48 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Jan. 18, 1896. 
TWO WEEKS ON THE MOLUNCUS. 
There are times in our lives when, with our limited 
capacity for enjoyment, we experience for brief seasons 
wuat we call perfect happiness. Such a season for our 
party of vacationists dawned on the morning of Sept. 27, 
1895. Indeed, the pleasure had begun long before this 
tiaie, for, as is usual with parties going to the dear old 
Maine woods, many happy hours had been spent together 
planning how to get the most out of those two short 
weeks, 
To most of our party the delights of the camp and deer 
hunting were a known quantity. Some were to taste 
theBe pleasures for the first time. Let me bi'ieflynote the 
members of our party as we boarded the train on the 
afternoon of the 27th, bound for Boston. 
First, genial Uncle Cole, who, remembering the oppor- 
tunities to delight a boyisb^heart, takes with himhis young 
son Allie, Then Mr. A., known to all as Joe, who shares 
the delights this season with his friend Will P.; and 
finally the writer, with the partner of his joys and sor- 
rows, familiarly known as Teddie, who is as enthusiastic 
as the boy Allie. 
In Boston we were met by another old crony, Harry J. , 
and with him Helen E,, alias Neddie, who is eager to see 
what camp life really is. A merry party we were as we 
made ready for our night ride to Kingman, Me,, our rail- 
road destination. The ladies assisting us to carry our guns 
and traps were the object of no small amount of pleasant 
interest from fellow travelers; some, no doubt, wondering 
what those poor girls were going to do "way off in the 
woods." 
A night ride by Pullnaan sleepers over the B. & M, and 
Maine Central railroads is not the least enjoyable part of 
a hunting expedition. At least we found it as pleasant 
as usual, and at 7:30 in the morning, fresh and vigorous, 
we left the train at Kingman to meet our guides, Lon and 
Frank. A hearty greeting we gave and received, for 
three seasons with them have sealed a strong and true 
friendship. 
A brisk ride of seven miles and a bountiful breakfast 
prepared by the wives of our guides, our "store clothes" 
exchanged for those — to me at least — more congenial, and 
we were off for the woods. 
Our camp had been prepared for us, as is our usual cus- 
tom, and for the benefit of some campers who manage to 
exist in a cloth tent for two weeks I will describe it: 
A shed-shaped frame of poles and boards 16x22 ft., with 
open front 6|-ft. high, and highest point or ridge of the 
roof about 8ft. back from the front. Then the whole 
covered, top and sides, with tarred paper, leaving front 
open, to be covered in with temporary shelter pieces as 
may be needed. The front portion leaves a goodly space 
of 16 X 8ft., devoted to the camp stove and the ample din- 
ing table. The rear pnrtion of 12 x 16ft. leaves plenty of 
room for those fragrant fir-bough beds of which we have 
all heard so much. For a few dollars we have a camp as 
snug and dry as the kitchen at home, and rainy days are 
a pleasure in such a place, where wet clothes can be dried 
in a few minutes over the red hr>t stove, and plenty of 
room for games and reading on the dining table. 
I could enlarge on the many conveniences and com- 
forts of what we think is almost an ideal camp, but to 
resume my narrative: 
Saturday night saw us safely and snugly settled in our 
new camp, and as darkness shut down over the quiet 
woods and we gathered one by one around the log fire to 
smoke and chat and laugh, then we felt the consumma- 
tion of our hopes and desires and that peaceful rest which 
come to the lover of the woods in no other way. 
Sunday saw us sunning ourselves on some soft brush 
pile and gazing up at the fleecy clouds, or reading, or 
adding some new little convenience to our well-nigh per- 
fect camp. 
The next day broke cloudy and lowering, and we 
resolved to explore the little pond in the woods for pick- 
erel, and at the same time to note the best deer resorts, 
preparatory to the opening day. 
A short time at the pond with the little Eureka folding 
canoe, which I had brought from home, gave us pickerel 
enough, and the sudden breaking of the storm sent us 
hurrying back to camp, where we arrived wet to the skin. 
But what did we care? Wasn't it raining, and wouldn't 
to-morrow be the 1st of October and a great day for 
deer? 
That rainy afternoon was well spent in stocking up the 
"pantry" with a goodly supply of cooked food, ready for 
an early start on the morrow. 
Half an hour before the sun had smiled upon che yel- 
low treetops we had eaten our hearty breakfast, and leav- 
ing the girls contentedly snoozing in bed, stole away, two 
by two, through the quiet woods, silent as Indians (or 
trying to be). 
My lot fell with Frank, and we were out for meat. My 
story is a short one. Within half an hour after leaving 
camp a fat, spike-horned buck, on the way to dine at his 
favorite spot in the burnt land, chanced to cross our path 
about 60yd8. ahead of us. How handsome he looked as 
his suspicious eye caught sight of those two unfamiliar- 
looking stumps down the old road! We did not give him 
long to satisfy his curiosity, for Frank, being directly in 
front of me, with a clear short "unhitched on him," and 
he was ours; killed instantly by a beautiful shot through 
the neck. 
As we reached camp, dragging our prize, we were 
greeted with the wildest enthusiasm by the feminine con- 
tingent, who, having just risen from the most refreshing 
slumber and with keen appetites for breakfast, were 
wildly excited by the sight of meat; but when informed 
that deer meat was not good to eat while warm, they 
cooled down somewhat, and went poking round among 
the cold potatoes and johnny cakes. 
As midday drew near our hunters came straggling in, 
tired and hungry, but all with glowing accounts of big 
buck tracks and the sight of flying white-tails — but no 
deer. 
A united and vigorous attack on our provision box put 
us all in the happiest and j oiliest humor, and could you 
have partaken with us, no doubt you too would have been 
happy; for the good wives of our guides had been busy 
for at least two days baking pumpkin pies, apple cakes, 
doughnuts, cookies, tarts and delicious whipped cream 
cakes — food seemingly hardly suited for roughing it; but 
as Nessmuk says, "We don't rough it, we smooth it." 
A good long rest and a quiet after-dinner smoke, and 
most of the boys were ready for a short afternoon hunt. 
Madam J., or rather Teddie and Allie, both eager for 
p. sight at a deer, were my companions, and crossing the 
river we followed the old log road out upon the highway 
to see deer, and incidentally to shoot a few partridges. 
A pleasant walk it was to me, as I scanned the deer 
tracks across the road and covertly glanced now and then 
at those two eager excited faces, peering sharply into the 
woods to see the expected deer. 
A mile or so with no results and we were thinking of 
turning back; but Teddie wanting a little rest sat down 
by the roadside. Allie and I decided to go a little further 
and be back in fifteen minutes. Around the first turn in 
the road, and we came to a number of fresh deer tracks 
in the mud, and as I am explaining to him that some real 
live deer made those footprints only a few moments ago, 
crash! crash! and away from the roadside go two white- 
tails, with shrill snorts of terror. One ran fairly down 
the road away from us; but as we had only shotguns 
loaded for partridges, he got away with a whole pelt. The 
boy after his first jump of excitement opened his mouth 
to speak, but his English came somewhat twisted and his 
first words were, "Oh, my mouth is in my heart 1" But 
you may be sure I understood him correctly, for I had 
been there before and I forgave him on the spot. 
Sadly we turned back to seek another sorrowing one, 
sitting on a stone by the wayside, who wanted to see a 
deer "Oh, so much." 
Camp and supper and the reports of the day's hunt fill 
out the day to its utmost fullness, and then the glorious 
old log lire again ! One contented, thankful heart was 
heard to murmur, as he stretched out his tired legs 
toward the glowing fire and braced his back against a big 
hemlock log, that if heaven was better than this it waB an 
awful nice place. 
As our camp happened to be near an old hemlock peel- 
ing a great abundance of well-seasoned logs were scattered 
about, and we made good use of them during our stay, 
many times bringing in logs for the fire which were a 
good load for four strong men. 
As evening advances and bedtime approaches the boys 
celebrate by feeding the fire with a lot of dry fir boughs— 
and a beautiful sight it is, as the brilliant sparks shoot up 
a hundred feet into the air, reminding one of Fourth 
of July fireworks. These celebrations were of nightly 
occurrence. 
A little later and the fire burning lower makes us feel 
sleepy, and one by one we steal away to our own little 
place under the blankets, reminded by Lon that we must 
be up early if we want a deer. 
Next morning as we paired off for the day's hunt Harry 
and I decide that we are good for at least one deer be- 
tween us; and after the others have chosen their favorite 
grounds we sneak out on the highway to prospect a little. 
About two miles from camp we suddenly surprise two 
deer by the side of the road, just on the brow of a hill. 
We were not a little surprised ourselves, not looking for 
deer on the wagon road, but we learned in a very few 
days that there was no better place to find game than near 
these grassy roadsides. 
As the deer broke away we unlimbered and opened fire. 
The girls down at the camp told us when we got back 
that it sounded like a sham battle of the Rhode Island 
militia. The deer disappeared in the woods, one on each 
side of the road, apparently untouched, and to tell the 
truth I thought we had said good-bye to them, for I never 
could hit a deer on the wing myself, anyway. But not 
so with Harry; his last shot had been a square side just 
as the deer turned into the brush, and sure enough, after 
a little search we found blood in plenty, and within 
100yds. we came to our game, stretched out dead. The 
bullet hole square through the body behind the shoulder 
told the story. He proved to be a small buck about 
lOOlbs. weight, and as we were lucky enough to get a lift 
down the road a mile or so by a passing team, we soon 
reached camp. Lon and Joe had just arrived with a doe, 
a counterpart in size to the one we had, and we shook 
hands joyously with Joe, for it was his first deer. Our 
meat hooks looked in danger of an overstocked market, 
for there were four more hunters to report, but luckily, as 
we thought, they brought nothing but partridges, although 
having jumped several good deer. 
We thought it high time to quit for the present, aB our 
party do not kill game we cannot use, and it was a happy 
feeling we had, as we realized our situation, "Plenty to 
eat and nothing to do," except to do just what each one 
had a mind to do. This was generally going partridge 
hunting, fishing or paddling the canoe in search of new 
territory. 
Our camp now settled down into the delightful place 
that a camp is when there is not a thought of care of 
any kind to weigh upon one, and business is totally for- 
gotten for the time. We think often of the dear ones at 
home, and hope they are all right and well, and feeling 
sure that such is the case, we give ourBelves up totally to 
the bewitching influence cast upon us by the dear old 
woods. 
The latter part of the week we were visited by Mrs. Lon 
and Mrs. Frank, bringing my brother, known as Billy, 
who could not get away from business at the time we had 
come to camp. 
It being his initial trip to the woods we gave him a 
hearty welcome, and finally introduced him to the dinner 
table, when he smiles broadly and sayB he feels very much 
at home. 
We now hastily dispatch by the departing messenger a 
few lines to two former members of our party, Ed. D. and 
'Rastus B., who — poor fellows — are restlessly clanking 
their chains at home. 
The feminine addition to our party made it very pleas- 
ant for all hands, and, happy thought! they brought with 
them Lon's fiddle. Now, Lon is a fiddler of dance music, 
known far and near in his section, and that very evening, 
just as the big silver moon came rolling up among the 
tree tops, Lon crossed his legs on a log and tuned her up. 
In a few minutes our smooth door yard was turned into a 
brilliant ball room, and we were dancing a quadrille, hop- 
ping about like grasshoppers. The etiquette of the baJl 
room was of a new order, and smoking on the floor was 
freely indulged in. It was a pleasant diversion, and the 
music of some good old waltz, after we had tired our- 
selves in our hilarity and camped down in some soft spot 
to sit and listen, carried us back in memory to those happy 
hours, now gone like a dream. 
The week pulled round only toos;on, and Sunday, the 
day of rest, marked more than half our time gone. The 
days seemed fast slipping away from us now, and we 
began to look forward with regret to the day when we 
must leave this pleasant spot, to which we had grown so 
much attached? 
We decided now that it was time to hunt deer again, as 
we wanted some game to take home. Twelve and four- 
teen in family have made good sized holes in the three 
carcasses hanging in the "ice box," and we see they can 
be comfortably disposed of. But we needed rain. The 
woods were very dry and still as death, except when we 
tried to hunt, and then the leaves rattled in a way to make 
one totally discouraged. 
The rain came in due season, however, striking some of 
us rather unprepared. A lumber camp was in operation 
over to the east of us some four miles, and Monday after- 
noon the ladies, with Harry, Billy and I, decided to pay 
them a visit, After a good sturdy tramp over an old tote 
road — which the girls found was not concrete walk — we 
reached the snug little camp, where we were pleasantly 
and hospitably entertained by the genial proprietor, Mr. 
Oscar Thomas, and his cook, who set out the best in the 
house for us. After making ourselves familiar with the 
lumber business, we thought it about time to return; but 
the lowering clouds suddenly let loose a downpour, which 
quite surprised us. But night was approaching, and go 
we must; so away we went, prepared for a soaking. For- 
tunately for us, we soon met thoughtful Frank, who had 
foreseen our calamity, and taking all the rubber goods in 
camp had started out to meet us, thereby saving us a 
thorough drenching. 
Rain was just the thing we wanted, however, and the 
next morning broke beautifully clear and pleasant. 
Everybody was up early, and I saw blood and determi- 
nation in Joe and Will's eyes as they quietly lit out down 
the river. Billy went along with Lon to get that deer he 
had been dreaming about for the past six months. Alas 
for the beautiful chance he had at a standing deer! A 
streak of gray fur with a white plume behind it was all 
that he Baw after he fired. 
Frank took out Allie, who is a rattling good little shot 
for a thirteen-year-old boy, and they were lucky enough 
to get a chance also at a long range of probably 150yds. 
The deer was drinking at a broad space on the river, and 
with no chance to get closer the youngster pluckily tried 
it, and threw up the water directly under her. 
Uncle Cole, who was the prize deer hunter of our party 
last season, had not yet had a shot; but he was still undis- 
turbed, and hunted patiently and hop3fully. 
I cast lots with Harry again, as we seemed to be trav- 
eling under some lucky star, and we headed off on a long 
tramp into what was new country for us. Crossing the 
river we selected an old log road leading off to the north- 
east, and which Lon had told us led to an old logging 
camp. Following for several miles along the road which 
led mostly through a heavy, thick wood of cedar and 
black growth, we came finally to the clearing and the 
old decaying log camps. 
A careful investigation of the place revealed the fact 
that we were in the stamping ground of a whole drove of 
deer. Never have I seen signs bo plenty as in this place, 
which was like a deer yard in winter. But we had come 
a little late, and the wind being somewhat against us we 
quickly decided to continue on the road a short distance 
and then make a detour. 
Just beyond the camp was a hemlock peeling, and here 
it was we saw our first deer, a buck and doe. They faded 
away suddenly on winding us, but not until Harry had 
sent a couple of copper-patched .44s cracking after them. 
As no blood was drawn we continued to where another 
road joined ours, making a sharp fork. Here we got 
glimpses of two more deer, and we separated for a while, 
each taking a road alone. 
The woods in the point of land between the roads were 
exceedingly dense, and we had quite a circus act with a 
splendid buck who played hide-and-seek between us, 
snorting defiance, and finally completely outwitted us, 
getting away without giving us a shot. 
Not far beyond, a small moose had come into the road 
and gone ahead in my direction, and as the tracks were 
very new I followed them. As I rounded a turn my eyes 
lit on a charming sight for a hunter. About 80yds. from 
me and just in the act of crossing the road was a slick 
young spike-horn. He saw me instantly, but he took just 
time enough for a saucy jerk of his head to get it an inch 
higher, and that was just long enough for me. I put the 
white Lyman bead right against his dark shoulder and 
"unhitched." His first jump told me I had got him, for 
he stumbled as his feet struck the ground. A few yards 
into the wood I found him dead. Signaling for Harry, 
I made ready for our lug back to camp. Just here the 
folly of shooting a deer four or five miles from camp 
dawned upon me; but as our muscles had by this time got 
well toughened, we tackled the job cheerfully, and at just 
3 P. M., tired and hungry, as wolves, we dropped our deer 
before the camp door, 
As on a similar occasion when Harry and I brought in 
a deer, Joe was just a little ahead. We saw from the 
satisfied way he and Will were puffing away on their 
cigars that "something had dropped," and no wonder, for 
catching a buck in the act of crossing the river, they had 
filled him bo full of lead that he had to drop from sheer 
inability to carry it. He was a big fellow, the best deer 
our party had killed, and they were juBtly proud of 
him, especially since it was Will's first chance at big 
game. 
About a mile from us were the camps of another party 
of deer hunters, Messrs. Mallett & Fifield, who also had 
with them their wives. Pleasant calls were exchanged by 
the ladies of both camps. It was while on their way back 
from a call to their camp that our ladies started a doe and 
fawn from their afternoon rest, within loft, of the tote 
road. Helen was ahead, and the excitement and delight 
at the sight she had witnessed had not fairly left her eyes 
when she reached c 'mp. As usual, poor Teddie was a 
little too late and so missed the pretty picture. 
One day more of hunting, in which we all put in our 
best efforts, but without any deer, until Uncle Cole, 
crowned at last with success, put in an appearance with 
Frank, bringing deer No. 6. 
We were now well satisfied as we recounted our exploits 
and reflected that of six deer killed by us only one bad 
been a doe. Deer hunting in Maine had not suffered 
from our visit, and it would be pleasant to remember dur- 
ing the year to come. 
Breaking camp! Can anything sound more sorrowful 
to the true lover of woods and woods life than. these words 
unless, perchance, they relate to the breaking of camp to 
go still deeper into those beautiful woods and among new 
and inviting lakes and streams? But we must go. Our 
vacations had almost expired and there were mouths at 
home watering for a, taste of that venison about which we 
