The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1893-10-14


they wcre young, strong and brave. /
the twilight Of that short winter da
they gathered more fuel with thei
pocket knives cut branches from th
I trees to make them couch by thei
fire, and laid down to talk and think
and finally, weary and hungry, to fal
into sleep in which all their care
were forgotten.
Whom they awoke the next mornin,
they at once agreed that their safety de
pended upon their finding the mininI
camp, which they knew to be on tina
island, at the earliest possible moment
But in what direction should they begir
their search? They only knew there
was such camp, but where to look fol
it they could not even conjecture. Ths
only way to 6nd it was to keep wander.
ing around in search of it.
i But their precious 6re must they
leave it No, they could carry it with
them. So, gathering some large sticks,
they bound brand in the middle OF
them so that they would retain fire SO
that it could be renewed as often as nee
essary, they struck out, deciding 10 60
southwark, keeping in sight of the
shore. Travelling over rough ground
and through brush and underground, in
snow more than two feet deep, the hum
cry men did not make very rapid pro-
gress. They knew that on the south end
of the Island was lighthouse, occupied
during the navigation season on the
lake, but abandoned during the winter,
and the hope that they might ind some
food left there, if they did not before
reaching there find the mining camp
for which they were in search, deter
mined them in going in this direction.
They plodded wearily all day until pear
nightfall, without seeing single sign
Of life, except occasionally one of those
little soberly dressed northern winter
birds called sap-sucksrs, fitting around
quietly or clinging to the bark of birch
trees, and at other times they would oc-
casionally see the track of rabbit in
the snow.
On the fourth day they sighted the
lighthouse, which they we're not long in
reaching. The only thing eatabe they
found there was about twenty five |
pounds of candles. They pitched greed
lily into these, for the first time break
ing the fast in five days. Camping and
here for day, they deter
mined to renew their search for the
mining camp. In the lighthouse they
found a conble of old coats. Out of these
they cut the sleeves, tying one end of
each and drawing them ever their hands
and coat sleeves for mittens. They
found an old Eunny sack which they
raveled out and twisted the Rawlings
into strong strings which they used for
making snsres for rabbits. When they
were ready to make camp at night they
would set snares on the rabbits runs
and were occasionally successful in ind {
ng one of these animals caught and
io1ch tue hS4e iuoiuiuR. AS sUOH d6 |
one was found the skin was torn off and /
he frozen carcass divided between the i
wo brothers, who did not wait to take it /
o their fire and broil it, but went at it, q
'lood, visera and all, like two famished t
Folves, until the last of it was partially t
atiating their pangs Of hunger. These, C
Nth tba oraaeo of fba 10 N 1Iao IN, hill, !,
efore leaving the lighthouse they had t
,elted into lump in an old pan which s
hey had found, Withdrawing the wicks r
nd saving them TO kinde fires, kept I,
lem from starving. They would, all f
ay long nearly, pick buds, twigs and G.
ieces of moss, chew and swallow them.
All the time the snow was growing a
eeper until it reached fully three feet. b
hen it began to grow intensely COLI. Il
very day they broke camp and wan 81
3red on. YEARLY and almost hopelessly tt
odding through the deep snow, all the IN
me carrying their precious fire with m
EN-, the care and preservation of W
hich was always in their sane mo- &c
ent in their minds. tn
They started up on the opposite side tn
the island from which they had come az
WIN, always watching for smoke or hr
me sign of human habitation. For re
enty days from the time they left the ex
hthouse they plodded on, every day fe'
inging about the same hopeless re. do
is at nightfall. Some nights rabbit VI
two were caught, but oftener moth tai
: in sight to stay their hunger in the jol
'rning, and all the time both growing up
aker and less able to stand the ia OF
ue and the cravings Of hunger. Their
low was all gone and two or three col