The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1882-08-03

alligator, who lay just below us
like floating logs. That day we
Travelled necessarily through swamps
and woods. aud water, which over
flowed all tho low portions Of coun :
try. The only food which we had
between as was "pone" Of Jobnnys
cake, which we had starved ourselves
to save in prison. Wo had pocket
compass, which was intrusted to me.
a small quantity Of salt. and butcher
knifo, such az was issned TO Massa>
chusotts soldiers at Readville. Nighi
came upon us, dark aud rainy, an !
found us still travelling tb rough the
dark forest and wet swamps OF the
country. About twelve clock. see
ing bright illumination, which
looked like q picket or camp fire just
to the right. about quarter OF a
mile from us, we went upon higher
land to get an observation. and sat
down on somo fallen logs to consult
10 whispers as to what we had bet.
ter do, about reconnoitring tho light.
just thon 1 was certain [ heard
something move in the log on which
I sat. Isprang to my feet, with
club poised to strike perhaps II was
bear. l challenged the log with
the common expression among SOL
diers. "Are you Fed, or Reb p
yankee" came the reply and ems
erging from the log. which for the
first time | observed was hollow,
came human face or form, which,
after shaking himself like O water
spaniel, asked, in tones strangely
familiar, "Woll, boys, what next"
"Going to tie your hands, old fellow,
said |, until daylight shows enough
Of you to see If you look honest"
"Well, we'll y laughed our mysteri-
ous prisoner "why, don't you know
skityi" and sure enough It was our
missing comrsdo.
He had escaped hounds like our
selves, by floating down the Flint
River, and by q singular coincidence
had fallen IN with us again in the
manner related /; the hollow log be
selected for his hotel for the night
As he was sharp fellow aud had q
watch, be was quite q valuable ad-
dition to our party.
When this surprise was over, wo
once more held a consultation about
the fire which had attracted our at
tention, before the incident narrated
occurred. We concluded the safest
and best way was to reconnoitre. in
order to ascertain the nature Of our
noighbors, and SEQ if danger was
threatening us.
We found it q camp fire near q
tent, at which sat . solitary picket
with his gun f; it was ona oross-road,
stationed, ] suppose, to intercept
prisoners. One Of our number got
near enough to have knocked him
over, had it been desirable.
At another time that night we
heard voice behind us, but con-
cluded it was some picket tent, Of
which there were many scattered ov.
or that part Of the country. can az
sure you, We did look O little out,
while passing along. About three
O'Clock that morning it stopped rains
ing, and We lay down together under
tree, to get suoh rost a. best We
could. II was such lodging as we
were accustomed to, aud the three
middle ones had some hopes Of
keeping warm.
At daylight, stiff and more weary
than when We lay down, We resumed
our journey through the woods.
Our Johnney cake was eaten, and
during the day We stopped only to
pick q few berries which grew in
the woods. We got nothing else to
eat during that day. Next day,
about noon, We came upon some
cattle brawsing in the woods. We
killed small yearling heifer, one
holding her as best he could, while
another cut her throat with our
sheath knife. We cut the meat such
ss We desired and divided it among
ourselves. The skin We cut into
strips, with which, aud With some Of
our clothes, we constructed rude
haversacks, 10 which to carry our
meat. We had no matches, or 9th
or method Of kindling q fire, and
Of course eat our meat raw, with
little salt We had to season il.
Thus day by day, we travelled
I;nCaasanklv kaao;no awav from the