Toronto, Ont.-Slowly sinking in :
sea of mud, at least a half-dozen mel
are known to have gone down to
horrible death, swalloped up by the
"honey-pots" that lie around Fredericl
House Lake in the newt, discoverei
gold mining region of the Porcupine
district of northern Ontario.
A heartrending tale of suffering ant
death has been brought from the nev
gold fields by W. R. Macleay, mining
engineer and prospector of Montreal
who, emaciated and gaunt-visaged
has come back here to civilization t(
recover his health. Mr. Macleay say:
that just before he started on hih
tramp.out, the rains had converted.
large part of the Porcupine into mut
sloughs. All kinds of vehicular traffic
was stopped, thus cutting off the foot
supplies.. When he left camp nearlh
everything had been eaten and starva
tlon stared the miners in the face.
They were therefore confronte,
with a slbw and miserable death, i:
they remained in camp, and until the
frosts hardened, the surface of the
swamps. Some in desperation face,
the peril of the long and dangerous
tramp to Bisco to bring back food
the general load being 100 pounds o:
provisions per man, strapped on the
back. The most difficult and deadly
part of the journey was along the
shores of Frederick House Lake
where there was an old Hudson Bad
post.
"It was on this part of the trail,'
said Mr. Macleay, "that I saw, on m]
way out, two men with loads on thei:
backs, slowly sink down in the mut
and disappear from sight. Their crie:
li
Swallowed Up in a Slough,
and shrieks were terrible to hear.
