Eastern times., 1855-10-04


marking
well, if you must go, you must; but
must say you're the most contrariest thing/I
ever saw in my life. Now, if anybody want
ed you to go, I'd lay ten to one you wouldn't
GO, jest for spite. So you may CO.. if you're
a-mind to. You don't suppose anybody cares.
hope
That is just like The girls thought l.
'Kate only wants little coaxing to make all
right. But am not going to coax her; for
ri be off tomorrow morning, and she will be
glad enough to see me when come back
The reader may suppose that Kate was not
as refined as some of our Broadway bellies
but she was ten times as natural and with
her clear and healthy complexion, her fine and
expressive blue eyes, her brilliant snow-white
teeth breath sweeter than the June zephyrs
blown over strawberry beds, form of the
most faultless symmetry, and step light and
elastic as a kids, she would have left her
more fashionable competitors immeasurably
behind.
The next morning the party was off, and |
was among them. didn't go to fall trees or
chop wood, but only to do as | pleased, and
make the most of my time as l thought prop
er. My luggage was easily packed in seal
skin knapsack, which l could strap on my
shoulders and my wardrobe was a scanty
one, consisting of an extra pair of double
twiled home-spun woolen pantaloons, colored
with rock moss; a shooting jacket; half
dozen red flannel shirts, half dozen pairs of
woolen stockings, mittens, &c., sufficient
amount of clothing, with what | stood in, TO
last me for the winter. The burden was not
heavy for me to carry, even provided l had to
travel on foot the entire distance, which, by
the way, however, could not have been per-
formed at that season of the year, through an
unsettled district of the country, most of the
way through almost painless forests, where
the snow lay from three to four and FIVE feet
deep on level during the entire winter. Be
sides my clothing, had stored in my KNAPP
sack as much ammunition in the shape of pow
der, shot and ball, as thought would answer
me during the period of my absence.
Our party consisted of fourteen persons, and
three teams, with dry provisions sufficient for
the winters encampment. A large quantity
of salt pork and salt beef, had already been
forwarded and for fresh meats we depended
upon our success in hunting-bear and moose
meat being the staple, occasionally varied by
rabbit stew. Sometimes, if pushed very
hard, we could make tolerable dinner off a
fox, although rather mindful of dog-meat.-
Great numbers of these animals were shot
every winter for their furs-the black and
gray fox being particularly valuable. A win
ter in the woods of Maine among the lumber
men is bot monotonous might ex-
pect. To person of sound constitution, it
is vigorous, healthy life; and with jolly
party of companions, one is soon apt to forget,
or cease to regret, the attractions of home, or
the exctements of life in village. 1t is un-
doubtedly fact that man naturally inclines TO
wild or nomadic life and | have known
men to emigrae TO the west from our largest
cities, who had been leaders in fashionable So
ciety, or the gayest among the sporting cir
cles, who, after years residence in the will
derness, principally among the Indians,
could not have been seduced back again to
face the glitter of artificial life. And as for
solitude-to a man possessing the least senti-
ment, there is no such thing as solitude in the
midst of Natures redundant beauties-not in
the solemn forests, nor the fiowery plains OF
the west, nor in the everlasting peaks and
gorges of the Rocky Mountains. To me
there is nothing so grand and sublime as the
awful solitude of our primeval forests, whether
it be in spring-time, when the gloom is cheered
the music of birds, and here and there wild
flower; or in the sober time of autumn, when
all the trees, with the exception of the ever
mourns through the desolate branches. Such
thoughts as these have often tempted me 10
turn hermit, and forsaking the haunts of men,
and forgetting the worlds hollowness ana
! falsehood, escape to forest solitudes, and spend
the remainder of my days in contemplation
but then such resolutions are scarcely limned
out, ere glad eye and welcome form rises
before my imagination, and | am constrained
to 'live as other men, and obeying the divine
injunction-'It is not good for man to be alone
wed my life to social conditions, and strive
to live somewhat for others, as well as for my
self exclusively But | am losing sight Of
my original intention when l commenced this
writing.
| did intend, on starting, to relate an adven-
ture which | once had with bear in the
neighborhood of Moosehead Lake, spurred tc
the same by statement which is made in the
Lewiston Falls Journal, by the editor of that
paper, who has recently made an excursion to
Lake Umbagog, to the effect that the bears
are.still troublesome, at times, in that vicinity
He gives an account of contest which boy
only nine years of age had recently, in the
'lake settlement with bear. He says:
'Old Bruin made a visit to the oat-feld, Z
few rods from the house, for his evening meal
when Warren concluded to pepper the var
mint with few buck shot. He took the CUR
and fired at the animal, wounding and enrag
ing him. Young Bowley, nothing daunted a