Mat 12, 1894.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



399 



periences of the trip, darkness came all too early, the wet 

 clothing furnished a screen and soon we were comfortably 

 in between the blankets. Jim feared neither spiders nor 

 snakes, lulled into fancied security by Bob's assurance that 

 they did not grow in that part of the country. Neither 

 did she fear bears, wolves nor Indians, for were the/e not 

 on the opposite side of the great fire in close call and in 

 full view, four stalwart men to defend her. The horses 

 stamped and the rain pattered on the roof, but within 

 the fire crackled and the blaze cheered and soothed us 

 and we slept as though on a bed of down until daylight. 



Oh! what a change. The brightest, crispest, sunshiniest 

 morning ever seen! We were soon up. How glorious 

 was the water dipped with a tin basin from the brook! 

 Breakfast was quickly over, and Llewellyn and Mr. Per- 

 kins speeded on their return journey. Everything was 

 soon out of camp to dry more thoroughly in the open air. 

 About 10 o'clock, taking our rifles, with Bob leading, we 

 went up to Wilson Pond, half a mile distant, to see it and 

 shoot what we might. Approaching very carefully, hop- 

 ing for a buck, we came to the edge of a pretty little 

 pond, perhaps a quarter of a mile in circumference, a 

 marsh at one end, another at the opposite, and woods on 

 all sides. We sat down on a fallen log just within cover, 

 keeping very quiet, and in a few moments on the opposite 

 marsh appeared a doe and fawn— the first wild deer Jim 

 had ever seen. A few moments later another doe appeared 

 and they fed slowly along the margin of the pond in full 

 view. With our field glasses we could see them very dis- 

 tinctly, and watched them for half an hour until they 

 finally vanished into the forest. It was a beautiful sight, 

 and we felt amply repaid for all our hardships. We 

 became quite familiar with this sight, for during our week 

 at Wilson Pond we rarely visited it without seeing from 

 one to three deer 

 feeding, always does 

 or fawns, never a 

 buck. The latter 

 were on the ridges 

 at this time, and 

 finding plenty of 

 water, rarely came 

 to the ponds. 



On returning to 

 camp about 12 o'clock 

 for dinner, we found 

 Walter Armstrong, 

 the mail man, bound 

 on his journey into 

 the lumber camps. 

 The* round trip is 

 made three times a 

 week by him and 

 his brother altern- 

 ately, *3 miles each 

 way, and for this the 

 United states pays 

 them $300 per year, 

 less than $1 a day. 



He stayed for din- 

 ner, and when he 

 left us we, thinking 

 of our ten miles of 

 the day before, were 

 rather inclined to 

 pity him with thir- 

 teen to fourteen 

 more before him; 

 but from the cheer- 

 ful manner in which 

 he slung his mail bag 

 on and picked up his 

 rifle and started off, 

 he seemed not to 

 mind it. A short 

 nap over, we started 

 back to the pond with 

 rifles and rods. We 

 had a fair shot at a 

 doe, but as we want- 

 ed horns as well as 

 meat we refrained, 

 and went to casting 

 from the shore. We 



soon landed a dozen trout weighing from i to lib., 

 then crawling into the bushes we watched for our buck 

 till sundown, but he did not come. There was no wind, 

 the lake was like a sheet of glass, and the only sounds 

 heard were the occasional cry of an angry kingfisher, the 

 chattering of ground squirrels, and once in a while the 

 low, booming, penetrating drumming of a partridge. 



Our fish were served for breakfast, and from that time 

 we were seldom without trout in the larder. Our morn- 

 ing was spent about camp, while Bob and Albert went to 

 the pond and built a raft from which to fish. The after- 

 noon went quickly on the pond, catching trout about as 

 fast as Bob could take care of them. When the sun sank 

 low in the heavens we stopped, tired of catching fish, and 

 pulling to shore watched for deer. 



And thus a happy week passed away all too soon. It 

 rained sometimes, perhaps a good deal, but we did not 

 mind it. We tramped the woods for birds and deer or 

 fished the lake to our heart's content. The extra trout 

 were sent out to Mrs. Rainey by the obliging "U. S. Mail," 

 and also a letter home, written on birch bark, enveloped 

 in the same and sealed with pine pitch. Several times 

 we would know that the "mail" had passed by finding one 

 or two partridges hanging on a tree at camp. We shot no 

 deer, but saw numbers, and had one exciting still-hunt 

 for a yearling buck, but frightened him. We had seen 

 fresh caribou tracks several times, but his majesty did not 

 show himself to us. One evening while poling the raft 

 in I shot at a passing duck. Immediately we heard a 

 heavy crash near the foot of the pond. Upon reconnoit- 

 ering we found our caribou had been down to drink and 

 my shot had sent him off; his tracks were large and deep 

 and the water in them very muddy. Mr. Talcott shot this 

 fellow about three weeks later, and he proved to be a royal 

 animal of twenty-three points. 



One morning, on going to the pond to watch for deer, 

 we found a loon in possession, and not a particle of wind. 

 We went back in the afternoon for fishing, carrying 

 plenty of cartridges. The loon was still there and we had 

 some fun with him. Jim's .38 and my .45 rang out 

 alternately and our bullets chased him all over the pond. 

 He did not get one full breath for half an hour; at times 

 he was awfully rattled and once he rattled us. We ex- 



pected him to rise at a certain point some distance off, but 

 he bobbed up within 10ft. of the raft. It would be hard 

 to say which was the more surprised. We shot and 

 seemed to hit him, but didn't. When we left him his 

 wild cry of triumph and derision followed us half way to 

 camp. Bob declared the loon would get out that night, 

 "if it had to climb a tree." The next morning it was gone. 



During the week we grew strong and well. We took 

 longer and longer tramps with less fatigue; we slept like 

 babes and ate like backwoodsmen, always hungry, with 

 what anxiety we watched the preparation for breakfast, 

 dinner and supper, lest there should not be sufficient food 

 cooked, but the chef gauged our appetites well and there 

 was always enough left for Jerry. 



We made one little side trip, taking tent and provisions 

 and staying over night at a small pond about three miles 

 from the Wilson camp. The shore of the pond was liter- 

 ally embroidered with deer tracks. We watched that 

 night and the next morning, but saw nothing but a little 

 fawn. Albert was with me at one point, Bob and Jim at 

 another, and we were completely hidden by undergrowth. 

 It was about sunset and there was not a sound to disturb 

 the stillness. Suddenly Jim heard a slight crackle as of a 

 twig snapping behind her, and turning found a baby deer 

 staring at her over a fallen log, only 5 or 6ft. away. In a 

 second it turned, showing Bob the tip of its tail as it 

 bounded into the undergrowth. At this little camp we 

 had as visitors a number of jays (moose or meat birds as 

 they are called locally), and we were much interested in 

 them and their peculiar ways, their familiarity on short 

 acquaintance causing much surprise and wonderment. 



At length we felt that we should move along, and T so 

 one morning Bob and Albert started with packs as heavy 

 as I could lift to their shoulders and carried six miles to' 



AlOABIBOU OF THE BORDERLAND. 



Frost Pond. We went with the second load and half a 

 load more for each completed the move, the latter part 

 of which was made in the rain. Our camp at Frost Pond 

 was prettily situated just off the road and within 100yds. 

 of the lake. At one side a picturesque brook flowed, 

 coming from Twin Ponds four miles away to empty into 

 Frost Pond. We were now back in the United States, 

 having crossed the boundary two miles before reaching 

 Frost Pond; there had been a steady rise to that point 

 and from it the descent began. On the one side all waters 

 flowed to the St. Lawrence River, while on the other they 

 went to form the Penobscot and thence to the Atlantic 

 Ocean. We noticed on crossing the line that it was easier 

 walking and not so muddy. A short stop of a day or 

 two and we journeyed on. Bob had brought his canoe 

 up from Dole Pond and was able to take all the luggage 

 down by water. Albert, Jim and I went overland, which 

 included a six-mile carry, during which Jerry had a 

 chance to show his untrained skill. We had fair shoot- 

 ing at partridges at our first camp, usually at single 

 birds, but we here struck a covey which Jerry treed very 

 nicely for us and we bagged five out of the lot, Jim shoot- 

 ing three straight. I missed one, Jerry found and brought 

 them to us, and we felt that he had earned the bones 

 which he eventually received. 



We landed at Dole Pond camp in the rain (we had 

 begun by this time to look for rain whenever we moved), 

 but our tent was rapidly pitched and we were soon under 

 jover. The next day was Sunday and rainy. In the 

 afternoon we had an agreeable call from Mr. Edgerly, 

 manager of a large lumber plant. He was busy establish- 

 ing new camps and getting ready for the winter's work. 

 He expected to run four camps with crews of forty men 

 each. We found him very entertaining, and on his invi- 

 tation visited the home camp and took some photographs, 

 including one of the crew, most of whom turned out of 

 bed to have their pictures taken. One man was sharply 

 sent back to put on his trousers, as a lady was present. 

 They were a rough-looking lot, only about half of them 

 being respectable woodsmen, which gave Mr. Edgerly the 

 balance of power, hut he needed all his mental and 

 physical strength and all his courage, to manage the rest 

 who came from parts unknown, stayed a few days or 



weeks and disappeared from camp, to be found scattered 

 along the road toward Jackman, working or beatiner their 

 way back to railroads and whisky. The rule prohibiting 

 the use of intoxicating liquor is necessarily very strict. 

 Once in a while a bottle would be smuggled into camp 

 and some of the men get fighting drunk. They would be 

 assisted to their bunks, willy nilly, and the next morning 

 if an old hand and the first offense, he would be forgiven, 

 but if a new hand, he took the road to Jackman. The 

 cook in a lumber camp is next in authority to the fore- 

 man of a crew; he has charge of all supplies, domestic 

 arrangements and the discipline. He is assisted by a 

 "cookee," who is the drawer of water and the hewer of 

 wood, and who also peels the potatoes. Logs for fire- 

 wood are brought in at night by returning teams. The 

 food is coarse but wholesome and well cooked, and the 

 men may eat as much as they desire. 

 ■ Early Monday morning we packed up and were soon 

 under way for Long Pond. Two trips with the canoe 

 carried us and ours across Dole Pond and a two miles' 

 carry brought us to Long Pond. This was the prettiest 

 body of water we had yet seen. It was a lake three miles 

 long by a quarter to three-quarters of a mile wide, sur- 

 rounded to the water's edge with woods. The water was 

 very high and we knew our chances for deer would be 

 fair. The carry road bad brought us to the outlet of the 

 pond, for we were beginning to swing back around the 

 circle, and were again ascending. Long Pond empties 

 its waters into Dole Pond and is another of the sources of 

 the Penobscot. We paddled up the lake for a mile and a 

 half, and on high ground, a stone's throw from the lake 

 we found a deserted lumber camp which, after some vig- 

 orous house cleaning, we made our own; at least that por- 

 tion of it that had been the kitchen and dining room. 



We found the 

 cabin, after a few 

 repairs, dry and 

 tight, and a stove 

 left behind by the 

 lumbermen served 

 us well for cooking 

 and heating pur- 

 poses. In one corner 

 was the cook's bunk, 

 and this, with some 

 dry boughs, made a 

 comfortable bed for 

 us. A long shed ran 

 out from the en- 

 trance and made us 

 a place to store our 

 supply of dry wood, 

 while opposite the 

 entrance was a large, 

 massive, log - built 

 stable. 



The weather was 

 now getting cool, 

 with heavy frost, 

 and we found ice in 

 the basin every 

 morning. We spent 

 pleasantly two or 

 three days here, 

 roaming the woods 

 and looking for a 

 lost pond known only 

 to Bob and one or 

 two others, and at 

 which place Mr. Tal- 

 cott had shot a cari- 

 bou the year before. 

 Our next move was 

 to Portage Lake via 

 Penobscot Lake. Bob 

 and Albert carried 

 part of the camp 

 equipage over the 

 four miles to Penob- 

 scot Lake the day 

 before and we were 

 able to take every- 

 thing else on one 

 trip, Bob carrying 

 the canoe. Penobscot Lake is the most beautiful of all and 

 is the largest of the sources of the Penobscot River. The 

 surroundings were primeval— the lumberman had not yet 



desecrated God's handiwork and we were with nature 



pure, grand and beautiful. The trout in this lake are 

 large, plentiful and gamy, but we could not stop to have 

 a try at them. We paddled to the opposite side and after 

 a hasty dinner in the rain, we started over the half-mile 

 carry to Portage Lake, and it was here we found our 

 caribou. We were in usual marching order, Bob first, 

 Jim next, I third and Albert bringing up the rear. It 

 was raining heavily, which may have drowned the noise 

 of our walking somewhat. We had reached a piece of 

 woods more open than usual, when suddenly Bob stepped 

 aside and backward, which brought him to Jim's shoulder, 

 and there appeared before us in the path a magnificent 

 bull caribou. It was a sight worth traveling a thousand 

 miles to see, and sufficiently thrilling to give any one a 

 severe attack of "buck fever." He stood with full face 

 toward us, head elevated and thrown back in proud defi- 

 ance. Jim had received her instructions, and at a touch 

 from Bob, she raised her rifle, and as she did so the cari- 

 bou leaped and lightning was not quicker than his move- 

 ments. A couple of jumps at right angles in our path, 

 into the woods, and he stopped, broadside to, with head 

 again elevated and looked curiously at us. It was fatal 

 to him. The rifle rang out; he plunged forward, partly 

 rose — Bob said "Hit him again," Jim obeyed, another 

 plunge and he was down, never to rise again. We rushed 

 to where he lay and found him dead. Jim burst into 

 tears and the strain and excitement were over. As Jim 

 fired the second shot I brought my .45 into play, and 

 broke his back, but my shot was unnecessary, for Jim had 

 placed both of hers back of the shoulder. 



He was a noble animal, and we could not repress a 

 pang at having killed him, but the guides had no such 

 sentimentality, and were soon at work dissecting the 

 juiciest steaks. 



The afternoon was half gone and there was much to 

 be done, but we all worked industriously, and the carry 

 was short. While we lugged the duffle over, Bob crossed 

 the lake in the canoe with a load, and brought back from 

 his camp a large row boat that carried all else remaining, 



