The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-06-05
THE HAUNTED MOOSE.

o""0, A'oo LIZ, duTiuS luc latc cOlu tenn,
thought he would go into Hamilton and
have moose hunt. lie left the city, in
company with six other gentlemen, on
Wednesday Of last week. After u ride of
about twenty-four hours, they reached the
borders of the great wilderness. Having
put up their horses and sleigh at the last
tavern, they started out for weeks sport
in the woods. The second day in the
wilderness, our friends and party started Il
moose Of first class proportions. They
sighted him about noon, and kept on his
track till about 3 o'clock, p. Ill.,, when the
party Informed Bob that they were COM
p!etcly tired out, and that they intended to
take the back track for the sAanty and Lave
dinner.
Our friend said: "Vcry well, 60 back if
you please. AS for me, I'll have that
moose or perish in the attempt The
party went back, and Bob went ahead
lie kept up the chase till nearly dusk, when
he got sufficiently near to give him condign.
He was a glorious fcllow-likc Frank
Granger, "sx feet high and well proper
toned" Bob WAS rcjoiccd at his success.
But his pleasure had one draw Lack-"what
coul he do with him ?" Another source
Of uneaSincss WAS the excessive cold, and
the distance from :lo shanty, some eight
miles. While phi!osorhising upon his folly,
night came OH, and us there was no such
thing as getting up fire, he was at his
wits end to keep from freezing. At last
he hit upon All cxrcdicnt.
lie cut open the moose, took out its cn-
trails, and crawlcd in and lay down. The
animal heat kept him rs warm as "prppcr
sass" till about midnight, when he fell
asleep. llcaw"lie about sunrise and thought
he would crawl out and start back to his
friends. There was one pull bacl, to this
arrangement After the heat had left the
moose, he haul frozen rs stiff us a post. an
operation that subjected Bob to as rioid
confinement is if he had bccn locked up
i'll Bastile. Bob cn,leavorcd to cut his
way out with Il kni!c--but it was no 20
he might rs well have undertaken TO Wilt
tic granite. Bob spent most mechanically
day, and finally worried naturc into n sopnd
Sleep.
lrie thus unconscious, Il company of
hunters came along. discovered, tic moose.
Fastened rope 10 lis leg and set about
dragging hm out Of the woods. The
movement awakened Bob, who ,hou"lt he
was getting lanntel AMI, therefore, COM
mencel hall"ong for help. Such a noise
coming from dcal moose, excited I'll.
superstition Of the l:un!cr to such :, d.rrces
t''at they abandoned their prize and fled
rs II the devil WAS after them. After rum
n'ng ahou! three miles they met Bob's
friends, who lal been out all day irving to
discover his whereabouts. Tie hunters
tod the story Of the haunted moose. and
tie strange noise Which came from his
abdomen. Bob's friends smiled.
They requested the hunters to return
In Il half hour the lIaunteI moose" WIS
rracl'cd. The friends l,alIocI Bob :" Bob
l'aI!oe;l "lcrc::" The friends sail tive
are going to cut; look out for the axe" Bob
SAID (: Let drivc-bctter have IL damaged
head than legs made Of iciclcs." The ad
venture has made an impression Oh Robert.
lie says the next time lie sleeps inside a
moose, he will take good care that it las
leather hinges on its back"