342 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



While a consultation is holding during the day, as to 

 "what shall we do;" "hadn't we better go after father," 

 a noise is heard at the door. " 'Tis he — there's the 

 horses." No — a stranger enters. He inquires "is Mr. 

 W. at home?" "No." "Hain't he been back from mill 

 yet?" "No ! and do tell us where did you get his horses?" 

 They came up to my house yesterday morning, with 

 halters and collars on, and I thought they had got away 

 from him, and perhaps he had come on home." 



"Oh! then he has perished in the storm." "No, for 

 then the horses would still have been attached to the 

 wagon." 



Ah! thou blessed comforter, hope, that never lets the 

 heart sink whilst thou in thy faintest form holds forth 

 a single ray. There was dread fear, but hope prevailed, 

 until a messenger, with utmost speed, had learned when 

 he left the mill, and traced him up until the spot was 

 reached where he was last seen alive. Then hope forever 

 fled. 



On Tuesday, the fifth day after he was lost, a strong 

 force of men and boys, dogs and horses, were spread 

 over the prairie, searching in every direction, between 

 the groves, near the road he should have passed. To- 

 wards night, some of the foremost of those who had 

 spread away to the north some 6 or 8 miles, raise a shout, 

 and away they course at top of speed, toward a small 

 black speck seen in the snow. 'Tis the lost man's wagon. 

 He had missed his road, and after wandering, no one 

 knows where or how, had fallen into another road lead- 

 ing to the north, and upwards of 20 miles between 

 houses. Here lay the harness upon the ground, cut 

 from the horses. The reason why he had been compelled 

 to stop, was plain. The bolt that held the doubletree 

 on the wagon, was lost. The bags had been set up in 

 the wagon to break the face of the storm, and a bed 

 made of bran, but no one occupied it now. 



Experience and necessity teaches the pioneer of the 

 wilderness to discover tracks and "signs," where an un- 



