Year: 1875

Fearful Adventures of Eight Hunters-I.os

 in the FOR-The Entire Party Perish.,

 A gentleman from Bartlett Springs

 Lake county, California, relates a thrill

 ing account of a party of hunters lost il

 the dense fog which has so long prevail

 ed in the Sacramento valley and the

 mountains lying to the west. He says

 party of two. arrived at the Bartlett

 Springs almost famished from hunger and cold, and ill a very pitiful manner

 gave Q hurried detail of their misfortunes

 They said that party of eight of them

 left their homes in Napa county for a

 hunting excursion. After three days

 travel and hunting they came into Lake

 county. Soon afterward one of the

 party became seriously ill, and it was de

 clded upon to return and abandon their

 first project. Accordingly they started

 homeward, with only very limited sup

 riy of provisions, not having been very

 successful in their hunting exploits. At

 the close of the first days perambula-

 tlons they found themselves entirely

 destitute of provisions and their horses

 too lame to travel. They now found

 themselves in a sad position; no food,

 game scarce and the horses utterly un-

 able to travel Besides, one of their

 party being very ill, made it out of the

 question to resume their journey on

 foot. What they were to do was more

 than they could conceive. All their en-

 deavors to capture deer or even rab-

 bit or a bird were fruitless. Wouldthey leave the unfortunate invalid to perish

 ln that wild and mountainous country?

 That was more than they could think of.

 Would they stay and perish? Such thoughts as these employed their minds through the long, wearisome night. But the morn brought with its light solu- tion. Their fellow pilgrim had passed out of the land of the living to the more genial hunting grounds, from whose

 bourne no traveller returns. They buried him low, with as formal a cere- mony as the circumstances would per init, using their wagon box to make rude coffin. But twas Heavens will, perhaps, that he should not remain to undergo the uniform su1ferings of his companions. The remaining party of seven now started on their way on foot, taking nothing but d few bed clothes to shield them from the cold atnight, They had now gone one whole day without food, and the opportunities of procur- ing any offered but slight consolation. They could obtain water sufficient at springs and rivulets.

 The fog became so dense that it was impossible to distinguish an object any considerable distance. These regions being very difficult to travel even by person acquainted with the country, they found it much more so vo them who were complete strangers and ill so dense fog. Yet they travelled, for travel they must, Ill order to find some place where their craving capacities might be satisfied. But soon :j became evident, as they wandered at random, that they were lost. As is generally the case in such instances, their assumed course was almost opposite from that which they should have taken. They had no guide whatever by which to direct their course. All that met their gaze on either side were huge, rugged mountains. They could scarcely have been placed in more helpless condition. Besides all this Encouragement, they were made sensitively aware of their in attention to the "man within" Hunger and weariness engaged their doleful con and all their consolatory schemes fell to fragments and were scattered by the winds of despair. The [ night of the second day found them ill the same deplorable condition. Hungry, | cold and fatigued, they lay down, but to | sleep would have been to walk into the . mouth of death. Their minds were too full in considering the present and the . sorrow to come, and in contriving some mode of escape. They arose on the of the third day to meet it's coming with hearts of dread and des- pair. In the forenoon one of the party observed snake crawling in the brush, and seized upon the opportunity as the only chance of preserving life. True, this would seem but very uninviting , sh when prepared, but what would not seem delicious when life is rapidly ebb- ing from the effects of starvation2 It was eaten greedily I dare say, and was the means of preserving life three days onger. The latter three days were passed much like the first, they having meanwhile nothing but water, IS they were now destitute of the means of procuring game. All the time they from place to place, and on came to a spot where they had been twice before, and then gave up all lopes of recovery. In the evening, amid Ill the agony the human mind can en- lure, five of the seven expired. The other two, it seems, felt more hopeful han the rest, and decided upon travel ng even to the last. They did so, and ,hance directed their footsteps to the place where my informant saw them, but ,nly to tell their sad story and share the ate of their comrades. They ate upper, perhaps too heavy one were 5ho 10th taken ken m seriously ill before t eight tight n death. They gave the names of all Bohrar, Simmons and 'ers. It is truly sad affair, and has aused no little excitement and talk in 'ur quiet village. ...