Evening journal., 1890-01-21

had lert In the morning Lived ON the north
side Of this peak, had now some little idea
as to my whereabouts It was utterly use
less, AS well as foolhnrdy, soon recognized,
to attempt to rench Mount Mitchell that day.
This peak was not even in sight, and as far
from me, now realized, as when had first
begun the ascent Of the range. My more
sensible and decidedly safer plan was to try
TO find my way back TO my late hosts cabin,
since now had some idea as to its direction.
Leaving the sun directly on my left faced
about, and again entered the balsam thick
cts. ! now found then not quite so impone-
trable as before, although il still required no
little amount Of skillful engineering " work
my way through them l seemed to be going
up all the time, rather a steep incline at that,
which made my task the more arduous
Every now aud then hinge rock would loom
up Ia front of me. Sometimes had 70 climb
directly over the top Of those, and again to
make my way cautiously around some dan
gerously projecting ledge.
The handsof my watch pointed 70 o'clock,
and had been for nearly three hours again
wandering in the halsams, as hopelessly per-
picked as before, when, just rs had fallen
forward upon a spongy bed OF moss, utterly
despairing, caught the sound of softly fall
ing water, ! had eaten nothing since my
early start Of the morning. with the excep-
ton Of small piece Of corn dodger and fried
bacon, the mountaineer's inevitable daily
diet. So great had been my distress Of mind
for the past six or seven hours all thought Of
hunger had been completely driven ansay, all
though | had long ago become aware that
was suffering terribly tran thirst. The sound
OF the trickling water therefore reminded
me again, nHd most forcibly, of this want.
soon found the tiny stream, making its way
from a fissure in the huge rock near where
had thrown myself.
My thirst slnked, and a small portion Of
my lunch partaken Of, | was preparing to
start or once more on what / now realized,
only too painfully, was a hopeless sort Of
wandering, when thought struck me with
sudden hopefulness. / would follow the
coarse of the stream.
Surrounded as the range was with numer-
Gus large watercourses, nearly every one OF
which had its source near the submits Of the
peaks / did not doubt that this tiny trickle
was the head waters of some one OF the nu-
merous creeks in the valley below. / had
much difficulty at first in tracing out the
thread like flow of water, but gradually it
grew more and more distinct, till, finally. 1
had all that / could do to maintain my foot
ing upon the slippery rocks and roots along
its course
Very soon my further progress was arrested
by what seemed TO be the edge Of precipice
Of no small extent, for the water fell with
considerable sound to what l judged was n
pool below. The rododendrons, or mountain
laurel, fringed its edges with thick tangle,
while above the great balsam frs interlocked
their boughs,
was cautiously approaching the edge Of
the precipice for the purpose OF CHANGING
over, when a treacherous rock gave way
beneath me, and the next moment felt my
self plunging downward with that horrible
sensation one experiences when falling into
space. My feet struck the water, when, with
sudden terrible shock, felt my further
course arrested,
Stunned and rendered senseless as was, for
the first few moments, by the terrific force
with which my downward plunge had been
checked, il was some little time ere recov-
cred sufficient consciousness to take note OF
my surroundings and Of my own situation.
When did discovered that in falling the
roll made by my blanket had caught in the
bare, projecting spur Of a dead balsam that
lay top downward in the pool 1t was a veri
table monarch Of the forest, with huge trunk
gray with age and almost branches. What
was now the upper portion, with the roots at
tached, rested securely against the topmosi
edge Of the preoipice, while the other end wa,
buried deep in the pool. The pool itself was
about twenty-five or thirty feet across, and
Of considerable depth, as judged by its dark
still looking surface.
To unbuckle the straps that held the blanket
across my shoulders was the work Of but a few
moments when once l had recovered posses
sion Of my faculties Leaving the blanket
and straps to take care Of themselves, 1 scram.
bled upon the balsam. after considerable ef
fort, and with great difficulty, for was still
suffering from the shock of the falkland
made my way by means Of the hoary trunh
to the top Of the precipice.
IL was now after 6,o'clock, and the denss
! gloom Of the balsams had so deepened that
/ could scarcely see how to make my way
through them. Realizing the utter foolhard
mess Of attempting to do anything further
towards finding my way out through tn,
dense night that was now fast settling down
/ selected the dryest and most sheltered spot
/ could find near to the stream, and building
fire Of the dead balsam boughs prepared t.
spend the night
The next morning about IL o'clock, aftel
! many hours again spent in what seemed bu
useless effort, l struck distinct trail Fol
lowing it with no great difficulty, / soor
reached the hut of one Of the mountaineers
On relating TO him an account of my adven
lures, the honest fellow seemed considerable,
struck With what he looked upon as my al
most miraculous escape from death-Win
| throp Burroughs in Yankee Blade.