The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-04-14
A pxRpLKxrNo SITUATION.

/
We were q party of travellers on our
way to our new home, on what was then
Familiarity known as the "Indian Land"
that IL, land that had recently been pur-
chased by the Gov ernment from the
tribe of winnebago Indians. Day by day
we had been leaving improvements and
civilization further behind US. Each day
the settlements had grown more scatter
ing, the country wilder, more lonely, and
to our homesick eyes it had less invit-
ing look. We were leaving friends and
pleasant society far behind us. This life
in new country was an untried expert
ment, and brave as we tried to be, the
prospect did not seem very encouraging.
This, however, was to be our last day
on the road. One of our party had been
out there, had rented house owned by
an old bachelor who was TO board with US,
and brought back glowing accounts OF the
future possibilities of this new region
The town we had left in the morning was
about thirty miles from our new home
that was to be. Here we purchased what
supplies we thought would be needed the
next few weeks, and, tired out with our
long journey, were rejoiced with the pros
pect that it was so near at an end, for we
had no doubt that we would rest that
night in our new home.
We went on for a few miles over rough
uneven road, but still quite passable.-
| Then we found that men had been in late
| ly, had fenced and broken several farms,
and had left them, probably until the
next season. The road on which we were
travelling was not "laid out" but cut
through the timber wherever the route
seemed the most practicable. These new
farms, in several instances, lay across the
track, and had been fenced so as to oblige
the traveller to go around. In turning
around these fields, sometimes road
would branch off, and neither of the
tracks being little better than a trail, our
main guide being "blazed" trees, we were
not certain whether we were keeping the
right direction or not-but there being no
one Of whom we could enquire, we kept
on our way. We found that the road had
been travelled a little at some time. The
marshes had been bridged with "cordu-
roy" that is, small poles had been cut and
laid closely side by side, and over these
our wagon went with bumpy- jerky mo-
ton, which no one can appreciate who
has not taken ride over a corduroy
bridge in pioneer times. We came upon,
perhaps half dozen settlers during the
day, but all, without exception, were for
eigners, who could speak the English Ian
guage but imperfectly, and they could
give us but little information as to our
whereabouts, or of the point we wanted
to reach.
We were growing more and more fear
full that we were on a wrong road, hut we
had made up our minds to keep on for
that day at least, before turning back and
travelling the tiresome road over again
Lower and lower sank the sun in the
western sky, and steadily our spirits sank
with'it. Should we, who were all unused
to ''roughing it," be obliged to pass the
night in an unknown wilderness, with, we
knew not what wild and ferocious beasts
for company2 AS the day drew near to
a close, but one hope remained tous. The
road had been travelled, and must, we
reasoned, lead to settlements somewhere.
No matter to us now whether it was those
we sought OF not, but we would keep on
as long as we could, and perhaps we
might find shelter and company for the
night We were in region where
marshes were frequent, and it was grow
ing dark. We held consultation and
agreed that we would cross the marsh just
ahead, and then if we saw no signs of life
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farther side the corduroy gave out, but
we picked out what we thought to be the
best route, and drove on. We were in but
a wagons length Of hard ground, when
there was splash, founder, and down
in the miro went both our horses at once,
and the forward part Of our wagon was
buried to the box in the same treacherous
mire. Though in time we became used to
such situations, 1t was then novel and
frightening tous. The horses were loosed
from the wagon at once, but 30 deeply
had they become embedded in the mire,
that what seemed to our frightened senses
to be hours, but what, probably, was not
many minutes, elapsed before they at last
foundered out, muddy and exhausted on
to dry land. Though we were truly
thankful for the saving Of our horses,
still the situation was bad enough. Here
were we, band Of frightened women and
children, with but one able-bodied mau in
our company, one Of our party delicate
invalid, and we all unprepared for, and
unused to camping out, the evening cold
and frosty, with storm threatening, our
wagon buried in the mire past the hope
of our being able to release it by our own
exertions, and in no situation for us to oc-
cupy as it was, and with help, we knew
not how many miles away.
For the want of something better to do
we all assembled little hillock and looked
around. The glimmer of a light in the
distance caught our eyes! A cry Of joy
burst simultaneously from nearly every
lip, while one or two were too overjoyed to
speak! The star of Bethlehem was not
hailed with more joy by the shepherds at
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