The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-02-17
PRIEST LOST IN A FOREST.
THE AGONY OF FEAR AND HUNGER
FOR MANY HOURS.
Wolves Surround the Terrified Man who
Through the Oppressive Darkness of
Dense Woods Can See No Guiding Light
Though Indians Are Not Far Away.

Though Indians Are Not Far Away.
The Rev. o. Savenier Louismet, an epos-
tolic missionary and provost of o. ;. B.,
Oklahoma, who has been giving a Sacred
Heart mission at st. Johns church, had
missionary appointment among the OsaGes
three years ago. "One morning" he said
to SENTINEL reporter yesterday, "a little
after o'clock, l thought / would start
out to see the country. II was in Novem-
Der, but the weather was not very cold.
There was large creek running through
rolling and wooded country, and this
possessed such an attraction for me that |
followed the meanderings for three or
four miles, admiring the wild scenery.
The woods were full of beautiful birds
went a long way into them, but was
disappointed in seeing no living thing but
the small birds that looked curiOusly at
me from the branches of huge trees. 1
soon felt that had gone astray and lost
my head completely. Climbing a hill L
struck a footpath. pursued it for a consid-
cradle distance, tancving that 1t would
bring me to some settlement. But no set
Element or human form did IL bring me to
although the entire day / spent in follow
ing it. Evening came and with 1t the
longing for something to eat.
Stories were numerous then OF people
falling victims TO the rapacity OF wolves
and panthers and [ felt afraid they would
attack and devour me. Fortunately had
match about me, and gathering the
hrrrs h II I l. n nd Mill al
on branches which | had to use ali my
strength in breaking from the trees. Then
sitting down on the leaves l prepared TO
wait the rising of the sun on the next
morning. The place was very stlll, and
the blazing fire made the background look
blacker than what it really was.
at was somewhere about midnight"
continued the missionary, when a great
yelling attracted my attention. l thought
of bears, and looked timidly into the dark
ness from which the sound came. In
couple of minutes a number of dark
shadows were revealed about ten yards
away, moving stealthily toward the fire.
Then they came within the re-
Election of its light and L saw
they were wolves. There were fully
twenty-five in the pack, and the way they
stared at the fire assured me that IL was
mere curiosity to see the fire that had
attracted them and not any greedy inten-
ton regarding myself. Seating themselves
on their launches, they set up kind OF
howl which L took to be a serenade for
my benefit. For some minutes l re-
manned motionless, and then, even in my
distress, imagining that l would
have little fun. put my
hands in a kind of hollow globe
before my mouth and shouted with
all the might of my lungs. l had to laugh
when l saw how quickly the wolves sprang
to their feet and vanished as if the sky
had been falling about their ears. In a
short time, however, they returned, but
again | scared them away in the same
manner. Ii was yet a long way from
dawn and the fire was reduced to some
dying embers when felt it was necessary
| to keep it alive. So long az | could keep
it blazing l knew no wild animals would
come near, so set to work breaking Off
more branches. The weakest ones were
almost too strong for me to break, but by
swinging on them for several minutes
! they would at length snap and / piled
/ them on the fire. Ny hands were LAGER
ated and bleeding and my strength L felt to
| be gradually dying away. Not particle
| of any kind of food had passed my lips
| for thirty hours. The realization of the
/ moment was something terrible; l could
not hope that the next would bring any
| relief. but with the first blush of morning
/ | arose and searched around Tor something
to allay the terrible craving of nv appe-
| tite. My search was Ruthless and | again
| lay down for a little rest. The birds were
now commencing to fly around, but if
could kill one with stone my arm was
not strong enough to throw it few
| feet. Something was to be done, how
ever, and, rising to my feet staggered
along, not knowing In what direction my
| footsteps were bent. There were numer-
Gus broad valleys and little wooded hills
meeting my gaze on every side as l went
along, but nowhere could discern any
| thing in the shape of an Indians wigwam.
at was again late in the afternoon and
| / had succeeded in gaining the summit
that it might give me view of some
Indian settlement. 1t was better
than l expected, for in a valley
at the opposite side l discovered two
squaws or Indian women three-fourths of
mile off engaged In work Of some kind.
l felt my strength scarcely equal to get
ting over the intervening space and an
other rest was necessary. Sitting down on
some dry leaves / felt l would like to eat,
and taking up some l put them in my
| mouth, but l could not swallow any. They
tasted dry and smoky, and were most
disgusting. Feeling cold and dizzy and
with my nerves tinRling with indescribable
sensations. once more made an effort to
go forward. Several times L fell on my
face and hands, but the hope of life would
again infuse some strength into my
limbs, and torn. sore and bleeding l tried
to lessen the distance between me and the
Indian women. With what difficulty /
struggled to reach them is better imagined
than described; tottering at every footstep
like an infant first learning to walk, is a
remembrance which shall always haunt
me. When l had come near enough to
speak l wanted to tell them to give me
something to eat before l died, but my
tongue refused TO utter a word and
| stnmh lad and fell ON the ground at Their