The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-06-24
Miscellaneous.
wILD-WooDs LIFE.
From the NatlonaI InteIllgeneor.

IALLuLAH FALLS, (Ga.) April ~, lS4S.
The subject of my present letter is ADAM
VANDEvER, the Hunter of Tallulah.' His
fame reached my ears soon after arriving at
this place, and having obtained guide, |
paid him a visit at his residence, which is
planted directly at the mouth ofIhe Talluah
chasm. He lives in log-cabin, occupying
the center of n small valley, through which
fhe Talulah River winds its hayward course.
III is completely hemmed In on all sides by
wild and abrupt mountains, and one of the
most romantic and beautiful hooks imagina-
bie. Vandever is about sixty years of age,
small in stature, has regular built weasel
fhce, small gray eye and wears long white
BEARD He was born i'm South Carolina,
spent his early manhood in the wiIds of Ken
'tucky, and the last thirty yenrs ofhs life in
rhe wilderness of Georgia. BY way of n ffol-
&c, he took n part In the Creek War, and is
said TO have killed more Indians than any
other white man in the army.
In the battle of Otesse alope, he is repor-
ted TO have sent his rihe-ball through the
hearts of twenty poor heather, merely be-
cause they had an undying passion for their
native hills, which they could not hear to
leave for an unknown wilderness. But Van
dever aimed his rifle ut the command of his
country, and of course the charge of cold
blooded butchery does not rest upon his
hend. lie is now living with his third wife,
and claims to he the father of ouer thirty chill
d'en, only five of whom, however, are living
under his roof the remainder being dead or
scattered over the world. During the sum-
mer months he ills, with his own hand, the
few acres ofIand which constitute his domain.
His live stock consists ola mule, some half
dozen goats, together with n number Of dogs.
On inquiring into his forest life, he gave
me, among others, the following particulars:
When the hunting season commences, early
in November, he supplies himself with every
variety of shooting materials, steel traps, and
comfortable stock of provisions, and, plac-
ing them upon his mule, starts for some wild
region among the mountains, where he re-
mains until the following Spring. The shan
(which he occupies during the season is of
the rudest character, with one side always o.
pen, ms he tells me, for the purpose ofhaving
an abundance of fresh air. In killing wild
animals he pursues but two methods, called
"fre lightning and "still hunting" His ia
vorite game is the deer, but he is not partic-
ular,secures the fur ofevery four legged crea-
ture which may happen to cross his path.
The largest number Of skins that he ever
brought home at one time was six hundred,
among which were those of the bear, the
black and gray WOLF the panther, the wild
cat, the fox, the coon, and some dozen other
varieties. He computes the entire number
of deer that he has killed at four thousand.
When Spring arrives, and he purposes to
return to his valley home, he packs his ftlrs
upon his old mule, and seating himself upon
the pile of plumber, makes bee line out of
the wilderness. And, by those who have
seen him in this homeward bound condition,
am told that he presents one of the most
curious and romantic pictures imaginable.
While among the mountains, his beast sub
sists upon whatever it may happen TO G can
in its forest rambles, and when the first sup
ply of provisions is exhausted, he usually cou-
tents himself with wild game, which he is Of
ten compelled to deyour without bread or
salt. His mule is the smallest and most mis-
cradle looking creature of the kind that ev-
err saw, and glories in the singular name of
"The devI and Tom Wdiker." . .. ...
When Vandever informed me of this fact,
which he did with self satisfied air, / told
him that the first portion of the mules name
was more applicable to himselfthan the dumb
beast: whereupon he 'grinned horribly a
CHASTITY SMILE as if had paid him compli-
ment. Old Vandever is an iliterate man,
and when asked him to give me his opinion
ofPresident Polk, he replied: Il never seed
the Goveral of this State; for when he come
to this country some years ago, was off on
Atother side of the ridge shooting deer. vo-
ted for the General, and that's all know n
bout him. Very well! and this, thought | is
one of the freemen ofour land, who help to
elect our rulers.
On questioning my hunter friend with re-
gard to some adventures, he commenced a
rigmarole narrative, which would have lasted
whole month had not politely requested
him to keep his mouth closed, while took a
portrait of him in pencil. His stories all bear
strong family likeness, but were evidently
to be relied on, and proved conclusively that
the man knew not what it was to fear. AS
specimens of the whole, will outline few.
On one occasion he came to a large gray
WOLF into whose head he discharged ball.
The animal did not drop but made its way
into an adjoining cavern, and disappeared.
Vandever waited awhile at the opening as
he could not see or hear his game, he con-
cuded that it had ceased to breathe, where
upon he fell upon his hands and knees, and
entered the cave. On reaching the bottom
he found the wolfe alive, when tclinch fight
ensued, and the hunters knife completely
severed the heart Of the animal. On drag
y ging out the dead wolf into the sunlight, it
was found that his lower jaw had been bro
= ken, which was probably the reason why he
had not destroyed the hunter.
Il At one time, when he was out Of ammuni-
ton, his dogs fell upon a large bear, and it
so happened that the latter got one ofihe for
mer in his power, and was about to squeeze
it to death. This was sight the hunter
could not endure, so he unsheathed his huge
hunting kife and assaulted the black monster.
The bear tore off nearly every rag of his
clothing, and in making his first plunge with
the knife ne completely cut offtwo of his
own fingers instead of injuring the bear He
was now in perfect phrenzy ofpain and
rage, and in making another effort succeeded
"a 10 his satisfaction, and gained the victory