The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-10-31
From the New York ''spirt of the Times"
Four Days i'm the Woods of Nova
Scotia.


scattered with branches of trees, torn by the
fierce storm from the parent stem; bad day tC
start on journey, even in civilized part Of the
world, where a warm fire, dry clothes, and a
good supper would probably follow. Most peo
pie would consider it much worse where the
destination was the fOrest-the best shelter, q
few yards Of canvas and the bed, the wet moss
Of the Golt of tree. This however, was the
selected day, in preference to all others, for q
start on moose-hunting expedition. The yio-
lent gale, which had now lasted two days,
knew would moderate on the third, and, in all
probability be followed by perfect calm. The
bright 0ctobermoon was at its full the rain had
saturated and soitened the moss and the soil in
the woods, thereby rendering the tracking more
easy and the creeping more noiseless; the
leaves, which but a few days ago decked the for
est with every variety of color, now strewed the
ground, no longer obstructing the view. For
these reasons, then, did leave the capital of No
va Scotia on this particular day. Ny equip
Observation-Disclosures rifle (smooth bore
snugly ensconced in waterproof case, blanket
axe, tea, sugar, biscuit and a small canvas
camp-were all packed behind me in the ''wag-
on" as the spider-looking vehicle is called
which is used as a means Of locomotion in these
parts. In addition to these 'impediments," the
hind-seat contained squaw and papoose, wife
and child Of the hunter who was to accompany
me TO whom, from obvious motives of policy
was giving lit. The bad state Of the roads,
with this additional burden, rendered my reach
ing the Indians wigwam, as had iondly hoped
10 do that evening, very problematcal and so
it came to pass that, after pushing along for
some six hours, darkness surprised Us about
four miles from our destination and as travel
ling oye- bullock roads in a state Of inundation,
on dark night is a proceeding calculated to end
in a fracture Of necl1s, or at any rate, Of wagon,
pulled up, at a settlers shanty, proHdentially
near at hand, and obtained shelter for the night
The house in which thus sought hospitality
was built on no extensive scale, yet was good
specimen of small farmers habtation in this
part of the world i was a wooden cdiflce
consisting Of one large room, with kind of loft
above, accessible only by ladder. In one cor
ncr of the room was bed, the place Of rcpose
for the farmer, his wife, and perhaps two young
est children the others shook themselves down
in the apartment above. A common American
stove, with pipe which passed through both
rooms, heated the house, cooked the dinner,
boiled the water ior the teapot baked the bread,
dried the wet clothes, all at thc same time
With all this, the floor was well secured, the
chairs and tables clean, and everything, even
thc children, in good order. BY the time had
housed my horse ia the bullocl-shed, found
warm cup Of tea, unlimited number of fresh
eggs, and unlcavcned bread, awaiting me and
il is perhaps worthy Of notice, that you may
travel from one end Of Acadia to the other-that
you may go into any kind OF house. at any time
of the day or night aud the inyariable meal set
before you is bacon, eggs, unlcayened bread, and
tea The rcpast finished, and the pipe Of peace
smoked, I sgnfedmy intention to retire for the
night by unrolli9g my blanket and stretching it
before the fire, politely refusing the pressing in
yitations of the good man" Of the house to
share his couch. ! was soon fast asleep.
was early awakened next morning by the
farmer bringing in wood to rcplenish the stove.
Ny first impulse was to go to the door and have
a look at the weather. II was as had hoped
and predicted: all traces of the storm of ycster-
day had not entirely disappearcd-hcavy clouds
were still hanging over the landscape; hut
soft wind was blowing from the west a suspi-
cion of sunshine in the cast. altogether it was
one of those mornings, when you know by your
own feelings more plainly than by any visible
indication Of the weather that it is going TO be
fine day.
By the time had brcalfasted, young Indian
made his appearance at the door, and in a very
few words informed me he was to be my guide
for the present A handy fellow enough was
Jim Cope, dressed in ragged blue coat, through
which peeped glimpses of rcd shirt; grey
homcspun trowsers, the ends Of which were
tucked into his stockings, and all tightly bound
over with the deer-skn thongs of his moccasins
his long black hair struggled over his face and
fell on his shoulders, giving him an air of con
siderable wildness; his frame, though spare and
slight was well knit and muscular, for an Indi- /
an; his power Of carrying bundles was some
what remarkable, and very few hunters could
bring out heavy quarter of moose With more
ease and Quicbness. BY his advice my horse
and wagon were sent back TO town and my
traps being divided by Jim into two parts and
neatly packed up in the Indian bundles, he
shouldered the heaviest, and took the lead /, /
bidding adieu to my kind host, followed with |
the small bundle and the two guns 4 walk of
a mile-snd-a-half brought us to the shore Of a
small lake, at the lower end Of which stood
disused saw mill, the lower parts Of whose tim
bers had been carried away, and great deal of
drift timber had accumulated In a little creek |
lay the canoe which concluded was to be our
means of transport
may here mention, that there is hardly any
thing that an Indian dislikes about white man
so much as chatting and talking when on the
march. Anxious, therefore, to win the good
opinion of my guide in silence placed my bun
die in the middle Of the canoe; in silence took
my place, paddle in hand, in the bows. Jim
did the same in the stern; and we were soon
gliding along. at a rapid pace, over the still wa
ters. On reaching the head Of the first lake,
we passed up short run, through which the
stream rushed with considerable force, and re-
III