News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-11-11
HOW SISSON WAS SAVED.
A Story of Courage Out in the Gold Mines.
from the Overland Monthly.1

from the Overland Monthly.l
About Christmas, in the 1856, Snow
shoe Thompson saved the life of James
Sissou, who had been lying in an old
deserted cabin in Lake Valley twelve
DAYS with his feet frozen. There was
some flour in the cabin, and on this
Sisson had subsisted. He was in the
cabin four days without a fire. During
that time he ate the flour raw, just as it
came from the sack. On the fifth day,
while rummaging about the shanty, he
had the good fortune to find some
matches These were where no one
would have thought OF looking for
matches, as they were scattered about
under some hay that lay on the floor.
After finding the matches Sisson made
fire and thawed out his boots, when he
was able to get them off. For four days
he had lain in the cabin with his boots
frozen to his feet. When found by Mir.
Thompson, eight days later, Sisson's
legs were purple to the knees. SissOn
was confident from the appearance of
his legs that modification had set in.
He knew that unless his legs were am
putated he must soon die. As he could
GApeCI no assistance lIOuu Inc OulSl'NC
world h had concluded to himself to
undertake to perform the required oper
alton. There was an axe in the cabin,
and with this he had determined to cut
off his frozen legs. But for the Oppor-
tune arrival of Thompson, SissOn would
the next day have attempted to disiOint
his legs at the knees; for that was the
day he had fixed upon for undertaking
the operation.
At the time he found Sisson, Thomp-
son was on his way from Placerville to
Carson Valley. 1t was in the plight, and
on coming to the log house-which was
occupied in the summer as a trading
post-Thompson halted for a moment
and was knocking the snow off his shoes
by striking them against the cabin when
he heard some one cry out. Going in
side he found Sisson situated as related
above. \ considerable amount of pro-
visions had been left in the cabin in the
fall, but all except the -four had been
stolen by the Indians.
Thompson chopped a supply Of wood
for the unfortunate man, and making
HIM as comfortable as possible with the
means at hand, left for Genoa to obtain
assistance While Thompson was cut
ting the wood Sisson called out to him
and begged him not to dull the axe
the place being full of rocks-as he
might yet want it for the purpose of
taking off his legs. Sisson was firmly
of the opinion that when Thompson left
him he would never see him again. He
thought Thompson would never be able
to get down out of the mountains, and
was of the opinion that in case he did
succeed in reaching the valley he would
not attempt to return to the cabin.
Thompson told Sisson he would surely
return and take him away, and advised
him not to think of attempting to am
putate his legs, as, on cutting the ar
teries he would bleed to death. But
Sisson had thought of that. He intended
to make a sort of compress or turniquet F.
of some pieces of bailing rope, which he |
would twist around his legs with a stick
in such a way that bit of rock woud !
be pressed upon the arteries Then |
with tirebrands he would scar the ends |
of the arteries and the raw flesh of the |
stumps of his legs. Sisson's mind was
so much occupied with his plans for the
amputation OF his legs that Thompson
was almost afraid to leave the axe where /
he could get hold of it; he did so only |
upon receiving from SiSson a solemn /
promise that he would wait three days +,
before attempting to use it on his I.
knees.
On leaving the cabin Thompson trav-
eled all night, and early next morning |
arrived at Genoa. He there raised !
party of six men w. B. Wade, Harris,
Jacobs and other Old settlers to return
with him and bring Sisson down to the
valley. By Thompsons advice the party |
carried with them few tools for use in
making a sled. Snow shoes were also |
hastily constructed for the men compos- /
ing the relief party. AS none of these .
men had ever done much travelling on
snow shoes, they furnished Thompson .
not little amusement during the Jour
ney by their mishaps and involuntary
antics.
After much hard work, the party ar
rived at the lone cabin late in the eve.
ming, to the great joy of Sisson, who at |
sight of SO ma Y men felt that he was
saved.
That night they constructed hand
sled on which to carry the frozen man
down to Carson Valley. In the m rning
they awoke TO find that nearly two feet /
of new snow had fallen; there was a
depth of eight feet before. The new
snow made it very hard to get along
with the hand-sled Under Sisson's
weight it ploughed deeply along, and at
times was buried almost out of sight.
The first day the party got no further
than to Hope Valley, where they en-
camped. Sisson was made as comiorta-
BILE as possible on bed of boughs As
they had expected to reach Genoa in
one day, they had taken along with
them no blankets, and but few other
comforts for the frozen man.
The second day they reached Genoa,
and at once procured the medical assist
ance which Sisson's case so urgently
demanded The doctors found that it
would be necessary to amputate both of
Sisson's feet. Before the operation
could be performed, however, the physi-
clan said he must have some chloroform.
As SnOw-shoe Thompson never did any
thing by halves, he at once set out,
crossed the Sierra, and travelled all the
way to Sacramento. in order to get the
required drug. Finally, the long de-
layed operation was performed. Sisson
survived it, and at last accounts was
living somewhere in the Atlantic States.