beI' till l came to the Cherry Greek
summit. where / encountered a heavy snow
Nothing discouraged, l proceeded on my
way feeling well as gay as a lark, thinking
that the snow would not be so deep as l pro-
ceeded. But instead OF getting lighter the
snow became deeper and deeper. Yet /
would not return, and was still under the
impression that | could make Ruby Valley.
Besides, felt half ashamed to return. as
such actor might denote cowardice, and
cowardice cannot tolerate in any one, much
less i'm myself. The snow lasted all day, two
feet deep and frozen over on top. which
made it more difficGlt of travel, as it was not
frozen strong enough to keep the horse up,
which at every step went down knee-deep,
and with much ado at times to extricate him
self
"At five O'Clock in the evening l found
myself ascending the summit between Long
and Ruby Valleys. when then and there
got into about three feet of snow on the level.
No road was then recognizable. Even the
saecbrush was not to be seen. The whole
region round was covered with the deep,
deep snow, to a depth of three feet on the
level, and in the drifts six to ten feet My
horse sunk and fell down under me. |
jumped of and fell down alongside OF him.
Imagine my feelings in such predica-
ment 1t was showing at the time, and the
wind was bowling terrifcally, such as it is
wont to howl in Nevada. All this, coupled
with the night coming on, and with the dread
full prospect of one foot of snow more being
on the ground before morning, rendered my
situation gloomy and desolate in the extreme.
my horse, now leg-tred and weary, and
myself ex-equo, 1 lost all hopes OF escape.
The darger, however, seemed to nerve me
up, and i'm tact it almost made ME mad so
ploughed through the snow as best l could.
INV horse, which l still held by the reIns
Jumped up and followed after, and in half
an hour we found ourselves on comparative
terra drma, just fifty yards away, on side
hin under a wide-spreadinC pine. We were
still standing on two feet of snow. The wind
was high and there was drizzling sleet. ]
had matches in my pocket in abundance
we'll secured, and Thought that it would be Z
good idea to light FIRE.
''It is very easy to talk about lighting {
fire, but it was not easy To do so in such q
place and under such adverse circumstances
/ was cold at the time. My hands and cloth
ing were wet, and even the bark which
pulled off the pine seemed TO be saturated
with moisture, and it was impossible for me
to start a fire / tried and tried in vain
Match after match was ignited, and as ofter
expired without any effect and so l gave i
up as a bad JOB.
sAnd now no fire, no possibility of pro
ceeding any further, and not much prospect
of returning, as l was then thiIty-six mile:
, average depth of snow over the thirty -sil
miles was two feet.
81 began to think seriously on what was {,
| be done yet there was no time for thinking
or musing, as something had to be done, anC
that immediately. To remain till morning
under that dismal tree was to almost certain
t Iv perish from cold, or il ] survived the night
l there were thousand to one chances of sloy
= but sure starvation, rs six inches more o
+ snow would keep me there forever.
, .'Such were my thoughts when suddenl
e Iheard bark! 1t startled me, and l though
l of st. Bernards 5 dogs in the mountain fast
4 ness of Switzerland, which saved the live
J. of many hundred snow-bonnd travellers j
/. the Alps.
y MY JOY was great, and ! exclaimed
J. mvsen What can this be Surely som
i friendly aid must be near at hand-som
miners or woodman's cabin must be clos
y bv, for l have heard that familiar bark {
!, the favored domestic of the miner or wooC
!, man in these isolated and distant regions
e or perhaps an Indian wigwam, which woui
afford me covering and shelter for the nigh
y But my cheering hopes were soon diss
r pated. In vain did look around me for ii
t wigwams or dumeStic dog greeted my view
n but, in all instant, like fash of lightning,
was surrounded by pack of coyotes, six
number, which seemed to dispute with II
= the mastery or the place. But not with al
,e motive or evil aforethought did l distul
their den. / had no love OF longing for u
lie spot aud would have left them alone if th'
T had the grace of letting me alone.
approaching ME and my horse, they siI
T, ultaneously set up yell, which it seemed
me penetrated the very skies. They grOwie
and howIed, and snarled, and baIkeG, un
it seemed as if the heavens as well as I
Ill woods were swarming with infuriated, una
III dened, raging, hungry, demon-iike eoyot,
Cerberus at Piuto's gates could not have be
II more ferocious. Their very eye-balls seem
~ to start from their sockets
C. Good heavens = 1 exclaimed, WI
rs am / to do now II was bad enough befo
y but it is a thousand times worse ao'
40 There is or can be no exaggeratiou. my de
in Interviewer.
y, Here the Reverend Father stopped. a
10 seemed to be deeply moved at the recoli
lg ton of his past precariOus position, and wh
a he recovered himself, continued
III III ''No. sir if l had the graphic pen
he Dickens or of Goldsmith, | could not tTl
as paint OF represent to you my position OF fe
hg ing at the time. do not believe / an
q coward. 1 was never, even when your
= considered a onward Yet L felt in mt