The San Francisco call., 1899-07-02
Plucky w om an
Lost i'm Mendo=
cino's Wilds for
Four Days. She
Was Obliged to
Live ON Berries
and q Few Birds
Caught by Her
Faithful Dog.

other things to occupy my attention.
It was a magnificent morning, and do
you know 1 really half enjoyed the idea
of the whole thing only | was so anX-
ious because [ knew my husband
would. be simply frantic. He was, too.
II had been thinking what l meant to
do. 1 was sure that the creeks all
were ranches all along on Eel River.
Now, obviously if l followed a creek,
I, too, would get TO Eel River. So l set
about finding a creek. 1t sounds such
an easy thing to do-just go into the
valleys and there is where the creeks
are.
1T was late in the afternoon before
did at last find one. I tried to follow
a trail, thinking they were all made by
deer going to- the creeks to drink.
Somehow every trail | tried just went
into the chaparral, and ended there
There were quantities of wild straWber-
ries and green blackberries. Then
found some miners lettuce and sheep
sorrel. and 1 ate the ends of the black
berry vines. I wondered if l would not
have to kill and eat Harebell: | was
hungrieT that day than at any other
time. I did not dare to rest often be-
cause 1 did not know how far l might
When l reached the creek, however. [
decided to stay there all night, and
made a fire. l chose q fiat place with
three large trees growing close to-
gether There was a good deal of dry
wood about, and l was so tired l
lay down in the sand after 1 had made
up big fire
"HarebeIl was getting so hungry he
was thin, and he woke me just as it
was getting light by springing at bird
not far from where [ lay. l heard
great fuss from some quail and pres
emily the dog came out with one in his
mouth. He sat down and began to eat
it. but I thought it no more than fair
for him to divide, so l got the bird.
4 did not follow any special recipe
in cooking it, but stuck il on a sharp
stick. 1t tumbled into the fire twice.
but ashes were as good as salt to me
that time.
After we had finished, 1 set out
again to find Eel River Part of the
way the walking on the shore was
good but some of the time the banks
were very steep. Finally l gave up
and just walked in the water or jumped
from one stone to another or got on any
way [ could. 1t was awfully hard go
ing, and ! kept hearing things or think
ing l did. There was a noise in the
brush, and I was awfully frightened
I thought I heard voice. l waited
and Harebell kept right at my feet and
sneaked behind me. There was big
brown stump about a hundred yards
aheard on a little plateau all by itself
l thought by getting to it l could have
a chance to look about and rest a few
minutes Harebell would not follow.
He seemed to prefer the water, so |
went alone I was so tired l didn't
have much sense left, and l thought if
the dog didn't want to come he could
stay.
do you know I thought l was al
ready beginning to lose my reason
The stump gave a low growl and then
started off up the steep hillside. L had
been on the lookout every moment for
bears, and yet you cannot think how
queer | felt for minute. Then / re-
allied that I had taken a big brown
bear for a stump.
II sat right down and made up my
mind that some of the bear stories l
had heard were not true.
Il just trudged on and on all day.
and I think / saw very little nor had
much Of an idea of what I was doing.
THE next day almost at night l
found great empty barn. There was
some hay and several bags of salt in a
small shed, so I made up my mind there
must be some one living in that part
of the world. / looked for a TRAIL but
there were not less than three and all
overgrown and unused. A little after,
three cows and some calves suddenly
appeared on the top of hill. They
stood a few minutes, loked at me, and
then away they went as if they did not
care to meet me.
II went back to the barn and lay
down on the hay to sleep. ! began to
feel as if 1 could not go much further.
My feet ached and had been blistered
the first day. I had pair of water
proof shoes coming to my knees. and
with a thick hob nailed sole. They had
o,,.1 7 g
having them fitted the man who sold
them had said jokingly;
If you get hungry, you know YOU
can live for days on those shoe strings.
Il began to think 1 would soon have
to either eat ny dog or my shoe strings
unless something happened
''In the night I was wakened 3y