Henry Merrell House

On the 22d of December, Abraham Godin was brought to our post by a Winnebago Indian named Big Fox. Godin was one of the hired men I had engaged in Montreal for the Amercan Fur Company. He had run away, near the mouth of the Wisconsin, from Mr. Rouseaux, the clerk of the company. He was lost twenty-two days. He said that he intended to go to St. Louis. He had with him his gun, and some bags containing his clothes, and a blanket. When he first missed his road, he lived well for a time ; but after his ammunition became exhausted he began to suifer from starvation. He lived upon birds some time; and some days he had nothing whatever. He came to a lake and found dead fish ; and soon reached another lake where the city of Madison now stands. From there, he walked two days without food ; and then, fortunately, he found the carcass of a deer that the wolves had left, from which he got a supply, such as it was, that lasted him for two days. He then came across an Indian trail, which he followed, without knowing where it would lead him. Godin at length took his course through the woods. Reaching a little creek, he followed it. It was now three days since he had eaten anything ; the bottoms of his feet were covered with blisters. He came to a deserted Indian camp where there was an old lodge made of grass and branches, and slept there. The next morning it was impossible for him to walk, his feet were so swelled and blistered, and he was well-nigh starved. He dragged himself out, picked up some branches to cover his body, and commended himself to the mercy of God, and laid down to die. Sleep overcame his exhausted nature, nor did he know how long he remained in that condition. When he awoke, he saw an old Indian that was administering to him refreshment with a wooden spoon. The Indian was Big Fox, who remained faithfully with him for two days, permitting him to eat only a little at a time, but very often of venison. He made some medicine for his feet, then left him, showing him where there was some venison. When Godin saw the Indian going off he felt very bad, thinking he was about to abandon him to his fate ; but he came back, bringing a horse for him to ride, and conveyed him to his lodge on Fox Lake - and from this Indian the lake took its name. As soon as Godin's feet got well. Big Fox brought him to us at Portage. Godin had given all the property he had to the Indian; but Big Fox returned to him all his clothes, retaining the blanket and gun for his trouble. When the Indian brought him to us, I did not know him at all ; his long hair and beard added not a little to his haggard appearance. He asked me if I was willing to receive him to finish his time, according to agreement ; which I did, and he never again undertook to run away.

Passage source: The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin, Containing an Account of Its Settlement .., published 1880.

After 1 got upon the top of the bluff, I saw a man, his clothes all in rags, looking toward the prairie. He heard me walking, turned his head and saw me, then jumped up and ran off. I discovered that he was afraid, and hallooed to him in French ; but he did not answer me and kept on running. I then called to him in English to stop, with assurances that I was not going to hurt him. He finally stopped and walked up to me, informing me that he came from the ^Mississippi; that he had been hired to cut cordwood near about Coon Channel, on the Mississippi, for Judge Lockwood, of Prairie du Chien. That, starting with his gun to hunc partridges, about the 4th of May, he got lost. He kept on walking tdl he came to a little creek that he followed for a long time in the direction that he thought would take him to the Mississippi; he cime across an Indian trail that he lost sight of in the woods. He said that he kept his gun a long time after he had used up his ammunition ; but fatigue and weakness at length obliged him to throw it away. He said that he iiad often heard the report of guns, but was afraid- it proceeded from Indians ; and that he would rather die in the woods of starvation, than be butchered by the savages. On one occasion, he came to a place where he saw, at a distance, three Indians ; and he ran with all his might in the woods, thinking every moment they were after him, and if overtaken, his life would pay the forfeit. After his shoes and clothes were worn out, he came to a lodge; he was so hungry and feeble that he resolved to venture in ; but it was empty, the owner having evidently gone off to hunt. He found plenty to eat of all kinds of meat, and indulged himself very heartily ; after which he went to sleep, and dreamed very bad dreams, causing him to get up earlier than he otherwise would have done. Taking a pair of moccasins, a pair of buckskin leggins, a blanket, as much venison as he could conveniently carry, a pouch full of tobccco, a ilint and steel, some punk and a pipe, he took his departure. About twenty days after, he found a dead Indian in the woods, which circumstance greatly increased his fears lest the Indians should think, if they came across him, that he had caused his death. He had with him a large butcher-knife ; and he told me that had he been chased by an Indian, he would have cut his own throat rather than to have been taken. He said that he had not lived very well, having subsisted on berries from about the 25th of June to the time I found him. He was lost 180 days. When I found him, he had scarcely the semblance of a human being. I made him ride behind me ; and after visiting the place where I proposed establishing my trading-post, I took him to Portage. He told me that his name was Dodge, and that he desired to go to Green Bay. I never saw or heard anything of him afterward.

Passage source: The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin, Containing an Account of Its Settlement .., published 1880.

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