THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER. 39 



acquainted with all these runways, the art of elk- 

 hunting, and the general appearance of the country. 

 In the above year a company of men were sent out 

 by "William Ellis, Samuel Wallace, and Henry 

 Drinker, of Philadelphia, to survey the land. They 

 came up Pine Creek with a keel boat loaded with 

 flour, pork, sugar, chocolate, tea, and all kinds of 

 clothiug for the men. When they arrived at my 

 father's one of the hands was sick, and wished to go 

 home, saying that he conld not endure the lardshrps 

 of the woods. The chief of the surveying company 

 whose name was Harris, asked my father if he could 

 6upply him with a hand. My father said he would 

 like to but he could not spare his two oldest sons ; 

 however, he had a son of seventeen who could be 

 6pared if he would answer the purpose. Mr. Harris 

 asked me if I would go. I replied that I should be 

 glad to, as I was anxious to go to the woods. We 

 soon arranged our terms, when my father took me 

 into the house and gave me some advice in regard 

 to my new undertaking. He told me that if I should 

 become separated from my companions to be careful 

 and not get lost; however, if this should happen I 

 Bhould not go down stream, as the streams ran into 

 the river forty or fifty miles apart, and I should be 

 compelled to follow down until I reached the river. 

 He a>so directed me to take particular notice when I 

 saw an elk lick, or a place where elk were plenty, 

 as any information on this point would be of service 

 whenever we should wish to hunt. I was very much 

 pleased with this last remark, as I was very fond ot 



