Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-09-19
Adventure on the Dead River.

" 1t must have taken place nearly forty years
ego 10 the State Of Maine. 1t was on my second
long trapping expedition. went into the woods
with one Captain John Churchill great trapper
and hunter. After We had killed nine moose, we
concluded that one Of US had better return home
anu notify our friends and neighbors that they
could have plenty Of moose meat by coming into
the woods after it, And so | started home for
that purpose. We were then on the head.waters
OF the Androscoggin, about thirty miles from the
head-wateFs Of the Dead river, where our home
shanty was. The plan was for me to follow cur
Inc OF traps, taking along what fur found, and
sklnning and stretching It at the home-shanty,
wnere / was TO remain the first night. But IN.
stead OF doing 60, thought on reaching the
shluty, as the sun was stu an hour and half
high, that would leave the fur for Churchill to
skin and 90 on several miles further. 1t was if-
teen miles down the Dead rverIto Folsom house,
bu, thought could 90 about half way, to the
place where Captain Churchill and had camped,
when we went into the woods. So | tramped
on. II was one Of the cold, sharp, biting days in
February and the wind blew and the snow flew
awiuly l got to the shanty about dark, and
carefully collected pile OF dry sticks for kindling
spread my blanket in the corner, and prepared to
have comfortable night of it. Then | went to
my knapsack to get my flint and steel to light my
ire with, but they were missing. ! searched
every corner in vain, and finally concluded that
had left them back in camp. BY this time it was
dark, end piercing cold, and hardly knew what
to DO. 1t was too late to think Of returning to
the camp and knew should freeze to death If
remained where was. So, after thinking it all
over, concluded to 90 on to Folsom's.
thought # | could get to the river, the ice would
be strong enough 10 hold me, and it would be
easier travelling and a straight road.
Well, took my knapsacA aud started. 1t
was at great way to the river, and soon got
there and slid down the bank on 10 the ice. But
the ce it seems, was nj as strong as had cal
eulated, and, instead OF landing on solid bottom,
went straight through. weIt up to my neck,
and saved myself by catching hold of an alder +;
but my knapsack, with my halchet snow-shoes,
and twenty pounds Of moose tallow went to the
bottom. tshed it up, though, with hooked
stick, and went on but before had gons twenty
rods, my clothes were frozen stiff. | kept on for
some distance further down stream, to where the
river was not so rapid, and concluded to try the
ice again. Bat had no better luck than before
4
did beilre. felt pretty bad, | can tell YOU
about that t:mei but managed to get out and
go on again. The walking was so hard tha,
could nt help trying the ice once more. ought
to have known better, or at least taken better
care, after getting in twice. but somehow did ut.
slid down on to the ice, and in an instant found
myself in little worse situation than had been
before. The ice was nearly, but not quite thick
enough to bear me; and was so far from shore
this time tha. | could not pull myself out.
ilOundered about among the broken ice and water
for quite little while lost my knapsack but
finally managed to swim ashore-not in very good
trim for travel either, for the ice which had frozen
on my clothes during my three duokings, made
them very stiff and heavy.
" In spite Of all this managed TO get to Fol.
somsi but here had another disappointment
No one was there, and the fire was all out. OF
course could not stop, in the condition was in,
as should have frozen to death in half an hour
The nearest house was Of Reeds, fifteen mes
farther down the river, aud there was no other
way for me but to get there as soon as possible.
80 started down the river for Reeds. 1t
was eleven or twelve o'clock at night, and had
prgry hard time Of 1t, but got there ut last.
ANeta ANNa' - uh . A4tl hha hutA hok W Nllt
foot o that great hill could n's wax up it to
savo my life; bad 10 crawl up on my hands and
knees, Finally got to the house and raped at
the door, and Reed came and opened it. sup.
pose did look rather forlorn a. any rate he
seemed almost frightened at first. 'kor Gods
sake, Hu,chins, is this you? were the first
words he said. explained my circumstances to
him, and ho took me into the house, built up
big fire, end taawed me out, aud then put me to
bed where slept til the next day at noon, and
then got up, feeling as well as usual, only little
stiff.
al. was thirty miles from the place on the
Androscoggin where first started from, to our
camp fifteen miles IRON there TO Fosom's aud
fifteen miles from Folsom's to Reed's-n all sixty
miles. started from the Androstoggn at eight
o'clock in the morning, and got to Reeds at half
past three the next morning making the whole
sixty miles in nineteen hours and half. think
il had allowed myself to be frightened or dis.
heartened, should have gone under but kept
upa good heart, and came Gu, all right. - Trap
prs GUIDE.