AUG. 24, 1895.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



187 



the day I sighted a deer and two fawns, but they were too 

 far away for a shot. 



Mel and guide started out to learn the location of Fow- 

 ler's Ponds, of which we had heard glowing accounts. 

 They failed to secure any fish, but did. not come home 

 empty-handed, having the honor of being the first ones of 

 the party to bring in a deer. Next morning Mel left in 

 his canoe and went up the Thoroughfare and Hay Brook. 



On reaching the first marsh he sighted a caribou. Land- 

 ing, they crept through the tall grass until they were near 

 enough to get a shot. It proved to be a two-year-old bar- 

 ren cow, and made great eating. That night when the 

 game was brought into camp I began to think that I 

 wasn't in it. I made up my mind to give the fish a rest 

 and try my luck at hunting for a change, and to my great 

 surprise and satisfaction before night I had the extreme 

 pleasure of killing one of the nicest specimens of bull cari- 

 bou that was ever taken out of the State. As you will see 

 by the accompanying photograph, the antlers were very 

 large and symmetrical. We estimated his age at eleven 

 years, and his weight about 750lbs. 



"We left camp early that morning for Hay Brook, pre- 

 pared to stay all day. Fred stowed a bucket of grub, tea- 

 pot and skillet up in the bow; I had him put in the jack 

 lantern, thinking that if we didn't get any game during 



out into the stream. Fred steadied the canoe with his 

 paddle, while I reached for my rifle, but they were hav- 

 ing such a playful time that all desire to kill them had 

 left me. They soon spied us and skipped off in the 

 bushes. We then rigged up and lighted the jack, and 

 before reaching the lake again I shot a nice four-year- 

 old buck with good antlers; fired at two more deer, and 

 probably heard twenty or thirty whistling and stamping 

 the ground. Sometimes there would be three or four 

 making noises at the sani9 time, and ofttimes we could 

 see their eyes shining through the bushes. 



It was nearly 10 o'clock when we passed Louse Island, 

 and as we were nearing camp I fired three shots to let the 

 cook know we were coming, so he could make some hot 

 tea, as we were quite stiff and chilly from sitting in the 

 canoe so long. When our bow slid on to the gravelly 

 shore Elmer and Dan stood there to greet us, and we were 

 received with a warm welcome, as they had begun to 

 worry a little about our welfare. Somes and Mel having 

 had a hard day's tramp had retired early in the evening 

 and were now sound asleep. The skin was still attached 

 to the head, and Fred, taking hold of one horn and I the 

 other, we carried the whole thing up to the tent; unfast- 

 ening the flap, we walked right up to the foot of the 

 sleepers; holding a lantern in one hand, so it would shine 



The next morning I borrowed Mel's shotgun and taking 

 a can started out through the woods to Trout Brook Farm 

 to get some milk, and on the way shot a large porcupine 

 and several partridges. I found a bear's skull in good 

 condition which I prize very highly. On reaching the 

 farm I succeeded in getting some good milk, paying the 

 exorbitant price of twenty -five cents a quart. I had a 

 very interesting conversation with the proprietor concern- 

 ing game in that region. He told me that in the early 

 summer he had seen (and he pointed out the locality) 

 where a large cow moose and two calves had crossed his 

 hayfield within twenty-five rods of the cabin, and 

 numerous other incidents where large game had been 

 seen quite near. 



That night Fred and I had an early supper and started 

 out to call a moose, and naturally selected a spot on Hay 

 Brook near where we had seen the big tracks, realizing 

 at the same time that the chap that made those tracks 

 might be twenty miles away. Upon hearing those dis- 

 tressing sounds from my guide's birchbark horn, it struck 

 me comical and I had a great desire to laugh, but imme- 

 diately received a sharp criticism. Fred called at regular 

 intervals and after waiting one long hour we received a 

 rousing answer, and cold shivers ran up and down my 

 spinal column. Fred gave me some more instruction, and 



MT. KATAHDIN. 



the day we would do some jacking at night coming home 

 through the Thoroughfare. We found this an excellent 

 place for such spore. Ducks were very plentiful, and 

 during the day I made a number of fine shots; also 

 noticed lots of deer tracks, some caribou, and three moose 

 tracks, appearing to have been made quite recently. One 

 of the freshest moose tracks measured 7in. from the toe 

 to the dew claw. We hunted all over first and second 

 caribou bogs, and finally came to the first carry, which 

 was about five miles from the mouth of the Thorough- 

 fare. I finally came across fresh signs of a big caribou 

 and immediately started out on his trail. After follow- 

 ing it about two hours through swamps and over ridges I 

 sighted the monster perhaps an eighth of a mile distant 

 on the opposite side of an open marsh. He appeared to 

 be making down the stream in the direction we had 

 come; there was a stiff breeze from the northwest, and 

 as we were to the windward of him we thought best to 

 separate and try to head him off, knowing full well that 

 if he once got scent of us it would be useless for us to 

 pursue him further. Now you may not think this was 

 exciting, but those who have been in a similar position 

 with such game in full view will understand my anxiety 

 just at this time. Unfortunately I started in the direc- 

 tion of the river, never once thinking how I was going to 

 get across until I reached it. I gave one hurried glance 

 up and down the stream in hopes to see a log or some- 

 thing on which I could cross; seeing nothing of the kind 

 I waded right in, holding my rifle above my head. It is 

 a wonder I ever got out of that mud alive. If I had not 

 been of more than average height I would have been 

 obliged to swim, as the water in some places was quite up 

 to my neck. I finally reached hard ground and set out 

 on a run, keeping some distance from the river for about 

 a quarter of a mile, then bore in again until I came to 

 the first bog expecting to see him, but he was not there. 

 After waiting a minute I made up my mind that he was 

 ahead of me. Glancing up the river there I saw him. 

 Being of a very accommodating turn of mind he had 

 crossed and was coming down on the same side at a good 

 fast walk, stopping now and then to sniff the air and 

 listen. I crouched down behind some bushes and waited 

 for him; being to leeward of him I really think he would 

 have walked by me within two rods had I not stopped his 

 progress. 



Fred, coming up at sound of my shots, started to skin 

 him, while I went back to get the canoe. It began to get 

 quite dark before Fred got him dressed, and had the head, 

 skin and one saddle put in the canoe. Meanwhile, find- 

 ing some dry driftwood, I built a fire on a little knoll, 

 and made preparations for supper, not having had any- 

 thing warm to eat since morning. Hanging the tea- 

 kettle on a crotched stick and warming up some partridge 

 stew and venison in the skillet, we were - sogn eating a 

 supper that we enjoyed probably as much as any we ever 



Once more in the canoe, with the moon and stars shin- 

 ing brightly, we glided silently down the stream, gand 

 hadn't gone far when rounding a bend I sighted a doe and 

 two large fawns playing on a littlo sandbar 4 that made 



on to the head, I yelled "caribou!" at the top of my voice, 

 and if you could have seen the wild and surprised 

 look on those fellows as they awoke from their peaceful 

 slumbers to gaze on such a sight. Being too much excited 

 to go to sleep again, they soon dressed and came out to 

 the camp-fire to talk it over. It was near midnight before 

 we had ceased telling about this and previous big hunts. 

 Mel also had a prize to show us in the shape of a 101b. lake 

 trout which he had caught that morning while trolling. 

 While sitting around the camp-fire we heard the too Tioo 

 of a big owl far away. Dan immediately demonstrated 

 his ability to draw him nearer by imitating his vocal ren- 

 derings. Knowing the owl's fondness for the odor of 

 burnt leather, Elmer cut a large piece from the top of his 

 boot and put it into the fire. In about ten minutes the 

 owl was in a tree directly over our heads. 



said he didn't believe we would ever get him, as we were 

 to the windward of him and the stream was so narrow. 

 However, he worked hard and succeeded in bringing him 

 within twenty rods of us. He came up very cautiously, 

 hardly making any noise, but when he smelt us he made 

 as much noise as a span of horses, and how the sticks 

 snapped and cracked as he rushed out of that swamp full 

 of windfalls. He must have been a monster. Knowing it 

 was all up with us for that night we set out for camp. 



The other days were without special interest, although 

 we enjoyed every hour and lived on the fat of the land 

 and water. 



On the sixth day we broke camp and Mel and Somes 

 started out on their trip down the Allegash waters. My 

 guide and I escorted them to the head of Second Grand 

 Lake to assist in carrying the dunnage; there it was trans- 

 ferred to a jumper or wood-shod sled and hauled in over 

 the tote road to Indian carry, while the two canoes were 

 poled up Webster Brook to the dam. In going through 

 the Thoroughfare that morning Mel's canoe was leading, 

 Somes about ten or fifteen rods behind, while I brought up 

 the rear about fifteen rods astern, having beenr quite a dis- 

 tance behind. I had been helping paddle, and had just 

 come around a bend in sight of the other canoes, when I 

 sighted a fine doe standing in plain view at the water's 

 edge directly opposite Somes and not 10yds. distant. She 

 appeared to be greatly interested. When I fired you can 

 imagine how surprised those fellows were to look around 

 and see that deer go bounding into the brush, and as she 

 did so I fired again. Somes said he knew by the way she 

 jumped that I didn't hit her and Fred said he didn't think • 

 I did and thought it wasn't worth while to land and see, 

 but I was quite confident, although having shot under 

 difficulties, being in rapid water at the time. On putting 

 ashore I jumped out and ran to where the deer had stood 

 and found lots of blood; following the trail through the 

 bushes up over the embankment I found her stretched 

 out with two bullet holes just back of the fore shoulder 

 and not 3in. apart, either one of which would have caused 

 death. While dressing her we found that one bullet had 

 pierced the right ventricle of the heart. I felt highly 

 elated and received many compliments. 



The only sorrowful part of the whole outing came when 

 I bade my friends good -by at the head of the lake; but as 

 my time was limited I had to return, putting back to 

 Harvey's camp that night. Fortunately I met some men 

 from Patten that had been exploring for an operation up 

 in that locality, and made a deal with them to take me 

 out. So bright and early next morning we started. Hav- 

 ing a good, frisky span and strong running gear, we 

 made Patten before dark, and shot six partridges on the 

 way. I never shall forget that ride over those corduroy 

 roads, rocks and log bridges. Next morning I took the 

 four-horse stage and put up at Sherman for dinner. With 

 fresh spans we put on to Mattawamkeag, arriving there in 

 time to catch the through express for Boston. It was an 

 outing long to be remembered, and best of all, I secured 

 what I had long been wishing for— a fine head to adorn 

 my office. Irviko H. Pomerot* j 



Gwnjotstbb, Mam; 



