Year: 1870

ENTOMBED ALIVE.


For thirty years l have made my


home on the plains and among the


fastneSses Of the Rocky Mountains,


also spending a portion of my time
in the Golden States of the Pacific.


In 1849 1 started with a party to cross


the plains in hopes Of making my


fortune a-digging for the shining


dust that people said was to be had


for picking up. There was dozen
of us, all first rate, jovial fellows, all
Of them having had more or less ex-
perience in roughing it out on the
prairies of the West.


We had no women kind among us
to hinder our progress, so we got
over the ground pretty fast, and
reached Salt Lake several days be-
fore we had expected when we set
out. We were all well and hearty,
: and in the best spirits; and after
spending three days with the Saints
and getting a view of some of the
ladies claimed by Bringham and his
] Elders, who didn't seem at all averse
to our company, we turned our backs
upon them and set our faces toward
the setting sun.


The plains were no longer before
us; but a country filled with deep
valleys and steep rugged mountains,
The third day after entering upon
this region, we encamped for the
night on the bank of a wild torrent
that was swollen almost to the size
of river by the recent rains, 1t had
been with great difficulty that we
got safely across land although it was
but the middle Of the afternoon, we
resolved not to go any further that
night as one Of the party complained
of not feeling well.


After the arrangements for camp
ling had been well nigh completed and
as the sun was still two hours high
and feeling very much fatigued; Il
threw my rifle over my shoulder,
and told my comrades that Twas 60
ing to take an hours tramp up the
stream where a large gorge opened
among the mountains, in hopes to get
a change shot at something that
would serve to help make up a
supper. None of the boys offered to
accompany me; and after receiving a
caution not to wander too far, and to
return to camp before nightfall, l set
out.


The way was rougher than l ex-
pected, and more than once 1 had
half mind to turn back; but 1 per-
severed, and for half an hour picked
my way up the rough valley, which
was hemmed in by rugged noun
tains, or, rather, by high cliffs, that
owing to some convulsion ofnature,
had cast huge masses from their
sides, almost blocking up the narrow
space that existed between their base
and the banks of the ravine, and in |
some places partially filling the bed
of the stream, over which the wa
ter rushed with a noise almost dea-
fening.


1 had lost sight Of the smoke that
arose from our campfire, owing to
the high cliffs.


All this l noticed, as, seated with
my back against the wall, 1 listened
to the raging of the tempest with
out, the fury of which 1 do not re-
member ever having seen equaled.


Half an hour passed; and the
storm, instead of abating, seemed to
increase in intensity, and 1 began
to think that l should have to pass
the night where 1 was. l knew, by
the laundering of the water in the
ravine, that it was fast rising. From
where sat, indeed, 1 could see the
cliffs on the opposite side OF the
stream. 1t seemed, l fancied, al
lmost as the food must have appear
ed at it's commencement.


l had begun to feel secure in my
place of refuge, and the fact of the
huge boulder being above my head
lno longer troubled me, when sud
Idenly, to my unspeakable terror, l
saw a huge rock washed from its
sandy base and 60 plunging down
Into the ravine. Horrors, what if
the one before me should fall and
block me up? I seized my rife and
sprang toward the outlet. The storm
was preferable to my place of shell
ter.


Heaven have mereym L cried, as
l felt the movements of the cliff a
bove me; and then, to my horror and
dispair, the great boulder, loosened
bv the torrents of rain, slipped from
its resting place, and ere could es
cape hemmed me in perfect dark
ness.


| was entombed alivei


The horror of my situation came
upon Inc with such force that did
what never did before nor since-I
tainted away.


How long l remained insensible L
know not; but when at last l came
to myself again 1 thought it was
: terrible dream. But the illusion
soon wore off, and the stern reality
was before me, and 1 began claimly
to think of what chance | had OF es-
Gaping from my living tomb.
Very little indeed was there to
hope in the prospect before me. No
prison bars were as strong as those
that held me back from the outer
world. that l had never priced 50
. highly as l now began to do. There
seemed no possible hope; for man,
with his unaided strength, could
never move the huge rock that seal
ed up the entrance to my sepulchre.
A faint ray of light came In one
side my prison door, and through the
Icrevice came the sound of the roar
inc water, swollen to double its usu-
, al volume, IN the bed of the ravine.
The crevice would give me air and
would come and 60, 50 long as lie
might remain to me. My compan-
ions would doubtless search long for
me. and could 1 not make myself
heard should they chance to pass