Year: 1871

A late number of the Detroit Free
L ress contains the following, which will
remind our readers of Victor Hugo's
story of the traveller who perished in the
quicksands off the coast of Bretagne:


A German about twenty FIVE years old,
named Henry Osster, employed on farm
In Nankin township, set out to hunt after
COW the other day. He took his rifle
and expected to return home at dark,
whether successful or not. About five
o'clock in the afternoon, when within a
mile or two of Perrinsville, he came down
from bank in piece of woods to the
edge of a small creek. Across the creek
was piece of marshy ground, not over
four yards wide, covered with long grass
and plants. The same sort of ground ex-
tending distance either way, Osster de-
termined to cross it, after getting over
the creek. Taking half dozen steps,
he found the ground giving way, and
made jump for what he took to be solid
ground. He landed up to his knees in
mire, and found his feet firmly gripped
as if in vice. He tried to word his feet
out, but every trial sunk them deeper,
and in less then FIVE minutes his knees
were out of sight. When he landed, his
gun struck the marsh FIVE or six feet
away, alighting on piece of old log
which held it up.


When he found that he was mired
Osster began to shout for help, shouting
himself hoarse before recollecting that he
was three quarters of mile from any
house, and half mile from the travelled
road. As it grew dark, and he felt him
self slowly sinking, he took careful
survey of the situation, to discover his
chances of escape from death. His first
act was to empty his pockets, and remove
his coat and vest, that the extra weight
might not sink him. To his right, about
ten feet away, was knoll of solid ground,
on which grew thorn. apple tree one of
the limbs of which extended almost over
the mans head, and about four feet be-
yond his reach. Thinking that if he
could get possession of his gun he might
secure the limb, Osster took off his
suspenders, tied them together, made a
moose, and after careful and tedious work
lassoed the rife and dragged it to him.
This was after he had been in the mire
nearly two hours, aud quite while after
dark. He thought he had not sunk any
for the last half hour, but the extra
weight Of the gun, as he held it up, sunk
him nearly to his hips, and he quickly
laid it down


The mans position, to say nothing of
the danger, was so painful that he could
not help but cry out. His legs were
pressed together, and the mire was cold
enough to benumb him. Little tufts Of
grass growing up from spots Of solid
ground not much larger than his head,
were all around him, but the moment he
took hold of any of them it would pull
away, having no real support. Osster
had pipe with him. He got this from
his coat, and twisted off the German sill
yer ring around the stem. The ring he
broke between his teeth, bent it up like
hook, and then fastened it to his sus-
penders, determined to make an effort to
reach the limb Time after time he made
the throw, but the hook failed to catch,
or slipped of or bent out straight, and at
ten o'clock at night the victim was up to
his hips and slowly settling. Placing
bis coat and vest on either side, he push
ed them down with his hands, and in this
way kept his body from settling as fast
as it otherwise would. He ceased trying
to shout, knowing that he could not ex-
pect he p before another day.


AS Osster did not return at dark, the
man for whom he worked walked mile
or so in the direction from which he was
expected, but stopped within half a mile
of the place where he was sinking down
to death Returning home, he agreed to
make further search in the morning,
and when the time came he got a neigh
Dor to 60 with him. They took direc.
ton quite different from that in which
Osster was to be found, and searched the
woods until nearly noon. They then de,
termined to go the other way. In COM
ing out of the woods they passed within
forty rods Of Osster, and were nearly half
a mile away when one Of them fired at a
squirrel. All night long Osster was
slowly sinking, and when the sun marked
noon he was up to his shoulders in the
mire. Hearing the shot, he put forth his
strength into shout, followed by another,
and his voice was heard and recognized.
Even after his friends were within fifty
feet of him, he had to shout to guide
them, as his head was below the grass.
They instantly set about rescuing him.
Logs and brush were piled into the swamp
until they could reach him. Finding
that they could not pull him out by the
arms, the mire was scooped away from
his body and he was literally pried out.
He has been sick with fever since.


A white boy asked young negro what
l. L Ill q clart Gnr 2 IL l.