A NIGHT IN THE WOODS. 



235 



this succulent dish as only a hungry man 



can. 



We gave the horses but little water from 

 the barrel that we had brought along, for 

 we had no way of telling when we would 

 be able to replenish our supply. Nash 



stretched himself in the little shade of the 

 wagon, and I worked on the antelope head, 

 which was a good specimen of a 4 year old 

 buck. We finally found the horse camp, 

 attended to our business and returned to 

 the home ranch without further incident. 



A NIGHT IN THE WOODS. 



ROXBURY. 



Lost ; lost in the woods. Were you ever 

 in a position to realize fully the meaning 

 of these words? Did you ever stand in 

 the dense, dark forest, miles from camp, 

 with night coming on, and wish you could 

 tell for a certainty just the right direction 

 back to camp? You smile at the thought 

 of getting lost in the woods, for, doubtless. 

 you have in mind the fall when you visited 

 grandfather on the farm. There were acres 

 of trees and you went among them fearless- 

 ly, with no thought of being lost. Still, 

 you remember one day you did get a little 

 twisted, and the thought of that day comes 

 back to you. Even if you did go a mile 

 or so out of your way, you finally saw a 

 gleam of light through the trees. You wan- 

 dered into a clearing where you could see 

 and recover your bearings, then back to 

 the farm, with never a thought that you 

 were lost or that you would care if you had 

 been. Oh, yes, you know something about 

 that lost feeling, and you are almost sure 

 you enjoyed it. 



But, seriously, were you ever in the Maine 

 woods, miles from any railroad, located at 

 some hunter's camp with the boys, having 

 a good time, with no thought of what might 

 happen to you in the trackless forest? Your 

 companions, with the guides, have gone for 

 a hunt. You had decided to remain in 

 camp for the day, but you are not the agree- 

 able company you imagined. Soon the mon- 

 otony of the situation occurs to you, and 

 you chuckle while you thing how good it 

 would be to stroll away by yourself and 

 have a fat deer hanging in cold storage 

 when the mighty hunters return. Just a 

 bite to eat, and you shoulder your rifle and 

 go into the forest. You are not to remain 

 over night, so you will need no warm cloth- 

 ing. In fact, you are to take such a short 

 trip you do not even think of that useful 

 little companion, your compass ; and then, 

 you know the way so well. All one has to 

 do is to follow those little spots on the 

 trees, where the guide chipped the bark on 

 each side. No matter how dense the woods, 

 the spots will lead you there and back again. 



What is the use of a guide? They are al- 

 ways in the way, take valuable time telling 

 about the big moose some other fellow shot, 

 and look wise and disgusted when you miss 

 a good opportunity. Then, of course, 2 

 make more noise than one ; you have no 

 use for a guide, and are thankful you are 

 alone. 



But what was that? You are just in 

 time to see the signal flag of the biggest 

 buck of the season disappear over the ridge. 

 That would be a prize to have in camp ; 

 and what a laugh you would have on the 

 guides, who are supposed to have all the 

 good specimens corralled. This one must 

 have escaped them. What an ornament that 

 head would be for your city office ; what 

 stories you could tell the boys as they ad- 

 mired your prize. He seemed to have 

 stopped near; so over the ridge you go. 

 There he is. Bang ! He ought to have 

 dropped dead in his tracks, but he did not. 

 Anyway, you hit him and he can not be far 

 away. Blood on the leaves ; that tells the 

 story. There he is again. He has crossed 

 the ravine, and climbs the opposite ridge. 

 He is badly wounded. You are following 

 as fast as quiet will admit. You are hold- 

 ing your rifle with a firm grip, but vou are 

 breathing hard, for the excitement of the 

 chase is on. Into view he comes. Bang ! 

 Bang ! Down he goes. He is yours at last, 

 and in one fleeting moment your imagina- 

 tion pictures that beautiful head mounted 

 and admired. All that remains to do is to 

 dress your prize, hang him up for the nisrht, 

 and go back to camp ; the boys will helo 

 you bring him in the morning. You shoul- 

 der your rifle with a feeling of -greatness 

 and start. 



But, great snakes, where are you ? What 

 has become of all those little spots on the 

 trees ? Possibly you are on the wrong side. 

 You arc a good hunter, and you hunt until 

 you conclude the trail has gone un a tree 

 and taken the spots for companv. The more 

 You look for the sun. That has disa^- 

 you move, the more dense seems the forest, 

 peared behind a friendly cloud, lest it in- 



