Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-01-22

Worth they fonnd considerable ex
citenent in regard to the contem
plated invasion and settlement o
the Indian territory, and. alluree
by the glowing pictures So glibly
and boldly painted by enlissaries o
the movement. they decided t
abandon their prospecting tour and
join the Oklahoma c0lonists, IA party
OF whom were then supposed to bt
encanlped in the vicinity of For.
Smith, Ark. Thither they bent
their way, intending to join them
4 in time for the advance movement
While en- route the weather, which
had hitherto been mild and pleas
ant, suddenly changed, and they
were overtaken and lost in a dread
4 fuf snow storm. The trail WAS utter
/ ly extinguished. The air was thick
with flying snow. Huge drifts soon
blocked the path, and it was utterly
impossible to see ten yards in adj
vance. Under these circumstances
the party decided to go into camp,
and wait until the weather moder-
j ated before attempting TO proceed
on their way. This decision was
acted on. They selected a site for a
camp, which, fortunately, happen
ed to be near a stream of water and
and on the outskirts of forest. The
latter advantage was soon apparent;
for the cold grew SO intense that it
was only by cutting down trees and
building a big fire that they could
keep from freezing. During the
t,inhf ftIr,, tyatNf .,r tho Gra 80 cIo,,f
few hours, when he took one of
the watchers place, and thus they
managed to keep death at bay.
This state of affairs lasted several
days, and they We're reduced TO a
pitiable plight. Their stock of pro-
visions was falling, and, as the
country around them seemed an
uninhabited and desolate waste. the
danger of dying from starvation was
added to the list of perils. The dawn
of the New Year, perhaps, didn't
break upon more Wretched set of
human beings. The snow still lay
deep upon the earth, and the blasts
which came from the northwest
were cruelty keen and pitiIesS. As
far as the eye could reach every
thing looked cold and relentless.
No signs of human or animal life |
were anywhere visible. All was
bleak and weary desoIa9ion. Thus,
with bowling winds which seemed I
to revel in their prospective destruc-
ton, and with thoughts which I
drove them almost to madness and I
despair. New Years day passed into /
leaving with two of the
party memories which will never
die. Soon after night closed in
sampson wrapped blanket around
him and lay down beside the fire.
Overcome with weakness, he fell
asleep. The high wind blew some
coals upon hin@ and his eompan-
ions, who had been doing near the
fire, We're aroused by an outcry from
him, and were Mortified to discover
him wrapped in sheet of flames.
He had heavy wooden comforter
tightly about his neck and
It fed the fire. Benis aud Porter
.ried to extinguish his. blazing
clothes, but could not; and the
man was literally roasted
.Odeath before their eyes. His dying
'hrieks rang out upon the night air
md awoke horrible echoes in the
woods. His surviving
spent a miserable night,
or they had both been badly burnt
n their efforts to save his life. Early
lext morning Porter started out de-
TO secure assistance, or ,
perish in the attempt. After riding I
many miles he came to farm {
L, Il ~ 4
md to which Bemis was brought.
His limbs were badly frozen, but {
lis injuries are not considered fatal. |
Porter is in a more dangerous con-
IitiOn, as he was dangerously burn
d and his feet and sands were
rozen. 1t was a narrow escape {
rom death and a tragic termination !
f anticipated pleasures with which
he party had left this state six |
weeks before. !