Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-02-18

bulk OF that snow came, anu thcse hciu
the snow up so that the smoke went sail
ing about IN hrudred channels
got myself some supper, wound up the
clock, and sat down for smoke ana q
think. The hermit had two pipes and
large stock Of tobacco, and lonely as was
my situation feeling OF gratitude TO God
for the comforts ut hand was uppcrmost
in my mind. Twas now perfectly satisfied
that I was buried deep under the snow,
and that my rescue would be matter OF
weeks, The tlrst move was to write out
statement of the accident, and this |
placed where IL would bc preserved and
found In case Of my death. Then began
u daily Journal, aud mapped out pro-
gramme to be followed. A weeks i'm
prisonment would be nothing, but after
that IL would not do to let the mind dwell
on the situation. You see, the horror OF
It was the stiffness. The idca kept COM
ing up that was buried alive, and II was
an awful thing TO think Of. The hermit1
clock was an old fashioned one, with nS
loud tick tack, and after the cabin got
through settling under the weight II tfby
snow every tick sounded almost as loud
as the blow Of hammer II was so
warm that needed only the smallest fire,
and when went TO bed ut O'Clock there
was no need Of even q single blanket for
cover.
was up at an early hour next morn.
ing. having slept like loS all night, ana
while eating breakfast was startled by
sounds which believed to be the voice VI
human being thought | could hear
groans and mOans and cries for help, :;M
when opened the door the sounds camo
to mc moro distinctly. II might be that
| a.. .t.e tls.G GnntC teI
succeeded In tunneling his way 10 point
from which could rescue him by digging,
and Ind no sooner dispatched my break
fast than set about making me shovel
60 dig with. found u hatchet, and with
this shnrpsned board and the snow /
dug from the doorway heapcd up in the
fuel room. had not been digging over
half an hour when ! maLo the discovery
that the first rush of the avalanche had
brought down great lot Of small trees,
bushes, aud rocks, with here and there
large trcc. They had been piled up hciter
skeltcr, hut they held UP the mass Of snow
SO that with littlo digging could run
tunnel In almost any direction. Great
care was necessary, however, ~ the bur-
den above was very heavy, and the dis
placement Of "a supper; might bring down
great weight of snow.
After had run the tunnel straight ont
from the door about twenty feet turned
TO the right, ma,,c my way under u lot
Of rubbish, ana after going about thirty
feet came upon the body 81 an Indian.
Here the iimbs and sticks made u sort of
bower, under which hc lay, nnd knew
that 1t was his voice had heard calling.
There were no Indians about las except
hostiles, and just before the snow came
they had killed TWO men belonging to our
camp. We had no fear ot them after
winter set in, knowing that they stuck
close 10 their villages. Here was n rcd
skin. however, and in full war paint; but
had no sooner found him than saw
that hc was dead. though his h",ly was
still warm. lie had lrcn rau!r'l In u
terrible manner, both legs being broken,
his head all hlnody from an injury, and
his right arm doubled under him ns IL
broken. could see the bait ~ his rife
stickin. ont OF the snow, but when
pulled at IL found the barrel missing. IL
mad been wrrnchc,i OF. tsot MS tOtia''
hawk nnd knife. however, together with
powder horn and bullet puGch, aud when
had pulled the body along and crep, behind
II. / caught sight of moccasn in the
snow and dirt. II took me an hour TO
uncarth the body. which was that Of u
second warrior. The life had been crushed
ont III him in second. The mass of rock
which had come down with him had
broken every bone in his body, and great
share Of his face had been ground oif.
His rifle could not find, while both knife
and tumahawk were broken. While
searching his cold and battered body
found buckskin bag containing about
$:iOU worth II small nuggets of gold, and
81. bfpe In nvaftnil fht. al Her
also got from him u bag containing
about 5000 worth Of dust and nuggets,
and In the search found attached 10 his
belt u white mans scalp. which had not
becn oil the victims head over two days.
They must have been in ambush part way
up the mountain. intent upon taking the
hcrmii's scalp. and but for the avalanche
they might have had mine rs well.
The day had gone by the time hnd
oycrhanlcd the second Indians body.
Being az work the hours had passed
swiftly away. aud had not given myself
any time To- brood over the horrors of the
situation. After supper | sat In front Of
the llrO for while, then wrote mp my
daily Journal, aud when ] went 10 bed
/ left the door wide open. II seemed To
me ;ha; the mir WAS getting foul down
there, aud hy opening the door the room
was greatly purified. II was midnight. as
I aflcrward came 10 know, and the fire
was all out, when some noise IN the room
startled me. ! sGt up IN bed and WAS
soon convinced that some one or some
living thin. beside myself was present.
could hear laborcd breathing. together
with sounds ns VI some Que pulling him
self al0us the door, and climbed over
the fot of the bc,l and lighted the candle.
What WAS my amgzcment TO find thir,l
savage In the cabin, lie lad quite
reached the side of the bed, and l.al
got out tla; way, aS usual, lie wuu'd
have at least wounded me, fur lie
Ind his naked knife in his haul
and was brnt on murder. The hatchct
was at hand. but did Eoi need u weapon.
The warrior hn,l becn drg,dfnlly hurt.
anh, ~ investigation proved, had been
buried Just beyond tho other two. Vixen
left the hN;'cs lie ha,l du; his way 10 ~ y
tunnel, and t,cn pulled himself along To
tho door. iu,cndins Ia have my lie ~
slept. Whrn llalcl In this, lac stared at
me with all the hate human heart can
bctray lie was crushed NJ the hips. and
nome hut a .lya.;c coul,l have accn;npli- -hr,l
what he lid. could have killed him at
a single lilpvr. hut the horrible work was
spared nir. Death WIS already beside
him, Hnd n | sto"l Hni leaked down
upon him. candle in hand, be- uttered u
FAINT wLrwlpnp and fell over dead. When
was surc this; lifc iad departed drr..,cl
him int" the tuincl aud shut AMI haired
the dunr. aipl 81 upset hs'l my nerves he.
come hy the adventure that | did not
sleep again that night.
In the morning cScavaiod hole near
where the iva b~iies lay and pushed the
three into Il and packed the snow over
thcm. Then hcsan runnin; n tunnel foT
the lc,i.:c tn front of the cabin. aud hal
gone about twenty feet when the second
night gamc. Early In the third day had
rko Ua~lict TToo,s,,o,,.