The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-02-24
snow-Bound on the Plains.

WE pitched our tents carelessly, in
tending to take an early start next morn
ing. But, alas for our expectations.
During the night q strong wind set in
from the northwest, and about 4 a. m. 1t
began 70 snow. None of US could Judge
well Of weather indications in Nebraska,
and our guide did not suspect anything
serious, for the Oldest inhabitant could
not reco,.oct blizzard in October, and
il was now only the 18th of the month.
The guide thought and the drivers be-
lieved that the storm would cease at 12
m. and we, of course, trusted to their
Judgment. But, instead the storm
grew fiercer, the ST., fe. more rapidly,
and the northwer sir reased in fury.
Before night so row had fallen
that II IL had Ia. as 3 fell it would have
been ut least o. o. deep, but now it
had been pi 20 drifts so that our
mules stood their feet nearly as
high ss the tops, and the stove
and frrnir our cooks tent were
completed from view.
The nia in upon US gloomy and
awful. Il two light canvas tents,
in each ,Shi.h slept four men, with
Just blanl Is enough TO keep them COM
Portable ordinary weather. But now
we must )7ide for the guide, two
driv.rJ,f porter, who had usually
slept in wagons, and, as they were
but slim pr Jvided with clothing, we
must sha-: D 1T stock with them. There
was but little s,eep in the tent that night,
for the COLI WIS intense, and the wind
was so terrible in its effects thet we
feared every moment the larger tent
would fall, though we had strengthened
it by poles and cords in every conceiva-
BILE way. With the morning light it
seemed as II all the spirits OF the air were
let loose, and all day long the storm
roared with ever-increasing fury. The
snow had 50 beaten in that when we
awoke we were obliged to gather all oar
bedding into the middle of the tent to
keep it from being wet through. No
man could long endure the storm out
side, and we stood huddled together
from morning till night, stamping our
feet to keep from suffering. Even then
we could not keep comfortable. For
our backs braced against the
tent to keep 1t from giving way
under the great weight OF the
snow and the terrible force OF the gale.
know of no language which can be
enced in such time any adeqr ate con-
eeption of the fury of the storm. Dur
ing the SECOND tay we succeeded in dig
cling our little stove out of the snow
drift, and setting it at the entrance Of
our tent, we managed to keep little
fire through the rest of the day and
night. But our store of wood was very
small, and there was no more to he had
within we knew not how many miles
The other tents company had no stove
and no fire. During the second night Of
the storm il was impossible that al
should sleep at once, even If they could
sleep despite the cold, for what with the
stove on one side and all our provisions
brought in from the wagons on the
other, there was not room for all to liz
down. Besides, it was necessary to
keep the fire going lest we might al
perish together. So we stood bending
over the stove all night, two at a time
while the others tried to sleep. 1t wa:
an awful night. To add TO our anxiety
the guide and drivers declared that tn,
horses aud mules were likely TO perish
They were pitiable sight, indeed. Two
of them had no blankets, and th'
others were little better off. At time
it was difficult to conceive that the crea
lures before US were horses, so LITERAL,
covered were they with )ating of ice
After two days Srd two nights tn
storm ceased.
1t was nov ..aday morning. w
knew not where ~ ere, and we doubt
ed il the guide hal any more definit
knowledge than we. Every man wa
desperate. Some declared It dangerou
TO attempt to move through the snow
and that our only safe course was to re
main, and, in case of necessity, use tn
wagons for fuel and the horses for food
Others declared their purpose to NOV
at all hazards, and without delay. Final
ly we determined to move. We thre'
away all luggnge that could be dispense
with, and in grim silence started in tn
direction which we thought would brin
us TO the nearest hut. It was difficul
travelling through the drifted snow, an
it was bitterly cold. But all day Ion
we pushed on, never stopping to feed
horse, breaking through the drifts wit
our ponies so that the teams could TO
low, till about p. m, when we cam
in sight of haystacks, in the vicinity {
which we knew there must be a rancl
mans hut. / never say happier s,
OF men than were these when it becan
certain that what we saw were ha,
stacks, and not the terrible sand-hil
which had so often deceived us durin
the day. Grave men, merchants
Worcester, swung their hats aloft an
shouted for Joy. 1t had been a marc
for l;fo -nor TVorcpS,.,r rdf0s; 4 Sy1/