Year: 1871




spread. IT became more and more
difficult to discern the trail, and my
horse was unable to proceed faster
than walk. We struggled on, we'll
knowing that tn hesitate, to falter,
was but to die; ard at noon had


made half the distance. My horse
gave signs of fatigue, and seeking a
partially sheltered spot under small
bluff, I gave him the corn that I had
carried for him, and, cutting a hole
in the ice with my knife, gave him
drink. Having provided as well
as | could for my beast, I took from
my carpet sack the lunch I had bro't
for myself, when, to my surprise and
great disapraIntnient. found Il fro.
zen as hard as rock. / attempted
to eat it but IL was of no use, my
teeth could penetrate iron as we'll;
I could neither bite nor break it. /
was therefore compelled to forego
that meal, but solaced myself with
Tho thought that could eat il ut
night after = had fire and had
thawed it out. Our noaning was q
brief one, lasting no longer than. was
required for my horse, Ned, sc finish
his lonely meal, and we were again
on our way. Up to this time Ned
had acted like q true friend, had
stopped at nothing. 1 had but to
make him know what / wanted of
him, and he was ready to respond to
the best Of his horse ability; but
after partaking of his noontide re.
past he appeared TO have traded off
his good horse sense Cor the ebstina-
cy Of mule Of the most radical
sect, and at the first slough gave
me a practical and strong proof that
when good horse concludes to turn
mule he makes the meansst mule on
earth. Before dinner he made moth.
ing of crossing sloughs on the ice,
and had thought he showed more
than ordinary sagacity in feeling his
way, and If necessary, fastening as
the ice began to crack; buta change
had come over him, and at the first
little slough he refused to venture on
the ice. Coaxing had no effect TO
induce him to go on the ice, argu.
ments with the voice or whip or
both were of no avail /; lie was play
ing mule and he did IL to perfection.
Each time that j led him up to the
ice he commenced backing. ] fouEht
with him until was compelled to
give I up, and then / concluded to
try stratagem on him. led him up
near the ice and then quickly turned
his head away from the ice and pre-
tended to want to lead him forward /;
he, as usual concluded togo the 9TH
er way, and backed on tho ice, AID
tho had him at an advantage, and
insisted on his continuing the back
ing until the slough was erossed.-
Unfortunately sloughs were very
frequent, and at every one the same
fight had to be gone over. OF
course all this took up precious time
and night came on before / had pro.
gressed three miles from where we
stopped at noon. ~f ~ ~'"@s


/ will not endeaver TO express my
feelings when / found myself alone
in the midst of that great prairie,
night coming on, the storm appa-
rently increasing in violeuce, the
cold more and more intense, neither
wood nor shelte-within miles of me.
You may perhaps imagine what
would be your feelings, but ! pray
that you may never know from ac.
tual experience knew that / was
In great peril, that the chances of
surviving that night were fearfully
against me, but 1t was no time then
to give up. / thought of my fam.
lily and determined TO never give it
up, that If at last was compelled to
surrender, my last effort should be to
go on. With this determination
firmly fixed in my mind, / east
about to find the best place to pass
the night. The trail had become so
completely covered with snow that
1t was impossible 10 keep il In the
night, and / feared that IL I once
lost IL, / might not be able to find 1t
again. The wind during the whole
day had driven the snow In such
clouds that | was aOle &c see but a
very few fee. In front of me, and
nGne at all In any other direction.
Under these circumstances I con-
.cluded that my only safe course was
to remain where / was until day.
break, and then Ii the storm abated
/ Iexpected to beable TO reach house
early in the forenoon. ] accordingly
selected a spot which was partially
sheltered from the wind aud tying
my horses head to one of his fore
feet so that lac could not stray away
from me, Il led him into the shelter
of the little bluff, and then began
my weary walk on the ice of the
slough. For the distance of perhaps
IL OIL IS feet, the Ice was free from
snow, and on this tramped all that
long, dreary night. / knew that If
/ once gave up, death was inevitable.
That unless kept in motion, sleep
would overcome me, and to sleep
was never to wake In this life. i.
had a stick In my hand with which
i belabored myself, and in this man
ner passed that long night. At
last day broke aud / wRs enabled to
look about me. had been trampings
over my short course some ten or
twelve hours, and felt desire to ex~
plore little further up the slough.
Unfortunately, gave way to this
desire and started on run up the
slough; had proceeded. perhaps,
some Is or 20 rods when the treacher-
Gus ice gave way under my feet, and
I was precipitatcd into the water up
to my knees. For the first time my
presence of mind forsools me, and as
/ struggled wildly toget out of the
water, rs ] put my foot on the Ice in
front of me, IL gave way under my
weight, and I was again and again