Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-02-17
FREEZING TO DEATH.

Who Has Passed Through the
ordeal.
young man residing near Leadville
who was recently found on the mountains
apparently frozen to death, and was with
difficulty restored, relates his experience
TO reporter as follows:
was three miles up the gulch the day
before, looking after some prospect holes
had up there and didn't start for home
until quite late. / had no more than
started when the snow began to fall and
in IL minutes the storm was in full fury.
1 knew the way we'll, but the fereeness of
the storm alarmed me, snd the snow fell
so thick and fast that all landmarks were
soon blotted out, and it was utterly impos-
sible to see more than 20 feet before ones
face. My principal guide had been the
trail made by the burro's feet, but the
thick white mantle that speedily covered
the earth so entirely obscured this that |
had no earthly means of knowing whether
or not | was on the right path.
After wandering blindly on for half an
honr became convinced that | was not,
and, in fact, the extremely rough and
rocky nature OF the path gave Me warning
thst had strayed from the proper route.
| Up to this time had forced persistently
ahead, but there | stopped, my back to the
| gusty wnrd, aud tried to calmly consider
the situation. Taxing the extreme sup
| position that 1 had walked la an exactly
opposite direction from the right Que, l
could not be over four miles from home
but in the binding suow | had no assur-
snee whether would De right 10 Walking
backward ur forward, right or left, but
finally ut random chose the first, ard con
timed my journey straight ahead.
Up 10 this time i had felt no cold but
when | stopped to think, the warmth
created by my active exsrtions died away,
and began to feel severely the biting air
Besides this, the temp nature was plainly
falling lower, and even my warm breath
began to CONCEAL in brittle icicles on my
beard and on ms scarf, just in front of my
mo 18th. SUN walked briskly on, but
somehow my utmost exertious failed 10
circulate my blood and warm me as ii had
before. Zen minutes later | began to teel
singing pains in my feet and hands aud
The numbness that invariably follows ex.
IRENE cold. 1t was about this time that
noticed my eyes seemed swollen and the
lids so heavy that had difficulty iii open
ing them.
When they were closed constant sue
eoo''ot' - 'sH'9 u .7Aeo oe.' a,
nle' aHu P'o9ep''y tno'e hsh'7 pesan u
appear "heh 'hey were open' in ever.
u'ieo.'on aeelieu " SOC 'henh-
purpie, fTui piue auo eoiueh-uh'il WIN
difficulty could trace the outline of u,
hand AZ l held il before my face. If
staggered before, / reeed blindly now
a and when pressed my benumbed finger
a to my face | found it covered with froze
|. 'eaiS: TINS einne tne pau IN my iill l
" auu ioe' nv sio"n ~ 20 'he iioae intene
8 bouy' no P''oN''nb 'si .,, WV q
II hrh. was sone INV a'iu III i's pib'e va
q i"hB' s'ehay' h7eH pau us itoHh sioa
oPen "ouuu' ,..,
AT Jus ''tie bropeo toy way W iiti
sheitereu piace oeneath some rochs ah
puiieu my ni'''ene WI ~ Fpii CT. IL lhp'
warm my hs."S ny lt.ct'oh' ihe nes
Was pei'ee'iy itNiu ap.i que III plaots' a. ~,
nA' nt'a"y oe6sn " ueSol'po9e.
hai' were oeep otue' anu luuptnies
~ o'oou seelaeu 10 nave se'tiea uireet
II heath them, flhaihe lhpossioie
10 GREATS any warmth rose 10 my iset af
~ walked o. Resolving 10 aie, ole mus
"a III desperate struggle
ne Inc pflnastio tolois Eau now iaa'
SD oeiors my eyes 10 lonS parallel oars IN
seemed 10 stretch from The Aor'loD'
walked faster hot@a' 100, with Joy Tn
the pain III my feet was not nearly 80 /
tense as before. attributed inns to Il
sadl, deceived, for when | stopped dow
and touched my foot 1t responded
more to the hngefs than ahlock OF mnro
"a IL was practctiiy dead. L p to tnls III
4